Chapter 7
A sunny afternoon in Hell
Jude
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
You may be intrigued by the title, how can it be sunny in Hell.
As I have said earlier, I was born in Bradford and they have a football team called Bradford City, I remember standing behind the goal at City's valley Parade ground many times, it was an old ground, with crumbling terraces and an old wooden main stand.
They were the first winners of the FA Cup in 1911, but they had fallen on hard times, they were in the third highest league in England, but in season 1984-85, they had a young and exciting team, they stormed to the division title and the last game of the season on the 11th May was to be a celebration.
I wanted a ticket, so I called my brother, he was going with his children, but was unwilling to get me one, so I phoned up and got one, I went by car and got my ticket.
The ground was swarming with people, it was a joyous occasion, I sat in the far end of the main stand, it was a sunny day, but the wind was blowing down the valley, the ground was situated in.
It was a terrible match, there was a serious injury to one of the players, it was boring, it was five minutes to half time, I wanted to go to the toilet, but something stopped me, don't go, this was the Lord stopping me. If I had gone to the back of the stand, I would of been killed.
No sooner had I returned to my seat, that I heard laughing behind me, there was smoke arising from the seats behind me, someone had dropped a cigarette and it had gone down the crack in the flooring and ignited the rubbish under the stand, we were pushed forward and soon, we had to climb or be pulled over the wall and go onto the pitch, the flames by now, were overwhelmingly, the flames had now reached the roof, which was made of felt cladding, which is very combustible.
I wandered around on the pitch, searching for my brother and family, who had been in the next section to me, I remember asking myself, If this is the heat of a fire, what will Hell be like, total fire and destruction for those who don't trust Christ.
Fifty six people died that day, lives, were never the same after that day.
Devotional thought
For Christian's reading this, please listen to the comments I have placed below
This should be the Christian's greatest motivation, we have ourselves been pulled out of the fire, so we should seek to rescue those from the fire of hell.
Some people on that day were heroes, they helped people on fire, I remember walking past the goalmouth, two bodies were just lying there, this is the situation with the world today, people are dying every minute of every day and the church and Christians are idly standing by and doing nothing.
I remember hearing the story of a man who was interviewing for a job working as an usher in a cinema, showing people to their seats, he was asked
"what would you do in if a fire broke out"
His answer was like this:
" I would be ok, I would make sure I would be safe"
That is how many Christians live.
They have salvation, they have places in heaven or so they think, but they have no care or compassion for those who are dying every day all around them.
Spurgeon said
The world lies in darkness: this great city still pines for the light: your own friends and kinsfolk are unsaved, and they may be dead ere this week is over. Oh, if you have any humanity, let alone Christianity, if you have found the remedy tell the diseased about it. If you have found life, proclaim it to the dead; if you have found liberty, publish it to the captives; if you have found Christ, tell of him to others. My brethren in the college, let this be your choice work while studying, and let it be the one object of your lives when you go forth from us. Do not be content when you get a congregation, but labour to win souls, and as you do this God will bless you. As for us, we hope during the rest of our lives to follow him who is The soul-winner, and to put ourselves in his hands who maketh us soul-winners, so that our life may not be a long folly, but may be proved by results to have been directed by wisdom.
This memory is still with me, it is a day of regret for the people who died but also thankfulness for the Lord preserving me.
Let me tell you, it is not enough to go to church, to give to missions, even to belong to social media groups or even to write devotions.
For anyone, who has not trusted Christ, life is very short, those people who died that day, many of them were young, looking forward to a long life, but suddenly life was gone, please don't delay, the day of salvation is now.
2 Corinthians 6:2
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
CHAPTER 8
THE WORLD'S GRASP
1 JOHN 2
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
During the final two years of me working at the hospital (1987-89), I went to night school to study Business studies and Computing, I got my Basic diplomas in both, so as my job finished, I was going to take the National diploma at my local college, meaning that I could still live at home.
