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.