No one likes to lose anything of value; and when you do, you probably put everything aside to search for it. If you are fortunate enough to find it, you feel so relieved; but if you don’t find it, you feel so hopeless and helpless. It’s such a shame that many people don’t feel the same way about their soul. They don’t realize that their soul is their most valuable possession, and many of their souls are lost; but they don’t even know it.

Most people would give all they have to save an arm, a leg, a foot, an eye or any other part of their body; but what would they give to save their soul? Your body will eventually go back to the dust of the Earth, but your soul is the real you. It came from the very breath of God, and it can never die. It will exist forever in Heaven or in hell. The choice is yours.

When God created Adam and Eve, He made them in His own image; and He Himself breathed the breath of life into them. God intended for them to live in their bodies forever without pain, sorrow or torment of any kind; but that all ended when they sinned. Their sin is what caused the body to have to return to the dust of the Earth, but the soul comes from God; and it will live forever. That is why it is so valuable; and if you lose it, you will lose everything for all eternity.

Never Neglect Church Attendance

People spend so much money to take care of and dress their bodies and those of their children, but they are so neglectful when it comes to their and their children’s souls. Some parents never take their children to God’s house or even to Sunday school, and some children don’t even know what Sunday school is. Many children never hear a prayer in their home or even a Bible story. That is so pathetic; and because of that, they are growing up lost.

I don’t care how big of a house a child lives in or how much money their parents make. I don’t care what kind of savings may be in the bank for a child or how much money may be willed to them. A child without God is the poorest child in the world, and that’s horrible. Jesus said, For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul (Mark 8:36, 37)?

Many people and even Christians are so careless with their soul. They don’t see the need to go to church because they put no real value on their soul. If they did, they would take their soul to God’s house every opportunity they have. Some people think they will go to church just enough to get to Heaven, but that is a huge gamble. Gamblers in the world think they will never lose all their money, but it happens; and if you gamble with your soul, you may lose everything too.

You may think you have a long time to live, but don’t deceive yourself. No one knows when their time on Earth will end, and you could actually have just a few hours left. Your heart could suddenly stop pumping at any time, and you would be in eternity. Are you ready to go, or are you being careless with your soul? If you are disobeying God in little things, you will begin to disobey Him in bigger things.

Put God First

Have you ever been lost some--where? If so, you know it’s a frightening experience; but the kind of lost I am talking about in this message is worse than being lost in the wilderness, in a snowstorm, at sea or in any other kind of terrible condition. Being spiritually lost at the end of life’s journey is the most terrifying thing that could ever happen to a person.

When you come to the end of your journey in this life, all the material things you put so much value on will be gone. That is why Jesus said, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). Jesus didn’t say we couldn’t have beautiful things in this life because He created man to love beautiful things, but you must want God more and always put Him first. When you fail to put God first, it grieves Him; and it puts you in great danger. If you continue grieving Him, you will find yourself in the pathway of God’s wrath and judgment.

Some people may think it’s easy to go to Heaven; but Jesus said, Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:13,14). Are you really on the narrow road to Heaven?

Jesus said the road will be rough at times. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). If Jesus was able to overcome, so can you because He is our example. Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps (I Peter 2:21).

No Promise of Tomorrow

Although it’s not easy to go to Heaven, it is easy to lose your soul; but, of course, no one ever intends for that to happen. In the natural, there are some people who have wandered into the woods and become lost because they were looking at all the fascinating things nature has to offer rather than paying attention to where they were going. When darkness settled in, they couldn’t find their way; and it is the same with people spiritually. They will wander into the wilderness of the world, and the devil makes everything look so appealing. Then the darkness of sin settles in, and they lose their way.

Darkness is closing in on many people today. The devil has been telling them they can turn back at any time; but Jesus said, He [the devil] is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44). Many may intend to get back to the Lord, but they never follow through; and when their life is over, it’s too late.

It is so pathetic to see people drifting out in the dark and know that at any moment, they might die; but they don’t even think about it. They could get up for their last morning on Earth; yet as they eat breakfast, they are planning lunch. When they eat lunch, they are planning their dinner; and all along, they are planning for tomorrow without knowing there will be no tomorrow for them. No one has a guarantee of reaching tomorrow. Jesus is the only guarantee of anything in this life.

