For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God (I Corinthians 1:18). Many people today think the Gospel of Jesus Christ is foolishness. You may think you are not one of them because you believe in the Gospel of Jesus, but examine your heart a little closer. Are you ashamed of the Gospel? Are you afraid to let people know you are a Christian who loves the Lord with your whole heart? Do you have a hard time standing for truth when the persecutions and battles are severe?

First Corinthians 1:18 also points out a distinction between those who perish and those who are saved. Those who perish look at the Gospel of Jesus Christ as foolishness. Those who are born-again know it’s power straight from the throne of God that saved them. You cannot let the world influence you or distract you in this final hour. You have to stay focused on your walk with the Lord.

After Paul was converted, he wasted no time in beginning to preach the Gospel. He could have been embarrassed to tell others about his born-again experience and admit that he had been a fool to fight against the Gospel, but he wasn’t embarrassed. He was bold in letting others know about Jesus. Paul said, 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 (Romans 1:16). Paul knew without a doubt that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God; and without it, people will perish.

Paul was willing to lay down his life for the Gospel, are you? If you’re ashamed to stand for truth because you’re afraid of what others may say or do, then the answer is no. Jesus said, For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:35,36).

Never Deny God’s Power

Ernest Angley Ministries is a soul-saving ministry, and we are winning the lost at any cost before Jesus returns. Winning souls for Christ is not a foolish task; it is a wise task. The Bible tells us, He that winneth souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30). And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever (Daniel 12:3). Are these two scriptures part of your life, or do you really not care about turning souls to righteousness?

When Jesus sent the seventy forth to preach the Gospel, He said, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest (Luke 10:2). Today, the harvest is great, but the laborers are few in relation to the billions of people on the Earth. Why is that so when we have the Bible in print; people can access it digitally, and we have the technology to reach multitudes of people all over the world with the Gospel?

The reason is that the Gospel is not being preached in its fullness. The power of God can be manifested through means of technology, but technology cannot replace the power of God. The Gospel must go forth unpolluted by man’s opinions, or people will receive a watered-down Gospel with no power.

Paul described many so-called Christians today when he said, Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away (II Timothy 3:5). Many continue to embrace sin and either make excuses for it or justify themselves in some way. The true power of God has dominion over sin; so when a person denies the power of God, they are no longer a laborer for Christ but for self and the devil.

Never Be Offended by Jesus

The devil doesn’t want the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be preached in its fullness because he knows that signs, wonders and miracles will follow just like they did in the Early Church. And they [the Early Church disciples] went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following (Mark 16:20).

There are Christians who have claimed they would never walk away from God; but when testing time came, they became offended and turned away. There may be some of you who are being tested right now, and you don’t even realize it. The devil is laying a trap for you; and if you don’t stay in the Word and trust the Lord completely, you’re going to fail the test.

Many of Jesus’ followers became offended when He told them, Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:54). He also told them, No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him (John 6:65,66). How sad.

Those followers had walked and talked with Jesus here on this Earth. They were so close to truth, but they turned away because they had allowed what they heard to become foolishness to them instead of the power of God.

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God (John 6:67-69).

Many people had an opportunity to hear Jesus preach when He was on Earth, but not everyone understood or followed His teachings; and some of them just thought it was foolish talk. When the true Gospel is preached and received by faith, miracles and healings will take place for the soul, mind and body. The power of God comes forth through the Gospel, and there is nothing foolish about it.

There are many people in this world who think they are wise; but in God’s eyes, they are fools. Paul addressed this problem saying, Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:21,22). Jesus said, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 7:21).

Don’t Follow the World

When you have Jesus Christ in your heart, people will see how you live; and the light of Jesus will shine through you. Unbelievers think the born-again experience is foolish, and they say it’s impossible to live a life free from sin. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (I Corinthians 2:14).

Only by faith can you receive the greatest miracle of all—the miracle of salvation. Only by faith can you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Only by faith can you receive miracles and healings for your body.

Just because the world doesn’t understand how the power of God works doesn’t mean it is not working today. Either you believe the whole Bible, or you don’t. Paul knew there were some who were perverting the Gospel. That’s why he said, But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8).

Rev. Chris Machamer and I have the responsibility of preaching the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. We have no desire to compromise with the world because we know only the truth can set people free. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32). A watered-down Gospel does nothing for people.

You can’t look at the number of people who are following the world church because the Bible tells us, Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat (Matthew 7:13). The narrow way is God’s way, so stop embracing the world and the devil’s foolishness. Jesus went to Calvary for you and me, and that’s not foolishness.

The world is getting worse and worse every day. Things that used to be hidden in the shadows are now out in the open. Society is accepting so many more worldly behaviors and pleasures of sin than it did in the past, but that doesn’t mean you should accept them. As a true child of God, you must take your stand against sin.

