He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. – John 3:18

Just two verses after (arguably) the Bible’s most famous and most quoted verse reads the verse I have presented today.  If you and I really believe what we say we believe, there is a sea of people walking by us every day that will be condemned to an eternity without God.  Many today boast of going to hell, but I would say most are indifferent towards it . . . they just don’t care.  Even if we live 70-80 years like Moses said is expected, what is that compared to forever and ever and ever and ever?  I will gladly sacrifice my remaining years for eternal glory with Jesus.  Here is the thing, when you sacrifice your life, you realize that you weren’t really living when you thought you were your own.  Jesus makes life abundant.

I had an amazing conversation this week.  A person went to prison for Christmas.  When I ask people what prison is like, usually I get some sort of tough guy response.  “It wasn’t so bad,” or some sort of “Nobody messed with me” are the usual responses.  Occasionally, people will brag about being there as if it is a badge of honor.  For just a minute, this person relived the experience and let me in on it.  Three days he didn’t eat at all because the other prisoners took his food.  He felt too new, small, and powerless to do anything about it.  Another nearby prisoner threw dung and peed through the bars.  Prisoners did what they wanted with other prisoners while guards watched and did nothing.  I listened in horror imagining myself in his position.  He said all he did was cry, read the Bible, and pray.

I asked him what his life was like before he went to jail on Christmas.  He said he hung out with the wrong people, acted out, and caused hurt and pain for just about everyone in his life.  I told him, “God allowed this to happen to you so that you would come to your senses and believe in Him, can you see that?”  I then let him know that if he thought prison was bad, hell must be unimaginable.  In prison he could clutch that Bible, pray, and have God’s attention.  In hell, there are no Bibles.  The only example we have in the Bible of a man in hell, that man doesn’t pray, he still thinks other people are his servants there to do his bidding.  More importantly, he says he is in agony in the fire.  He thinks one drop of water will cool his tongue.  There is no hope in hell.

We prayed.  It was definitely a prayer where the presence of God filled the room.  If you have a lost friend, loved one, or even co-worker or acquaintance, you’ve got to find a way to tell them.  You’ve got to hit your knees and plead with God for their soul.  I know we lead busy lives, but there is nothing more important.  Once our last breath is exhaled, time is up, and our fates are sealed.  Every person who rejected Christ will know exactly how they should have lived.

Lord, I confess to You this morning that I get complacent so easily.  Yet You always find a way to bring me to my senses.  Thank You, Lord.  I plead the blood over my home, plead it over my workplace, plead it over the county that I live in, and plead it over every person who reads this.  So many people do not know You or care about You.  Help them to understand.  Help them come to faith.  Don’t let the people who claim to be people of faith die without having won a soul.  Help us to care.  Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may care about what You care about.  Give us the desires of our heart, new desires that have nothing to do with enjoying the temporary things of this world.  As always, You are the best thing life offers.  Thank You for taking undeserving people and changing them, for I am one of them.  Amen!