A Call To Action

Joel 2:1 - "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is at hand."

This is indeed is a message of awareness to the Church to remind us that the time of the return of the Lord is already at hand.

Judgment is a part and parcel of God's agenda for man; He had put everything in its course and had given man the opportunity to choose, most times man makes the wrong choice. The Bible tells us clearly about an impending judgment of events that will bring to an end God's dealing with this generation.

In our time, wickedness is running rampant, violence and crime have gone to an unprecedented height, Jesus warned of these says "And because iniquity shall abandon, the love of many shall way cold" (Matt. 24:12). Further, Jesus said in Luke 21:25-26 that "...and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity...men's heart s failing them for fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth". The generation that Jesus met, he described them like this "ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Matt. 23:33).

Jesus said "...how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Jesus calls the place of torment-hell; It is a geographical location. Hell is not in the grave nor is it when one is suffering on earth. Jesus said in Mark 9:47-48 "And if your eyes causes you to sin, pluck is out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire-where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched". Jesus mentioned hell in three places in this chapter.

Hell is real and it is the first point of call for the wicked when they die. "Hell from beneath is excited about you, to meet you at your coming..." (Is. 14:9). Hell is not prepared for man but for the devil, it serves as a jail for "awaiting trial". Hell is a place where anyone who dies without being born again goes to await for trial. His different from a place referred to as "burning with fire and brimstone. It is not prepared for man, the righteous and the guiltless will not go to hell. "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his agents" (Matt 25:41). Hell is a place of darkness, a place of torment and deep suffering. It is a place reserved for external criminals. A sinner is condemned, he is an eternal criminal and it took an eternal being, Jesus Christ to save him. Jesus Himself went to hell when he died, he preached the good news to the spirits in hell and those who believed in his salvation, those who believed not remained were delivered. God set up hell as a prison, a place of torment where sinners would be kept to await for judgment, which will take place at the second resurrection. The Bible says that "blessed are those who partake of the first resurrection which is only for the saints. Sinners will rise up at the second resurrection to face the judgment throne of God.

One day, all Christians will stand before Jesus Christ and our work will be judged. All will be reworded but some will be praised more than the others "...for we shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ." (Rom.14:10).

All the word will be judged by the saints together with Christ. "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? 1 Cor.6:2).

Hell is fire, but not of hell is fire, Right now there are people in hell being tormented by demon spirits in hell. Before Jesus came to earth to save mankind, there was a dispensation of conscience, and those who were judged guilty by that standard went to hell. There is a place made for the judgment of satan and his angels and nobody is there now, that place is the lake of fire. Jesus told a story in Luke 16:19-31 about the Richman and Lazarus the beggar. Both men died, the beggar was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom while the rich man was buried. "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom, there he cried out and said "(vs. 23-24) while the Richman was in hell, his faculties of reasoning were still functioning, He could see and recognize people, we was thirsty and he spoke. Jesus said "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded by through one rise from the dead "(vs. 31). It is happening today, there is still one who rose from the dead and yet they don't believe him. Believing is an act of will.

One day, the trumpet will sound the day is very near, that is the reason, God is recounting his among for the end time harvest. Jesus said before the end, many shall fall away. The devil is fighting hard; our believing in Jesus is what the devil will fight till the end. We need to become more acquainted with the diverse operation of the devils and be careful not to lose our salvation. Just as devil desired Simon Peter to sieve him, the same is the fate of many Christians. They have become stagnated in their Christina walk; they are gradually loosing their fire. That is why we engage in strong intercession, that the faith of the saints may stand strong because the days are evil. The spirits of darkness are not asleep, we must know our real adversary, we must lay aside every weight, and distractions. Be sober and vigilant because you are in warfare. You zeal and fervency in prayers will truly indicate your awareness of this combat.

Satan has been sentenced to the lake of fire and he knows it so he has gone on this rampage against man, this onslaught will continue until the last day when hell and death shall be cast into the lake of fire. We must win people into the kingdom of God. When you look at the church today, you find that they are no longer involved in soul winning. They have become hardened and their hearts have grown callous. Has God changed the judgment day? Has the flames of hell gone down? Is it cooler now in hell? If a sinner dies now is it not to hell he will still go? We must preach the gospel with all our ability now. God said in Ezekiel 33:7 ‘so you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from my mouth and warn them for me". It is our responsibility to win men and women to Christ, if we don't warn the ungodly and they die, God says He will require their blood in our hands.

Apostle Paul said "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men".  Acts 20:26.

Until we are pure from the blood of men, we cannot appear before God that is the reason is said that someone who does not win souls to Christ cannot go to heaven. We have become complacent about soul winning; we need to reach the unreached with the gospel of Christ. Those who reject Jesus Christ will definitely go to hell. "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and the abominable, and murderess, and the whose mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death "Rev.21:8. Further in Rev.20:15  It says, "and whosever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire". Their names were written in the book of life when they were born into the world, but when they reject salvation, their names were deleted. Moses pleaded with God to wipe out his name from the book of life if he would not spare the people of Israel when they sinned against him. We should ensure that the names of people are not wiped out of the book of life. It is not whether God is going to judge people, or not, it is when is the judgment coming, and it is sooner than we expect it.

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