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There is Only One Way Engulfed by the flames of Hades, my soul cries out in utter despair. I reach forth my hands to the saints that are above me, who walk about in bliss. I scream at the top of my voice, hoping that they will acknowledge me, but they seem oblivious to me. I find no help there. The overshadowing darkness looms all about me, like a heavy blanket completely enfolding me. The acrid smell of sulfurous smoke swirls about me, and I choke at that hideous taste, and the taste of burning flesh. Hell is not a party like all my buddies told me it would be. Never, absolutely never did I realize what hell really is for me… and all of the souls in this hellish place. When the fire momentarily becomes brilliant, I see hideous creatures like none I have ever seen before. They torture me with their claws. Out of their mouth they spew green slime that feels like molten lava. Worms crawl into my mouth, nose, ears and my eyes, and I feverishly try to remove them but with no avail. Horrible demons taunt me with repulsive guttural sounds and disgusting laughter. They remind me of my past, and with uproarious laughter they rehearse all of my sins. 'What an idiot', one of the demons said. You had many chances to escape all of this, didn't you? Instantly my mind fills with images of the other world. In my mind's eye, I can see my sweet mother who tried numerous times to show me the way to Jesus. I can hear my little daughter's laughter, as she plays on the lawn with her puppy. I can see my wife's lovely blue eyes and my heart melts with grief. I can hear the gospel music that she loved so much. If only I would have yielded to God, I would be in Heaven with her right now. Oh, how I long to see another ray of sunshine glistening through the window. How wonderful it would be to take a breath of the fresh morning air, or feel another dewy kiss of midnight on my sweat-stained brow. But all of that is gone and I am here in this hellish prison called Hades. My parched throat makes me languish with unquenchable thirst. The thought of a drop of cool water overtakes my mind. The craving for water occupies much of my time. However, if I could have but one wish, it would not be to touch, smell, eat or drink, or even to see my family. My wish would be to live again just for a day, just long enough to give my heart to Jesus and ask His forgiveness. My years were wasted in sin and selfishness, and now I am reaping the flames of regret because I rejected Jesus. Once I laughed and even scoffed, at the idea that there could be a hell, now I know the grim reality of listening to Satan and ignoring God. It was easy to listen to Satan, as he sugarcoated everything I did wrong. He had a plan for my life and I walked right into his trap. In the back of my mind, I always thought that one day when I was old, I would straighten up and give my life to Jesus. I was fully aware of the Plan of Salvation, but I reasoned in my mind that I could wait, until the temptations of the flesh and my thrill seeking days was over. Then it would be easy to be a Christian. But year after year, I lived in the pleasures of sin by cheating on my wife and taking drugs. I wallowed in the mire of sin so long that it became a habit I seemed not able to break. I really never considered that my life would be cut short, but without warning the day came. Within just one heartbeat, I was cast into Hades, or what some call Hell. I went to church many times with my wife and since I have been here, I have remembered many of the things her preacher said. Some believe that when people die they their body, soul and spirit have stay in the grave for soul sleep. But this is not what God's Word says. The Bible says, It is appointed unto man to die once, and after that the judgment. The apostle Paul speaking to the Christians said, To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord in heaven. As soon as I died, I experienced eternal conscious torment in Hades, which has not stopped. I have been here for an indefinite period of time, waiting in the darkness and torment. Hades is just my temporary residence between death and resurrection; it is the place of confinement for the spirit and the soul for every unbeliever. So you see, my body is dead, but my soul and spirit are still very much alive because they are eternal. Some day, Jesus come for His saints. And after the time called Tribulation, there will be a Millennium. After this the present earth and heavens will be destroyed, and God will create A New Heaven and the New Earth. After all of this is accomplished, then God will resurrects my body and the bodies of all of the unbelievers at the Great White Throne. At that time, my eternal destiny will be the Lake of Fire, which is the second death. When I am cast into the Lake of Fire, I will have an eternal body that will live forever in torment in the Lake of Fire. So do not think like some Christians and atheists do, that the second death means you die a second time and this time you are annihilated. That is a lie straight from Satan's lips. The Bible clearly says, that I was appointed to die only once, and then my sentence would be set. The Lake of fire is my punishment for refusing to accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord. God did not send me here to Hades. I sent myself here by rejecting His offer of Salvation. I do not blame God because I am here. God is a loving and merciful God and He did all He could to show me the way of Salvation. I made the choice, He didn't. All about me are souls in torment, who also made the wrong choice. There is no turning back for me, or for all the others whose doom has been set in place. I do not have any more chances; they were taken from me when I drew my last breath on the other side. But, Please Listen to me while you still have a chance. As you walk down earth's pathway, you will come to a junction in the road. One way leads to the left and it is a wide path that is easily accessible. This path seems to be filled with happiness, various carnal desires, riches and many materialist things and it looks so inviting. Many have followed this path and they end up just like I did. Believe, this path is not what it appears to be, please believe me! This wide path leads to compromise and deception. If you could look as I have, around the next bend, you would realize that this wide path ends in destruction. The road on the right is a narrow path that requires fortitude and watchful eyes. It does not hold the excitement and glamour of the wide path, and it is sometimes a treacherous journey down this path. But beyond every bend on this path, there is love, joy and peace to revive you. Jesus Himself walks beside you on this narrow path that ultimately leads to Heaven. This is the right path, so be wise and follow the narrow path. Take my advice and realize that Hell is no place to spend eternity. Get on the right road, do it now while you still can. The right way is to the Right…. It's Jesus! All other roads lead to Hell and destruction. Which road will you take? Tara Hart © 2004 all rights reserved. The unbelievers' punishment is unimaginably relentless and severe. The outer darkness speaks of permanent separation from God, and from all other humans in the Lake of Fire. The isolation and loneliness will be horrific. It will be like solitary confinement forever with no release, and no relief from the torment and the total blackness. To be eternally alone will produce sorrow beyond our comprehension, and the despair, emotions, cravings, sexual desires and physical pain will never stop not even for a second. The forever falling through outer space and never being able to land will be mind boggling. The demons and devils that enjoyed the evil they they did on earth, will then be in the Lake of Fire. Those hideous evil creatures will torture the unbelievers throughout eternity. The Lake of Fire is real, so Do Not go There! Jesus came to earth because He loved you and did not want you to go to Hell. He gave His life so you could live forever in Heaven. If you are still walking down the wide road of destruction, please consider asking Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, so you can escape the Lake of Fire, and live eternally in heaven. Steps in the Right Direction Realize that you are a sinner because no one is righteous. In faith, believe that Jesus really did die on the Cross to take away your sins. Believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven, because He is the way, the truth and the life and absolutely no one can come to Father God accept through Jesus Christ. Ask Jesus to save you from all of your sins and repent, which means to turn around from the way you are now living, and walk on the narrow path. Salvation is yours for the taking. A few scripture ….. Tara Hart © 2004 All rights reserved |