Don’t Rebel Against the Truth

Peter, James and John had the privilege of watching Jesus raise Jairus’ daughter from the dead. They witnessed the mourners laughing Jesus to scorn when He said, The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth (Mark 5:39). They saw that little girl get up, walk and be set free from the bondage of death. Those mourners thought Jesus was foolish, but they were the ones who were foolish. I wonder how many of them became believers after Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

Unfortunately, many people will not decide to follow Jesus even after they see a miracle. Maybe they don’t want to give up the pleasures of sin; they are set in their ways, or they just don’t want to hear the truth. It’s amazing to see how angry some people get when they hear the Gospel truth.

Stephen was stoned to death for speaking the Gospel truth. He wasn’t a bad man or a criminal. He was full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people (Acts 6:8).

The power of God was in Stephen’s life because he was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, and the Bible says the people were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake (Acts 6:10). But that doesn’t mean everyone was happy with Stephen preaching the truth. When some of the religious leaders heard that Stephen was spreading the Gospel, they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law (Acts 6:12,13).

Stephen could have easily backed down, apologized for preaching the Gospel and promised never to do it again; but he didn’t. Instead, he boldly said, Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye (Acts 7:51).

Stephen had holy boldness because he never counted the Gospel as foolishness. He knew it was the power of God. If you lack holy boldness in your life, examine your heart and decide whether or not you believe the whole Bible without one doubt. Stephen was willing to lay down his life for the Gospel truth, are you?

Be a Witness for Christ

True, Bible-believing Christians are going to face criticism and persecution more than ever before in this final hour, and the world wants us to compromise. They want us to accept their sinning lifestyles and bless unholy unions to make the Gospel all inclusive. The Gospel of Christ is for all people, but it requires you to repent and leave the world of sin behind.

When Jesus healed a man at the pool of Bethesda, He told him, Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee (John 5:14). When Jesus saved a woman caught in the act of adultery from being stoned to death, He told her, Go, and sin no more (John 8:11). Jesus wouldn’t tell a person to do something they couldn’t do.

That woman didn’t think the Gospel was foolish. She left her sinful life behind to pick up her cross and follow Jesus. She knew the power of God had delivered her and given her eternal life. Those are just two examples of people whose lives were changed when they accepted the delivering power of Jesus Christ.

You can’t control how people will react to the truth. You just have to be ready at any time to deliver it whether it’s to one person or a group of people. The Holy Spirit gets souls ready to receive the truth, and you must never miss an opportunity to deliver it. The Lord has let us know that if we fail, multitudes of souls will be lost. We have a great responsibility. Do you feel the need to help lost souls find Calvary in this final hour?

Paul and Silas Stood for Truth

Paul and Silas knew the responsibility of being witnesses for Christ, and they were willing to go to prison for standing up for truth. One day as Paul and Silas were going out to pray, a damsel who had the spirit of divination began following them and crying out, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation (Acts 16:17).

What that girl was saying was true, but she wasn’t trying to help Paul and Silas win souls for Christ. She had a demonic spirit that was making it appear like she was being used by God when that was not the case. The devil likes to reveal a little bit of truth to draw a person in, and then he enslaves them with his deceit.

Paul and Silas were filled with the Holy Ghost, so they were able to discern that the girl was not of God. Only the Spirit can reveal what is really in a person’s heart, and that’s why it’s important for you to have the Holy Ghost living inside you. He is the one who let Paul and Silas know the damsel was under the control of the devil and that she could only be delivered through the power in the blood of Jesus.

Through that divine power, Paul turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour (Acts 16:18). Paul didn’t speak to the damsel; he spoke to the spirit in her and commanded it to leave. Paul was under the leadership of the Holy Spirit; and he had holy boldness and courage to cast out that demonic spirit because he had confidence in the power of the Gospel of Christ.

I’m sure Paul knew the girl’s masters were not going to be happy with her being set free because she made them a lot of money. In fact, it would have been easier for Paul and Silas to have ignored the girl and just went about their business preaching the Gospel instead of delivering her, but she was a soul. How many demon-possessed souls are being ignored today because people lack the power of the Gospel in their lives to offer them deliverance? Taking your stand for Christ means doing the right thing even though it may be harder on you.

After that girl was delivered, she became useless to her masters; so they went and caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers. And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans (Acts 16:19-21).

The people considered Paul and Silas to be troublemakers, so they rose up against them; and the magistrates commanded them to be beaten. Wicked men laid many stripes on Paul and Silas’ backs and then threw them into prison all because they were willing to do God’s work and deliver that girl.

Be Prepared to Stand

There will always be people who don’t want the truth, and they will rise up and fight you; so you had better be ready. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing (I Peter 3:17). There will be times in your life when you will suffer for doing the right thing. That is when you must hold on to the promises of God and know that He is going to take care of you.

Child of God, would you have remained faithful to Christ if you had known you were going to be beaten and thrown into prison? Paul and Silas were treated like criminals and placed in the innermost part of the prison with their feet in stocks, but they didn’t let that get them down. Instead, they took that opportunity to pray and sing praises to the Lord. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them (Acts 16:25).

