Daily Devotional for Thursday December 22, 2011

The Death of North Korean Dictator Kim Jong II

(Acts 4:12; John 14:6; Exodus 20:2-3)

This past weekend, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il died. Despite the undeserved praise he received from most in the media upon his death, the fact is that Kim, like his father before him, was a brutal dictator whose actions led to the horrific death of millions of his people (many through starvation while he lived a life of luxury), the jailing in concentration camps of millions more who dared to speak out against the government, and the repression of his people, forcing them to live in isolation from the rest of the world.

North Korea is an atheistic country. Kim Il Sung, the man recruited in 1945 by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to found the Communist North Korean state, stamped out Christianity and the traditional Buddhism and Shamanism. He installed in their place an ideology resembling a state religion, which rejects any outside influence and promotes hatred and distrust of outsiders. That ideology, which preaches self-reliance, is known as Juche, of which Kim Il Sung is the central figure.

The North Korean calendar actually begins with the year of his birth in 1912 and one of the tallest structures in Pyongyang is the Juche Tower, built in Juche 70, or 1982. Kim Jong-Il who took over as North Korea's dictator after his father's death, only allowed one Catholic and a few protestant churches to exist, however, they are controlled 100% by the government. These are nothing like what we know of as a church and what is preached is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ but the gospel of Kim Jong-Il.

Due to brave missionary efforts, there are a few thousand Christians who live in North Korea under that repressive government. The North Korean people are brainwashed from birth that the government is the god of their life and who they are to pledge their very lives to. What you have is 23 million empty souls who have been lied to that the government is their only hope, 23 million empty souls who for the most part have never heard about Jesus and His love for them.

The moment he died, Kim Jong-Il was standing before the very God whose existence he denied. There was only one question God had for Kim It wasn't about his years as the leader of North Korea, it wasn't about the horrible things he did to millions of people during those years. No, the only thing God asked Kim was, " Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?" Based on Kim's denial of God and His Son Jesus, it is clear that answer was NO. Because he rejected Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of his sins, Kim died in those sins and was cast him into the torture of hell for all eternity.

Kim Jong-Il had the opportunity in his life to accept Jesus as his Savior. Jesus loved Kim Jong-Il so much that he died for his sins, just like He died for your sins and mine. Kim Jong-Il could have asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins and accept His love and the free gift of everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ. Sadly, he made the choice to reject Christ's love and that free gift, and that is why today and for all eternity he will burn in hell.

It is easy for most people to understand how such an evil monster like Kim Jong-Il could spend all eternity in hell, but let me make sure you fully understand something. The hell Kim will suffer in for all time, is the very same hell you and anyone else who rejects Christ will reside in when you die! Even though you are not a brutal dictator, responsible for the death and destruction of millions of lives, you are still a sinner and it is your sins that will condemn you to eternal punishment.

The Bible says that we are ALL sinners and ALL have fallen short of God's glory. It is your sins that separate you from a Holy God, and that is why it is only faith in Jesus Christ, the One who died for your sins, that can save you!!!

One day, all men will die. It may be in a car accident, it may be due to a heart attack, you may die of cancer or some other disease, you may die in war, or you could even be hung to death. The reality of this life is that one day we will all die by some means and this life as we know it will be over. That is the moment when you will stand before God and either be ushered into Heaven for all eternity, or cast into hell forever and ever. Your eternal home is determined by only one thing, whether you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior by faith, since there is no other name by which men are saved!

I love you and care about you so much. Sadly, Kim Jong-Il bought denied God's existence, and because he put his hope and faith in that lie he will spend all eternity in hell. There are literally billions of people on this planet right now who have bought into that same lie, and even though they are not brutal dictators who will kill millions of people in their lifetime, the moment they die they will stand before God, be judged for their sins, and cast into the same hell Kim Jong-Il is in.

There are NOT many roads that lead to God, only one. There are not many truths, only one. There are not many plans of salvation, only one. Those who choose to reject the only road, the only truth, the only plan, will be lost for all eternity!!!

I will be praying for you today. Praying that if you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you will open your heart today and really seek God about your eternal soul. He loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for your sins so that when your brief journey through this life is over, you could be with Him for all eternity. If you have never made a commitment of your heart and life to Christ, or if you don't have the assurance today that if you died you would be forever with the Lord, please take a moment, pray and ask God to prepare your heart, and then watch this brief video clip: http://www.liveprayer.com/plan.cfm

Let me be very blunt with you. This past weekend the evil monster known to the world as Kim Jong-Il died, and based on his own actions and words at the time of his death is clearly in hell for all eternity. The reality I want you to understand is that if you choose to reject Jesus Christ and His love and the forgiveness of your sins, when you die, you will be cast into that very same hell Kim is in. I will be praying for you today to choose life, and life everlasting through faith in Jesus Christ!!!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller