Power Of The Gospel

I love my church. I look forward to coming to

church. You guys are special. You really are

special. Part of my desire in my prayer life

is to pray for as many as I can that I know.

And then there's folks that I know the face,

but not the name. But anyway, for what it's worth,

I'm praying for you. Kind of like what the pastor

says, I'll pray for you if you pray for me. And

I want to say thank you to all of you who have

let me know this morning that you have prayed

for me. It really means a lot. It means a lot.

And I don't take it for granted. I've got some

of the dearest friends in this congregation,

just very special friends. So I want to thank

you so very, very much. And I want to say. To

my beautiful wife, thank you for your prayers

and being nervous right along with me. She said,

I was praying for you this morning. I was in

the bedroom praying. And the Spirit of the Lord

fell on me, and I started speaking in tongues.

And that's what I need. So I love her very much.

And 58 years of marriage a couple of weeks ago,

and she married up. So she's really blessed,

and I'm blessed too. And I don't know what to

say thank you to my beautiful daughter, Rebecca.

She brought me up some water a while ago, and

she said, can you use this? I thought, boy, I'll

take a beer. No, I didn't say that. Root beer.

I don't know if you know my daughter or not.

Rebecca, are you here somewhere? All the way

in the back. See that beautiful lady back there

with the glasses on top of her head? Yeah, right

there, that beautiful girl. I tell you, she's

a blessing in our home. We love you very much.

Thank you. Praise God. I am blessed. Again, I

want to say thank you, and you may be seated.

Thank you, Pastor, again this morning for this

privilege I don't take for granted. I am keenly

aware how sober it is when one stands beyond

the sacred desk, whether you're teaching or preaching.

It's an awesome responsibility. And I don't take

this ever lightly. But for the invitation that

you would trust me and allow me to be in this

pulpit, it means a lot. I don't mean to overplay

this too much, but I'm going to tell you, the

pastor has been doing some powerful, powerful

preaching. He really has. I told him after the

message last... week on its temporary, I'd rather

follow Billy Graham to get up here and follow

you next Sunday. But here I am having to follow

this great man of God. By the way, he's so talented.

I don't know if you've seen his paintings or

not, but he paints and they are really good.

I think they're like $300 a piece if you want

to buy one. But they are beautiful. They are

really good. And he said he'll take it. Sure.

And I've offered a few people the opportunity

to preach this morning, even at the last minute.

Brother Strickland turned me down. And Dr. Ritchie

turned me down. He said, I'm going to be at General

Samuel in Orlando. And I told the pastor last

night, it's still not too late. He said, nope,

you're on. So you got me this morning. Again,

I just wonder sometimes. Most of us ministers,

I think, if we're honest, get behind this pulpit

and hope we have it or wonder if we have it.

Of course, we lean on the Lord. Which reminds

me of the little novice, which I feel like this

morning in a monastery, the abbot, that is the

guy that was the supervisor, the guy that's in

charge, called him into his office and he instructed

him. to give the sermon at the next morning's

chapel. But the novice was absolutely struck

with fear. The next morning, the chapel came.

He stood in the pulpit. The brothers were there.

His hands were trembling. His knees were knocking.

His voice was quivering. There was a long pause

before he first spoke, and then he asked the

question, Do you know what I'm going to say?

They had no idea, of course, so all the heads

went back and forth in unison as if it were choreographed.

And he said, neither do I. Let's stand for benediction.

The abbot was angry to say the least. He told

the young novice, since he didn't do what he

was supposed to do, he was going to have to give

that sermon the next morning at chapel. And they

warned the young man. They had better do a proper

job or he was going to face the consequences.

The next day was almost a repeat as he had done

before. All the brothers sat there before him.

His hands shook. His knees knocked. His voice

trembled. Long pause. Do you know what I'm going

to say? Well, after the previous day's experience,

they had a pretty good idea. So they shook their

heads yes. Then there's no need for me to tell

you. Let's stay in the port of benediction. Now

the abbot was angry beyond measure. He brought

the young back in his office and said, you do

that again, and you're going to be in solitary

confinement. You're going to eat bread and water

for 30 days and receive any other punishment

that I can think of. Tomorrow morning, give the

homily and do it right. Well, the third day,

the chapel was packed. It was an all -time high.

Everyone was there to see what he was going to

say. It was almost the exact repeat. He stood

there trembling, hands shaking, voice quivering.

And after a long silence, he asked, do you know

what I'm going to say? Well, after three days,

about half of them had a pretty good idea. And

they nodded their heads yes. The other half noticed

the switch from day to day, so they shook their

heads no. So the novice noticed the confusion

and he said, well, let those who know tell those

who don't. Let's stand to be for the benediction.

It was apparent that he was struggling with that

like I am this morning. Praise the Lord. You

can have this for $3. Would you stand please

for the reading of the word? Look at Romans chapter

Romans 1:14–17

1, verse 14 through 17. I want to speak to you

this morning on the power of the gospel. This

is a familiar portion of scripture. I am debtor,

verse 14, both to the Greeks and to the barbarians.

both to the wise and to the unwise. So as much

as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel

to you that are also at Rome or at Rome also.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

It is a power of God unto salvation to everyone

that believes, to the Jew first and also to the

Greek. Father, we thank you today for this opportunity

that you give us to be in this pulpit. Lord,

I praise you for your anointing, for your spirit,

for your power, for answering prayer, for folks

that have prayed for me but are here this morning.

We come, God, to hear from you. And I believe,

Lord, you have given me the assurance. That I

am in the will of your perfect will this morning

with this message. Based on the songs that I've

heard, you've given me a confirmation. So as

evident, Father, that you want to touch somebody

today, use this Lord vessel. Limited as I am,

I'm keenly aware, Father, of my limitation. And

may as... Jason Baxter said, May I so preach

as never sure to preach again as a dying man

to dying men. Would the Apostle Paul woe be to

me if I preached not the gospel? Lord, today

may you show up in your power. May I stand in

the shadows and the Holy Spirit have the preeminence.

Lord, we want you today. Touch your people. Blessed

by your power. Thank you for your faithfulness.

We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus, and

we'll give you the praise. And everybody said,

amen. You may be seated. The year was 1738, when

in the month of May, a discouraged missionary,

in his words, went, he said, very unwillingly

to a religious meeting in London, England. But

there, a miracle took place. In his journal,

he wrote about 15 to 9, I felt my heart strangely

warmed. I trusted in Christ and him alone for

salvation, and an assurance was given to me that

he had taken away my sin, even mine, and saved

me from the law of sin and death. That missionary

was the great John Wesley. who later founded

the Methodist Church. The message that he heard

that evening from this very passage of scripture

that I've shared with you this morning resulted

in the great Wesleyan revival that swept through

England and in fact transformed thousands upon

thousands of lives. There are many great theological

truths when one reads Paul's epistle to the church

at Rome. but ranking at the very top. And in

fact, the great theme of his entire epistle is

stated in verse 16, where he says, For I am not

ashamed of the gospel, because it's the power

of God, or salvation for everyone that believes.

Paul spoke much and often about the gospel. In

1 Timothy 1 and 11, he called it a glorious gospel.

In 1 Thessalonians 1 and 9, it was a liberating

gospel. In Acts 20 and 24, he talked about the

grace of the gospel. And in Philippians 1 and

5, he spoke of the fellowship of the gospel and

even called it my gospel. In the second chapter

of this epistle, because he knew this gospel

also of all people had touched his life and included

him. But his greatest statement. About the gospel

is again found in our text. When he said for

unto us. Or rather it is the power of God unto

salvation. The greatest statement. It is the

power of God unto salvation. Or in other words

that brings about our salvation. Oh how I thank

God this morning for this great gospel. The word

gospel means good news. And since receiving good

news is one of life's most. delightful experiences.

It's especially true when it's good news that's

coming from God. God's good news is you can be

set free from bondage and the power of sin as

we have sung this morning. God's good news is

you can know without a shadow of a doubt that

you're a child of God. God's good news is the

gospel. We're talking about saving power, the

power of God, keeping power. We're talking about

delivering power, even Holy Ghost power when

one embraces the gospel. Paul said, for I am

not ashamed of the gospel. And what a testimony

this man had. In verse 14, he said, I am debtor.

The treasure committed to him was not for his

own enjoyment. He was aware of that, but that

he might make it known to others, whether Greeks

or barbarians, whether slaves or free men, cultured

or ignorant. He was obligated to share this gospel

with every person. In verse 15, he said, I am

eager. He jumped at the opportunity to preach

this wonderful gospel and preach to every person.

Can you say praise the Lord? Praise the Lord.

Preach the gospel he did to every person that

he could. And in verse 16 it says, I am not ashamed

of this great gospel. Remember this letter as

we read it is going to Rome. Whereas why should

he even be tempted to be ashamed of the gospel

as he contemplated going to the city of Rome?

Well, for one thing, This gospel was identified

with a poor Jewish carpenter who of all things

had been crucified. The Romans had no special

appreciation for the Jews, and crucifixion was

certainly the lowest of all forms of crucifixion

given to criminals. Rome was a proud city, and

the gospel came from Jerusalem, the capital city

of one of the tiniest little nations that Rome

had ever conquered. The Christians in that day

were not among the elite of society. They were

common people. They were slaves, many of them.

