WesleyGospel Ministries

I see that you are FULL OF BITTERNESS.
–Acts 8:23 (NIV)–

Their mouths are FULL OF cursing and BITTERNESS.
–Romans 3:14 (NIV)–

²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and DO NOT GIVE THE DEVIL A FOOTHOLD. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. ²⁹ Do not let any UNWHOLESOME TALK come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ GET RID OF ALL BITTERNESS, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² BE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE to one another, FORGIVING each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
–Ephesians 4:26-32 (NIV)–

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
–Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)–

⁶ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ⁸ “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.” ⁹ So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. ¹⁰ He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”¹¹ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. ¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” –Numbers 20:6-12 (NIV)

He bids him speak to the rock, which would do as it was bidden, to shame the people who had been so often spoken to, and would not hear nor obey. Their hearts were harder than this rock, not so tender, not so yielding, not so obedient. He promises that the rock should give forth water (Numbers 20:8), and it did so (Numbers 20:11): the water came out abundantly…Moses and Aaron acted improperly in the management of this matter, so much so that God in displeasure told them immediately that they should not have the honour of bringing Israel into Canaan, Numbers 20:10-12…They said and did all in heat and passion; this is the account given of the sin (Psalms 106:33): They provoked his spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. It was in his passion that he called them rebels. It is true they were so; God had called them so; and Moses afterwards, in the way of a just reproof (Deuteronomy 9:24), calls them so without offence; but now it came from a provoked spirit, and was spoken unadvisedly: IT WAS TOO MUCH LIKE RACA, and THOU FOOL. His smiting the rock twice (it should seem, not waiting at all for the eruption of the water upon the first stroke) shows that he was in a heat. The same thing said and done with meekness may be justifiable which when said and done in anger may be highly culpable; see James 1:20…That the best of men have their failings, even in those graces that they are most eminent for. The man Moses was very meek, and yet here he sinned in passion; wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. That God judges not as man judges concerning sins; we might think that there was not much amiss in what Moses said and did, yet God saw cause to animadvert severely upon it. He knows the frame of men’s spirits, what temper they are of, and what temper they are in upon particular occasions, and from what thoughts and intents words and actions do proceed; and we are sure that therefore his judgment is according to truth, when it agrees not with ours. –MATTHEW HENRY

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What was the offence for which Moses was excluded from the promised land? It appears to have consisted in some or all of the following particulars:

1. God had commanded him (Numbers 20:8) to take the rod in his hand, and go and SPEAK TO THE ROCK, and itshould give forth water. It seems Moses did not think speaking would be sufficient, therefore he smote the rock without any command so to do.

2. He did this twice, which certainly in this case indicated a great perturbation of spirit, and want of attention to the presence of God.

3. He permitted his spirit to be carried away by a sense of the people’s disobedience, and thus, being provoked, he was led to speak unadvisedly with his lips: Hear now, ye REBELS, Numbers 20:10.

4. He did not acknowledge GOD in the miracle which was about to be wrought, but took the honour to himself and Aaron: “Must WE fetch you water out of this rock?”

Thus it plainly appears that they did not properly believe in God, and did not honour him in the sight of the people; for in their presence they seem to express a doubt whether the thing could be possibly done. As Aaron appears to have been consenting in the above particulars, therefore he is also excluded from the promised land. –ADAM CLARKE

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I believe the Bible allows for prophets, preachers, and evangelists to express righteous indignation in sermons, but only in a punctuated short little outburst, and only in such a way that communicates urgent warning and grief over sin, expressing God’s anger and grief over the sin of the people of God. Jeremiah was full of the fury of the Lord (6:11), Jesus was so grieved at the Pharisees that he gave them all an angry look right before he healed a person (Mark 3:5), and Paul rebuked Elymas with an angry outburst after being filled with the Holy Spirit and just before prophesying him into blindness (Acts 13:8-11). There’s also occasions of Isaiah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul saying what some people might consider to be pretty mean and hurtful things. But they are rebukes! Words of correction! Words of repentance! And they come from godly hearts filled with grief, holy anger, urgency, and warning:

CRY ALOUD, SPARE NOT, LIFT UP THY VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their SINS! –Isaiah 58:1 (KJV)

O GENERATION OF VIPERS, who hath WARNED YOU to FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME!? –Matthew 3:7 (KJV)

WOE UNTO YOU, scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES!   –Matthew 23:13 (KJV)

THOU CHILD OF THE DEVIL, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to PERVERT THE RIGHT WAYS OF THE LORD!? –Acts 13:10 (KJV)

