Tag: hell

Scared Out Of Hell

by  • 

 
I remember the time, way back in 1975, that my soul cried out to God. A God I didn’t know, wasn’t sure if I wanted to know Him, and didn’t pay much attention to what people were telling me about Him. You know, all the “God loves you” jargon. 

No, I didn’t cry out to God because I loved Him or because I heard He loved me. 

I cried out to God because I was scared. Just plain scared. 

I had a revelation, realization, or whatever you’d like to call it; I knew if I died before I got things straight with God I was going to hell. 

That scared me. Scared me enough to take the necessary action.

Some people thought, and maybe still think, I was stupid. They’re convinced hell isn’t a real place, that hell is what we make of this life. Same with heaven. 

“It’s all in how you look at it”, the wise ones say. “Treat people the way you want to be treated, and Heaven becomes a day to day reality. Treat people like crap, and you’ve made your own hell.” 

However, there was this man who said a few things about hell. He talked about hell, and heaven, like you and I talk about Chicago or Detroit. Real places. 

I’ve been to Chicago so I know it is real. I’ve never been to Detroit, so I’m not so sure about that. And to hear some folks talk about it, maybe I don’t want to go there. If it’s even real. 

No, this man who referred to heaven and hell a number of times, also said some other things; things people like to quote. 

Things like: judge not, it’s more blessed to give than receive, don’t call anyone a fool, blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Great sayings, by a great man. But can He be trusted? Can you trust Him? After all, if He’s lying about heaven and hell, what makes you think He’s telling the truth the rest of the time?

Jesus is not a liar. He spoke of hell, and heaven, because He knew they existed. Though you and I can’t see them (yet), there’s coming a day when we will. 

One or the other. 

That’s why I was scared. I had heard in order to go to heaven (and thus miss hell, the place of the damned), I had to be as perfect, as sinless, as God. At that time, I wasn’t sure just how righteous God was, but I knew He had me beat. 

I didn’t know if He’d done anything wrong, but I knew I had. 

That reminds me: why do people say, “why you’d sure as hell better believe thus and so” when they don’t believe in hell in the first place?

Anyway, like I said, I KNEW I had done plenty of things wrong, so if hell was a real place, I was in a heap of trouble. 

Fire, sulfur, brimstone, total darkness, wailing and gnashing of teeth. My friends told me they planned on going to hell so they could party. But those words didn’t describe any party I’d want to attend. 

Especially one lasting forever and ever…

Have you ever heard a person wail and gnash their teeth? I have. When I was 15 I spent 30 days in the psychiatric ward of the county hospital. While there I was entertained (?) one night by a middle aged woman crying, at the top of her lungs, in an ear piercing, hair raising scream, “My straitjacket’s too tight! My straitjacket’s too tight!” 

No, when I heard that Jesus described hell as having people like had I met in the hospital, crying day and night, forever…

I got scared. So I called on the name of the Lord. “For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved'”. (Romans 10:11-13 ESV)

Call me stupid for being so fearful if you’d like. I don’t care. You see, since that time, you know, back in 1975, I’ve learned a whole lot more about the God I cried out to. 

I learned He really does love me, and proved it by sending His only Son, Jesus, to take my place on the cross, and made my payment to hell. He who was sinless died for the creep I was, and all others like me.

And God pronounced all debts paid when He raised Him from the dead that first resurrection morning. 

I’ve discovered He is merciful and kind, and is trying to let everyone know hell is not the place He WANTS to send them; He only HAS to send them when they reject His offer of eternal life. 

I’ve learned a lot about God, but even better is I’ve come to know Him personally. He leads me and guides me, providing for all my needs. 

Because of His love. 

Yes, I can love Him now because He first loved me. 

And you know what? His perfect love has driven the fear of hell completely out of me. 

I once was scared, but now I’m not, for I’ve had the hell scared out of me. 

And loved out of me. 

Damned Prisoners 

by  • 

IMG_7500.JPG
Have you ever been inside a maximum security prison? I have.

