“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

If you’ve ever been to a memorial service or a funeral in the US, you would come away convinced that everyone goes to heaven. Not one person who dies ever goes to hell. Every time – regardless of whether the person was a Christian or not, whether they were good or not, – everyone is going to heaven.

But that can’t be right. I’ve never been to a funeral where the preacher said that the deceased is now in hell. Have you? Even when everyone who is present knows that the person was a nasty jerk, they are still going to heaven!

Not everyone is going to heaven. There is no way. If everyone was going to heaven, why did Jesus die on the cross?

If we were honest, we would acknowledge that hell is the default destination for every sinner. It’s not that God is sending people to hell. Hell is just the place all sinners go.

The only way out of this is to receive God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. That’s it. That’s the only way to change our default destination when we die.

Do you know the Savior? If you do – praise God! If you don’t, bow your knee and receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and change your eternal destiny.

“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

All classes of people were aboard the Titanic

• Wealthy people, famous people
• highly educated people, illiterate people
• and poor folks down in the steerage.

But a few hours later when they posted the list in the Cunard office in New York, there were only two categories of people: lost and found.

Every person who lives will die. And when they do, they will face judgment. When God sees us, there will only be two classes of people: lost and found.

Do you know Jesus? Have you received Jesus as Lord and Savior? Are you following him?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2).

Consider it pure joy? Come on! Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds? You’ve got to be kidding me!

What in the world could this mean?

Couple of things. This is a true statement. AND, this true statement is first learned in hindsight.

First, this is a true statement. Look back at your life to the seasons when you had the greatest spiritual growth and maturity. I bet ya, it was when you were going through a rough time. Admit it. It’s true right?

When I ask people this question, not one person has ever described an easy season in their life. Ever!

Your spiritual maturity and your spiritual intimacy with God came at the other end of a hard season. That’s why we can look back and consider that season of trials and sufferings with pure joy.

And, just because we learn this truth in hindsight does not mean this doesn’t have any bearing on how we move into the future. Because of what was learned in the seasons of suffering, we can face future seasons with joy, knowing that they too will move us to greater maturity and intimacy with our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

So, you find yourself going through a season? Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters!