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In the Image of Christ
Colossians 3:8-11

“The Power of God?”

   “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 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. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” 1 Cor. 1:17-24   
   
   Nowadays it is common to hear people talk about the power of God. Many people testify of how the power of God has healed them of some sickness or blessed them with financial wealth, or caused them to speak in tongues. Today many so-called faith healers boldly proclaim that they have been anointed with power from on high. They display so-called healings and other signs and (lying) wonders to make people believe they’ve been anointed by God’s mighty power. Many of them claim that Jesus manifests Himself bodily in their presence and instructs them of His will. It is amazing the stunts that these charlatans come up with to deceive people into believing that they are anointed with the power of God. In fact, like showmen or entertainers, they keep trying to outdo each other in their rise to fame and power. One man blows his breath at people and they fall over backwards as if knocked out by some power or force. They call this stunt being slain in the Spirit, which by the way, is something you never see in the Scriptures. Is this man really anointed with the power of God, or does he just have a case of really bad breath? Another man claims it was a 900-foot tall Jesus that spoke with him, apparently the manifestation of a normal size Jesus was too common and unspectacular. It doesn’t take long nowadays for a new signs and wonders fad to come along and take the spotlight and center stage, and as time goes on they are getting stranger and stranger.
   Dear friends, the power of God is not a circus sideshow as it is so commonly portrayed today. It is not signs and wonders as many of today’s swindlers want you to believe. The true power of God is displayed in the preaching of the cross and seeing lost souls saved from the wrath of God and inheriting eternal life, as the above texts points out. I’m amazed when I watch some of the signs and wonders performers today; their focus is on health, wealth and the signs and wonders that they claim God does through them, and yet you hardly ever see them focus on the gospel. They have huge audiences coming to them seeking a sign, or healing, or to watch them perform their tricks. It has become a form of “Christian entertainment.” Jesus Himself warned against such things in the book of Matthew:

   “Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of  the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”  (Matt. 12:38-40).

   Jesus said it was an evil and adulterous generation, not a righteous and godly one that sought after signs. What’s so amazing in this verse is that the only sign that Jesus was going to give them was the sign of Jonas who was in the belly of a great fish for three days and nights, which was a figure of the Lord’s burial in the heart of the earth. Jesus was pointing them to His sacrificial death, burial and resurrection by this figure. The only sign Jesus was going to give them was the gospel. Our passage from 1 Cor. 1 above says that the Jews require a sign and that the cross was a stumbling block for them. How sad it is that these people missed out on the gospel that could save their souls because their focus was on signs and wonders instead of Jesus Christ and the cross.
   Those who are seeking after signs thinking that the signs are the power of God are deceiving themselves. The Bible warns about a man that will deceive most of the world by his power, signs and lying wonders, in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2:

   “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess. 2:8-10).

   This man will be the antichrist, and he will use signs and wonders to deceive the people of the world. Those who think that signs and wonders are the way God manifest His power will easily be deceived by the antichrist who is possessed by Satan himself. In fact, the antichrist will proclaim himself to be God, and most of the world will worship him as such. It’s no wonder then that Jesus said it was an evil and adulterous generation that sought after a sign.
   Remember, the true display of God’s power is the preaching of the gospel which has the power to save those who believe. The apostle Paul knew the true power of God and made it clear in 1 Cor. 1:17-24. He wrote the same thing to the Romans:

   “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).

   Dear friend, the only way to experience the true power of God in your life is by repenting of your sins and believing the gospel. Even if these so-called faith healers could make you healthy and wealthy someday, you are still going to die and meet your Creator, who will judge you (Heb. 9:27).  If you have repented of your old sinful ways of life and believed the preaching of the cross of Jesus, you will inherit eternal life. If the cross is a stumbling block to you and your life has never been transformed by the saving power of the cross of Jesus Christ, you will be damned and experience the second death, which is to be thrown into the lake of fire, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth for all eternity (Rev. 20:11-15).  Allow me to give you some sound advice, call on the Name of the Lord Jesus while there’s still time to be saved (Rom. 10:9-13). Don’t put it off another day, by then it might be to late (2 Cor. 6:2).

Visit our web site for more articles and information at  http://home.wmis.net/~pilgrim

Amen. The true power of God is seen when the Word of God and God the Holy Spirit work jointly to bring about the new birth through the Gospel -- the saving power of God.  This does not come *by observation*, since the *kingdom of God is within you* and is like the wind which can be heard but not seen (Jn. 3:8). Further, His power is seen when the Lord transforms a vile sinner into the image of Himself, as evidenced by the apostle Paul himself.

