The Pathway To Hell --- Gradualness

THE PATHWAY TO HELL --- THE SPIRIT OF GRADUALNESS

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. Often we hear the path to hell is paved with good intentions, and I believe this.

A. I don’t think there is one person, male or female in hell that believed they were going there.

B. I think they always planned on getting right and turning their life to a meaningful direction.

C. But there is a hidden trap, gradualness --- that leads down twisted roads that become harder and harder to correct.

D. Sin will take you farther than you planned on going.

Sin will keep you longer than you planned on staying.

Sin will cost you more than you planned on paying.

E. Hell is full of people that played with sin and gradually got deeper and deeper, until the trap closed around the neck of the person that had plans.

II. COULD WE BE LIKE THIS?

A. In a recent movie, a man had great fears.

One he decided to approach was his fear of elevators.

His mentor taught him --- TAKE BABY STEPS TOWARD YOUR FEAR.

In the next scene we saw the man as he slowly --- gradually took baby steps toward his fear the elevator.

He conquered the fear by using baby steps.

B. I am told if you put a frog in hot water it will jump out immediately. I am also told that if you put a frog in cold water, and gradually, slowly warm the water, that the frog will boil to death and grin the whole time?

COULD WE BE LIKE THIS?

III. GRADUALNESS IS INEVITABLE!

A. Life moves by gradual and silent encroachments more often than by violent and sudden usurpations.

B. GRADUAL

Proceeding by steps or degrees.

Moving, changing, developing by fine often imperceptible degrees.

Go by small increments.

C. PROGRESS --- PROGRESSIVE

Onward movement.

Gradual betterment.

Development to higher, better, advanced stages.

IV. ONE OF THE SUREST ROADS TO DIVORCE AND HELL IS THE GRADUAL ONE. THE GENTLE SLOPE, SOFT UNDERFOOT, WITHOUT SUDDEN TURNINGS, WITHOUT SIGN POSTS, WITHOUT MILESTONES.

A. I HEARD A STORY OF A LITTLE LADY THAT HAD HEARD FROM GOD. GOD TOLD HER TO GO BUY A BEAUTIFUL GIFT AND TAKE IT WHERE HE WOULD TELL HER.

She went and purchased a beautiful gift and was driving around, and she felt impressed to go into the back door of a strip club.

There was a young woman sitting there in almost no clothes. The young girl was crying.

As the old woman walked by she felt God say, GIVE HER THE GIFT!

The old woman returned and gave the beautiful young lady the gift.

B. THE YOUNG GIRL ASKED HER: ARE YOU AN ANGEL?

She went on to explain she had been thinking about committing suicide and she had just prayed a prayer, GOD IF YOU ARE REAL SEND AN ANGEL TO MINISTER TO ME.

C. Just then I looked up and here you came walking down the hall and gave me this precious gift.

D. The old lady went on and told the girl about Jesus and prayed a prayer with her. The young girl got up and went back home to her family, and was FOREVER CHANGED.

Rev. 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

E. A BABY BEAR IS A SHAPELESS MASS OF WHITE FLESH THAT LOOKS LIKE A SMALL MOUSE.

The only visible bear trait are the claws at the end of each paw.