But I saw an advert in the Bradford Newspaper for a two year full time course at Bradford and Ilkley community college, So I returned back to my birthplace.
I loved the day to day lectures, I was really stretched, these were subjects I really enjoyed.
In our first year, we had to put in place an investment portfolio and we had to formulate a business plan for an actual business, myself and two other students, Mark and Jacqui decided to open an Organic restaurant, costings, locations and menus had to be thought out, and then we had to submit our plans to our lecturers for marking. We got distinction for our plan.
In my final year, I got five distinctions out of seven subjects.
Although I loved college, my life completely forget God and the church, although I didn't live a bad life, God was not part of it, I used to love going to concerts, theatre etc, my friend Mark, used to call me a culture vulture.
During my second year, I got involved with a girl, nothing ever happened between us, we went for coffee, to the theatre, but it just ended.
We graduated in June 1991, I keep applying for jobs, no one was interested. Many of my peers were doing the BA In Business studies at the college, but foolishly and seeking to impress this girl, I decided to do Accounting qualifications at City College in Norwich for 1991-92, this led to terrible failure, I went back hope to Morecambe, but my eldest brother insisted I go back to Bradford, so job hunting went on in earnest, I tried everything.
My Mother who was on a world cruise with her rich sister, had a stroke on the last day and Philip said I had to live away from her, so I ended up in a variety of contract jobs but nothing permanent.
I lived in some bad places, one especially.
The landlord lived at no 3 and his son and I lived at no 1, one Monday morning I met the landlord coming into no 1.
"Where's Mark, he should of been at work"
Oh he's asleep in the living room
We went in, he had fallen off the sofa and had choked on his own vomit, his body was filled with 634 mg of alcohol, there had been a late night drinking session at the local pub, they had encouraged him to drink the powerful spirit Pernod.
An inquest happened and I had to testify, my mum said " when drinks in, wits out"
We had many people live at No 3, one night I came down to the kitchen and met our new lodger, a talkative guy, who I tried to get away from, but he continued talking, he kept receiving phone calls from somewhere, strange I thought.
He came in and out, and then one day, he was gone, to be honest I was glad he had gone, then one night, in came my landlord with five police officers, one of them came and talked to me, what do you know about this guy?
Why I asked, has he done something wrong?
Well he has been accused of murder.
Little did I know that this man in our house was a rapist and murderer, and I had talked to him, on my own for over one hour.
I managed to go and see my brother in Canada and he strongly advised me to get out of Bradford, so soon after Mum returned from her trip, I returned to Morecambe.
During this time, I had been on anti-depressants, very strong and addictive ones.. Cipramil 15mg, I was to remain trapped by these for many years afterwards.
Devotional Thought
The prodigal son in Luke 15, had to experience hard times before he remembered what he had lost.
I had lost much in those eight years since I left Morecambe in 1989, the early 1990's were not a happy time for me.
I lost my innocence, I regret deeply what happened especially in the years 1992-97, I remember especially years later meeting up with a fellow student, she had been far below me in the class, she had got a degree a 2.1 and it just filled me with sadness and sorrow, we truly make mistakes, mostly because we go our own way, I can and will blame no one but myself.
Remember that there is forgiveness from God, he does forgive, the real question we have to face is do we forgive ourselves.
To do this, we do have to take responsibility and admit our mistakes and then we can be cleansed of the guilt and pain, IF ONLY, are small words, but we cannot dwell of what might of happened, it didn't.
I'm actually glad all this pain happened, it has allowed me to see life in a true way and to be honest with myself about how fallible I really am. Also It has allowed me to help others, people reading this will have made terrible mistakes, that they feel are life ending, but they aren't, they are life enhancing.
Do not dwell on your failures, the apostle Paul didn't dwell on his past, in Philippians 3 he said this and I echo these words.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
That time was probably the darkest in my life. Praise God, he brought me through it.. only HE COULD.
