dependence

I heard few preachers in my life as a Christian who introduced the importance of their sermon by announcing their efforts and the many hours of research they spent in the preparation of their message. After listening, however, we were like dogs on famine mood — learning nothing (no real spiritual encouragement and revival) from the so-called “message from God.” We all need the power of the Holy Spirit, taught the Holy Scriptures, before we can be effective witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ. The temptation of most public speakers, they be pastors or not, is to deliver a discourse that is acceptable and pleasing to the ears of their listeners, both politically correct and worthy of the audience’s hurrahs. Witnessing for Christ Jesus, however, is a field requiring Christ’s assistance through the Holy Spirit. It is the only proven method to make the poor and unschooled Peter to become an Apostle, preacher, and one of the writers of the New Testament. It was clearly taught in Acts 1:8: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” One research shows, for example, that hundreds of the descendants of the man of God, Jonathan Edwards, also became preachers and workers of the Lord’s Church. The Spirit-filled witnesses of Christ have impacted real Christianity for thousands of years more than the PowerPoint and Internet-assisted Bible scholars and authors of Christian books of today’s generation.