But God...

It’s been so hot here. I try to sit outside for a while early in the morning, but even then, it’s hot! Fiery hot. So hot, my mind keeps wandering to thoughts of hell. And thoughts of how the word is often used.

According to the Bible, hell is a real place. It’s described as fiery, a lake of fire, unquenchable fire, and eternal fire.

Did you know that Jesus said hell was prepared for Satan and his angels? Yep, Satan is real too. Have you ever read his story? Evidently, Satan wasn’t content serving God and wanted to be like Him, convinced other angels to follow him, and then they waged war against Michael (God’s chief angel), but lost. They were then thrown out of heaven and down to earth where, frankly, they continue to wage war and try to get a following.

True story.

You see, Scripture tells us that Satan knows there is coming a time when he and his angels will be cast into that eternal fire—hell. He knows his days are getting shorter, and he’s working overtime to take as many humans with him as possible.

It’s a horrible place, hell, because there all are excluded forever from the presence of a loving God. It’s a place of darkness, weeping, intense emotional anguish—grief, regret, rage, despair…. This state is described as eternal death. I don’t think we can really imagine the horror of it.

Good news…it was never meant for people. But sadly, people rebel against God too.

Good news…

“And you were dead [eternal death] in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [Satan]… Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh…

But God,

being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:1–7 [emphasis mine]

Isn’t it wonderful? God sees our bound-for-hell state, helpless to do anything about it and makes a way. The only way. Faith in the finished work of Christ.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”—John 3:16.

Wow! It’s hot, but not as hot as hell and thanks be to Jesus, I’m not bound for there but bound for glory.

How about you?

(Image AI generated)