Chapter 7
A sunny afternoon in Hell
Jude
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
You may be intrigued by the title, how can it be sunny in Hell.
As I have said earlier, I was born in Bradford and they have a football team called Bradford City, I remember standing behind the goal at City's valley Parade ground many times, it was an old ground, with crumbling terraces and an old wooden main stand.
They were the first winners of the FA Cup in 1911, but they had fallen on hard times, they were in the third highest league in England, but in season 1984-85, they had a young and exciting team, they stormed to the division title and the last game of the season on the 11th May was to be a celebration.
I wanted a ticket, so I called my brother, he was going with his children, but was unwilling to get me one, so I phoned up and got one, I went by car and got my ticket.
The ground was swarming with people, it was a joyous occasion, I sat in the far end of the main stand, it was a sunny day, but the wind was blowing down the valley, the ground was situated in.
It was a terrible match, there was a serious injury to one of the players, it was boring, it was five minutes to half time, I wanted to go to the toilet, but something stopped me, don't go, this was the Lord stopping me. If I had gone to the back of the stand, I would of been killed.
No sooner had I returned to my seat, that I heard laughing behind me, there was smoke arising from the seats behind me, someone had dropped a cigarette and it had gone down the crack in the flooring and ignited the rubbish under the stand, we were pushed forward and soon, we had to climb or be pulled over the wall and go onto the pitch, the flames by now, were overwhelmingly, the flames had now reached the roof, which was made of felt cladding, which is very combustible.
I wandered around on the pitch, searching for my brother and family, who had been in the next section to me, I remember asking myself, If this is the heat of a fire, what will Hell be like, total fire and destruction for those who don't trust Christ.
Fifty six people died that day, lives, were never the same after that day.
Devotional thought
For Christian's reading this, please listen to the comments I have placed below
This should be the Christian's greatest motivation, we have ourselves been pulled out of the fire, so we should seek to rescue those from the fire of hell.
Some people on that day were heroes, they helped people on fire, I remember walking past the goalmouth, two bodies were just lying there, this is the situation with the world today, people are dying every minute of every day and the church and Christians are idly standing by and doing nothing.
I remember hearing the story of a man who was interviewing for a job working as an usher in a cinema, showing people to their seats, he was asked
"what would you do in if a fire broke out"
His answer was like this:
" I would be ok, I would make sure I would be safe"
That is how many Christians live.
They have salvation, they have places in heaven or so they think, but they have no care or compassion for those who are dying every day all around them.
Spurgeon said
The world lies in darkness: this great city still pines for the light: your own friends and kinsfolk are unsaved, and they may be dead ere this week is over. Oh, if you have any humanity, let alone Christianity, if you have found the remedy tell the diseased about it. If you have found life, proclaim it to the dead; if you have found liberty, publish it to the captives; if you have found Christ, tell of him to others. My brethren in the college, let this be your choice work while studying, and let it be the one object of your lives when you go forth from us. Do not be content when you get a congregation, but labour to win souls, and as you do this God will bless you. As for us, we hope during the rest of our lives to follow him who is The soul-winner, and to put ourselves in his hands who maketh us soul-winners, so that our life may not be a long folly, but may be proved by results to have been directed by wisdom.
This memory is still with me, it is a day of regret for the people who died but also thankfulness for the Lord preserving me.
Let me tell you, it is not enough to go to church, to give to missions, even to belong to social media groups or even to write devotions.
For anyone, who has not trusted Christ, life is very short, those people who died that day, many of them were young, looking forward to a long life, but suddenly life was gone, please don't delay, the day of salvation is now.
2 Corinthians 6:2
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
CHAPTER 8
THE WORLD'S GRASP
1 JOHN 2
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
During the final two years of me working at the hospital (1987-89), I went to night school to study Business studies and Computing, I got my Basic diplomas in both, so as my job finished, I was going to take the National diploma at my local college, meaning that I could still live at home.
