wonderful Holy Spirit your awesome presence is welcome once again to reveal your word to our hearts for this hour and father in Jesus mighty name I thank you for releasing your anointing upon this message where conviction will set into the hearts of the hearers where souls will cry out what must they do to be saved father I thank you for sending your word and anointing your people to receive your word for such this time in the mighty and glorious name of Jesus. In the book of Isaiah chapter 5 verses 14 it reads, Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure. In Luke 16 verses 23, And in hell He lifted up his eyes being in torment and seeing Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. Our thought comes today, what kind of place is hell? What kind of place is hell? The Bible talks of two places. a place called hell and a place called heaven and both of these places are just as real as the other from the beginning when God created man God placed man in the garden a place of paradise a place of peace God was giving us a picture only a deplete picture of the kind of place heaven would be if you read in Genesis when God placed Adam in this garden you sense a tranquility you sense rest and joy and peace happiness and health God was trying to show us the kind of place heaven is going to be but yet for greater and then the Bible also speaks of another place called hell now this place called hell was never designed by God for no human to ever go. What we're going to understand today is that in our society there's so many people who walks around not knowing where they're going to spend their eternal resting place. My friend, what I want you to understand is something that is so simple that you will die one day and your destiny is not by chance but it's by choice. The choice you make while you're alive on this earth. The Bible says choose ye this day who you will serve. God from the beginning of time has given man the ability to choose. God has never made no one do anything nor can God make you do anything. From back there up until present tense now God cannot make you change from doing what you're doing. The only thing God can do is make you aware of the consequence of what you choose to do. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We're going to explore on today what kind of place is hell. I want you to look in the book of Luke chapter 16 and we're going to look at verses 19 through 31. There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fasted sumptuously every day. The point I want to stress about this topic today is that hell is not some place you want to send no one I know oftentimes people make jokes about sending somebody to hell they need to go to this place but I pray after hearing this word from God's word that your ideology about hell will change and even my friend if you may not believe that there is such a place my prayer to you or my prayer for God to you is that your eyes would open up to see that if you die without Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, this place you don't think is real, you will wind up going there. And note something, you won't be going because God has sent you there, you'll be going because of your rejecting Jesus Christ who paid your sin debt on Calvary. In verse 19 of Luke chapter 16, a certain rich man, he was clothed in purple, He had the best of everything in life and he ate three squares a day. I mean this man didn't want for nothing. Verse 20, and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of swords. Now we see there's a rich man and we see there's a poor man. Two individuals, two lifestyles with two destinies. and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table, moreover the dogs came and licked Lazarus' sores." In other words, this rich man had so much, yet he was selfish. Now the point of this message is not dealing with how much you may have in this life. You may be rich, you may be wealthy, but the richest man without Jesus is poor. and the poorest man without Jesus is rich so this rich man's riches is not the issue the rich man not giving to Lazarus is not the issue but the rich man while living upon this earth was able to hear the Word of God and he chose not to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior on the other hand the poor man named Lazarus watch this and it came to pass that the beggar died Lazarus died who was poor in the life in this life and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom note this Lazarus was poor but Lazarus was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom A place of safety, a place of rest, a place of peace and comfort. A place where the wicked will cease from troubling and the weary will be at rest. But now watch something. Now the reason why Lazarus was carried into Abraham's bosom because of the choice he made while he was alive. He heard about Jesus. He gave his life to Jesus Christ. But now on the other hand, let's keep reading. the rich man also died and was buried verse 23 and in hell notice the two destinies Lazarus went to Abraham's bosom the rich man went to hell watch this he lift up his eyes being in torment and see it Abraham before all and Lazarus in his bosom and he cried and said father Abraham have mercy on me And said Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivest thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this between us and you, there is a great goal fixed. Note this. there's a great goat fixed so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence then he said I pray thee therefore father that thou wouldest send him to my father's house for I have five brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment Abraham said unto him they have Moses and the prophets let them hear