Are heaven and hell real places? And what are they like? Today on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope,

the Bible teaching ministry of Rick Warren, we continue his series called Eternal Realities,

heaven and hell. In these lessons, Rick shares what the Bible says about heaven and hell,

and how you can be absolutely certain you'll go to heaven.

Coming up right now, here's part one of a message called

How to Be Certain You're Going to Heaven.

You know, this week I was doing a little spring cleaning,

and I was going through a stack of old magazines,

and I found this Time magazine from 1993 and the cover

says, Los Angeles, is the city of angels going to hell? Well, you know, I don't know if the

city of angels is going to hell or not, but I'm more interested in knowing, am I going to

heaven? If I were to go over to a mall this afternoon and ask people, you know, I'm going to hell or not, but I'm more interested in knowing, am I going to heaven? If I were

to go over to a mall this afternoon and ask people, you know, if you were to die tonight and

you were to stand before God and to say, God says, why should I let you into heaven? What would you say?

Are you sure you're going to heaven when you die? Are you absolutely certain that you're going to heaven when you die? You know, most of you're going to heaven when you die? Are you absolutely certain that you're going to heaven when you die?

You know, most people would say, well, I think so.

I hope so.

I guess I am. Obviously, I want to go.

You know, I hope and wish that I am.

Well, friends, hoping and wishing and guessing isn't good enough.

I need to know this for sure.

Only a fool would go all through life, totally unprepared for something you know is inevitable.

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