Today is Friday, October 23rd, 2015; Karen's Korner #3170

More than 3000 Karen's Korners and I don't think I have ever sent one talking about 'Hell'.

Today's is something taken from a writing by Greg Laurie and included in "The Decision" magazine, a publication of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association:

"Confronting the Reality of Hell"

"Why is it that many of the people who tell others to 'go to hell', turn around and tell pollsters they don't really believe hell exists?" Laurie questions. "Hell is for real," he writes.

"There really is a Hell. It's a miserable place of torment where one is separated from God for eternity. Consider this:  Jesus Christ spoke more about Hell than all the other preachers in the Bible put together!

"More people think they are going to Heaven when they die. In fact, for every American who believes he's going to Hell, 120 believe they are going to Heaven.

"But this belief is in direct contradiction to what Jesus said:........'wide is the gate that leads to destruction......narrow is the path which leads to life, and few who find it' (Matthew 7:13-14).

"Some might think Jesus would never have discussed such a thing as Hell. He is, after all, the personification of love and compassion. But it is precisely because of this that He often spoke of it! Because He loves us, He warns us.

"Hell is eternal separation from God. Jesus indicated that the death of one's body is nothing compared to the everlasting banishment of the soul of God. The Bible gives three distinct descriptions:

* Hell is like a garbage dump;

* Hell is like a prison;

* Hell is a place of complete darkness.

"Many people think that Hell is nothing more than an eternal 'party place'. But in Hell there will be no partying. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, torture, suffering, and eternal separation. Others say Hell is temporary, or that it is figurative, or that it's not as bad as some imagine.

"Jesus tells us in Luke about a rich man who died and went to his torment. In this account, three things are made clear:  people in Hell suffer........once in Hell, a person cannot cross over to Heaven......people in Hell are conscious and fully aware of where they are and where they have been......and it's eternal.

"Everyone who rejected God's offer of forgiveness through Jesus Christ will be in Hell. Why are they there? Because they did not believe. In John 3:18, we read, '....he who does not believe, is already condemned.....'

"Some may ask, 'How can a God of love send so many people to Hell?' You may be surprised that it is because He is a God of love and justice that He invented Hell.......it is a place not made for people. It was created for Satan and his fallen angels. But when we reject God's love, we make the choice to separate ourselves from Him.........All receive what they actually choose, either to be with God forever, worshiping Him, or without God forever worshiping themselves.

"Hell is simply a place........freely chosen........forever. We want to get away from God, and God, in His infinite justice, sends us where we want to go.

"Every one of us has sinned and will face Hell if we do not turn to Jesus Christ. But God has a much better plan, for all of us........it's called Heaven."

*

And is with every Billy Graham sermon or publication, it includes a prayer for a 'one-way ticket' to Heaven and secure spot in eternity:

"O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe He died on the cross for my sin and You raised Him to life. I choose to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord from this day forward, forevermore Lord, I put my trust in You and surrender my life to You. Please come into my life and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

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