Be direct

 by David Long

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Acts 2:22-23).

Your are gonna have to be direct. Peter got direct with those people, he said, "you have taken." It's time we stop beating around the bush. People are not gonna change unless they know they need to change and if they don't change, at least they were told. Jesus got direct. "There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Lk. 13:1-5).

Lord, Lord

 by David Long

"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Lk. 6:46).

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:21-23).

"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity" (Lk. 13:24-27).

Baptism does not wash away tomorrow's sin

 by David Long

"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).

Christians to whom Paul was writing were at one time guilty of the sins lists in these verses. But those sins has been washed away, they had given up those sins and sanctified for God's purposes and they had been justified from those sins. Could they continue to commit those sins and be right with God? Could they had been washed from those sins if they didn't repent of them? 

Rules of marriage

 by David Long

God is the author of marriage so He sets the rules. Here are some of the rules.

"The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery" (Matt. 19:3-9).

Trembleth at my word

 by David Long

"For all those things hath mine hand made, and those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word" (Isa. 66:2). 

Biblical examples of "poor and contrite spirit and trembling at God's word:" (2 Kings 22:11, 19; Ezra 9:4). People who tremble at the word of God will humble themselves and obey it. 

Do you think you can win?

 by David Long

Do you think you have a fighting chance against God? The Devil did but he lost. You think you can do better? Through out the Bible Satan tried to destroy God's plan to save man but he failed. Hell awaits him (Matt. 25:41) and it awaits you if you rebel against God. Obey the gospel today (Rom. 6:3-4) before its too late. 

Life in the womb

 by David Long

"For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well" (Psa. 139:13-14). 

"And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy" (Lk. 1:41-44).

What's in a mother's womb? It's a baby. A human being and to kill that baby is sin, wrong.