Tag

preaching

May 04 2018
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Shout in Confidence

By | Eyesalve

“And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.” I Samuel 17:20

 

What are they shouting about? Did they forget that all the Philistines have to do is send their champion down and it will send them all running again. Talk is cheap. All kinds of shouting means nothing if you have no courage and confidence in the Lord. I’m not against a little shouting in the preaching and some enthusiasm in our singing, but let it be from those who have confidence in the Lord.

Nov 02 2017
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Eyesalve: Burning Fire

By | Eyesalve

“Then 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

 

Many Christians have a hard time preaching the good news to others. We need that to turn around. We need the Spirit to move so mightily on this generation that the word of God is like a burning fire that we cannot keep shut up in our bones. Grant it to us O Lord

Aug 17 2016
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Eyesalve: Such Preaching

By | Eyesalve

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37

 

We need such preaching again that cuts the heart of people so they ask “what shall we do,” instead of “what can I still do and be a Christian?”

Apr 29 2016
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But In Demonstration

By | Articles

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (I Corinthians 2:1-5).

 

Many Christians want to hear practical messages from scripture that teaches how to have health and prosperity and how to live successfully in our society. The preachers who master how to preach and teach these things as if that is what the word of God is all about, are the most popular preachers. The better they can do that, the bigger their churches are and greater is the number are those who follow them. Look at Joel Osteen, the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, the largest Protestant church in America. The sanctuary seats 16,800 people. They estimate that over 45,000 people attend Lakewood Church every week. Joel is a master at making people feel real good. He is a bestselling author and has written many books. Here are the names of some of them. “You Can, You Will, The Power of I AM, Your Best Life Now, and Become a Better You” (emphasis added). Is there anything that stands out to you in these titles? I helped you see it by emboldening some of the words so they would catch your eye. Do you understand that these titles are all about YOU? All four of these books seem to focus on man and what is best for him. How is it that Christians who read the Bible, which is all about Christ, then go and write books that are all about man? I do have to confess that I have not read any of these books, and have no interest in doing so. The titles alone tell me what is in the pages of these books. When I first heard the title, “The Power of I AM,” it made me shudder. When I saw “Become a Better You” at the book store my immediate response was, “I don’t want to be a better me, I want the ME to die.” All the problems God ever had with me is the ME. I need to get ME out of the way.

I suppose if we could ask Christians, who regularly attend church, what they expect their pastors to preach and teach, some would say they would like more expository teaching. Some would say they want messages that apply to everyday practical living. Others may say they want the pastor to search out all the Hebrew and Greek words so they can get a better understanding of the scriptures. Others may want a fiery message with the preacher raising his voice. Some like a well-outlined teaching with worksheets to fill out. None of these things are necessarily wrong, but none of these are the answer to what is missing from today’s preachers. There is an incredible high regard for the teachers who are intellectuals. Our society is enamored with smart men with degrees. I think many Christians think that of all the men who have searched out all the Bible doctrines, that if anyone knows what they are talking about it has to be our intelligent Bible teachers. I have nothing against intelligence, even though I am not intelligent. You might not want to read anymore articles after I tell you this, but I only graduated from high school. I am just a dumb construction worker turned preacher.  However, I see far too many preachers and teachers trusting in their intellect and ability to articulate than in the power of God. The greatest thing we need from our preachers today is for them to preach with a demonstration of Spirit and power.

People get tired of talkers after a while. They especially get tired of preachers who talk, but never say anything with substance. They are tired of preachers who talk and lack authority in their words. Worse than that, people get offended when preachers talk and then live a life contrary to what they preach. Our society does not need talkers, our churches don’t need a speech; they need a demonstration of Spirit and power. Did you notice in our scripture text the word “Spirit” is capitalized? This indicates to us that the demonstration is from God (and not from our own human spirit) which results in man being a spirited preacher. We need preachers who demonstrate through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our generation needs a demonstration not a hollow message. They need powerful messages, not just good ones. They need a message that is authenticated by the Spirit of God.

Those who listened to the Pharisees week after week and year after year, were greatly moved when Jesus spoke. “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29). There was another time when the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Jesus. When the officers came to Him and heard Him speaking, they returned back to them without arresting Jesus. When asked why, “The officers answered, Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46).

The devil has mastered clever speech. The devil even used scripture when he was trying to tempt Jesus. Satan has a counterfeit for a lot of things. The devil can do a lot of things, but there is one thing he cannot do and that is speak with the power and anointing of God. It is only we believers who have such a privilege. Motivational speakers can speak to and move the emotions of men, but the Holy Spirit deals directly with the spirit of man. Feelings and emotions can, and often do follow, but feelings alone do not prove a message has authority.