Such outbursts could only come from the hearts of men that loved God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength; and who also loved their neighbors as themselves, and were not so hard-hearted as to just let them pass through life and go to Hell unwarned. Apathy and unbelief does not warn. Love, concern, and faith does. But sadness and weeping, it seems, is more near to the heart of God than his wrath, although both of them are attributes of God’s Spirit. What theologian would make the case that Hell was only created from the attribute of God’s sadness rather than mainly of his wrath? No Bible believing theologian would defend such a view. But it seems that the complication Moses experienced in Numbers 20:10-11 was that while he was sold out in his fear and love for the Lord; he was also constantly provoked by people who did not fear, nor believe, nor love God. And so, while Moses probably had many times like Isaiah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul, where he issued a loud rebuke with holy anger that came from the heart of God–this time it was different. And it seems that the difference was one of PURE HATE! Moses HATED these people; and he expressed his hate, as he operated in the gift of prophecy and miracles at the same time. God was about to do a miracle of providence and mercy and love; and Moses spoiled the event as he expressed his PURE HATRED for all of them, as he worked the miracle. He said: “’Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?’ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff” (Num. 20:10-11). That’s where Moses messed up. He lost his composure and self-control, so much so, that he didn’t just REBUKE and WARN them as Isaiah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul did. Moses went further than rebuking and warning. Moses expressed hatred towards them–and while he was working a miracle of God’s provision–he said, “You rebels!” and then struck the rock twice like a baseball bat in a fit of anger. This shows us that he HATED these people, was FED UP with them, and COULDN’T STAND THEM ANYMORE!! –J.B.

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WesleyGospel, “Crying Aloud With Godly Sorrow and Angry Rebukes In Holiness Sermons.”

Benjamin Wadsworth, Fervent Zeal Against Flagrant Wickedness (1718).

Dr. John R. Rice, Why Preach Against Sin? (Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1946, 1985).

Leonard Ravenhill, Revival Praying, ch. 14: “Be Ye Angry.”

—. “Be Ye Angry And Sin Not” (Last Days Ministries, 1985).

John Downame, A Treatise of Anger (1609).

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]. –Ephesians 4:31 (AMP)

An overseer must be blameless and beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine, not a bully nor quick-tempered and hot-headed, but gentle and considerate, free from the love of money [not greedy for wealth and its inherent power—financially ethical]. –1 Timothy 3:2-3 (AMP)

CRY ALOUD, SPARE NOT, LIFT UP THY VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their SINS! –Isaiah 58:1 (KJV)

O GENERATION OF VIPERS, who hath WARNED YOU to FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME!? –Matthew 3:7 (KJV)

WOE UNTO YOU, scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES!   –Matthew 23:13 (KJV)

THOU CHILD OF THE DEVIL, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to PERVERT THE RIGHT WAYS OF THE LORD!? –Acts 13:10 (KJV)

I AM FULL OF THE FURY OF THE LORD; I am weary with holding in.  –Jeremiah 6:11 (KJV)

OPEN REBUKE is better than secret love.   –Proverbs 27:5 (KJV)

Them that sin REBUKE BEFORE ALL, that others also may FEAR.   –1 Timothy 5:20 (KJV)

THOU HAST LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND HATED INIQUITY; therefore God, even thy God, hath ANOINTED thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. –Hebrews 1:9 (KJV)

THE RIGHTEOUS ARE BOLD AS A LION. –Proverbs 28:1 (KJV)

REBUKE THEM SHARPLY, that they may be sound in the faith. –Titus 1:13 (KJV)

I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But HIS WORD WAS IN MINE HEART AS A BURNING FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.   –Jeremiah 20:9 (KJV)

Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather REPROVE THEM. –Ephesians 5:11 (KJV)

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! –Luke 13:34 (KJV)

I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. –Isaiah 63:3 (KJV)

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How awful are those words, which are the words of the great God. “I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment” (Isaiah 63:3). It is perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, viz. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favor, that instead of that, he will only tread you under foot. And though he will know that you cannot bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he will not regard that, but HE WILL CRUSH YOU UNDER HIS FEET WITHOUT MERCY; HE WILL CRUSH OUT YOUR BLOOD, AND MAKE IT FLY, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you in the utmost contempt: no place shall be thought fit for you, but under his feet to be trodden down as the mire of the streets.  –Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” 2.2

Yes, that’s the sheriff from Robin Hood: Men In Tights.
No, please don’t watch that without the Clearplay DVD.
–J.B.–

I believe your vision, Bill.
–J.B.–

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
–1 Peter 3:3-4 (ESV)–

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Elizabeth Rice Handford, Your Clothes Say It for You.