Years ago I visited a young man from our home town. After driving about three hours to his place of incarceration, I was able to spend about 45 minutes with him.

At least he was able to have visitors.

Just being inside those cold, stone walls and hearing the iron bars slam shut was enough to convince me that crime doesn’t pay.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’ve had my turn at living as though rules didn’t matter; “to Hell with the consequences”, I was going to do what I wanted.

And I spent time in the juvenile court system to prove it.

Jails and prisons. Places to house those who need rehabilitation. Or, sadly, for the ones who are beyond help. 

Either way, lawless people shouldn’t be allowed to have the freedom to terrorize those living within the law.

Jails and prisons are, in a way, quite similar to a place called Hell. The primary difference being that Hell is NOT a place where any rehab takes place.

Hell is for damned prisoners. 

It’s a place where people go who have refused to live within the universally righteous laws of Almighty God.

It was never intended for mankind.

But ever since Adam and Eve regrettably turned aside from God’s commands, rebellion and lawlessness have been in the heart of every single person.

And, because life is eternal, meaning man’s spirit lives on after his earth suit has been buried six feet under, the rebellious and lawless must not be allowed to terrorize or defile Heaven’s eternal citizens.

 

Where eternity’s damned prisoners, those who’ve refused rehabilitation, refused to live under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, must forever remain.

 

Without visitors.

There is some good news in all of this. Since Hell wasn’t created for you and I, we don’t have to go there.

We can be rehabilitated without going to jail. We can change our eternal destination by receiving, by faith, the work Jesus did for us through His death, burial, and resurrection. And as a result, receive a brand new nature.

He went to Hell for us. For our rebellion; our lawlessness.

“…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 ESV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 ESV)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ESV)

Jesus gave His life for people like us; you and I, damned prisoners.

But thanks be to God, he whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

Damned no more. Prisoners to rebellion and lawlessness no longer.

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12 ESV)

“…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9-10 ESV)

Isn’t it nice to know you have a choice?

Hey, who in their right mind would want to be a damned prisoner anyway?

What’s So Bad About Hell?

by  • 

IMG_7263.JPGIf you’re like me, you’ve heard and read a lot about hell.

Maybe you’ve been instructed to go there. Or, perhaps you’ve been the one who’s suggested the place to a coworker. Maybe?

And no, I’m not referring to Hell, Michigan.
What do I think about hell? 

I think it’s a real place; a place no one in their right mind would purposely choose to visit.

Yet people seem to be living their lives as though hell is their ultimate goal. 

Why?

Maybe they aren’t convinced hell is real, or that it’s as bad as people say.

So I ask you, “What’s so bad about hell?”

It’s reported to be very hot. Jesus referred to hell fire, in Matthew 5:22. So is heat and fire the bad thing about hell?

Possibly, but I don’t think so.

You see, hell would still be the place to stay away from even it would freeze over. 

Jesus mentions hell as a place of judgment; a place where people are sent who’ve received a sentence of damnation, condemning them forever to the worst place imaginable. Matthew 23:33

Would hell be an okay place if the sentence was a little milder? Would it be alright if people only had to spend a couple of years there?

No. Hell would still be the place to avoid, even if a person only had to spend one minute there.

The rich man, mentioned by Jesus in Luke 16, found himself in hell’s torment. Apparently he was thirsty, and couldn’t find anything that would quench his thirst.

Would hell be tolerable if there were plenty of water fountains? Or, maybe if an ice cream truck made regular rounds? Surely that would make it alright.

No. Hell wouldn’t be worth it even if a inexhaustible supply of water AND Blue Bunny ice cream were offered. 

Hell would still be hell.

It is also a well known belief that hell is completely and utterly dark. Would it be alright if you were allowed to plug in a nightlight?

Another belief is that hell is a place of total isolation. So do you think it might be okay if hell instituted some sort of visitation program?

No. It would change the fact that hell is THE place to avoid.

Even if hell was a cool 70 degrees, well lit, with plenty of time for partying with your friends, it wouldn’t be the place I’d care to visit.

