THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)
DATE: SUNDAY, 17TH SEPTEMBER, 2023 (FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY)
TOPIC: HELL IS REAL
TEXT: LUKE 16:19-31
19. "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.
20. "But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,
21. "desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22. "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23. "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24. "Then 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.'
25. "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
26. 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'
27. "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,
28. 'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'
29. "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'
30. "And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
31. "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' "
MESSAGE:
The text today showed a heartless rich fool who feasted sumptuously but neglected without pity, poor Lazarus, who was of full of sores and desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table, to no avail. His dogs licked his sores. At death, angels took Lazarus to Abraham's bosom; the rich man died and found himself in hell with great torment and in terrible anguish. There he cried for mercy but got none - the opportunity to repent wasn't there. He was even denied water to cool his tongue. The chance to go back to earth and warn his brothers was not there. Now is the day of Salvation!
Hell fire is real - a place of eternal punishment. It is a place of unquenchable literal fire kindled in God's wrath. It is a place for sorrow, regret, torment, cruelty, pain, weeping, groaning and crying. In hell, the worms will never die. Isaiah said, “Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure.. .” (Isa. 5:14). Come to Jesus now, repent and turn away from evil deeds and be saved. Absolute obedience to God's word will help you escape the torments made for Satan and his angels in hell (Matt. 25:41). Surely, only a fool says in his heart, there is no hell.
PRAYER:
Save us now oh God and grant us grace to obey You absolutely in Jesus' name. Amen.
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