How many of the other prisoners thought Paul and Silas were foolish? They were probably scratching their heads thinking, “Those men just got beaten and thrown into prison, so why are they singing?” I am sure the peace, love and anointing that flowed through their voices affected all those who heard them. Paul and Silas knew they had done and were still doing a great work for the Lord. They were not focused on the negative; they were focused on the fact that they had set a soul free.

Persecution Brings Victory

Most people would look at Paul and Silas and think they had had a really bad day, but children of God will know that it was actually a glorious day. When you have the courage to stand for Jesus, you will always have a good day because He will be standing right there with you. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you (Matthew 5:11,12).

At midnight, the praises of Paul and Silas brought an earthquake of power that shook the foundation of the prison so much that all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed (Acts 16:26). When the jailer saw what had happened, he thought the prisoners had fled and was about to kill himself when Paul cried, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here (Acts 16:28).

That affected the jailer so much that he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house (Acts 16:30,31).

The Early Church disciples were willing to lay down their lives for the Gospel. Many of them were fed to hungry lions and others were burned at the stake because they wouldn’t recant their belief in Jesus. I’m sure the world thought they were foolish, but those Christians had experienced the power of the Cross; and they were ready to die for it, are you?

Live Sin Free

So many people in the world today think they can have a relationship with God on their own terms. They don’t think they need to obey the entire Word of God or live a life free from sin, and they think going to church once in a while is good enough. The devil deceives so many into thinking there will be no repercussions for their sin, but that is foolish because judgment day is coming.

The Bible plainly says, He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8). Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil not to preserve them.

The Bible says, Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap (Galatians 6:7). If you sow seeds of sin, you’ll reap a harvest of corruption. If you sow seeds of righteousness, you’ll reap a harvest of eternal life. What kind of seeds are you sowing?

Keep Your Temple Holy

When the Jews wanted Jesus to show them a sign, He said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? (John 2:19,20). Jesus wasn’t talking about a temple made of stone and wood; He was talking about Himself and saying that if they destroyed His body, in three days He would raise it up again.

The Jews limited God’s power and presence to a building made by man, but Jesus brought a new and living way that enables God’s power and presence to dwell in temples of clay. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you (I Corinthians 3:16)?

Just as Jesus referred to His body as a temple, Paul was explaining that our bodies are a temple; and that is why he went on to warn people saying, If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are (I Corinthians 3:17). Do you believe this scripture, or do you think it’s foolish? If you think it’s foolish, and you defile your temple, your body, with the works of the flesh, then you’ll perish.

Some so-called Christians think they can smoke, drink, curse and have sex outside of marriage and still go to Heaven; but that is not the case unless they repent and let the blood of Jesus cleanse their temple. Our temples must be holy because God is holy, and He won’t dwell in an unholy vessel; but some people enjoy the pleasures of sin and don’t want to give it up.

Jesus Did Rise from the Dead

Jesus laid down His life and raised it up again on the third day to prove that He had power over death, sin and the grave; so we have no excuse for sin in our lives. If you want to live holy and free from all sin, you can through the blood of Jesus. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Corinthians 5:17). You can’t be in Christ and still be following the world.

Do you believe Jesus died on the Cross for your sins and rose on the third day? Jesus spoke plainly to the disciples about what was going to happen to Him. Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again (Luke 18:31-33).

Unfortunately, the disciples did not really hear or remember what Jesus had said until after His resurrection had taken place. It even took a while for the disciples to believe that Jesus had actually risen from the dead even though they had seen him raise other people from the dead several times.

The disciples had seen many, great miracles, but they still had a hard time believing Jesus was alive until they saw Him in the flesh. Thomas went so far as to say, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe (John 20:25).

Become a Wise Child of God

There are many people on the Earth today who don’t believe in the Gospel truth, and they are trying to convince others that the Gospel is foolish; but you can’t listen to them. Through the truth, you must convince others not to listen either. Not everyone will accept the true and living way, but all must have an opportunity.

Friend, if you are in the bondage of sin today, simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; and you shall be saved. Say this prayer with me right now: Oh, God, save my soul. Forgive me for my sins. I have come home to serve you for the rest of my life. I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all of my sins. Come into my heart, Jesus. Come on in, Jesus. Amen.

If you meant that prayer, you have Jesus Christ in your heart. Serve Him daily; tell others about Jesus, and be willing to help people in their time of need.

A Miracle for You

Now, let’s get your miracle for you. We’re going to pull down Heaven together for each one of you, so expect God to move in a glorious way. The Bible says, They [believers] shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:18). I’m a believer who is ready to pull down Heaven for all of you.

Raise your hands as a point of contact while I pray. Lord, Heavenly Father, you know the needs of each of these people today. Break their bondages and set them free in the blood name of Jesus. Heal them and let everything come to normal in their bodies. Lord, wrap your loving arms around them and let them receive all you have for them spiritually, physically and financially. Heal! in the holy, blood name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

Friend, look for every sign of improvement and always give God all the praise, the honor and the glory for everything He does in your life. Then tell others so they can come to Jesus and receive too. God bless you today.