And if I’d have the power to make hell the garden spot of the universe, it would still be nothing more than some old dump.

What’s so bad about hell?

Jesus isn’t there. To me, that’s reason enough to stay clear.

“…in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 ESV)

So, what do YOU think about hell?

 

The Gambler

by  • 

IMG_4233

He calmly walked into the room; just a slight hint of swagger recognizable. Dressed in casual fit jeans, scuffed Tony Lama’s, and a denim shirt one size larger than needed, he was dressed for the role right down to his dark shades and Chicago Bears ball cap.

Gambler.

The game didn’t matter; not as long as he could feel the adrenaline surging through his pronounced veins. Cards, dice, horses, sports; it was all the same to him. He was a gambler.

Sure, people had tried to reform him. Plenty of times. But they just couldn’t understand; he didn’t gamble because he enjoyed it any more than he enjoyed breathing. No, he gambled because that’s what gamblers do. And that’s what he was.

A gambler.

In the past he had tried to tally his winnings and losses. Maybe that could shake something loose, causing him to possibly change. But he never could remember all those figures. I mean, how does a person begin to remember how many breaths they’ve taken in a lifetime? It’s just something they do.

It’s what he does.

Because of who he is.

Gambler.

As he stood inside the large, shadowless room, something struck him as odd. Every other game room, poker parlor, and smoke-filled casino he’d frequented in the past had contributed to his gambling urge; stoking his inner fire, feeding his untamed desire to risk it all. There was nothing he wouldn’t sacrifice for the opportunity to win big. And he didn’t really need to win each time; not if he could keep running the risk, playing the odds, feeling the rush.

The gambler’s rush.

Yes, this room was different. It didn’t stir the urge or settle him down. Actually, it unnerved him; maybe even scared him a bit. He’d met a man earlier that day, a man who seemed to appear out of nowhere, who invited him to a high stakes game. The man gave him the address, and after reminding the gambler to bring everything he had, turned and walked away. Intrigued by the sudden appearance and the strange invitation, he decided to check it out.

Peering through his dark glasses, he scanned the room for any familiar faces. What? Where is everyone? Where are all the other gamblers? Am I early? No, right on time, he thought as he glanced at his wristwatch.

Just then, appearing as suddenly as he had earlier, he saw the man who had issued the invitation.

“I see you found the place.”

“Yes, but where is the game? Where are all the other gamblers?”

“You’ll find this game is different. Tonight’s game is for you only. Did you bring everything?”

“Oh sure. Do you take checks?”

“Sorry. Money isn’t what’s being gambled tonight. You’re not risking your finances, your car, or your home. Not this evening.”

The gambler tried to keep his composure, but even wearing his dark shades, one could see his poker face morph into a pale, nervous, twitch. He was definitely spooked.

“Who are you?”, he asked the man.

“Never mind that, right now anyway. Are you ready to gamble?”

“I, uh, I guess so.”

“Alright. I’m going to ask you a question. Answer correctly and you win. What are you willing to wager?”

“You already told me I can’t use money. What can I use?” The gambler couldn’t believe how nervous he was feeling.

“Only one thing. Your life. All or nothing.”

“But…”

“Silence! Don’t you realize what’s happened to you? You actually died earlier today, without warning, without any fanfare. The game you thought you were playing is over. No second chance. No borrowing from the bank. You’re flat busted, dead broke.”

The gambler’s glasses were off, lying on the floor. He just stared at the man, wanting to speak, but no words came out.

The man continued, “You have gambled away the most precious thing you own; your life. I sent people to you at various times in your life, trying to get your focus away from winning things, people, or money. I’ve spoken to you as you were sleeping, while you were driving, and yes, during some of your high stakes games. I’ve tried to get you to understand my love for you. I love you so much, but you treated my message as a game.

“I asked you the question over and over, ‘What will you do with the One called Jesus? What will you do with the gospel?’ You gambled, played the odds as you saw them. And you lost.”

As the man finished speaking, the gambler was turned by an invisible hand. No longer was the room flooded with light. It had become dark and dank, yet heat and flames were beginning to rise through the door he had walked through not long before.