them and he said no father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent and he said unto them if they hear not Moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded the one rose from the dead I read that because I want to bring out some points now that I pray that you listen intently as to what kind of place hell really is Number one, hell is a place where people will see, understand, and I don't mean just see with vision, natural vision. That word see denotes to understand, to comprehend. And this is what people will understand. They will understand their role that they did while they was in life. They will see and understand the sins that caused them to be lost. and they will see the mistakes that they made and the mistake of rejecting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. In verses 23, when it spoke how he see Abraham afar off, yes from the natural he saw with vision, but that word see denotes he now understand why I am in this place. I understand that God was trying to keep me from coming to a place that I never thought existed or was even real. So the word seek denotes to understand and this place is a place where people are now understanding their wrong but it's too late to get right. Number two, hell is a place where people are crying, they're sorrowful, they're sad, they're gloomy, and they're even praying, but their prayers are not being heard or even answered. Note something in verse 24, and he cried, meaning he prayed. He was trying to now seek God. While he was on the earth, he didn't think about praying. Like many people today, they never think about getting on their knees and talking to God. And many of you that's listening to this message, prayer is something you never even think about doing. Prayer is something that you don't think that you really need. But this rich man, while in hell, he began to pray. But what so sad, he prayed, but there was no answer to his prayer. My friend, if you call upon God in this hour, if you seek Him while He may be found, you will find Him. The Bible says, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And that simply means if you call upon the Lord, He will answer you now while you're on the earth. Because if you die and go to this place, you will pray like many are doing now, but they're not being heard. So hell is a place where there are prayer meetings, but the only difference, there's no visitations from God. Number three, hell is a place where people want mercy. They want God's grace. They want compassion from God. But the mercy of God don't go to hell. Mercy is found while you are alive on the earth. My friend, God is extending His mercy to you even now. As you listen to this message, you could have died many times that God spared you from checking out. And God showed you His mercy. And even now as you listen to me, God is showing you His mercy because you're alive to hear His Word. There have been so many people that have heard God's Word for the first time and they checked out. They didn't get a chance to hear it no more. But my friend, God is once again extending mercy to you. Because notice something in verse 24. The rich man was asking for mercy. But hell is a place where mercy cannot be found. God's love is not found in hell God's forgiveness is not found in hell God's grace and compassion will not be shown to you in this place called hell because number one God didn't want you to go there and this is why God now is extending mercy to mankind to keep you from going to this place called hell Number four, hell is a place where people want those that have misused or people want those who they have misused and abused, note this, to come and give them help. Now notice, when the rich man was on the earth, he did not even think about Lazarus, the condition of Lazarus' life. But see, time brings about a change. What shall be man sow it, that shall he also reap. The rich man never thought that he would go to this place because in his mind he had everything he could possibly want. And he never thought about after he leave this world, where would he go? like many of you that's listening to this message you never thought about a hereafter that your soul is going to spend eternity either in heaven or in this place called hell and as I said earlier where you go is not a matter of chance but it's a matter of choice and this rich man now is asking that he will send Lazarus that Lazarus who he dogged out, Lazarus that he wouldn't even give a crumb of bread to, Lazarus that he wouldn't even feed and help, he now want Lazarus to leave a place of comfort, to come to this place of torment, to dip his finger in water, no in coolest tongue, because the rich man now is tormented in the flame. Number five, hell is a place where people will be tormented, tortured, troubled, agonizing because of the flame of fire that they will be in. Note this, not occasionally but continually day and night and hour and minute and second and it will never end and go on and on and on being tortured, being tormented, being in darkness, being miserable. You know today when it get hot from the sun, it's easy for you to go in your house and sit up under the air condition or go swimming in the pool. But here is a place that once you get there, there's no coming out. once you wind up in this place called hell there is no escape exits in hell hell is one way in and no way out one way to go but no way to get out there and note this he was tormented in this flame hell is not a place where there's a picnic where people are partying as people may make jokes about hell is a place where people are being tortured or being tormented in a flame of fire. Let's move on. What kind of place is hell? Number six. Hell is a place where people will forget about all the