To Elders, Deacons, and the Saints of the United States and Throughout the World


**Updated 1/25/08 below

 

October 15, 2007  4:37  PM

I have learned by experience that ..........."to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."( 1 Samuel 15 v22) When God delivered me from a four year period, that he led me into, to be tried by the devil I was convinced of having some faith or I would not have been delivered. Some of you are living in a wilderness today because of your unbelief.  God is not keeping you there; His walk is faith to faith, grace to grace, glory to glory, strength to strength.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding. v.5  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." v.6

God bless you,

 

Doyle Davidson  

 

October 15, 2007  2:30 PM

In this study, we want to examine two ways that the word rebuke is used in the New Testament. They are both a manifestation of the Holy Spirit through the heart of a person that is obeying God. It is the Father that works both forms of rebuke upon every person. The first word that we want to examine is the Greek word "elegcho" which means to convince or convict. The second word is the Greek word "epitimao" which means to set a weight upon.

 

First lets look at some examples of rebuke to convince or convict.

 

I Timothy 5:20 says, "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."

The first chapter of Titus, the Apostle Paul instructs Titus about the ministry of a bishop (elder) in dealing with unruly and vain talkers, and deceivers.

 

**Updated: 1/25/08 - In Titus 1:9-14 it says, "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. v.9

 

For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: v.10

 

Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. v.11

 

One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. v.12

 

This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; v.13

 

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth." v.14

 

We notice here that the rebuke is to turn them from Jewish fables and commandments of men to the truth and to be sound in the faith.

 

Paul instructs Titus in the second chapter of things to speak, which becomes sound doctrine. Paul sums up the chapter with verse 15, "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."

 

Hebrews 12:5 says, "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:"

 

Revelation 3:19 states, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."

 

Now let us consider the second word "epitimao" which means to set a weight upon.

 

First of all lets look in Luke 8:22-25, "Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. v.22

 

But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. v.23

 

And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. v.24

 

And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him. v.25

 

In these verses, Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the country of the Gadarenes to cast the devils out of a man. Verse 27 says, "....which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."

 

The devil obviously knew something about the purpose of Jesus as he and the disciples crossed that lake. It is apparent that he made an effort to stop their purpose by creating a storm of wind on the lake. The boat was filled with water and they were in jeopardy. Jesus was asleep in the boat and the disciples awoke him and they were fearful. He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water and they ceased and there was a calm. Afterward, Jesus said unto them, "Where is your faith?"

 

Another example is a child being cured of the devil.

 

Matthew 17:14-21 says, "And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, v.14

 

Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. v.15

 

And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. v.16

 

Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. v.17

 

And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. v.18

 

The word rebuked here means to set a weight upon.

 

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? v.19

 

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. v.20

 

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." v.21

 

We see in verse 18 that Jesus rebuked the devil and it departed out of the child, and the child was cured that very hour.

 

In Mark 8 Jesus is teaching his disciples in verse 31 about his death, burial, and resurrection. As he spake, in verse 32 "....And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him." In verse 33 Jesus rebukes Peter, "But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men." We see in these verses that Peter was in the wrong spirit. He had yielded his members to Satan and in this rebuke Jesus said that he savoured not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

 

Our fourth example is in Luke 17.

 

In verses 1:4 it states, "Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! v.1

 

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. v.2

 

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. v.3

 

And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him." v.4

 

As the head of this ministry, I have been rebuked (laid a heavy weight upon me) many times by many people. I have learned to forgive and overcome. I believe the words of Jesus are clear here that unless a person repents, I have no obligation to remit (to send away) their sins. But I believe as an apostle if we believe John 20:21, "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you," that a person that God sends to make Christians has no obligation to remit their sins until they repent. Verse 23 says, "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."

 

The final verses are in II Timothy 4.

 

II Timothy 4:1-5 says, "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; v.1

 

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. v.2 

 

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; v.3

 

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. v.4

 

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." v.5

 

The word rebuke here is to set a weight upon.

God bless you,

 

Doyle Davidson

 

October 12, 2007  9:03  PM

I want to remind the elders, deacons, and all of the saints of the sure word of prophesy of old time. (see II Peter 1:19-21) Moving on to II Peter 2:1, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable (destructive) heresies (opinions of man) EVEN DENYING THE LORD THAT BOUGHT THEM, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." (Their heresies will destroy the heretick.) See Titus 3:10-11 "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; v.10  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." v.11 Continue on in II Peter 2:2-3, "And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. v.2  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time LINGERETH NOT, and their damnation slumbereth not." v.3  There are many teaching heresies today even some that were taught the truth by me, but now are turned to their own opinions. "But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." v.22

 

God bless you,

 

Doyle Davidson

 

October 12, 2007  9:45 AM

In June 1974, God sent me to Israel for me to see Israel, get a revelation of his love for Israel and to call me into the ministry at the Garden Tomb. When he called me, he told me that I would be a witness in Jerusalem, in Judaea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. God began fulfilling that promise two days later when I was invited to speak at Christ's Church in the Old City of Jerusalem. Today we are ministering live on the Internet eleven hours a week, and that certainly fulfills what God told me on that Sunday morning in June at the Garden Tomb.

 

After I returned home from Israel in 1974, God visited me with the words from Matthew 28:18-20, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. v.18

 

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: v.19

 

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." v.20

 

With this visitation, I had a clear understanding of what God wanted me to do.

In Matthew 10 Jesus is speaking to his disciples. Verse 1 says, "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."

 

Continuing on in verses 7-15, "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. v.7

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. v.8

 

Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, v.9

 

Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. v.10

 

And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. v.11

 

And when ye come into an house, salute it. v.12

 

And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. v.13

 

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. v.14

 

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city." v.15

 

In I Timothy 4, the Apostle Paul is speaking to Timothy. In verses 11-12, Paul tells Timothy how to conduct himself, "These things command and teach. v.11

 

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." v.12

 

I, as Paul commanded Timothy, do not let any man despise my calling. 

 

God bless you,

 

Doyle Davidson

 

October 12, 2007  10:15 AM

There are many unruly and vain talkers that were once with my ministry speaking and writing blasphemous words about me and those associated with me in the ministry. Their mouths must be stopped. They are subverting entire households by the things they are teaching. Because these people received not the love of the truth, God has sent them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (II Thessalonians 2)

 

II Thessalonians 2:13-17 says, "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: v.13

 

Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. v.14

 

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. v15

 

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, v.16

 

Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." v.17

 

Continuing on in II Thessalonians 3:1-18 it says, "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: v.1

And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. v.2

 

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. v.3

 

And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. v.4

 

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. v.5

 

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. v.6

 

For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; v.7

 

Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: v.8

 

Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. v.9

 

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. v.10

 

For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. v.11

 

Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. v.12

 

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. v.13

 

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. v.14

 

Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. v.15

 

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all v.16

 

The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. v.17

 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." v.18

 

God bless you,

 

Doyle Davidson

 

 

 

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