He gambled because that was who he was. Only now, he was no longer a gambler.

He was a loser.

Heaven is the WORST PLACE to be…

by  • 

IMG_1862

Here are 40 reasons why you may not be comfortable in Heaven. It is the worst place to be if…

…you’re an atheist.
…you’re selfish.
…you don’t like to talk about religious things.
…you can’t stand to be around Christians.
…you’d prefer to live forever in total, absolute darkness.
…you’re really into grinding and gnashing your teeth.
…you absolutely love the smell of sulfur.
…the cross of Christ offends you.
…the greatest, most important thing in your life is to get smashing drunk.
…you’d rather see how many different sex partners you can have in a lifetime.
…you’re afraid of light.
…you’re smarter than everyone who believes that bible junk.
…you can’t possibly see why you’d need a savior.
…the Ten Commandments drive you up the wall.
…you’re much more comfortable listening to lies than truth.
…the idea of holiness seems too constraining.
…you hate true love.
…you believe the universe revolves around you.
…no one has ever been able to teach you a bloody thing.
…you’re too strong to know how weak you really are.
…you can’t tolerate indescribable beauty.
…you can’t accept help from anyone.
…you really believe you’re God.
…you can’t live without your toys.
…you’re convinced there’s neither a Heaven or a Hell.
…you just have to get stoned to have a great time.
…eternal life sounds like a real drag.
…worship and praise isn’t your thing.
…the glory of God makes you run and hide.
…you’ve outgrown all those silly bible stories you heard as a kid.
…scarred hands and feet make you sick to your stomach.
…you can’t handle someone judging you.
…you get mad when you’re told to obey a law.
…you’d prefer to always have center stage.
…you’ve always paid your own way.
…you believe you’re beyond help.
…you’ve rejected every invitation God has sent you.
…hope and faith are foreign to you.
…the unconditional love of God makes you angry.
…you’d rather be in hell.

Fortunately for you, if you believe Heaven is such a horrible place, you don’t have to be concerned. No one is forced to go there against their will.

And, if you’d rather not have anyone telling you what to do, you needn’t be bothered with that, either. You’ll only be commanded to do something one time. Just one time.

However, if you’re really interested in learning the truth about Heaven and how you can spend eternity there, please ask. Let’s dialogue about God’s eternal plan for you and I.

It just may brighten your future.

What Do You Believe About Jesus?

by  • 

20140522-230453-83093064.jpg

Have you ever heard of Jesus? Who do people say that he is?

Or was?

What have you heard?

Some have called him Elijah; others, John the Baptist.

What do you say?

I’ve heard some people refer to him as Lucifer’s brother.

Yes, and there are those who believe we evolved from monkeys.

One of the prophets, the divine light, one of many gods, and eternal guide, to name just a few other purported names and views.

His name is used in many ways depending on the user’s belief. For instance, some use the name when they are mad or upset. Others, when they need heaven’s intervention. Many like to throw it on the end of a sentence as an exclamation point! Considering how many people speak the name, for one reason or another, it must really be a powerful name.

But what you heard? What do you believe?

Some have called him the son of David, the bright and morning star, everlasting father, mighty God, and prince of peace.

Down through the ages people have had varying opinions of this one called Jesus.

Do you have an opinion?

I’ve had different opinions through the years; especially the first twenty one years of my life. I remember when he was a non-entity to me. Jesus? Never heard of him. That’s when I was ten or eleven.

My twelfth birthday rolled around and I attended a Methodist Sunday School class a few times. My opinion quickly changed from a non-person to a mystery man who wore sandals and rode donkeys while crowds threw a bunch of sticks at him. Hosanna didn’t sound like praise. It sounded more like, “Get him! Hit him with the sticks!”

I learned a lot more about Jesus, and a lot quicker, once I began hanging out with older kids. I learned Jesus had a middle name that began with the letter “F”, that he was always ready to damn something, and that he didn’t like cute girls, rock and roll, long hair on guys, cigarettes, drugs or alcohol.

