"GREAT CHASM!"

Luke 16:19-31                 (ESV)
"19 "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried,
23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.'
25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a "GREAT CHASM" has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'
27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house-
28 for I have five brothers-so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'
29 But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'
30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"



It seems that almost everybody is being "challenged" these days to perform some physical deed of nobility to prove their worth to some person, someone else's worth to them, or some cause.  Do we ever hear GOD "challenging" us to live better lives for HIM?  Do we ever slow our lives down enough to gain "marching orders" from our Commander in Chief of our lives?  For those who don't know, HIS instructions are generally found in the HOLY BIBLE, not on a Social Media site!  GOD has spoken to me through a social media post, but HE uses HIS WORD to teach, reprove, and correct me!

The great deception, initiated and perpetuated by the "great deceiver" (Genesis 3:1), is that this physical world is the "REAL WORLD", but reality will become apparent to ALL one day, and when that day comes you may not be able to avoid the penalty of the sin choices you have made.  To the rich man JESUS spoke of in the scriptures above, he was able to live "the good life" while on this earth, but he found out that this earth was not the REAL WORLD!  The rich man was deceived into believing that he had everything going his way and that he had no reason to plan for eternity.  But the REAL WORLD awaited him, and he was not comfortable with his arrangements in Hades!  The rich man was deceived into believing that this world was the REAL WORLD, but he found THE TRUTH rather eye-opening!

So many people today are being deceived by the great deceiver into believing that this world is the REAL WORLD!  Just like the rich man their spirit will not be in Hades long before they realize their deception and want another chance.  We absolutely MUST understand and realize that GOD's Word isn't just a "good read", a self-help book that will keep us out of trouble.   It is GOD's revelation of HIMSELF to mankind and a guide for those HE has "chosen" to become "Believers" (1 Peter 2:9)!  Even people who are "chosen" are deceived at times into believing that people who are rich have more of GOD's favor on their life than people who have to beg for sustenance.  We are all pilgrims just passing through this world headed to the REAL WORLD one day.

Those who are already in Heaven or Hades have NO DOUBT about the where the REAL WORLD is!  The "GREAT CHASM" between them is wider than anything we can imagine, but evidently those in Heaven can be seen by those in Hades FOREVER!  We get so intensely focused on our present circumstances that we tend to lose sight of our ultimate destination!  But 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 and Romans 8:18 should give us a clear indication that where we are going is FAR better than anything we can imagine here on earth!  The "GREAT CHASM" between Heaven and Hades separates more than saints and rejectors.  It separates those who think they don't NEED a Savior and those who can see a SAVIOR is their only hope!  Can you see the "GREAT CHASM" now???