This summer has been one of the hottest I have seen.

With this kind of heat, people are warned to drink plenty of fluids if they have to work outside.

Also, with this kind of weather, it is best to travel early in the morning or late in the evening if you are going on a trip. The heat and air-conditioning repairmen are busier now during this time of year as well. They had to make a trip to my house recently on a weekend when our air-conditioner stopped working.

Our outreach ministry found a few jobs for some of our young men to help them become self-supporting and productive, which required them to work outside in the heat also.

I tell them if this is hot, how hot they think hell is, and I also tell them that they do not have to go there.

Last week, my wife and I had to take our two young men to college in Alabama. Our air-conditioner tore up and it was extremely hot. I reminded myself again, if this is hot, how hot is Hell?

God is trying to warn us in all kind of ways that Hell is not a place we want to spend eternity. When we speak of hell, many definitions describe it. Hell, the abode of the dead, especially as a place of eternal punishment for unbelievers. Hell is an Anglo-Saxon word used to translate one Hebrew word and three Greek words in the King James Version in the Old and New Testaments. The Hebrew word that “Hell” is translated was Sheol. The word Sheol occurs 65 times in the Hebrew Bible. The King James Version translates 31 of the occurrences as “Hell,” another 31 occurrences as “Grave” and three occurrences as “Pit.” (Numbers Chapter 16 verses 30, 33 and Job 17:16).

Jesus spoke of it as a place of eternal punishment or outer darkness (Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30).

Language for Hell describes the most awful punishment human language can describe to warn unbelievers before it is too late. Earthly experience would lead us to believe that the nature of punishment will fit the nature of the sin. Certainly, no one wants to suffer the punishment of Hell, and through God’s grace the way for all is open to avoid Hell and know the blessings of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

God is so good to us that he gave us a guide, which is the greatest Book of all, the Bible to teach and instruct us.

When we pray, read it, study it and most of all follow it, then we will not have to ever worry about how hot Hell is and will not have to worry about going there. Revelation Chapter 20 verses 11-15 are telling us about the Judgment. The second death is spiritual death and everlasting separation from God.

Paul changed from the road leading to Hell to the street called Straight Street, which led to eternal life. He persecuted the church because he did not know Jesus. The Bible tells us in the Book of Romans the people have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge and establish their own righteousness and have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

People go to Hell for not following Jesus. We must believe in God’s word about Hell just like we believe in his word about Heaven. There is no in between.

Once we get to Hell, we can not come back, there is no turning back to accept Jesus. Malachi Chapter 3, verse 6 tells us that God’s word never changes. We change, but God’s word remains the same.

We have a chance now to make a decision to choose eternal life. Change your direction from eternal death to eternal life through Christ Jesus. May the Lord bless and keep you is my prayer.