Yep. I never did meet a cute girl in church.

All my teen age friends agreed with me. Jesus might have been cool when he was alive, but that was then. I was told, over and over, God is dead.

My opinion changed when I was twenty one. That’s when I met this one I thought was a non-entity. I found out he did take a beating, and that he took it for me. Oh yes, and he took one for you.

He didn’t come to curse or damn anything. Instead, he came to try and release mankind from the curse they were covered in.

Cute girls? It’s amazing what happens to a person’s eyesight after Jesus has had some time to tweak their heart.

I don’t know what you have heard, or what you believe about Jesus. But whatever it is, you will conduct your life accordingly. And wherever you finally end up, you will be there because of what you’ve believed about Jesus.

Once there was a woman with a severe bleeding problem. She had it for twelve years, and though she kept spending her money on doctors and treatments, she never got any better.

One day she heard something about Jesus. I don’t know what she knew beforehand, maybe nothing at all. But now things were different. She heard he was healing people.

And she believed. And she acted on what she believed. And her life was changed.

“She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe.”(Mark 5:27 NLT)

If you haven’t heard this yet, hear it now. Jesus loves you. He’s not willing for you to spend eternity in a hell prepared for someone else. He wants to make you a brand new person with a new mind, new language, new beliefs.

He did it for this twenty one year old; thirty nine years ago.

How about you? Isn’t it time you really considered this one called Jesus?

What you believe determines your actions. Your actions determine your destiny.

So what have you heard? What do you believe? Where are you headed?

And does that make you happy?

Hell, NO!

by  • 

20140417-230348.jpg

“That movie scared the hell out of me!”

Oh?

“I had a hell of a good time…”

Really?

“Hell no, I won’t go!”

Is that so.

It appears to me, though I could be wrong, that the people who talk about hell the most are the folks who don’t believe in it. They tell someone to “Go to Hell”, but don’t believe the place really exists.

“What the hell are you doing?”

That’s like saying, “What the Peoria are you doing?” (Sorry, Peoria)

“I had a Des Moines of a good time…”

Doesn’t that sound better?

Hell isn’t a sentence “filler”, or something to say when you’re mad or excited.

Hell is a place. Not a party place, or a place to vacation. It is a damned place; the place of the eternally damned.

No, I’m not referring to the town of Hell, Michigan. I am talking about Hades, Hell, Sheol; worm capital of the entire universe.

If you can’t stand to listen to a baby bawl and squall in a restaurant or airplane, you definitely don’t want to go to Hell. Weeping, gnashing of teeth, wailing, all in utter darkness. Darkness so black, it’s beyond one’s comprehension.

“What the Hell?” Hey, I’m telling you the truth.

About Hell.

I think it’s time to talk more about Hell than Heaven. Why? Because people can’t go to Heaven unless they believe in Hell.

Maybe Hollywood should make a movie called, “Hell is real.”

“What the Hell are you talking about?“, I just heard you say.

Hell is for those who have rejected the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus. Originally it was prepared for the devil and his crowd; his angels and demons. But ever since Adam said yes to the devil’s lies, the devil’s crowd consists of all people who have rejected the savior God promised. His son, Jesus. Why do they reject Jesus? Because they don’t understand their need for the righteousness only Jesus can give. They don’t realize their nature has Hell stamped all over it. Like luggage loaded onto an airplane, the tag on their life reads “Hell Bound”

Really a great message to sing about, eh...”I’m on the Highway to Hell!”

Yep, it’s time to start talking about Hell. It’s time to start advertising the qualifications and conditions people must meet to go to Des Moines; er, I mean, Hell.

Maybe you’re like others living on planet earth who think it’s a “damned shame” to try and scare people into Heaven. I think it’s a “damned shame” if they go to Hell!

Because no one has to anymore. Not since the cross and the resurrection.

As for scaring someone…understanding the reality of Hell SHOULD scare the Hell out of everyone. Knowing people go to Hell for simply ignoring the Good News ought to get their attention.

“Damned straight!”

