Thursday, August 25th

OK, so I had something come up yesterday and it spurned some thoughts, and I was just itching to get in the word to search it out. I have these advertisements on this site, and when you click on them, I guess I generate some kind of money (which, by the way, whatever), but what I do like about them is that sometimes it provides some interesting information and other times, I see things that I absolutely do not beleive. Yesterday, one of them said that there is no such thing as hell. That cannot be true, so to back up my thought, Today's QT is going to be focused on that.

First off...
Matthew 5:21-30
21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25 "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
27 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

This passage uses the word hell 3 times, and it describes that we can go to hell. I could simply stop here, because my point is already made, but I am going to search and dig even deeper.

Matthew 10:26-28
26 "So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

But wait, that's not all, if you act now, you will get these scriptures as well...

Matthew 18:1-9
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7 "Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

James 3:3-6
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

Goodness, it says our own words can send us to hell. I know sometimes I can be a bit harsh with how I say things, especially around close friends and family. I tend to forget sometimes I can let my gaurd down and shut down the filter on my mouth. Generally, what needs to be said is said, but how I say can be a bit tough to hear. And then there are the times that I kid too much. I have a friend whom I hurt every now and again by taking my kidding too far. I don't mean too, but alas, hurt feelings result. I asked for forgiveness last night and got none. I don't deserve forgiveness, though. I do repent, however. This I see is a definate character flaw on my part. I don't think it is wrong to play around and poke fun, but I need to refrain from making fun of others and just keep it too myself (meaning to just poke fun at myself, which I try to do). If I don't, I cause bitter feelings and discord, both of which are sins, and that brings me back to James 3 (above).

Now, my last scripture that truly clears any doubt of whether there is a hell or not (as if there is any doubt).

2 Peter 2:1-10
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.

Now, all ten scriptures really bring it home, but especially verse 4. God sent the angels to hell. There is a hell, and God uses it. Hell to me is being without God. I want to be with God so much, and to be without is not an option. Not an option. I look forward to my quiet times. It is something that I hunger for right now. Like the moon, there are days where I am dark and don't want to do them, and then there are days like now where I just have to hold back my zeale a little, just so I can get other things done in the day. These are the best kind of days. I like days like these. So, I am sure I am not the only one who waxs and wains like the moon. But, I am very glad I had this quiet time. I like quiet times where I can prove I am right in my knowledge of the bible and not let false teachings pull me away.

Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

The Berean Challenge. A challenge I take to heart. Johnny Out.