Saved

Psalms 32

Often I've wondered about well used phrases we all read or say. They become old-hat. Even to the point where they either loose meaning or are accepted with no thought.

Love for example, we say I love that car or I love how they talk or I love you. If you noticed, each I love has different meanings, different depth. Yet we still use I Love in each phrase till love begins to be old-hat and looses its depth.

Other such phrases came to me today. Like... they say... or pray for peace...or saved.

They say refers to things that most people agree on; even though there is no such person as they.

Pray for peace. I first saw that one at age 10 during the 50's. I remember then, as a child thinking...why do we need to pray for peace? Now as an adult I see. America and every other place in the world needs peace, personally and nationally.

Saved is a phrase we accept as Christians. A phrase that indicates salvation and directs a person to God's eternal life. Saved from ourselves, saved from sin's grasps, saved from eternal darkness. Well, like the other phrases I've just accepted, this phrase took on a much deeper meaning this week. I got a new look at what we are saved from because of Christ's sacrifice.

I settled into the nap moment of my day (in that big comfy chair) and clicked to christian television to fill the room with His Word. The program was called supernatural (I think). The host interviewed a man who wrote a book called 23 Minutes in Hell. Not one of my favorite subject. The testimony gripped my heart. I know, as I am sure you know there is a literal Hell and it involves torment, darkness, thirst and pain for all eternity. But I never really thought about it or even used that argument to lead someone to Christ. I believe God's love says it all. However, this mans words were worth repeating.

You see, we will live for all eternity. We are made of body, soul and spirit. Though the body(flesh we see) will die and decay, the soul and spirit live forever. Where will we spend this forever? If we receive Christ we live forever with Him. If we do not, we live forever in eternal torment called hell. This mans description of hell gave a whole new meaning to torment and being saved from that torment. He gave over 100 verses to back up his experience. (I plan to get the book, check them out and read what he described.)

The Point? Hell is a place to avoid. He described fire you could feel, beatings from demons who's claws ripped his flesh, no air to breathe, thirst for even a tiny drop of water, hate, the smell of burning sulfur and flesh, voices screaming from the torture. Some terrifying thoughts. True or not one thing is definite. Hell exists. It is the eternal abode of all who reject Christ, it is a place of torment, it's described in scripture and it last forever.

Saved. Yes, this word saved is appropriate, a strong word of deep meaning.

If you do not know Christ as Savior, as Lord then take time today to repent of your sin, ask Him into your life, ask Him to save you.

Thank you Lord for salvation.