A Devotional Thought From Worship

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.                      

Galatians 5:19-21

Today in the church I regularly attend, the pastor preached on a passage that includes the verses quoted above. Of course, if you consider it the truth jumps right out at you: if you are doing these things you are in danger of not inheriting the kingdom of God because those who do these things do not. So cast yourself upon the mercy of Christ, ask His forgiveness and take action. 
If you are in an adulterous relationship, or are committing fornication having sexual relations with another though you are not married, or living a filthy unclean and lascivious life, stop it. Repent of the sins and don’t do them anymore. If you are worshiping false gods, or are involved in witchcraft, sorcery and other aspects of the occult, stop it. Repent of the sins and don’t do them anymore. If you are constantly involved in disagreements, and rivalries with others, expressing your anger, being involved in battles, treason toward others or your country, stop it, and repent of the sins and don’t do them anymore. If you are believing heresies instead of the truth of the Bible, the gospel of Christ, turn from the wickedness, repent and embrace what God has revealed and thoroughly and completely cast yourself upon Him because He cares for you. If you are constantly envying others, and this seems like a little sin compared to those in this list, repent of it, stop it, because envying others what they have, or their possibilities, can lead you to take actions that are foolish and sinful and wicked in trying to keep up with them. If you are a murderer, or are contemplating murder in your heart, stop it. How could anyone even imagine that this was a behavior that should be part of a decent and civil life? Repent of it, stop it! Drunkenness and wild living? We all know that they are destructive and dangerous, if you are such a person stop it and repent of those sins. God can and will forgive all sins through Jesus Christ who died for us, carrying those sins to forgive us. But if you reject His grace and His death on your behalf, and go your own way, and continue in the sins, then remember that terrible and frightening word from the apostle Paul which ends verse 21: they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.