OUT OF THE BOX

  Dear Friends This post is a little long, but well worth reading. It contains some valuable insights learned from Jonah’s disobedience and his attempt to flee from the Lord’s presence. From Jonah’s life we see the consequences of trying to run from God. We also see God’s persistence in reaching out to us and moving us toward the fulfilment of His purpose in our lives. Billy Long LESSONS FROM JONAH GOD’S LOVE FOR THE WORLD The book of Jonah is a missionary book. It shows God’s love for a lost world. Jonah was sent to Nineveh, which was the capital of Assyria, a cruel nation, the nation which was later to carry away captive the northern kingdom of Israel, Ephraim. Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, and God in His mercy spared the city. PRESUMING UPON GOD’S MERCY Jonah knew about God’s mercy…and strained it to the limit. He knew God would forgive Nineveh (4:2), and he did not want that. He probably assumed God would also forgive him. Therefore, he deliberately disobeyed the...

  Dear Friends I encourage my friends to read my book, "Spiritual Power for Everyday Living." It is an excellent tool for introducing people to spiritual gifts and to the supernatural presence of the Holy Spirit in the church today. The objective of this book is to inspire the reader to hunger for and experience the presence of God. The lessons and examples presented here are not simply academic in nature but were experienced in my life as a pastor and minister working with people over the years. Part One defines and explains spiritual gifts and supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit and gives first-hand testimonials. Part Two helps the reader to understand the prophetic ministry as practiced in the lives of the first Christians. Part Three gives a clear teaching to help the reader understand praying in tongues and its role in aiding the believer in a deeper experience of intercessory prayer and praise. A careful reading of this book will bring clarity and remove misc...

A FELLOW AT THE MALL. Years ago while strolling through a mall in Durham, NC, I saw a mall maintenance worker who resembled my mother’s cousins. In his stature, the texture of his hair, and his facial expressions he looked exactly like them. I did not approach him at that time. But a few days later I saw this same gentleman in the mall parking lot. I went up to him and said, “Excuse me sir, but you so closely resemble my mothers family down in South Carolina. Do you have any relatives in Horry County near Myrtle Beach, SC. The gentleman looked at me and with a thick accent responded, “No, Senior. I don’ theeenk so.” He was from South America. A LADY AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE I was at my doctor’s office a few days ago and saw a lady standing in the waiting area and talking with a couple other ladies. I said to myself, “Oh, look! It’s Judy Johnson.” It’s been a long time since I had seen her. As I walked toward her I smiled and pointed at her and said, “Judy, is that you?” She smiled ba...

  "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits and discern whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4: 1     Dear Friends   I posted this article a couple years ago. I repeat it now because of the assault that is occurring against the Bible and the person and work of Jesus Christ in many "so called" Christian institutions. The following post deals with two areas where the enemy of our souls is crafty and works subtly to deceive. The first section deals with “feel good” experiences that cause undiscerning Christians to accept error. The second section deals with deceptive approaches to scripture that are used to lead astray the unwary and gullible soul. I am not writing this article to debate the unbeliever nor to convince the skeptic. My purpose is to help Christians to be aware of these potential snares and pitfalls that are prevalent in our culture today.   In Christ   Billy Long broblong@gm...

                    SUFFERING...OR INCONVENIENCE? Billy Long Ministries NO SWIMMING POOL Throughout history Christians have suffered persecution and faced fiery trials for the word of God, for the testimony of Jesus, and for righteousness sake. There are many today who are imprisioned, tortured, persecuted, and put to death for their faith. However, there are also many of us who have no concept of real suffering for Jesus’ sake. We complain at small inconveniences as if we have paid such a great price. One pastor’s wife said she was suffering for the Lord when she and her husband left their nice home in California and moved back east into a house without a swimming pool. NO TOILET PAPER My friend Adam Kuczma was the head of the Methodist Church in Poland when it was still under communist control back in the days before the Berlin Wall was taken down. He was talking to a lady in America when she told him, “I want to go to Poland and suffe...

The book of Revelation refers to the apostate church as a harlot when she beds herself with the world system and false religions of the world, and when she compromises the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ in order not to offend the world and its ungodly values. The prophet Ezekiel said that Israel’s idolatry with the gods of foreign nations was spiritual harlotry.  “You offered yourself to everyone who passed by and multiplied your acts of harlotry” Ezekiel 16:25. In their commentary on Ezekiel 16, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown said,  “The wanton advances were all on Israel’s part; the idolatrous nations yielded to her nothing in return. She had yielded so much that, like a worn-out prostitute, her tempters became weary of her.  When the church lowers her standards and lowers her testimony for God to the carnal tastes of the world, with a view to conciliation (with the world), she loses everything and gains nothing.” A church with a compromised message is usel...