The Price for Rejecting God

It’s amazing how much more value people put on life when their life is ebbing away. They would give everything they own for just a few more years of life, yet they are still not willing to repent and receive eternal life. They remain careless and unconcerned.

Men and women will spend all kinds of time and money trying to prolong their lives on Earth, but they won’t spend time in God’s Word so they can live for eternity with no pain or sorrow. The world is full of heartache, despair, discouraging moments and many battles with the enemy; yet people put great value on this life. There are problems to solve, dangers to face, many tears to shed and heavy loads to carry; yet people want to live on and on. They put such little value on eternal life that they will throw it away and sell their soul to the devil for such a small price.

Achan was one who sold his soul for a little material wealth. He had stolen some things from one of Israel’s enemies that the Children of Israel had been told not to, and it caused the Israelite soldiers to have to turn and flee from the Amorites. Achan had seen the mighty hand of God separate the waters of Jordan and tear down the walls of Jericho, yet he was still willing to sell his eternal soul for a little bit of silver and gold; and so many people today are doing the same thing.

Achan and all he had were stoned and burned, and what a horrible price that was. You may look at Achan and think how foolish he was to have done such a thing; but if you arrive at the end of life’s journey without making provisions for your eternal soul, you too will realize what a fool you have been. When the death angel enters your room, what you profess to be will make no difference. The only thing that will matter is whether or not you are ready to meet God. Are you really born again through the divine blood that Jesus shed at Calvary?

Just One Sin Leads to Hell

If you knew today was going to be your last day on Earth, would you live it like any other; or would you fall on your knees and cry, “Oh, God, be merciful unto me. I have failed and sinned against you. Please, dear Jesus, forgive me”?

If you don’t have the favor of God today, you are the poorest of the poor. If your name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you’re a pathetic picture to all of Heaven. God knows you are a fool, and even the devil knows you are a fool. You’re the one who doesn’t realize it, and the devil is enjoying deceiving you.

Satan is so cunning. He won’t tell you that you can wait to give your heart to the Lord until next year or the year after because that would make him too obvious. He will say only, “Not today” because it’s so easy to put something off for a day or two. Then he keeps stringing you along, and tomorrow never comes. There are thousands of people in hell today who listened to that lie of the devil. Of course, they never intended to go to hell, but they never prepared themselves so that things would turn out differently either.

You may know Jesus is the very Son of God and that He gave His life on Calvary for you, but that isn’t sufficient. The Bible says you have to confess your sins before the Lord with a sincere heart. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). Not one little bit of sin can enter Heaven. Many people are deceived and think that just one little white lie or a few little curse words won’t hurt; but the Bible says, The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:4).

There are other people who think that the loving Lord would never send anyone to hell, and that is true. God won’t send anyone to hell, but your sins will send you there. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear (Isaiah 59:2). Sin is a passport straight to hell. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God (Psalm 9:17).

Your End Will Come

Every day, news reports are filled with death. People die from weather disasters, murders, pandemics, mass shootings and more. No one is immune to death; yet so many think it won’t happen to them when the Bible says, It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Your time is coming whether you want to think about it or not; so have you put great value on your soul, or have you acted like you don’t have one? When the death angel comes, you may not have time to pray; so you must always be ready to go.

The Bible makes it clear that God’s spirit shall not always strive with man (Genesis 6:3). The Spirit of God isn’t dealing with many people anymore, so they think they must be okay because they don’t feel any conviction; but the truth is they have turned God away so many times that they are without feeling.

If that describes you, you are headed for disaster. After reading this message, you have heard the truth; so you are responsible for it. When you are dying, your senses will become very keen; and you will remember many details of your life and even the smallest sins you have committed. Things you have not thought about for years will suddenly come rushing in; but when the demons of hell close in on you, it will be too late to make amends.

Eternity without God will be like a horrible nightmare that you cannot wake up from. You will hear your own voice screaming, “Oh, God, help me! I’m lost and on my way to hell.” But He won’t hear you, and eternity is forever.

Sinner, if you don’t want God to turn His back on you, you must come to the Lord now. He’s calling for you to come home, and you must not ignore His call. Say the sinner’s prayer located on page 6 of this magazine and make sure that Heaven and not hell will be your eternal home.