The Apostle Paul was a highly trained and educated man, so again you don’t have to be stupid to be used of God. God uses the “whosoever.” However, God doesn’t call, “…many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble… (I Corinthians 1:26), but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t call any. So if you are highly intelligent, give God the glory for it and use it for His glory, just like Paul did. When it came down to it, Paul said his effectiveness wasn’t in being a Hebrew of Hebrews or in his great learning at the feet of the Pharisee Gamaliel. Paul said, “In mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19). I remember coming upon this verse back in 1999 as I was preparing for a message. I read it and said, “Where has this verse been all my saved life?” Well you know it has always been in the Bible. Maybe it never stood out because few seem to believe it anymore and few dare preach it.

Saint of God, there is nothing more our preachers need then to once again preach with a demonstration of Spirit and power. There is nothing more this world needs from you as well than to preach with a demonstration of Spirit and power.

Nov 12 2015
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Eyesalve: Spoke and Lived it

By | Eyesalve

“Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” Ph’p 4:9

Paul’s preaching had the one two punch. He spoke it and he lived it. If the people couldn’t understand the words he said they could see a demonstration of it in Paul’s life.

Dec 12 2014
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Eyesalve: Can’t Help It

By | Eyesalve

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31

Those that speak the word of God with boldness are not appreciated by this world, except for those that are looking for salvation. Unfortunately, many in the church do not like bold preaching either. They want to hear something smooth. The problem is that if our preachers are Spirit filled men of God, then they cannot help it, but to speak bold. Boldness is the results of being endued with power from on high.

Nov 30 2014
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The Power of Preaching (Continued)

By | Articles

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”  (Rom 1:16)

 

All the gimmicks, all the techniques and all the productions that we have allowed in the church today have sent a clear message that our generation is ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It seems as though preaching has taken the back seat to the ideas and inventions of men. Confidence has been lost in the preaching of the gospel. There may not be an open confession of shame, but anytime someone tries to cover up or down play something it usually indicates there is shame toward that thing

 

As I said in last month’s article, preaching is still the chief means to winning souls and strengthening the church. There is a phrase that is quoted in the Old Testament 415 times, this phrase we are all familiar with; it is, “Thus saith the Lord.” Moses was the first to say it. He said it when he went before Pharaoh with his one line sermon, “Let my people go.” There is a big difference between Moses saying to Pharaoh, you better let God’s people go and “Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go.” Many of the prophets after Moses said, “Thus saith the Lord,” because they were doing more than just talking to Israel, they were doing more than just giving them a little exhortation, they were speaking for Almighty God. I remember back in the late nineties hearing it said, “We are not to speak about God but to speak for God.” I thought to myself that would be pretty arrogant of someone, to get up and preach and think they are speaking for God. But, after some thought I realized it must not be any other way. Even a heathen can talk a little about God. I remember doing it before I was ever saved. Real preaching is speaking for God. Not, thus saith me, or here is what I have to say, but this is what God is saying to you right now. This is what makes preaching powerful. It is God talking personally to man through servants that speak for God.

 

Our pulpits and airwaves are over run with motivational speakers. Man, through his own ability, can move people through the power of speech. Barack Obama won not just one election, but two by his ability to speak what the people want to hear. While the church minimizes preaching, the world continues to use it to push forth their agenda. Adolf Hitler, captured the hearts of a nation because of his ability to convince people. A smooth talker can get people to believe a lie. We have a lot of smooth talkers in our pulpits today. Could it be that the motivational speakers in the pulpit are doing more to prepare people to receive the antichrist than this world is?

 

It was in March of 1997 when I rode down to Beaumont, Texas, with some minister friends of mine to attend a minister’s conference. I was not in the ministry yet, but I was willing to be challenged by some good preaching. The preacher that was holding the conference was named B.H. Clendennen. The first meeting started on a Tuesday evening, March 25. The meetings were to end after the Friday 10am meeting. Brother Clendennen preached Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. The messages were good but nothing that really gripped me yet. When he preached again Wednesday night he said a phrase something like, “we are to demonstrate that Christ is alive.” That statement isn’t what you would consider to be a very profound statement, however, when he said it, I was devastated. I immediately began to repent to the Lord for not understanding what it means to be a Christian. For the rest of my time there at the conference my heart remained very repentive. I experienced a powerful revival that day that so affected me I never recovered. Here I am 16 years later still impacted by one message preached by one Spirit filled man of God. God made that message real, God revealed Christ to me through a man of God. There was nothing the church ever offered me that so dramatically changed my life as a Spirit filled servant of God speaking a message for God. From that day forward, I couldn’t help but see all the efforts of men to scheme clever programs, offer enticing attractions and market the church, to be nothing but foolishness. Even worse, leaving the lost unaffected. I suppose if a pastor is just looking to fill pews many of these things will work. In fact here is one trick you can try. Just walk around the neighborhood where your church is located and give people a free raffle ticket. Tell them if they come to church Sunday you will draw one ticket (visitors only), and the winner will win $500.00. You could probably fill every seat or pew. I hate even suggesting this because someone might say, hey, that’s a good idea, let’s try that this week. I must say, any minister that compromises to get people in His church and then thinks he is going to preach them saved is fooling himself. I know some will give me testimonies of people that came to the Lord through the productions and entertainment that the church offers. I just wonder, do they really get saved, or do they just agree to commit to some watered down, world friendly Christianity? Spirit filled preachers will never compromise for numbers. A preacher that isn’t Spirit filled will not be able to speak for God. If he can’t speak for God then he might as well remain silent. Jesus commanded His disciples to tarry until they received power from on high. When that power fell, Peter stepped forth with a message for God to the people. He spoke it, 3000 heard God speak and were cut to the heart. Spirit filled saints, speaking for God is what God ordained to save souls and strengthen the church.

