Second letter from a Hotel in Tacoma.

“The power of preaching.”

The power of preaching is not in the eloquence nor is it in the cleverness of the preacher but it is in the Incarnation of what he preaches.

In other words, it is “When a man and his sermon are one and the same thing.”

Oswald Chambers said, “A man is not what he is said to believe but what he really believes.”

Once upon a time several years ago a great man of God in a moment of weakness or a Strength let escape from his lips the following words. “Gerry, pray that I might believe.” His well put together sermons lacked nothing to his audience but his own approval. He seemed to struggle that his sermons had cracks well covered with wax and he was afraid that others might discover the wax of repair in the cracked sermons.

In preaching it boils down to either power from above or only from within.

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6

What kind of spirit governs your mind when you preach?

If in preaching we are seeking the approval of man, this means that we are not seeking the approval of God. The spirit of God that lives within you must believe your own sermons as from God if you want them to believe God.

Remember that Nineveh believed God not Jonah and consequently they repented and were spared from destruction.

If you expect people to believe in God, then you must let God speak through you.

If you’re not proud of Jesus and his gospel, then no amount of garlic or onion will make it tasty enough for salvation.

Do those who have experienced salvation like I did 50 years ago today, know the power of God in the gospel? If so, they cannot be ashamed of it for no other reason but because Jesus said if you’re ashamed of my words before man I’ll be ashamed of you before my father in heaven.

There is a degree of shamelessness in preaching the gospel; it is OK to blush for the sake of Jesus.

Gerry Gutierrez.

PS. Please pray for miracles of restoration and housing.