Fire! Fear!

" FIRE ! " That word often invokes fear or alarm.

Quite a few years ago I was awakened to the sound of banging on my apartment door and hearing someone yelling that word---"FIRE" !

If you have ever had the same or a similar experience you can relate to the fear and confusion I felt. My first reaction was panic ! Not knowing where the fire was, I began to run around my apartment trying to grab things to take out with me, however, I finally realized that I had better get myself out and not worry about saving anything else! I was able to make it outside ok and in the end my apartment was not damaged but as I sat outside watching the flames lick at the building while they burned up another's apartment, I felt very scared.

Fire can be good and it can be bad, and that day I saw and felt the bad. I hoped I would never ever be in a fire or have someone I loved fall victim to it's damage.

As bad as the fires here on earth are, they will eventually burn out. Nearly every year we hear of many parts of the US being plagued with wildfires that seem to be unstoppable. They often burn for many days and do a lot of damage. However, eventually, they are either brought under control or end up burning themselves out.

But, do you know that there exists a place where the fire never goes out? A place where the fire is an everlasting fire and the damage never ends?

This place is called "HELL" in the Bible and it is a real place.

Hell is described in the Bible as:

* EVERLASTING FIRE--"Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire....."

Matthew 25:41

* EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT--"Then they will go away to eternal punishment....."

Matthew 25:46

* EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION--"They will be punished with everlasting destruction......"

2 Thessalonians 1:9

* OUTER DARKNESS"---will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 8:12

* LAKE OF FIRE"---their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur."

Revelation 21:8

Wow ! That all sounds pretty scary and bad to me ! What an awful place !

Darkness and Fire burning eternally !

I am sure that would be a place of eternal punishment and destruction !

Why would there be such a place?

Who would go there? Who is the "they" that the Bible says will go there.?

Let's find out !

HELL WAS PREPARED FOR:

* DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS---"...the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Matthew 25:41

* FALLEN ANGELS---"For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell......" 2 Peter 2:4

* WICKED---"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur." Revelation 21:8

* BEAST & FALSE PROPHET---"But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet...........The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur."

Revelation 19:20

* WORSHIPPERS OF BEAST---"If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand.........He will be tormented with burning sulfur .....their torment rises forever and ever.......There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or receives the mark of his name." Revelation 14:9-11

* REJECTORS OF THE GOSPEL---"If anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15

Well, this certainly is not a place I would want to go to! However, how can I be sure I am not going to go there? Am I good enough to escape Hell?

The Bible says "all liars" will go there (Revelation 21:8). If I have lied, does that mean there is no hope for me? Am I doomed to this place of eternal punishment ?

GOOD NEWS ! THE BIBLE SAYS THERE IS A WAY OF ESCAPE !

Revelation 20:15 says that those whose names were not found in the Book of Life were thrown into the lake of fire.

That means if my name is written in the Book of Life, I will not be thrown into the lake of fire.

But what is the Book of Life? How can I know if my name is written in it? If it’s not, how can I be sure it does get written in there and who writes it in there anyhow?

Well, the Bible says there is One who holds the keys to Death and Hades (Hell)--(Revelation 1:18)

This One is Jesus Christ. He has the power to set people free from Death and Hell.

He is the One who made it possible for our names to be written in that Book of Life.

When Jesus died on the cross the Bible says that our sins were wiped away by His blood, and the record that contained charges against us was cancelled. By His death He won the victory over sin and death. He is the power that can save us from Hell. If we put all our belief, hope and trust in Him we will be set free from sin and death and our names will be written in the Book of Life and we will be assured of a place in Heaven with Him for eternity.

So, if you would like to escape the horror of Hell and have your name written in the Book of Life, you need to:

• Believe you are a sinner.
• Believe you need a savior.
• Believe Jesus is the only way to be saved.
• Believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins.
• Believe Jesus rose again, is alive now in Heaven and will be returning to earth again soon.
• Accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord

You could pray a prayer similar to this:

God I know I am a sinner and I know I can’t help myself. I need a savior. I want my name written in that Book of Life. I believe Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins and I believe He rose again and lives now in Heaven with You. I believe His coming back soon to judge the living and the dead and I want to be ready when He comes. I believe Jesus is the way You provided for me to be reconciled to a right relationship with You, God and I believe He is the only way I can be saved from my sinful life and from the horror of an eternity in Hell, therefore, by faith I accept Him as my Savior and Lord and believe as I do this that I will receive Your forgiveness and freedom now and forever to live a new life, one that is without fear and full of joy and hope.

Then…..

• Receive the forgiveness Jesus died to give you and walk in freedom daily.
• Enjoy a new life as His Holy Spirit dwells within you giving you power to overcome sin
• Look forward to a hope and a future that is good, here on earth and in Heaven.
• Rejoice in the many spiritual blessings you have received
• Give thanks that you now have a personal relationship with God through Jesus, His Son
• Tell others about this wonderful good news so they can escape the fire of Hell and have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life also.

Do it now! Before it’s too late! You never know how much time you have. Accept God’s free gift of grace and mercy now while you are still able to make that choice. Eternity is forever. Don’t take a chance on spending it in Hell .

God loves you and He wants your name written in the Book of Life so you can live forever with Him in Heaven. Believe and Receive---you will never regret doing so.