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.
There have been many fires that have ended in tragedy, but the largest fire in Minnesota happened on September 1 1894 in Hinckley, which burned an estimated 400,000 acres. That afternoon between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. was the worst of it, when the fire destroyed not only Hinckley, but five other neighboring communities as well. What happened was a few small fires converged, and traveling at speeds reaching 60 mph, engulfed the cities along with 418 souls who could not escape its grasp. The fire was so hot that it melted train tracks, barrels of nails, and was hot enough to cause freight car wheels to fuse right to the tracks. In some areas the flames of the intense firestorm reached over 200 ft high. It’s been claimed that the death toll was probably much higher than what has been reported, and this event has become commonly known as one of the worst national disasters in Minnesota History.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Sudden tragedies like this happen around us each and every day, but in the future there is a fire that is coming that nobody will ever be able to escape. It is a place where the fire will not be quenched, and from which there will be no escape, a destination of extreme suffering where there is no reprieve, and the punishments of God will last forever.
Luke 16:19-31 (KJB) 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.
Scriptures teach that the love of money is the root of all evil, because people have wealth, but do nothing with what they have to help the poor and destitute of this world. Many people live their lives every day without any concerns about the future, living in the pleasures and the cares of this world. But there are others who struggle each and every day, but most people won’t do anything to lift a finger to help them. They close their eyes to the needs of the poor, and try to forget about them by filling the moments of their day with their own selfish desires. But just as our parable today warns, these people are going to suffer the fires of eternal damnation, a reward that they have earned through their own callous and hardened hearts.
Romans 2:5-11 (KJB) But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.
The firestorm that descended upon Hinckley happened so quickly that they had no time to prepare, very similar to what happened in the days of Noah when the rains began to fall. But this is why scripture warns us to watch and be ready, because none of us know exactly when that day is going to come. People can be in car accidents, or come crashing to the ground in an airplane. They can be walking on a peaceful trail on a mountainside when everything gives way and they go tumbling down the canyon side. The point is that people must be ready for the Judgment that is certainly coming in the future.
Mark 13:33 (KJB) Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Today is the day of salvation, not tomorrow, not next week, TODAY! People must come to Christ Jesus and be converted to the Christian faith so they can be saved from the fires of God’s wrath upon the impenitent. Judgment Day awaits every soul that has ever lived, and you will live in eternity in either one of two places. God is going to save the wheat, but he’s going to burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Luke 3:17 (KJB) Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
Matthew 13:40-42 (KJB) As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 3:10 (KJB) And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Matthew 25:46 (KJB) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Sometimes a fire can burn so hot that fireman will simply let it burn itself out, but there is a day that is coming in the future, when many people will be cast into an everlasting lake of fire that will never burn out. There is no fateful event that has happened on this Earth that will ever compare with the tragic event that looms in the distance. So watch and be ready, because it will happen suddenly and without warning, just like,……
…..The Great Hinckley Fire
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.
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