wrong things they have done to others. And note this. And they now will focus on trying to get right. They're now trying to focus on getting themselves straight. But my friend, hell is not a place to get right with God. Now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost say today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. My friend, on this earth is the place you are to get right with God. Because after you hear the word of God, you have a time frame involved. And let me explain what I mean. After you hear that Jesus loves you, Jesus died for you, Jesus was buried for you, Jesus rose from the dead, and he's alive today. And Jesus stands awaiting you to come unto him. All you who labor and are heavy laden, that he can give you rest. while you're on this earth and you hear the word of God time ticks away after you hear this word because for man also knoweth not his time my friend you do not know when you're going to leave here but you can know where you're going to go and this rich man was trying now to get right in hell but my friend hell is not a place to get right Number seven, here is a place where people will be separated from God, listen to me good, not because God is mean or don't love them, but because of their choice while they was alive on the earth. And they did not believe that there was such a place, like many of you that's listening to me, there are many people today speak against hell they say hell is on the earth and hell is a state of mind that wouldn't be so bad if hell was a state of mind because your mind can change but according to Isaiah 5 and 14 therefore hell had enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure what Isaiah was telling us was that hell is constantly growing And the earth has never changed for its size since the day God created it. So hell is a place that's different from the earth. And hell is not a state of mind. You may be catching hell. You may be going through hell. But my friend, hell is a place you don't want to go. Period. And no, hell is a place where people will be separated from God. And as I brought out, they're not there because God has sent them there. They are there by their choice. They heard about Jesus. And let me say something to you, my friend. In spite of what people might say to you about such a place does not exist, I challenge you this day, my friend. If Jesus Christ is not your personal Lord and Savior, I charge you and I admonish you and I encourage you today to accept Jesus before it be eternally too late. Just like this rich man wound up in this place called hell, he went there because, like many today, didn't believe that they needed Jesus Christ. Like many today, didn't believe such a place existed. But if God's word said it existed, in spite of what men may say, the Bible says, let God be true. But every man a liar. And there are many religions speak against hell. And my heart goes out to you that does not believe such a place exists. Because the enemy has blinded your mind to believing that such a place is real. when the devil himself knows that hell has been prepared for him and his angels and it was never God's desire that no human go to such a place but my friend listen to me and listen to me real good if you choose to live like the devil you will spend eternity with the devil and that's the truth number eight hell is a place where people We want to send one to those who are in their families that are still on the earth. Get this. So they can get right. So they can change their ways by accepting Jesus Christ. Because if they don't, they will come to the place that they are now in. Let me show you something. Look at Luke 16. verse 27 then he said I pray thee therefore father that thou would have sent him to my father's house if I had five brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place he didn't say a state of mind he said at least they also should come into this place of Toman Hell is a place where people are concerned about their family members that are still alive on the earth, not coming there. Hell is a place where people are asking God to send somebody to reach their families. And you know what's strange? When the rich man was alive, he wasn't concerned about nobody but himself. He was self-centered. What I can get, what I can do, what I've accomplished, what I've achieved. He didn't have an outreach toward no one. Like so many ministers today, not reaching or trying to help no one. But my friend, listen. Hell is a place that's filled with people that's selfish. Hell is a place that's filled with people that's prejudiced. Hell is a place that's filled with people who have rejected Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Hell is a place filled with people that was rich. Hell is a place full of people that had high positions on the earth. presidents, governors, mayors. In other words, to make it plain, hell awaits whosoever will not accept Jesus Christ while they're alive. That makes that plain. So what kind of place is hell? Let me recap this. Number one, hell is a place where people will see their own and can't get right. Number two, Hell is a place where people will pray and not get answers. Number three. Hell is a place where people will repent and not be forgiven. Let me kind of touch on this one. Hell is a place where people are sorry for their sins. They're sorry for not getting right. They're sorry for the wrong they have done. They're sorry for mistreating their parents. They're sorry for rebelling against their mother and their father. Hell is a place where people are regretful of shooting people and killing people. Hell is a place where people are sorry they didn't go to church. Hell is a place where people are sorry that they didn't spend time in prayer. Hell