But I saw an advert in the Bradford Newspaper for a two year full time course at Bradford and Ilkley community college, So I returned back to my birthplace.
I loved the day to day lectures, I was really stretched, these were subjects I really enjoyed.
In our first year, we had to put in place an investment portfolio and we had to formulate a business plan for an actual business, myself and two other students, Mark and Jacqui decided to open an Organic restaurant, costings, locations and menus had to be thought out, and then we had to submit our plans to our lecturers for marking. We got distinction for our plan.
In my final year, I got five distinctions out of seven subjects.
Although I loved college, my life completely forget God and the church, although I didn't live a bad life, God was not part of it, I used to love going to concerts, theatre etc, my friend Mark, used to call me a culture vulture.
During my second year, I got involved with a girl, nothing ever happened between us, we went for coffee, to the theatre, but it just ended.
We graduated in June 1991, I keep applying for jobs, no one was interested. Many of my peers were doing the BA In Business studies at the college, but foolishly and seeking to impress this girl, I decided to do Accounting qualifications at City College in Norwich for 1991-92, this led to terrible failure, I went back hope to Morecambe, but my eldest brother insisted I go back to Bradford, so job hunting went on in earnest, I tried everything.
My Mother who was on a world cruise with her rich sister, had a stroke on the last day and Philip said I had to live away from her, so I ended up in a variety of contract jobs but nothing permanent.
I lived in some bad places, one especially.
The landlord lived at no 3 and his son and I lived at no 1, one Monday morning I met the landlord coming into no 1.
"Where's Mark, he should of been at work"
Oh he's asleep in the living room
We went in, he had fallen off the sofa and had choked on his own vomit, his body was filled with 634 mg of alcohol, there had been a late night drinking session at the local pub, they had encouraged him to drink the powerful spirit Pernod.
An inquest happened and I had to testify, my mum said " when drinks in, wits out"
We had many people live at No 3, one night I came down to the kitchen and met our new lodger, a talkative guy, who I tried to get away from, but he continued talking, he kept receiving phone calls from somewhere, strange I thought.
He came in and out, and then one day, he was gone, to be honest I was glad he had gone, then one night, in came my landlord with five police officers, one of them came and talked to me, what do you know about this guy?
Why I asked, has he done something wrong?
Well he has been accused of murder.
Little did I know that this man in our house was a rapist and murderer, and I had talked to him, on my own for over one hour.
I managed to go and see my brother in Canada and he strongly advised me to get out of Bradford, so soon after Mum returned from her trip, I returned to Morecambe.
During this time, I had been on anti-depressants, very strong and addictive ones.. Cipramil 15mg, I was to remain trapped by these for many years afterwards.
Devotional Thought
The prodigal son in Luke 15, had to experience hard times before he remembered what he had lost.
I had lost much in those eight years since I left Morecambe in 1989, the early 1990's were not a happy time for me.
I lost my innocence, I regret deeply what happened especially in the years 1992-97, I remember especially years later meeting up with a fellow student, she had been far below me in the class, she had got a degree a 2.1 and it just filled me with sadness and sorrow, we truly make mistakes, mostly because we go our own way, I can and will blame no one but myself.
Remember that there is forgiveness from God, he does forgive, the real question we have to face is do we forgive ourselves.
To do this, we do have to take responsibility and admit our mistakes and then we can be cleansed of the guilt and pain, IF ONLY, are small words, but we cannot dwell of what might of happened, it didn't.
I'm actually glad all this pain happened, it has allowed me to see life in a true way and to be honest with myself about how fallible I really am. Also It has allowed me to help others, people reading this will have made terrible mistakes, that they feel are life ending, but they aren't, they are life enhancing.
Do not dwell on your failures, the apostle Paul didn't dwell on his past, in Philippians 3 he said this and I echo these words.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
That time was probably the darkest in my life. Praise God, he brought me through it.. only HE COULD.
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