OUT OF THE BOX

WHY MODESTY People who are into porn and public nudity often proclaim that the human body is good and we should not be ashamed to show it. They also charge that Christians, because they believe in modesty, think the sexual aspect of the human body is evil. But to the contrary, Christians frown on public nudity and pornography because sex is sacred, not evil. After all, God created male and female, and said “it is good.” There are two things the scripture forbids us to flaunt in public—that which is evil and that which is sacred. The evil is forbidden because it is evil. The sacred is to be treasured. It is not for the public eye because it is precious and not to be treated as common. Sex should be reserved for the intimacy of a man and woman in marriage, and not displayed as a public spectacle. God is not an old fogy who sees sex as evil. A reading of Song of Solomon will show that the sexual aspect of marriage is God’s gift to mankind. Man did not create sex when God was not looking a

Billy Long P.O. Box 147, Longs, SC 29568 broblong@gmail.com Dear Friends Christians are to demonstrate the kingdom of God in the midst of an ungodly society in perilous times. This post touches on the Christian’s influence in a society where there are forces that seek to silence that perspective. My wife Laurel recently heard a statement made by a leader in "The Good Club" (involving people such as Bill Gates and George Soros) who stated that in an upcoming summit meeting they will be discussing how to silence evangelical Christianity, which stands in the way of their one-world gobal government goals. Christians in the United States must at this time kindle the fires of personal revival and be "salt and light;" for the days are coming when we will be facing real persecution. –Billy Long CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE IN GOVERNMENT CHURCH AND GOVERNMENT The church as an organization should not control civil government, but Christian influence, however, should pervade the gov

This was my prayer when going through a particularly difficult time: Aug 18, 1994, My prayer this morning: “That I engage the Lord properly in order to come through this situation…in faith…in love…in purity…pleasing the Lord…and that I come through it with a pure word. I do not want to proceed with a ‘chip on my shoulder,’ cynical, bitter, in self-pity, and thus risk this coloring and tainting my message and life henceforth. I want to engage the Lord in such a way as to minister and speak with attitudes and words of grace and purity that are such that ‘none fall to the ground.’ (1 Sam 3) Let my message, rather than being tainted, let it be refined as silver is refined in the fire. Let me know how to be full of grace and truth in facing this and all other situations I may encounter." ---B Long

Avoid The Victim Mentality One reaction to mistreatment is to feel robbed — robbed of life, future, destiny, inheritance and joy. This sets the stage for despair, resentment and bitterness. A person in this condition will see himself as a victim rather than in the hands of God. The victim mentality is very destructive because it is difficult to get a person free from rebellion when he enters it as a result of being victimized. When a person has been robbed of something, he feels justified in his sin, in his carnal reactions, and in his bitterness and anger. He blames others, and that is a first step toward irresolution, defeat, and failure. If we think others are responsible for our condition, we will also think they are responsible to fix it… and they rarely do. We wait in anger with our focus on our oppressors rather than placing ourselves in the hands of God and moving forward. Dealing with life redemptively means that whatever other people, the devil, or circumstances deal out to

 RESILIENCE "...they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe." - Acts 14: 19-20 "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed." - 2 Corinthians 4: 7-11 Resilience is "the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress, the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change, the capacity to withstand shock without permanent deformation or rupture, and the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change". This term should describe every Christian, every person who knows and trusts in the Sovereign Almighty God, Jesus Christ our Savior. We can be like the watch in the TV commercial that &qu

KEEPING GOD AT A DISTANCE. "My heart and my flesh cry out for the Living God." Psalm 84:2 All men have to reckon with the kingdom rule of God. No one can face it unchanged and walk away the same. It is an event that goes into the book. Our response to it is recorded. God cannot be ignored or treated indifferently. His presence (just by His showing up) forces a decision. When He shows up we can no longer plead ignorant or innocent. God’s manifested presence requires a “yea” or a “nay.” You cannot innocently say, “I’ll get back to you later.” That’s why so many people are afraid of the supernatural presence of God. In that place no one can be indifferent and pretend. He has to say, “Lord, here you are. I surrender and will follow you,” or he closes his eyes, covers his ears, pulls his uncircumcised flesh over his heart, and says, “I didn’t see anything or hear anything.” Men like to keep God at a distance because the closer He gets the more difficult it is to lie about what the

WHEN GOD ARISES "Each ones work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it it." 1 Cor.3:13. When God arises issues are no longer left to the opinions of individuals. God pronounces sentence or blessing based on the reality of where people and things actually are. That which is of God will be blessed; that which is not of God will be judged. Saul and his house will fall in battle. Eli will drop over dead. The earth will open and swallow Korah and all that are with him. Shemei will face the sword of Benaiah. Alexander the coppersmith will be delivered to Satan to receive his just wages. The plaintiffs, the defendants, and the prosecuting attorneys will all have eloquently stated their cases, but God will arise to judge. All of them will be silenced together as He gives the verdict. The builders will be dwelling in the structures they have built. Then God will arise sending the