Have you been on a trip lately? Usually when we decide to travel, we first choose a beautiful destination, then the date & time, the route and then finally make all the arrangements for travel. When the time comes, we gather our supplies and set out on the path finalized for the journey.
Our life in this world is also a journey. Depending on the route we take in this life’s journey, we reach different destinations. Let us open the treasure book and find more about the destinations and the respective routes that leads to them.
OPENING THE TREASURE BOOK 
Clue 1: The destinations
There are only two eternal destinations to our life’s journey and these places are completely different from each other.
The Happy place
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Matthew 6:19-20
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21:4
The first destination is a Happy place called heaven. It is a place free from sadness and pain – no tears, death, mourning, crying or pain. Moreover, there isn’t any kind of loss or destruction. So this is a perfect place which is completely filled with love, joy and happiness!!! Although God cannot be limited to one place, this happy place is where He dwells and sits on His throne.
The Horrid Place
But the cowardly,unbelieving,abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Revelation 21:8
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 13:41-42
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched where — their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.”
Mark 9:43-44
The second destination is very scary. It is a lake that burns with fire and Sulphur. We should recall at this point that in Genesis 19, we read about a Sulphur rain that destroyed the complete area of Sodom and Gomorrah during the time of Lot – Abraham’s nephew. It was just a rain and the place was destroyed to an extent that it lay waste even now. So just imagine a complete lake of fire and Sulphur!!! It is a place of wailing and gnashing of teeth and torment. There are worms that do not die and the fire is never put off. It will just go on and on and on for eternity…
The time that we spend in this world is JUST a FRACTION compared to the eternal life that is ahead of us. So to be in the lake of fire for complete eternity is more than horrifying. It is more scarier than any horrific circumstances ever faced by human kind and more painful than any pain the human race has ever experienced. It is far beyond our comprehension.
Now we know the available destinations. There is a beautiful destination that is filled with joy and happiness and a horrid place that is very dreadful. These are the only two available options. Remember, you have to spend your entire eternity. So choose your destination right.
Clue 2: The Routes
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Matthew 7: 13-14
The variety of trails / paths that we see in our lifetime falls into 2 categories: paths that take us to the eternal happy place leading to eternal life and paths that take us to the eternal horrid place leading to eternal doom. The path to destruction is very wide and broad and most people take this way. This means the path to destruction / eternal doom is very popular and comes with many options. A path is popular doesn’t mean it is the right choice. On the contrary, the path that leads to life is narrow and difficult. It is not very popular and only very few find it. So choose your path right to get to the chosen destination.
The path to eternal life
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6
The entryway is very narrow indeed. Jesus is the ONE and ONLY way to get to life eternal. If you don’t have Jesus and is not saved by His blood, then you won’t get to the beautiful destination. So if you have not accepted Jesus as your savior, invite Him to you heart today and change your destination from eternal doom to eternal life.
If you have Jesus, then your walking style changes. You will fear God and hate evil; be obedient to Him and keep His commands; walk in love, light and wisdom – a walk that is pleasing in the eyes of God.
The path to eternal doom
For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.”
Ephesians 5:5-7
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5: 19-21
This path is indeed very broad and wide and has a lot of options to get in. All of the evil ways, wickedness, disobedience and lawlessness leads to destruction and to the horrid lake of fire. Repent and invite Jesus to your heart and accept Him as your savior. Walk in His ways and change your eternal destination.
Treasures uncovered
There are two eternal destinations to our journey of life – the joyful, happy place called heaven leading to eternal life and the horrid lake of fire & burning Sulphur leading to eternal doom.
The route that we take determines our eternal destination. Narrow and difficult is the path to eternal life whereas broad and wide is the path to eternal doom.
JESUS is the ONE and ONLY way to ETERNAL LIFE.
All evil ways, wickedness and lawlessness leads to destruction and to the lake of fire.
Choose Jesus, the only way to eternal life. Repent and change your path from wickedness and lawlessness to Jesus and his sacrificial love. This will change your eternal destination from eternal doom to eternal life.
Prayer:
Father, we thank you for teaching us about the path that leads to eternal life. Help us to live a Christ-centric life that is pleasing to your eyes. Help us to hate all evil ways and never to set foot there. Help us to always choose the right path. In Jesus name, Amen.
Bible lessons 4 young Christians 