YOUR BODY WILL SUFFER FOR CHRIST
2 Corinthians 11:23-29 reads;
“Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?”
Over the years because I preach outdoors, I have had both ears have surgery, surgery on my shoulder twice, testicles swollen from being kicked, galleons of spit, gallons of drinks, been hit with plastic bottles, glass bottles, cans, rocks, ‘C’ and ‘D’ batteries, food, trash, 5 knives pulled out, several scissors, 3 guns, wooden boards, punched more times than I remember, hot wax from candles, feces, tables, chairs, underwear, plastic milk crates, bricks, animal blood, had handcuffs cut my wrists, black eyes, teeth chipped, lit on fire twice, tied up with a rope, had dogs attack me, almost run over with a vehicle three times, jailed more times than I can remember, cited countless times, had many banners taken and destroyed, numerous megaphones cut and smashed, my name slandered, often times I will notice the bruises and red marks on my body when I shower after a day of preaching, had male and female have removed their clothes around me, grinding their genitals against my body while I preach, my Bibles taken from my hands, Bibles ripped and burned, even had a Bible with bite marks on the pages, one woman took a small Gideons Bible and rammed it inside her vagina in the middle of the street as the crowd roared with approval, once whipped with a whip…and I’ve had sinners ejaculate on me 3 times when I was preaching to sinners. Just for publicly preaching Jesus in America.
“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings”
2 Corinthians 6:4
Over my 43 years of outdoor preaching, I’ve not only understand that text but I have tasted that text to a small degree.
“For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day”
1 Corinthians 4:9-13
Do you really understand persecution, other than someone unfriended you on facebook?
Over the decades I have had millions of items thrown at my body and most made contact, yet the Lord kept me intact for more service.
When I was born in 1961 I could not come home for months because of all the illnesses I had as a new born baby. I was born with one functioning lung and had asthma all my life, it’s amazing I could preach loud. I’ve always had heart issues, even sitting my heart is running a marathon, yet to date has no damages. I have been advised by doctors not to do anything that will raise my blood pressure but the Lord said otherwise and after 40 plus years of outdoor preaching He has saved my body as well as my soul.
“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth”
Hebrews 11:33-38
