October 2004
What you really need to know.
Many of us over recent weeks have received a warning leaflet from the government entitled "Preparing for emergencies". It suggests what to do in case of a terror attack and warns that preparation beforehand could prevent the loss of life in such an event. I know of several people who have immediately put it to one side with the intention of 'getting round to it at some point'. Other people have read it with interest and heeded the warning that is given.
Very soon another leaflet will be arriving through your door, only this time it will be entitled "Preparing for Eternity - What you need to know". You see, we do need to think about the consequences of a terror attack but far more important is the need to think about eternity. In fact the greatest thing you will do in life is to prepare for eternity. The Bible warns about the fact that all of us face eternity, but where we spend it will be determined by our view of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Some have described the Bible as: Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth. Sadly there are many who know that the warning has been given and yet like so many recently they put the information to one side planning perhaps to come back to it one day, but sadly some leave it too late and perish without hope. Do you have a bible at home? Is it left to one side? Have you ever thought about the importance of its message for you, or discussed it with anyone? As you read this leaflet or the next one that arrives will you make the necessary preparation by believing on the Lord Jesus before it is too late?
Remember: Fail to prepare and you are preparing to fail.
What will Heaven be like?
A Prepared Place
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
And whither I go ye know, and they way ye know.
Thomas saith unto him, Lord we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
A Perfect Place
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be there God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
A Pure Place
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever maketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
What will Hell be like?
A Prepared Place
Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: Naked and ye clothed me: I was sick and ye visited me: I was in prison and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when we saw thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When we saw thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when we saw thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
A Painful Place
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 received 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 thence 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 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.
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