Judy, if I may let me try to expound and clarify on this public rebuking while preaching because I suspect you might have a chip on your shoulder regarding it and it might help others too. Rebuking someone is something that can be found from Genesis to Revelation and all in between. Just study what these men preached and it is not what is being proclaimed today. Let me point out that the Bible does not give you license to just rebuke people at will. There is no gift or ministry or rebuke, it will come naturally when moved by God. When Jesus preached his messaged was never "God loves you and so do I," the famous John 3:16 was said to one man at night (Jn.3:2) and never repeated again in neither the Gospels nor the Book of Acts. Sorry that is just the fact and I hope this is not strange fire or new wine for you. In the Bible Jesus first message was "REPENT"(Mt.4:17)..was that all he did? No, He had compassion on people (15:32,20:34), offended people (Mt.13:57, 18:7, 19:22-25), wept over a man who died (Jn.11:35), upbraided (strongest form of rebuke) those cities that repented not (Mt.11:20), ate and slept (Mk.14:22, Mt.8:24), feed large amount of people (Mt.15:34-38), taught multitudes (Mt.13:34, Lk.5:1-3), held children (Lk.18:15-16), cursed a tree (Mk.11:14), healed whosoever (Mt.19:2), warned his disciples (Mt.10:28,32-33), rebuked those Pharisees (Mt.23:1-38), washed the feet of his disciples (Jn.13:4-8), Woed cities and people that no longer exist (Mt.11:21-24, Mk.14:21), made a whip and yearly went into the Temple (beginning of his ministry Jn.2;13-22 and the end of his ministry Mt.21:12-14), condemned whole generations (Mt.12:34,17:17,), prayed (Mt.26:36, Jn.17:1-26), and even called people names (Mt.16:26, 22:18, 23:33,), even called the disciples "evil" (Mt.7:11)
THIS IS THE JESUS OF THE BIBLE! To think that Jesus walked around with a smile and said nice things to people would be ludicrous, yet this is what most people believed. Why would the kill someone who wanted to rub toes singing kumbayah? Jesus told his disciples "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I TESTIFY OF IT, THAT THE WORKS THEREOF ARE EVIL" (John 7:7) Does the world hate you? Do you testify against it or to you wish to be everyone's friend? It is within us all to be liked and wanted by people, but once you began to testify against the world, you will be hated and really who wants that? John the Baptist was for rebuking the king and ten of the twelve were killed for their faith in a variety of ways, why? Because they wanted to get along with everyone? These were men that preached like men, they did not have a faith that was personal and private nor was their mission for a few years or a Sunday thing. The Book of Acts is not about a few guys passing out tracts or stories of them trying to witness to the waitress at the local coffee shop and winning over family members. When these men walked into a city, they made no small stir, there were riots with people beaten, killed and jailed. They did not go knocking on doors like Mormons inviting people to church, they went into the market place, Temple, gates and raised the voice (Acts 2:14), they made "no small stir".so they made A LARGE STIR. "These that have turned the world UPSIDE DOWN are come hither also" (Acts 17:6) I can tell you stories for hours that would bore you after a while, of Chicago police putting us in paddy wagons just to get us out of the city or 50-75 police around us while we are preaching, just to keep the crowd from attacking us. Talking to chief of police in New York, D.C. Philadelphia, New Orleans, Salt Lake, Los Angeles just to name a few want me to call them when I'm coming into town. Jailed for preaching the Gospel in America today, and when was the last time Mormons were jailed? They think waving THEIR HOLY GARMENTS is persecution, their prophet is untouchable and not like the real deals that walked the streets preaching a public message as the Bible demonstrates over and over again. But the Mormon prophet will soon be with Young & Smith, and I might be there with my banner to once again reach these people? Remember the parable of the rich man and Lazarus? The rich man was begging to go to his fathers house, "For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, LEST THEY ALSO COME INTO THIS PLACE OF TORMENT" (Lk.16:28) If this rich man had a chance to come back for even one day, his message would not be "God loves you".or "come as you are"..but his message would be about, "THIS PLACE OF TORMENT"..Selah.. Or consider those people that jumped off the building during 911, knew they would splat on the ground.BUT THEY DID NOT WANT ONE MORE MINUTE IN THOSE FLAMES.it seemed reasonable to splat after 85 stories, then burn for one half hour.we are talking eternity here.Selah. I believe on that Great Day those that heard our preaching will say, "Why did you not get bigger banners or yell louder and longer if you knew we were coming "into this place?" Rebuke is not all that we do, we can shift gears and preach a message to a large group, then pray for someone, then open up the Bible to enlighten someone, then go nose to nose all in 2.5 seconds. So please when you read a post, that might be hard or hear something about our preaching, will you give us more benefit than doubt? "Knowing therefore THE TERROR of the Lord, WE PERSUADE MEN" (2Co.5:11) Ruben Israel ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
