Those on the left hand

by David Long

Some Christians will be in hell not because they committed adultery, fornication, murder, or some other "bad" sin but because they didn't serve others. "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matt. 25:41-46).

Why?

by David Long

Why war? Why sickness? Why bad things happen? It's not because God doesn't care, it's because man doesn't care about God and because he doesn't care about God, he doesn't care to obey God and when man doesn't obey God, he sins and when he sins all kind of bad things can happen. "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these" (Mk. 12:30-31). 

Who is in control?

 by David Long

Who or what is in control of your life? Drugs? Alcohol? Anger? Hatred? Lust? If God is not in control of your life then the wrong thing is. If you are doing that which is right in your own eyes then you are doing the wrong thing. If you are directing your own steps then you are directing yourself the wrong way.  If your way seems right then your way leads to death. If you want God in control of your life then let the word of God be the light to your path (Psa. 119:105). Otherwise you will go down the wrong road (Matt 7:13-14). 

Be careful what you say

by David Long

 What if God played back every word you ever spoke? That's a scary thought because God is able to do exactly that. We better be careful what we say. Why? "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned" (Matt. 12:36-37). 

The day of the Lord

 by David Long

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" (2 Pet. 3:10-12).

That's the end of the world and time as we know it. We don't know when it will happen but we know it will happen. It's as good as done. That's also Judgment Day (Acts 17:31). Are you ready for that day (Matt. 25:1-13)? 

Understanding not required

by David Long

"Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Lk. 5:4-8). 

Peter's understanding as to how he could catch a boat load of fish at the Lord's command was not required but his obeying the command was required, if he wanted a boat load of fish. 

We may not understand the "whys" of all God's commandments but the doing of them is required, if we want to go to heaven (Matt. 28:18-20). Our understanding is not required but our doing is! 

change from the inside out

 by David Long

Changed from the inside out not from the outside in. If we want to change an action we must change the mind or heart. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:9-11). See the phrase, "and such were some of you"? That means that they had changed. People can change (for good or bad) but that change starts inside. 

Hear, believe and obey

by David Long

"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it" (Heb. 4:2).

"but the word preached did not profit them" Why? Is was not because they didn't know what the word said, they just didn't believe it. Hearing the word must be mixed with faith. If it is not, those who hear it, won't obey it. Hear the word, believe the word and obey the word. Anything less and we will be lost, just like they were.  

God's approval

by David Long

"For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth" (2 Cor. 10:18).

Your pet dog or cat may approve of you but does God? 

Your family and friends may approve of you but does God?

You may commend yourself but does God commend you? 

First and foremost you need God's approval. Do you have it? 

No middle ground

by David Long

There is no middle ground with God.

 "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt. 6:24).

"He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth" (Lk. 11:23).

"Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him" (Ex. 32:26).

"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; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Rev. 3:14-16).

What they needed to hear

 by David Long

"And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee" (Acts 24:24-25).

The apostle Paul preached to Felix and Drusilla what they needed to hear. What did they need to hear? Paul's sermon consisted of three points: righteousness. temperance (self-control) and judgment to come. It don't look like they changed their ways but they got what they needed to hear. People may not change their ways but we need to tell them what they need to hear. 

The moral decay of a society

by David Long

Read Romans 1:20-32. That is a moral decay of a society. That's what's happening to our society. God' design for marriage and the family are being destroyed by fornication, adultery and the LGBTQ. The children are being taught that sexual perversion is normal and it's ok to identify as another gender. 

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:11-120). 

I hate sin

 by David Long

That's right, I hate sin. Why? Because God hates sin. 

"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren" (Prov. 6:16-19). 

"Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way" (Psa. 119:128).

I hate sin because it condemns the soul and if we don't repent of our sins we will be lost (Lk. 13:3). 

Does God care how I worship Him?

 by David Long

Did God care how Cain and Abel worshiped Him (Gen. 4)? If He didn't then why accept Abel's worship and reject Cain's? "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh" (Heb. 11:4). 

Yes, God cares how we worship Him (John 4:23-24). We can't worship God any old way we please. We can't make up our own way of worship (Matt. 15:9). If God has told us how to worship then we must worship Him that way and He has told us how to worship Him. Any other way is wrong. 

God given roles in the family

 by David Long

Husband's role: "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body" (Eph. 5:23).

Wife's role: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord" (Eph. 5:22). 

Children's role: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth" (Eph. 5:1-3).

Get rid of God

 by David Long

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Rom. 1:20-32).

Notice verse 28 says, "They did not like to retain God in their knowledge." True today with the masses. Why? Because to acknowledge God means responsibility and accountability. Because they don't want God telling them how to live.