In fact, I hope to scare the people out of Hell, if that’s what it takes.

“Hell yes?”

Huh uh. “Hell, NO!”

Rest In Peace?

by  • 

RIP

“Rest in peace”, the preacher said, as he closed his bible. What did he mean?

 “R.I.P.” the plastic Halloween tombstone reads. What does it mean?

 “Rest in peace”, says the atheist, agnostic, and the person who doesn’t know what they are.

What are they really saying?

Does the person who adamantly opposes even the very thought of a Heaven or Hell realize what they’re saying when they whisper, “Rest in peace”?

 Is the high school principle praying in the teacher’s lounge when she says to a teacher, “may so and so rest in peace“?

 What do you think?

 Is the grave a place to rest? Is the grave the final resting place? Is there more to look forward to after the final shovel full of dirt is dropped on your cold, stiff body? Or, is there something to fear?

 Is there really such a thing as “resting in peace”?

 No. Unless “R.I.P.” refers only to a gravesite left undisturbed, forever and ever.

 It is possible for a lifeless body to “rest in peace”. That, however, is not the case with the other parts of a person.

 Since mankind is a three-part being, spirit, soul, and body, “rest in peace” can only refer to the lifeless body. Man is a spirit being, he has a soul (the deepest feelings, thoughts, desires, emotions, etc.), and he lives in a body. The body is temporal, the spirit, eternal. Once the body quits, the spirit and soul do not rest; they actually become more active than ever before. They are on the move. On the move to a specific destination, unseen by few this side of eternity.

 The person who has placed their trust in Jesus is immediately ushered into the presence of the Lord upon leaving their body. “To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord”, Paul said. And when a person is in the presence of Jesus they find themselves busy with the activities of Heaven. Worship, praise, prayer, work, and preparation for the final invasion of earth by the King of kings and Lord of lords.

 The person who has NOT placed their trust in Jesus is immediately escorted into the bowels of the earth, to the place where the damned are incarcerated; awaiting their final judgment as they stand before the Great White Throne. The one seated on the throne is the one who will simply pass the eternal sentence upon the person who rejected his offer of eternal life through his son, Jesus.

 It will be no picnic, waiting the final word from the Judge, before being hurled into the Lake of Fire prepared for the devil and his angels. A place of total, unimaginable darkness. A place where all the desires and cravings of the heart and mind are amplified, yet never fulfilled. Chaos, fear, torment; just a few of the things Hell is known for. The Lord has said, “there is no rest for the wicked.”

 No one will be surprised when that time comes; when they either rise or sink. Oh, they may not want to think about it right now, but once the filter of their body is removed, they will “know as they are known”. No longer will they be looking through a dark, veiled glass. With eyes wide open they will witness firsthand the consequences of their earthly decision. To some it will be glorious. To others, it will simply be too late.

 So as for “Resting in peace”, it would be a nice, I suppose. But not practical.

 The believer, the one who’s been given new life in Jesus, would not want to be separated any longer from Jesus. The unbeliever? They will try and stay completely away from him. Also, an unregenerate  spirit would threaten the peace of all Heaven if they were allowed to run loose. The devil was kicked out for rebellion, and those who still have his nature won’t fare any better. Count on it. The devil’s fate is the fate of all those “whose names were not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

 The Lord is not willing that anyone perish, but that all come to repentance – which ultimately leads to life. He has no pleasure when the wicked die. He truly loves each and every one so much, that while each of us, every single one of us was in rebellion to God, Jesus died for us.

 Do YOU want to rest? Jesus invites us all to come to him and find rest. Do you want peace? Jesus is our peace with God and our door to the peace of God.

 

But you’d better make your plans ahead of time. “Resting in peace” just won’t happen.

 

Is Freethinking Free?

by  • 

20140313-220455.jpg

How much does it cost to be a freethinker?

What is a freethinker? According to the dictionary, it’s a person who forms his or her own opinions about important subjects (such as religion and politics) instead of accepting what other people say.

Is that even possible? Form your own opinion? Without anyone’s help or influence?