is a place where people are sorry for the excuses they've been making when they could have done better. So hell is a place where people are asking God to have mercy on them. But what's so sad? Mercy is not going to hell. Because mercy is now being extended to man while he's alive. Number four. Hell is a place where people want to help others. But get this. But they can't even help their self. Isn't that sad? Well, this rich man went to hell and now he wants to help others. When he had the chance to do it, he wouldn't do it. And what's even worse than that, hell is a place where he wanted to help others, but he didn't even help himself. It don't make sense to try to help other folk and you wind up in hell. Number five, hell is a place where people will be separated from God, where they could have been close to God, and now having fellowship with God in heaven. Listen to me, my friend. It's not God's will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. It's God's will, my friend, that you make heaven your eternal resting place. This is why God sent Jesus into the world. The Bible says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. My friend, neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none other name on the heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Water baptism cannot save you. Church membership cannot save you. Shaking the preacher's hand cannot save you. No one but Jesus Christ can save you. Mary cannot save you. Buddha cannot save you. Mohammed cannot save you. Sun Yung Moon cannot save you. No one else died for you but Jesus Christ. No one, my friend. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercessions for them. What kind of place is hell? And as I come to a close, hell is a place where people will be concerned for their loved ones not coming. But notice this. but they did not love them enough when they was on the earth isn't it something how this rich man is showing us of a place and what actually is happening in hell even now people are praying people are crying out for mercy people are repenting people are concerned about others People are concerned about their families. But when they was alive on this earth, everything was about them. They didn't think about God. And you that's listening to this message on today, is Jesus your personal Lord and Savior? I want to pose this question to you. Because my friend, what you have been hearing is a word from God. And my prayer today is that you accept Jesus Christ. that you surrender your life to Jesus because my friend after you hear this word as I brought out in the part of this message you have a time frame involved and you do not know when you're going to die but you can know where you're going to go before you die because if you die after hearing the word after knowing what Jesus Christ has done for you and you have rejected Jesus You have told him, no, I'm not ready to give my life to you. I'm too young now. But my friend, understand something. Your age has nothing to do with you being saved. There are young people in hell. There are old people in hell. In other words, hell awaits whosoever will not accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. I want to read something to you in the book of Revelation chapter 20 verses 10 and I want to verse 15 and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire listen to me my friend the devil have deceived you in believing that you have time time is not on your side my friend time awaits no one Time is not on your side. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost say today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart. My friend, if you have been hardening your heart to Jesus Christ, I admonish you this day. Do not let the enemy deceive you. Because if you do not accept Jesus Christ, in spite of how long you've been sitting in a building, and you can be a faithful church member, but if you're not born again, if you have not repented of your sins, and invited Jesus Christ to come into your heart, shaking the preacher's hand, and you're lost. You've been baptized from a child, as a baby, and you know what's sad? You didn't even know why you was going down in the water. You may have been confirmed, which I don't know what you confirmed to, but unless Jesus Christ is your personal Lord and Savior, my friend, you will go to this place called hell if you die and Jesus is not your personal Lord. In Revelation chapter 20 verses 10, listen to this again, and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever see the devil himself who deceived you into believing that you have time you'll get saved next week you just keep putting it off I ain't ready to give my life to Christ I don't see nothing wrong with what I'm doing there is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death My friend, if Jesus Christ is not your personal Lord and Savior, I invite you this day to surrender your life to Jesus before it be eternally too late. And I want to drop down to verse 15. No, let me keep reading this. And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose space the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was no place found for them. and I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were open and another book was open which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works and the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to his works and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death verse 15 and whosoever was not found written in the book of life it did not say written on some church's roll written in the book of life meaning you have accepted Jesus Christ you have been born again The Bible says in Luke 15 and 7, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repented, more than over 99 just persons which need no repentance. Religion cannot save you. Water baptism cannot save you. Church membership cannot save you. You doing good deeds to people cannot save you. