A nonsense society

 by David Long

We live in a nonsense society. What do I mean by that? People believe nonsense.

1.     People believe something came from nothing, it’s called evolution. That’s nonsense.

2.     People believe a person is born “gay.” That’s nonsense.

3.     People believe a man can identify as a woman and a woman can identify as a man. That’s nonsense.

4.     People believe that two opposite statements can be true. That’s nonsense.

5.     People believe that 2+2 could equal 5. That’s nonsense.

“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord GOD” (Eze. 13:8).

Does sin bother you?

 by David Long

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness" (Eph. 4:17-19). The phrase "past feeling" refers to their calloused hearts and minds. Sin didn't bother them anymore. They had gotten used to sin. They had been "desensitized" to sin. That's true of many today. Does sin bother you? "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush..." (Jer. 6:15).

Don't like it either way

 by David Long

"But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children" (Matt. 11:16-19). Notice the contrast between John and Jesus in their delivering the message. John did not go to the people, they went to him (Matt. 3;1-4; 11:7). Jesus went among the people. John did not go to people's houses but Jesus did. John did not eat and drink among the people but Jesus did. The amazing thing is for the most part the people took issue with both. They said John had a demon and that Jesus was a gluttonous man and a winebibber. Sometimes no matter what approach you take in preaching and teaching the word of God, people won't like it. All we can do is do what God says and let the chips fall where they may. 

Don't talk about religion

 by David Long

Are you searching for the truth? Do you question what you believe? Do you question what you are being taught. "Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). Most people today do not question and don't want to be questioned what they believe. They won't give an answer (1 Pet. 3:15). 

I will build my church

 by David Long

"And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18).

Notice Jesus said, "my church." Whose church? Yours? Nope! Mine? Nope. The church of Christ belongs to Jesus. Why do you think it's called the church of Christ (Rom. 16:16). Jesus purchased the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28). He is the builder, buyer and owner. It is His body (Eph. 1:22-23). 

The devil quotes Scripture

 by David Long

"Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" (Matt. 4:5-7). Isn't that amazing, the devil quoted Scripture (Psa. 91:11-12). But he didn't fool Jesus. Jesus knew the Bible better than the devil did. If you don't know the Bible you will fall for his "quotes." 

Dustless feet

 by David Long

"And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet" (Matt. 10:14).

"But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium" (Acts 13:50-51).

"We cannot shake the dust off our feet if there is no dust on them" (From a devo given by Mike Minks).  What does that mean? Prejudging people on whether or not they will obey the gospel before we go to them with the gospel, is like trying to shake dust off our feet that's not there to shake off. You gotta have dust on your feet before you can shake it off. 

You have two options

 by David Long

We have only two options concerning how the universe got here: (1) Evolution, which says something came from nothing; or (2) Creation (Gen. 1-2). Which do you believe? Something coming from nothing is impossible. Common sense tells us that creation demands a Creator, just as a building demands a builder (Heb. 3:4). 

Willingly ignorant

 by David Long

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water" (2 Pet. 3:3-5). Some people just don't want to know the truth. "For this they willingly are ignorant of." 

This world is not my home

 by David Long

When the temporary becomes more important than the eternal, be aware, the consequences will be eternal not temporary.

“While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18).

Don’t lose your focus (Heb. 11:13-16). Don’t take your eyes of the goal (Phil. 3:14). Don’t have misplaced affections (Col. 3:1-2). Don’t become distracted (Lk. 9:62). Keep the most important thing, the most important thing (2 Tim. 4:7). Don’t let the temporary become more important than the eternal.

Defiled inside

 by David Long

"And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mk. 7:18-23). The background for this is Mark 7:1-17. We are defiled by our evil thoughts. Get your thinking messed up and you are in trouble (Prov. 4:23). 

John 14:23

 by David Long

"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23).

1. "If a man love me" This is the decision of love. We have a choice, to love Jesus or not, to love God or the devil. 

2. "he will" This is the determination of love. If we choice to love Jesus then we must be determined in that love.  Nothing must separate us from the of God.

3. "keep my words" This is the demonstration of love. How do we show Jesus we love Him? By keeping his commandments (John 14:15). 

4. "and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" This is the dividends of love. When we decide to love Jesus, be determined in that love and demonstrate that love then the dividends will be, God will be in our lives. 

Wise men?

 by David Long

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" (Rom. 1:22). How true of many "educated" people today. In 2006, Todd Friel asked Dan Barker, one of America's leading atheists, "Do you really believe that something came from nothing?" Barker responded with a simple "Yes." Stephen Hawking stated on national television in 2011, "Nothing caused the Big Bang." And those men are supposed to be "educated"? They profess themselves to be wise and many think they are wise, but they are really fools. "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God..." (Psa. 14:1). 

Preached that men should repent

 by David Long

"And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. And they went out, and preached that men should repent" (Mk. 6:7-12). The twelve preached that men should repent. That was the message of John (Matt. 3:2). That was the message of Jesus (Matt. 4:17) and that is the message of today (Acts 17:30). If we don't repent we will perish (Lk. 13:3, 5). True then and true now! 

In the middle of the seven churches

 by David Long

"And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle" (Rev. 1:13). What are the seven candlesticks? "...the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches" (Rev. 1:20). John saw Jesus in the middle of the seven churches dressed in His High priestly garments. Where do we find Jesus? Jesus in in the midst of His churches in His High Priest position. If you are looking for Jesus, look in the churches of Christ. 

Come after me

 by David Long

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Lk. 9:23).

If a person is going come after Christ they must: (1) deny self (disown self; put aside selfish ambition; Phil. 3:7-8) (2) take up his cross daily (Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 15:31); (3) follow Jesus. 

If a person is not willing to do those things, he cannot be a disciple of Christ. "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" (Lk. 14:27).

Abstain

 by David Long

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication" (1 Thess. 4:3). 

"abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thess. 5:22). 

"Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul" (1 Pet. 2:11). 

Abstain means "to hold oneself off, i.e. refrain; to keep on avoiding doing something - 'to restrain from, to not do, to avoid doing, to keep from doing."

I stand at the door and knock

 by David Long

"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" (Rev. 3:20). Notice Jesus is pictured as standing at the door knocking. He is waiting for you to open the door. He will not force His way in. How do we open the door so Jesus can come in? "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). Do you hear Jesus knocking? Will you love Him and obey His words? If you will then Jesus will gladly make His home with you.