Maybe if the person was raised by wolves on a deserted island.

Another definition: freethinker – n. One who has rejected authority and dogma, especially in his religious thinking, in favor of rational inquiry and speculation. -The American Heritage Dictionary

The famous revolutionist Thomas Paine was a noted freethinker. While greatly despising Christianity, he did believe in a Creator. He believed simply because he could see evidence of a creator, and thus he reasoned there must be one. He advocated deism, though; which is a movement or system of thought advocating natural religion, emphasizing morality, and denying the interference of the Creator with the laws of the universe. In other words, no miracles, no revelation, no accountability to a god or a devil.

Natural religion, that is, religion based on reason rather than divine revelation, is such rip off. To believe that somehow, someway, someone created everything, and yet not believe in anything contrary to natural law is absurd. To think something or someone made the stuff yet has nothing to do with it? Really? And people think Christians are naive.

Much to do is being made today about man’s ability to reason his way out of the mess he’s in. How did man get into such a mess? Because he thought he was smarter than God. In fact, he STILL thinks that.

Man wants to be a freethinker because he doesn’t want to be accountable to someone’s rules. He’s just proud enough to believe he’s smart enough to figure out everything about the universe, our planet, life, and death. Thinking and reasoning is worshipped, and the God who said, “Come, let us reason together”, is completely ignored.

There’s no such thing as a freethinker, anyway. No one just dreams up a brand new thought. Not where morality, God, or spirituality are concerned.

We are affected by those around us, by those we read after, and by people we trust to speak into our life. Yes, we have to decide what we believe, but we are still influenced by our surroundings.

And God. And satan.

Faith in God comes by hearing the Word of God. Faith in man, in animals, in “Mother Nature”, and in the alignment of the stars and planets comes by hearing the whispered, deceitful ramblings of the evil one. Ever since the garden of Eden, where man first began the practice of freethinking, the devil has coerced and deceived man into believing:

-God is a myth
-The devil is also a myth
-Man is in charge of his own destiny (he pulls himself up)
-There’s no such thing as an eternal reward
-Hell was concocted by some tyrant who wanted to scare others into submission
-Mankind will eventually solve all of his problems
-Eternal life is within man’s ability to discover
-Morality isn’t important.
-Mankind is essentially good (just a few bad apples in the basket)
-If man doesn’t understand something, it must not be real. Therefore, God cannot be real.

The very FIRST freethinker was Lucifer. In Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 the story is told of a mighty angel named Lucifer who chose to rebel, and lead a rebellion, against Almighty God. It’s one thing to “step out of the box” now and then, but Lucifer did not have the right to think for himself. He was created to serve.

Man was created with the right to choose, but within certain parameters. But the rebel influenced Adam and Eve’s thinking and down they went.

So, on and on man walks, alone with his thoughts. Freethinking. But not realizing his freethinking, his wonderful, grandiose thinking isn’t without a high cost.

The cost? A life without a true, God given purpose. A future without the glorious Presence of God.

Freethinkers, think about this. What if your reasoning is wrong? What if you’ve bought into a lie?

Finally, think about the One who thinks about you constantly, who is forever interceding for you. The One who thought about you so much he went to the cross, for you.

You and I believe something. We can’t get away from it.

Think what it would be like have eternal life, to know your savior, and know the peace of God that surpasses understanding.

Think about it. While you still can.

Freethinking isn’t free. It either costs you or it cost Jesus. Someone has to pay for Adam’s “freethinking”.

Thank you for reading this post. Please comment, I’d love to hear what you think. For more posts and a weekly newsletter delivered to your email address, please go to http://eepurl.com/PaJK5 and sign up. Thanks.

If I Was God For A Day

by  • 

20140307-232904.jpg

What if one morning, while sitting at your breakfast table munching on a bowl of Cheerios, your doorbell rings. You rise, walk to the front door, and peak through the peephole to see who it is.

“It’s God!”, you gasp, as you pick yourself up from the floor.

Nervously, you open the door and ask him in. “Please, have a seat”, you offer, barely above a whisper.

