THE MIRACLE OF BELIEF
My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Paul was a scholar and an orator of the first rank; he is not speaking out of abject humility; but saying that he would veil the power of God if, when he preached the gospel, he impressed people with his "excellency of speech."
Belief in Jesus is a miracle produced only by the efficacy of Redemption, not by impressiveness of speech, not by wooing and winning, but by the sheer unaided power of God. The creative power of the Redemption comes through the preaching of the Gospel, but never because of the personality of the preacher.
The real fasting of the preacher is not from food, but rather from eloquence, from impressiveness and exquisite diction, from everything that might hinder the gospel of God being presented.
The preacher is there as the representative of God - "as though God did beseech you by us." He is there to present the Gospel of God. If it is only because of my preaching that people desire to be better, they will
never get anywhere near Jesus Christ.
Anything that flatters me in my preaching of the Gospel will end in making me a traitor to Jesus; I
prevent the creative power of His Redemption from doing its work.
"I, if I be lifted up . . . , will draw all men unto Me."
Oswald Chambers
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"The Most Powerful Message There is in Life."
When Jesus came he spoke of His Father in Heaven and if nothing else could be said by being around Jesus, it was his focus on God.
The gospel is getting revised all the time and new ways of Hyping or Selling it to the people is being done to "get them to Church". In the Jesus Movement, when we got saved, we went out and told someone.
We couldn't contain our joy, we were excited, we didn't have special spiritual laws, roman roads, or even a clear understanding of sin. We only knew we were in love with Jesus and we wanted to tell everyone about how we felt.
There were no notches in our bible belt....yet.
The message has changed and people are scared about Emerging User Friendly Watery Grace of Prosperity Face type of message. Flattery and use of tech seems the norm and I suppose that is good in some ways.
But the miracle of knowing Jesus. The ability to hear his Voice, the capability of God to reach out and supernaturally move in ways beyond explanation for salvation, people aren't seeing as often as they used to.
Why?
Same reason we watch a Romance Movie Classic.
The gospel, when encountered by someone looking for love and forgiveness, is the greatest love story of all time. It is the eternal best seller of eternal life. It works. It saves. It is no more and no less than Jesus Died For You.
Bob Bennett wrote a song that the went something like this:
The Best Thing I can tell you is God loves you.
I can say that from my heart, I know it's the Truth
The Best Thing I can tell you is God loves you.
He sent his only son as Living Proof.
I sit around and make up .....clever lines
Toss them out as they dance... thru my mind
Sweeter Love I may ....never find.
Jesus Died for you.
I am in love.
It is obvious when I go to a church, person or meeting.
My wife loves to watch as I start to talk about the one I am love with.
It isn't her and she says it is amazing to watch the difference in my face, my walk, my talk, my actions and the years roll off my face as it is obvious the pure love of the One I love comes out and she wonders why she does not see all the time. She knows if a person starts to talk about my love, I am there for hours just enjoying talking about him.
She often shakes her head and walks away knowing I won't stop talking about Him.
Love is like that, and I am in love.
I have been for 35 years now.
I love Jesus.
That is the Gospel and the most powerful message there is in life.
Michael James Stone