²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. ²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
–Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV)–

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Dr. John R. Rice, Bobbed Hair, Bossy Wives, and Women Preachers.

Elizabeth Rice Handford, Me? Obey Him?

Follow the way of love 
and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, 
especially prophecy.
–1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV)–

Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.
–Hebrews 3:15 (NIV)–

In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
–Acts 2:17 (NIV)–

Daniel had a dream,
and visions passed through his mind 
as he was lying in bed. 
He wrote down the substance of his dream.
–Daniel 7:1 (NIV)–

Do not quench the Spirit. 
Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; 
hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.
–1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NIV)–

But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
–1 Corinthians 14:24-25 (NIV)–

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Dr. Jack Deere, Surprised by the Voice of God (Zondervan, 1996).

—. Why I Am Still Surprised by the Voice of God (Zondervan, 2022).

—. The Beginner’s Guide to the Gift of Prophecy (Regal, 2008).

Dr. Wayne Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy (Crossway, 2000).

Dr. Etzel Cardeña, ed. Varieties of Anomalous Experience (APA, 2004).

Augustin Poulain, The Graces of Interior Prayer (Kegan Paul, 1910).

Ira Milligan, Understanding the Dreams You Dream (Treasure House, 1997).

Jeff Doles, Miracles and Manifestations (Walking Barefoot Ministries, 2007).

Douglas Oss, Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? (Zondervan, 1996), p. 168.

Jasper Ridley, John Knox (Oxford University Press, 1968).

Samuel Rutherford, A Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, pp. 42-43.

Lee Strobel, Seeing the Supernatural (Zondervan, 2025). This is a really unique book. Written by a hard nosed skeptic, former atheist, and leading Christian apologist. Supports an evidence-based supernatural worldview.

Originally from here.
[Written by the wife.]

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Hast thou also them that hold
the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes,
which thing I hate.
–Revelation 2:15 (KJV)–

I was enlightened while trying to explain this: I see that He credited Ephesus for hating the practice of immorality, and false Christianity: which is nothing more than hypocrisy. Jesus was still preaching the same message to the angels of these churches as from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Jesus wants our attention to be on the Father, and on Jesus Himself, because He knows how much He cares for us, and no other god can say that. The church of Pergamum was guilty of having some that actually held to the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which was probably teaching things such as sexual sin like movies, jokes, and impure clothing as okay, because “After all, we have the grace of God now, because Jesus died on the cross,” or other teachings like, “It doesn’t matter if you serve other gods than the God of Jesus and the Bible, because after all, Jesus is a Lord of love, and there’s no condemnation for those in Christ.” Both of these statements are ridiculously untrue. The Scriptures are being interlaced and woven in to prove a false thing that Jesus would not have promoted. Anyone who has converted to Christ and has Him residing in the throne of their hearts, with Him as the boss of their soul, could tell you that God wants us to be closer to Him because of Jesus’ blood. Or that we should only serve God, with the necessity of being holy, just as when Jesus was tempted by the devil to have all dominion, which was a lie, and Jesus responded, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’” (Matthew 4:10).

This is food for thought, but I went through a period upon being newly born again as a young adult, that I could start to see through the sins of my soul, the sins of the church, and the wretchedness I felt in attempting to worship God, when my heart felt blotted by the sins of my flesh. I had to repent of sin, and of my flesh (see Romans 7-8).

Here are some verses that teach us what’s right! We are not to use God’s grace as a means towards ungodliness! On the contrary, because of Jesus’ coming to earth, and dying and raising to life, now we can actually be holy in our hearts, immediately having access to God! “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13).

I know better; and so do Jesus’ people. We know better than to do that. We deserve the rebuke.

God save us all from practicing lawlessness like the world in sexual immorality, pluralism, and putting too much priority on the things of the world, temporal and passing as they are. What’s highly valued among men is still “detestable in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15). Again, we are not to condone wicked teaching, but hold all in suspicion that don’t preach the holy Word of God right, not handling it rightly. The hour is late, and it’s no time for fornication, adultery, impurity, and perversion. May God heal the church in Jesus’ name!

This is such a powerful, excellent sermon on spiritual warfare; and resisting the devil with Bible knowledge and faith in the Bible, like Jesus did in Matthew 4.
–J.B.–