RSVP

Today is 7/13 and the verse of the day is Matthew 7:13, "You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way."  NLT

Human reasoning, and some religious teachers, would tell us that it doesn't really matter how we live because there is no hell.  Many people think we live here on earth for a time and then we die and go to heaven, period.  God's Word says something different.  God says our eternal destination is our choice to make.  We can choose His way, through following Jesus Christ or we can reap the consequences of not accepting Jesus as our Saviour and live in eternal separation from Him in hell.  One would have to ask, why do we even have the bible and why did Jesus have to die a horrible death on a shameful cross, if it really didn't matter in the end?  I, for one, do not buy into the false teachings that say we are all home free, with or without Jesus.  I have to believe God's Word.  For me, it is the moral and spiritual compass for a blessed life here on earth and eternal life forever in heaven.

My fear is that many people do not even read the bible and, therefore, they have no idea what it really says about heaven and hell.  They fall prey to the opinions and teachings of others.  I was astounded earlier this week as I sat at a funeral and heard the religious leader say something like this, "Hell is a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  To me, hell would be like going to a party and not being able to get to the guest of honor.  God is everywhere, so God is in hell.  If we were in hell it would be like being at the party and not being able to talk to God."  I kid you not!  I think radars were going off in my mind, spirit, heart and soul!  I felt like I left my body and looked around at the others present to see if they took the devil's bait...hook, line and sinker.  My heart sank that this religious leader believed this and actually repeated it to others to influence them to believe it, as well.  He was in a place of authority and, unfortunately, people will listen to him and not even question the validity of his beliefs.  I'm afraid many people will be at the party, only to find that it is a masquerade.

People have to know that the bible's accounts of hell are nothing like a party.  It looks more like a terrible nightmare that I don't even think our human minds can, or want to, comprehend.  Yet the fact remains, there is a heaven and there is a hell.  The choice is ours as to whether we want to go to the real party or to a masquerade.  We have to be very intentional about our RSVP.