As he sits, you find the closest chair and fall into it. You think to yourself, “What in the world could he want with me?”

As if he heard you he says, “I’ve decided to stay at your house today; gonna have myself a little vacation. While I’m here, I want you to do my job. You are now ‘God for the Day.’ “

Whoa!

I ask you, what would YOU do if you were God for the day? And what would I do?

Well, let’s see…

Alright. Here goes.

I’d make the Russian troops go back to where they belong. I’d force the terrorists to turn in their bombs, and stop trying to settle grievances by killing innocent children. I’d make Hollywood quit acting like the world’s savior, and I would help the Boy Scouts be prepared.

I’d find a home for every homeless person, and give a “welcome home, thanks for serving”, to every Vietnam Vet. I would remove the Ten Commandments from each and every public place and weave them into the fabric of each person’s heart.

I would encourage the single mother, and care for her children. I’d be a father to the fatherless, and a very present help in a time of trouble. I would lift up the fallen, rebuke the proud, punish the thief, and release those trapped in any and every kind of slavery. I would drop the hammer on deadbeat dads, and reconcile each heart with their children’s hearts.

I would end divorce, pornography, child abuse, domestic violence, and TV shows that portray fathers as boobs and idiots.

I’d bring back the true meaning of the rainbow, and once again reclaim the word “gay”.

I’d speak of Heaven as if it’s something to look forward to, and describe Hell’s flames as something to shun.

I would open up the floodgates of Heaven, inundating the faithful with showers of blessing.

The hungry I would fill. The proud? I don’t know them. I can’t reach them.

I would love the unlovely, the lovely, the perverted and the bible banger. I’d love them enough to tell them the truth. My goodness would draw them to repentance.

If I was God for the day.

I’d let the politicians know how to fix their problems. I’d show them how to have affordable healthcare, based on my 40 year study back when Moses was the leader. I would show Washington how to really be a liberal, without bankrupting the nation.

I’d stop all killing.

I would listen to everyone’s problems and concerns. I would be slow to anger.

I would make our schools safe, by personally walking each and every hallway; if I could get in the building, that is.

I would end the hostility one nation has against another.

I’d make nations beat their swords into plows, and spears into pruning hooks. I’d introduce the lion to the lamb, and they’d dwell together peacefully.

Rebellion, witchcraft, illegal drug usage, and gluttony I’d remove from the heart of man. Worry I would replace with faith, terror and fear would be forced to turn over their house keys to my peace.

My church would quit fighting amongst themselves.

If I was God for the day.

Yes, things would definitely be different.

Until someone made me mad.

If someone wouldn’t follow my instructions, or look to me for wisdom. If people mocked me, ignored me, cussed me, blamed me for something I didn’t do, or gave someone else the credit I deserved. If the hungry rejected the bread I brought them, or complained of thirst while my living water was within arms reach.

Then, I’m afraid I’d lose it.

If the academia stood in their classrooms and read my obituary, I’d probably not be silent. To hear someone pronounce you dead; well, I just can’t tell you how it would make me feel. It would be almost as bad as people thinking you’ve never even existed!

It would probably send me over the edge. You know?

I’m liable to say something back at the person who just asked me to damn something. Something like, “Be damned, your own self.”

I’d be tempted to burn up someone with a lightning bolt…I just don’t handle rejection all that well.

And if I saw someone mistreat one of my little ones, or act as though life wasn’t important, I’d probably regret my actions, the next day.

When I was no longer God for the day.

No, there’s too much of the old me lurking about to allow me to be God, even for only a day. In fact, none of us would be very good at it. We are all much too caught up with our needs and desires to be trusted with all of God’s power.

Besides, God, even with all he knows and is capable of doing, can’t seem to do all of those things I said I’d do; if I was God for the day.

Nope, better count me out, as well as every other human being living on planet earth.

We have a hard enough time letting God be God.

So, what would YOU do if God made YOU God for the day? Would you change anything? Would you help others, or fix the Lottery so you’d win the $257 million prize?

Thanks for commenting…

%d bloggers like this: