GONE FOREVER

ONE OF THE BOOKS IN THE BIBLE THAT MANY PEOPLE AVOID IS THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

I WAS EVEN TOLD BY A PASTOR NOT TO READ REVELATION!

AND YET THIS BOOK CONTAINS SOME OF THE GREATEST PROMISES IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE.

WHAT DOES THIS BOOK TELL US THAT WILL BE GONE FOREVER?

1. DEATH, 2. SORROW, 3. CRYING, 4. PAIN! (Rev. 21:4)

MEDITATE ON THESE FACTS: 

1.  THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 150,000 DEATHS EACH DAY  WORLD-WIDE.  THIS COMES OUT TO A LITTLE MORE THAN 6,000 DEATHS EACH HOUR.  CONVERSELY, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 350,000 BIRTHS EACH DAY.  SO . . . THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD INCREASES BY ABOUT 200,000 PEOPLE DAILY.

2.  FOR NEARLY FIFTY YEARS I HAVE BEEN COUNSELING PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND IN EVERY STRATA OF SOCIETY.  I HAVE HEARD SOME OF THE MOST SHOCKING AND HEARTBREAKING STORIES YOU CAN IMAGINE.  ONE MAN TOLD ME THAT HE HAD MURDERED SOMEONE.  I ASSURED HIM THAT GOD EVEN FORGIVES MURDER.  THEN HE LOOKED AT ME INTENTLY AND EXCLAIMED, "BUT I ENJOYED IT!  I LIKED IT!"

3.  ONE OF THE WORST THINGS YOU CAN DO AS A COUNSELOR IS TO TALK A LOT.
WHEN A CLIENT BREAKS DOWN IN TEARS, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN DO IS TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT AND ALLOW THE PERSON TO WEEP OUT HIS HURTS AND ANGER.

4.  PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL PAIN ARE TWO OF THE MOST DIFFICULT EXPERIENCES FOR MORTAL MAN. TODAY PATIENTS ARE USUALLY TREATED WITH POWERFUL DRUGS TO DECREASE THE INTENSITY OF THE PAIN.  BUT IN CENTURIES PAST PEOPLE JUST HAD TO ENDURE IT.  PHYSICAL TORTURE IS USED BY MODERN BARBARIANS WHO ARE SEEKING WAYS TO EXPRESS THEIR DEEP ANGER.  EVEN AS YOU READ THIS, INDIVIDUALS ARE BEING TORTURED ALL OVER THE WORLD BEFORE THEY ARE PUT TO DEATH.

NO ONE KNOWS THE EXACT NUMBER OF MARTYRS, BUT IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 100,000 CHRISTIANS ARE MURDERED EACH YEAR BY MUSLIMS, WHO ARE TERMED "PEACEFUL" BY THE UNINFORMED.

THE PROMISE:  ONE DAY SOON JESUS WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM OUR EYES . . . HIS PEOPLE!  YES, WE WILL BE CRYING AND WEEPING.  BUT GET THE PICTURE.  

JESUS WILL COME TO EACH ONE OF US---THOSE WHO HAVE PLACED THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST--- AND WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS!

AND THE LAST SENTENCE IN REV. 21:4 PROMISES:
"ALL THESE THINGS ARE GONE FOREVER!"

NOW THIS IS SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
THERE IS COMING A DAY WHEN ALL DEATH, SORROW, CRYING, AND PAIN WILL BE GONE FOREVER!

THERE REALLY IS A PLACE CALLED HEAVEN.
AND THERE REALLY IS A PERSON CALLED JESUS.
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HIM, SIMPLY SPEAK TO HIM NOW.  ASK HIM TO WASH ALL OF YOUR SINS AWAY. AND GIVE HIM PERMISSION TO TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE.

THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IN THIS LIFE IS TO FIND OUT WHAT GOD IS DOING AND THEN TRY TO STAY OUT OF HIS WAY.