Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
From a comment by Preacher Clark in a meeting at Grandma’s house in 1970
During the meeting that Sunday afternoon, Preacher Clark said, “If you leave this world today, you’ve been in your last prayer meeting -- unless you go to Hell.”
This saying is true. Other than “weeping and gnashing of teeth”, there isn’t much happening in Hell except praying. When the rich man in Jesus’ parable (Lk. 16) was cast into Hell, he prayed fervently for relief, and when that was refused him, he prayed that someone would be sent to warn his five brothers not to come there. That rich man was, no doubt, typical of the souls in torment. No one in Hell is an atheist. Everyone in Hell prays, and they do so as loudly and earnestly as they can.
We are told that for those who will be judged worthy of eternal life, God has prepared a life that is so full of pleasure and glory that such a life has never entered into the imaginations of men (1Cor. 2:9). This means, of course, that in Paradise, there will be no need to pray, for all possible prayers will have been answered - and answered with joy and abundance beyond what we can even dream to pray for. On the other hand, in Hell there will be plenty of reason to long for a better situation, and pleading, futile prayers will be the common experience of the damned.
So, yes, Preacher Clark was right. Once you leave this life, you will never be in another prayer meeting, unless you are cast into Hell. With that in mind, the Preacher concluded his exhortation with this: “You’d better do your praying here. If you don’t finish praying here, you’ll finish it there (in Hell).”