Dear Grace Women,

 Like most of you, Steve and I have been closely following the events of the last week. We were traveling for a few days during this period and I appreciate the mention, in my absence, that we should be praying for our leaders. The scriptures certainly teach this. I Timothy tells us:

 1 Timothy 2:1-2
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Although we have been stunned by witnessing the horrible fate of so many people, we could not help but think that a worse fate awaited many of their deaths as they dropped into hell in those moments. Someone noted at our church yesterday that maybe these events will help everyone witnessing them to become more aware of their own fate if they have not trusted Christ as their saviour. We should be praying that this would happen in the hearts of the lost. If people thought the scene of people being burned to death was tragic, how much more the tragedy of those who passed from the fire of the burning of the flesh which has an end, into a place where the burning never ceases, and the fire is not quenched. The Bible continually warns of this eternal fate! The following verses are just a sampling of such verses. May they warn any who are lost. The scriptures tell us to, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2 Cor. 13:5)

Some facts about the eternal fire of hell:

l. The fire of hell is unquenchable:
Matthew 3:12
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

2. There is no annihilation of a person in this eternal fire:
Matt. 13:41-42
41 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;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Mark 9:45-46
45...to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Luke 16:23-24
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 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.

People should fear Almighty God more than mere terrorists who can destroy this mortal body:

Luke 12:4-5
4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Those of us who are saved must wake up to the serious responsibility we have of telling others about how Christ has died for them and paid their eternal debt, and that they must trust in HIM before it is too late! Christ took our sin and paid our debt. He became sin for us, so that we might have the righteousness of God placed upon us, without any merit of our own! Praise the Lord! What a gift!

We are given this responsibility by our Lord:

2 Cor. 5:18-21
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Let's all pray together that the Lord would use the current events as a wake up call for the lost, and that we would be diligent to proclaim this wonderful gift of God's grace to our loved ones and to all with whom we have an opportunity!

Ephesians 2:8-9:
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Amen!

Mary Atwood
MaryTitus2@home.com
Grace Bible Church
www.understandingyourbible.com