Nov 30 2014
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The Power of Preaching

By | Articles

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”  (Rom 1:16)

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”  (1Co 1:18)

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”  (1Co 1:21)

 

Several years ago, while I was still running my construction business, I had to go collect from one of my customers. It was a Friday evening so my wife decided to come along with me and afterwards we would go get a bite to eat. When I got to my customer’s house I found out she wasn’t home, so we thought we would kill a little time and go visit the shops that were in town a few blocks away. We happened to walk into a joke shop and my wife heard a man that was behind the counter playing a hymn on the mandolin. We asked him if he was a Christian and he acknowledged he was. He then pointed to some brochures that he had on the counter. They were brochures for his ministry, which was visiting churches and doing magic shows for the kids. He would use that as a means to share about Jesus. I am not bringing this up to judge the man, but I will say I would not invite a magician to perform at my church. Anyway, the man told me that quite often when he goes to a church to perform his magic show, the adults that are in the room as well as some that may be watching from the hall will come up to him afterwards and tell him they got more out of his magic show then they did from the sermon the pastor preached. Something happened to me right at the moment he told me that. I would normally get mad and say something in my heart like, “Why are you even bringing that magic show into the church?” but then I realized, the problem isn’t the magic show; the problem is that the preacher couldn’t out preach the magic show. Saints of God, the lack of powerful preaching is an epidemic in some of our churches today. I even heard one pastor say that preaching just doesn’t work anymore. Maybe talking or orating doesn’t work because God never ordained just talking, He ordained men full of the Holy Ghost to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to be the chief means to reach the lost and strengthen the saints. I have heard it said and I am sure you have to, that the message never changes just the method. I use to nod my head in half hearted agreement with that, but today I boldly tell you that neither the message nor the method has changed. If you don’t think preaching the gospel is relevant to our sophisticated generation then consider this; “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”  (Mat 24:14). Did you see that, the gospel is going to be preached right up to the very last of the last days? By another verse we can see that preaching will go on even during the tribulation period; “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” (Rev 14:6). By the way, skits, entertainment, songs and such are not what is considered preaching. To preach means to announce the good news, but scripture teaches us that it is more than just announcing, it is demonstrating and manifesting Christ through preaching. Real Holy Ghost anointed preaching reveals Christ to the listener. This kind of preaching can only be accomplished through Spirit filled believers. I am not just talking about pulpit preaching, I am talking about anytime anyone of us shares with the lost.

 

Before Jesus ever started His earthly ministry He was filled with the Spirit. It was said about Jesus, “The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.” (Joh 7:46). Jesus spoke like He did because He was endued with power from on high. This same power is promised to every believer that will ask our heavenly Father for the Holy Spirit. We don’t need another invention or gimmick. We don’t need to put on some spectacular show to try to attract and win the lost. The preaching of the gospel is the answer and you can take that with you wherever you go. All that was prescribed to Ezekiel to raise up those very dry bones was to prophesy, which means to speak under inspiration; that is Holy Ghost inspiration. Peter, filled with the Spirit, preached less than a three minute sermon on the day of Pentecost and it cut the heart of 3000 men and made them desperate. Stephen preached a short synopsis from Abraham to Solomon and then identified it with his present age and the crowd couldn’t handle it and stoned him. However, it didn’t end there, Saul, who later became Paul, heard that message. After he was converted he went armed with the gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and through much opposition, brought thousands to the Lord. At the closing years of Paul’s life, he did not discover a more effective way to win others to Christ. The last verse of the book of Acts tells us he was, “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” (Act 28:31). Our generation needs you saint of God, to be filled with the Spirit and rise up and preach the gospel. There still is power in the gospel of Jesus Christ when it is preached by Spirit filled saints.