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of words. Least any man should boast. And look at this as I close. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. What kind of place is hell? My friend, hell is a place where no one should go. Hell is a place where no one want to go. Hell is a place that one can avoid from going and that's by accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. I know there are many religions today that speak against this place called hell. Many religions teach people that God is too kind and merciful to send any human to hell. I must agree with that statement. God is too merciful. God is too kind and gracious to send any human being to this place called hell. And I'd like to add something to that. God will not make you come to heaven, nor will God make you go to hell. Your destiny is by choice, not by some chance. And here is the solution, my friend, that can cause you not to go to such a place. If you have been in a church building all your life, and you have never given your heart to Jesus Christ, you know within your heart that there's a void, there's an emptiness. In spite of all what you do, you're still miserable, you're still sad, you've been searching for peace, you're trying to be happy, You cannot be happy living in sin. There is no happiness in sin. There's only misery and destruction in sin. And eventually if you die in sin, you will go to this place called hell. But the good news of this message is this, that Jesus Christ loves you. Jesus, my friend, is inviting you to come. Jesus bids you to come unto Him. All you who labor are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Aren't you tired of struggling? Aren't you tired of wondering about your eternal resting place? And many of you that's listening to me, you know within your heart that you're not living right. You know within your life that what you're doing is not pleasing to God. When will you make this decision, my friend? and I hope you don't wait too late like the rich man he thought he had all the time in the world because he was so consumed with his riches he was so consumed with what he had but the scripture comes to mind to tell you for what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what can a man give in exchange for his soul My friend, there's nothing you can give to God that will cause God to let you into heaven apart from you accepting His Son, Jesus Christ, as your personal Lord and Savior. In 1 John chapter 5, verse 11 and verses 12, and this is the record that God had given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. And in Saint John chapter 14 verses 6, Jesus said unto him, as he said unto you, my friend, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. So preacher, what is my answer to keep me from going to this place called hell according to Romans chapter 10 verses 9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thy heart that God had raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved my friend Jesus awaits you now and if you want to be saved today where heaven can be an eternal resting place, I want to lead you into a prayer that will change your life forever. I want you to repeat after me, Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God. I believe that you came to planet Earth. I believe that you died on the cross. and you shed your blood for my sins. I believe you was buried and that you rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Lord Jesus, forgive me of my sins. Wash me in your blood. I'm sorry for my sins. I'm tired of being bound. I'm tired of being miserable. I don't want to be lost. Because I've heard that it's not Your will that I should perish. Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Be Lord of my life from this day forward. I surrender my all to You. I accept You as my personal Lord and Savior. And Lord Jesus, according to Your Word, I confess with my mouth, wonderful Jesus, And I believed in my heart that God raised you from the dead. And according to your word, I am saved. And Lord Jesus, I thank you for a new beginning of life. I thank you for cleansing me and healing me everywhere I hurt. Lord Jesus, I thank you now for writing my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. and I thank you for your mercy you have showed to me and I thank you for your grace Lord Jesus help me to live for you one day at a time and I thank you now that I am a new creation in you where old things are passing away and behold all things are going to become new Lord Jesus I thank you now for being my Savior, for being my Lord, and for being my Master, in Jesus' name. My friend, if you have prayed this prayer, the angels in heaven rejoice over what you have done. But my friend, if you've decided you're still not ready to give your heart to Jesus Christ, I pray my friend that you do not go to this place called hell because there's so many people today who are on their way there who should not be going period and my friend do not let the enemy deceive you any longer and having you feeling like you have time now is the accepted time now is your day of salvation And as I close, my friend, you may not get this chance ever again in life to hear such a word as this. God may not extend this mercy to you anymore. You may check out of this life after hearing this word. Only God knows. This is only to make you aware, my friend, for man also knoweth not his time. it's time to get right now my friend because procrastination is called the thief of time and except Jesus this day I pray what kind of place is hell