It is written in 1 Corinthians 10:12,

Let him who stands take heed, lest he fall.

Samson was a great and powerful man… until Delilah.  David was a good king… till Bathsheba.  Lucifer was greatest angel in heaven… until iniquity was found in himJudas was an Apostle, walking with Jesus for three years… preaching the Gospel and casting out demons, until he betrayed Christ.  Jimmy Swaggart had a thriving ministry… until.  Ted Haggard was pastor of a thriving church… until.  Jim Baker was an evangelical star… until.  And now Bishop Eddie Long, pastor of a large Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta is under the gun… accused of inappropriate behavior and sexual misconduct.

Let him who stands take heed, lest he fall.

Within EVERY human heart (Yours and mine) is the potential to sin… horribly.  There is not a person on earth who can say with 100% certainty… “I would NEVER do that.”  The only difference between all of us and Adolph Hitler is the grace and mercy of God.  At any moment God could choose to remove His providential hand of protection and we would fall.

Let him who stands take heed, lest he fall (1 Cor 10:12).  Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

If we stand, it is because God causes us to stand.  If we are faithful, it is because God is at work in us to will and accomplish His good pleasure.  If we are holy, it is because God has made us holy.  If we overcome sin, it is because God has granted us the grace to overcome it.  As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:10

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

You catch that?  GOD is the one who works IN us AND YET we are responsible for our actions AND YET God is the one who gives us the strength and ability to honor Him.  So HE gets all the glory!  So don’t coast… diligently follow hard after God by honoring Him at all times.  Yet remember it isn’t you… but God in you!

I pray that the accusations are proved false for Mr. Long.  If not, he deserves to be prosecuted and stay out of the pulpit.  Until then… and judgment day… God’s will be done.  And as for us, let’s not say it couldn’t happen to us.  Instead let’s purpose to love God with all our heart and honoring him with our lives.