In this connection, it is important to note how God communicates with His saints and servants, through the incident with Elijah (1 Kings 19:11-13). God was not in the gale force wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but was *A STILL SMALL VOICE* (v.12).  Do we hear Him, because that's how the Lord speaks today?

Today the only signs and lying wonders are from the adversary and deceiver, and *seducers shall wax worse and worse*.

Amen Pilgrim






   “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).
 

Michael, are you Oral Roberts or Benny Hinn?  ;D

WOW! Your rhetoric is not sublime to say the least. "Denominational dingy heads", is a horse of another color.

There are probably sincere searchers of God among the so called "dingy heads". Let us love all men as much as is possible and reveal the truth in love.  

Michael, Kenneth Hagin?  ;D

Kenneth Copeland?  ;D

Now I know your Rev Moon  ;D

Aren't all Christians in Christ's church?

Michael, Michael,Michael  ;D  

Matthew 16:18
Colossians 1:18
Acts 2:47

i'm confused here.
are you saying that those that believe in the power of God to heal are only seeking signs and wonders.
how can this be?
Jesus said himself with faith you can move that mountain, did he mean only for a certain time.
for what is impossible with man is possible with God
we have in our society many who claim to know God and use lying signs and wonders to decieve.
are all who speak in toungues false prophets?
help me to understand this.
 

Your Little Richard, Right????????   ;D

WHAT IS THIS??!

You seem somewhat confused. I hope you are alright. Do not worry; God loves everyone and would have all men to be saved. There is hope for all, but not all will heed the call. Let us come together in the greater love that Christ displayed for His friends and one can be His friend by obeying Him.

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?    

Your posts reflect resentment and what seem to be hatred. Perhaps you don't intend that, but that is how they come across.


A Christian does not go to church, a Christian is a member of the church. A Christian goes to the assemblies of the church.

You pronounce mighty heavy judgements on individuals. Are you prepared to receive the same heavy judgements when the Lord comes? The true biggot will then answer to the true judge.

Take off the blinders and read others and do not just hear yourself.


You are forgiven! Now lighten up and cool down and give us some old time gospel talk.

If I have wounded any soul today,
If I have caused one foot to go astray,
If I have walked in my own willful way,
Dear Lord forgive!

DITTO  ;D

Michael,

Quote from Michael, “Nothing in Gods word has changed, there is absolutely no credible Biblical evidence to in anyway adequately support, or defend the theory of eternal security, if a person sins that sin immediatekly seperates that individual from God, and their salvation has been forfeited!”

Michael, seeing that you are asking for others to forgive you, is that an admission that you sinned against them? If so according to your above Quote have you lost your salvation? Michael, how many times have you lost your salvation as a result of sin? Are you still claiming that you are without sin? Have you repented of your sin against others? Are you aware that in order for others to forgive you that you must repent of your sin against them?

Luke 7:3 “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”

Notice it says IF he repents forgive him.


God bless,
Pilgrim

Jesus said that in the last days they will sayy lo here is Christ and there is Christ but we are not to go after them.
For Christ means ANOINTED.
and the annointing is on the WORD of God.
and by so chasing after the SIGNS which FOLOW the Word rather than STAND on the Word.
The WORD is LOST for teh signs.
perhaps thats another part of they ahve LEFT thier first love?

The DOVE sent out by Noah never came back because it had found a place of REST.
The Holy Spirit descended as a dove on Christ and their it RESTS forever.

Healing and deliverence (which is "the childrens bread") comes by the  SAME means as SALAVTION does.
the PREACHING of the WORD.
and ones response to it.
health and 'prosperity' comes by a LIFE LIVED FOR CHRIST and the KINGDOM not by a magic wand.
The propserity is as "our SOUL prospers" not regardless of it. and then is it thjat outr flesh may be satisfied and what we WANT?
dID NOT THE CHILDREN OF isreal HAD by Gods hand ALL that they NEEDED?
Yet wanted MORE and MEAT to satisfy thier carnal desires.
Rather than the BREAD OF HEAVEN.
So God gave them what they WANTED but then LOST what they NEEDED.
fOR IN THE SATISFACTION of the FLESH God gave them "LEANNESS in their SOULS"
prosperity then is acording to our NEED not what we WANT. AND "ALL those other things we are in need of ARE added unto us AS AND WHEN we are seekign first the kingdom of God and HIS rightouisness" THEN are they added so thatw e might be ENABLED to FULFILL not OUR will BUT Gods! and th kingdom.
is it not written of some that "they make MERCHANDISE of Gods people"?

Truly the POWER of God is the cross.
But rather than be crucyfied WITH Christ the propensity is to live for time.
It is as we are CONFORMED UNTO HIS DEATH do we know the the POWER of His resurection.

Amen! geralduk.