Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
It’s been claimed that the summer of 1936 is one of the hottest ever recorded in this country. In Illinois, many locations saw temperatures exceed 110, and four of its 10 hottest days on record happened in the month of July. In fact, temperatures reached over 100° on 29 different days that year! Even in the evenings, people didn’t get a break from the heat, because many night time temperatures exceeded 80°. Nationally, the heatwave claimed over 5,000 lives, specifically on the plains, in the upper Midwest, and around the Great lakes regions.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Sometimes people have to deal with extreme temperatures, and will search diligently to find a place to flee from its grip. But some people are going to inherit an eternal heatwave, one where the fire will never be quenched. It will be an everlasting tormenting flame, one from which they will never escape, nor ever be able to satisfy their thirst.
Luke 16:19-31 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
It’s clear from the teachings of scripture that every soul will be in one of two places after judgment Day. They will either enter into Paradise with the Lord Jesus, or they will suffer forever in an eternal lake of fire that is never quenched.
John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
It’s clear from scripture that all of us have sinned at one time or another, but God grants each one of us a gift of forgiveness, provided we come to His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. In his Divine Justice, God is going to punish sin, but he offers to wipe your slate clean so we can become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Although God hates sin, He doesn’t rejoice at the death of the wicked. He wants men to turn from their sins, and bring forth the fruits of repentance.
Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
In our study passage, one of the men was very wealthy, in fact I read recently that purple clothes were highly coveted back then. But even though he had so much stored up for himself, he closed off his heart to the needs of a poor man. This is one of the reasons why the love of money is so evil.
James 2:5-6 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Proverbs 14:20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
The rich man was completely merciless, seeing the needs of Lazarus but doing nothing at all to help him.
James 5:1-6 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
Revelation 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The heatwave of 1936 was one to remember, but one that God in His mercy finally ended. Sadly some people are going to enter into a place where they will never be able to enjoy a cold drink or even feel a cool breeze on their face. They will suffer because of their own impenitence, and refusal to submit to the will of our loving God. As some people will enjoy the eternal bliss of heaven, others will have to suffer in an everlasting……
………..Heatwave
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 