Tag Archives: fire and brimstone

Night Light - James & Shirley Dobson

Night Light for Couples – Split Vision

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“A wise man’s heart guides his mouth.” Proverbs 16:23

Isn’t it curious how in the midst of a nasty family argument we can shake our bad mood the instant the telephone rings or a neighbor knocks on the door? Have you ever been brought up short by a small voice questioning such a sudden turn to peaches and cream after twenty minutes of fire and brimstone? Sometimes we treat those we love the worst, and kids are quick to recognize this hypocrisy.

Mark Hatfield, a longtime senator from Oregon and the father of four, said his wife once stung him by saying, “I just wish you were as patient with your children as you are with your constituents.” He isn’t alone. We’re all guilty at times of what might be called “split vision”— treating acquaintances with forbearance while losing patience or even heaping contempt on those under our own roof. We assume the worst. We pounce on every shortcoming. We never miss an opportunity to harangue. In the process, we wound the people we care about most.

It’s time we cut one another a little slack at home. If we say our spouses, children, and parents are the most significant people in our lives, we can prove it by showing them the same kindnesses we would bestow on our most honored guests.

Just between us…

  • Are we as patient with each other at home as we are with guests and strangers?
  • Why do you think we can be so hard on each other?
  • How can we encourage each other to avoid this kind of “split vision”?

Father, open our eyes to see one another the way You do. Forgive us for the laziness and selfishness that so easily sour our family relationships. Help us guard our words and actions so that we may be pleasing in Your sight. Amen.

From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Not a Default Destination

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But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. —Revelation 21:8

I believe there are people inside the church today who will be outside the gates of heaven. Being in a church does not mean you are getting into heaven. We, as individuals, must put our faith in Jesus Christ because one day we will stand before God all by ourselves.

Heaven is not the default destination of every person. It is promised only to those who have believed in Jesus Christ. We have this warning in Revelation 21:8: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

It takes courage to be a Christian. People will harass you and make fun of you. You may even be physically harmed. Some have lost their lives because they believed in Jesus. It takes courage to make your stand for Christ, especially in our culture today.

The cowardly won’t make it into heaven. Some are afraid of what others think, which I have always found amazing. I don’t think we would be as concerned about what others think of us if we realized how rarely they do. If you are cowardly, meaning that you won’t stand up and follow Jesus, then you won’t have any value system. You won’t have any absolutes. You will pretty much do what you want.

That leads to being abominable—being wholly caught up in wickedness and evil, pulling out all the stops and removing all restraints. It is going whole hog into evil.

Revelation 21:8 is a warning that we need to heed. Some people may say, “Well, I don’t agree with that.”

God makes the rules, and we can either follow them or reject them. But it is not for us to edit God.

 

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Greg Laurie – Born Twice, Die Once

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Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God—Romans 5:1–2

If you are born once, you will die twice. If you are born twice, you will die once. By “born once,” I mean the physical birth. By “born twice,” I mean a physical birth as well as a spiritual birth in which you are born again, spiritually putting your faith in Christ.

Just as there are two births, the Bible teaches there are two deaths: one is physical, and the other is spiritual. Jesus warned that we are to fear the second death more than the first one.

Revelation 20:14 tells us, “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” The second death is mentioned again in Revelation 21:8, which says, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” The second death is hell.

One commentator wrote, “The second death is the continuance of spiritual death in another and timeless existence.”

Another wrote, “Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset. Eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise.”

Jesus spoke of hell in a very specific way. He warned of the fire of hell (see Matthew 5:22). He warned about our bodies being thrown into hell (see Matthew 5:29). And He spoke of the soul and the body being destroyed in hell (see Matthew 10:28).

The Bible teaches that all Christians—defined as sinners who have been converted by putting their faith in Jesus Christ—will be in heaven. And that offer of forgiveness is for everyone.

Your eternal destination is really your choice. Not everyone will be saved in the end—only those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.