Rome had known many of the great philosophers

and philosophies. So why pay attention to a fable

about some Jew who rose from the dead? Then,

too, the Christians looked on each other as brothers

and sisters, they were called, in Christ. They

were one in Christ, which also went against the

grain of Roman pride and dignity. A little Jewish

tent maker going to Rome to preach such a message

was almost laughable. But Paul was not ashamed

of the gospel because he knew its origin. He

knew its author and he knew its power. Oh yes,

there's power in the gospel as we have been singing

this morning. Great power in the gospel. We asked

the apostle Paul, how did he know? How do you

know about this power? He knew it the same way

you and I knew it this morning. First of all,

he knew it because it was found in the Word of

God. The gospel here in verse 1 is in fact called

the gospel of God. If you'll notice in your Bible,

verse 2 is parenthetical and identifies the gospel

with the glad tidings promised in the times of

the Old Testament scriptures. Predicted by prophets

in the Holy Scriptures. In Peter's sermon, you'll

recall the house of Cornelius. He said to him,

give all the prophets witness that through his

name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive

remission of sins. When we read this verse, we

notice two things. That is, the first thing is

the gospel of God. Two things. If you'll notice

in your Bible, verse two is parenthetical. And

again identifies the gospel with the Old Testament.

To him give all the prophets witness. And when

we read this verse again. The gospel is first

of all talked about in the Old Testament. The

gospel secondly is about a person. Timothy had

been taught from a child. These Old Testament

scriptures. And the apostle says these are able

to make thee wise unto salvation. through the

scriptures of the Old Testament, which he said

through faith in Christ Jesus. So when we talk

about the gospel, we're not talking about a new

law. It's not a code of morals or ethics. It's

not simply advice to be followed. Oh, no. It's

a divinely given message concerning a divine

person, and that person is the Lord Jesus Christ,

the very Son of God. He absolutely fills the

entire pages of the Old Testament. Read it, they

did, and hear of Jesus, they did, from those

ancient scriptures. That's what Paul preached.

Genesis 3 and 15, the first book of the Bible,

we are told that he would be from the seed of

a woman. In Genesis 18. He would be the seed

of Abraham. Isaiah prophesied he would be born

of a virgin and to the heir of David. Michael,

as you know, prophesied his birth. The Psalms

tell us of his priesthood and his coming kingdom,

his crucifixion, resurrection, even his millennial

reign. This entire book is about the power of

the gospel, God's gospel. Paul knew the power.

Of the gospel. Because it was in the book. George

Owen had it right. That old Welsh Anglican priest.

When he said. When he made the statement. The

world has many religions. But there is only one

gospel. And thank God this morning. For the gospel

of the Lord Jesus Christ. Would you lift your

hand. And tell him you're thankful for that this

morning. Oh how we thank you Lord. We praise

your name. Secondly he knew. the power of this

gospel from personal experience. Paul knew of

this great power because of what had happened

in his life. Oh, yes, he knew its origin. He

knew its author, the Lord Jesus Christ. He met

him on the road to Damascus. It was an incredible,

radical, glorious transformation. Up to then,

he was everything but a believer, much less a

proclaimer of the gospel. In fact, though ignorantly

to him, he had actually thought against the gospel.

When God struck him down on the dusty road off

of that mule, off of that beast of burden, that

blind and light, God got his attention. He actually

heard the voice of Almighty God, which said,

Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And with

great fear and trembling lips, he asked the question,

who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I'm Jesus,

the one that you are persecuting. In fact, it's

hard to imagine when we read this story, the

kind of hell and havoc this man wrought against

the church of God before his conversion. It appears

that his paramount grievance had to do with the

manner in which this man was Jesus and that they

worship in the manner in which the one they worship

had died. He died on a cross. Now, if anyone

knew the law, it was this man Saul, a Hebrew

of Hebrews, an elite member of the Sanhedrin

council, and he knew Jewish law. He knew Jewish

law, had clearly stated, cursed is everyone that

hangs on a tree. But not only had Jesus died

on a tree, but he died on a despised Roman tree

at that. It was clear to Paul that Jesus had

died with the very curse of God on him. How then

did these blasphemers dare call him the son of

God? And so you talk about a fierce hatred and

a persecution in his spirit to destroy them and

fought against the gospel. He fought against

the gospel. He did. It's mentioned nine times

in the scripture, the habit and the persecution

that he brought against God's people in the early

church. Seven of those times came from the lips

of the apostle Paul himself. Probably his most

comprehensive cyberjury against the church. We

read in Acts chapter 26. When he stood before

Acts 26 · chapter mention

King Agrippa and looked him in the eyes and told

it just like it was, he said, I thought with

myself that I ought to do many things that was

contrary to the name of this man, Jesus of Nazareth,

which things I did, he said, in Jerusalem. And

many of God's people, the saints, born -again

believers, he said, did I shut up in prison,

having received authority from the chief priests.

And listen to what he said. When they were put

to death, I was thrilled and gave my voice against

them. I punished them often. I punished them

in every synagogue, compelled them to blaspheme,

been exceedingly mad against them. I persecuted

them even in the strange and foreign cities.

But oh, something marvelous happened on the Damascus

road. On his way to persecute more Christians,

Dr. Charles Kahn wrote a little book a few years

ago and so beautifully captured this scene when

he said, and I quote, when Jesus spoke to Saul,

he made it clear that it was he whom Saul had

persecuted, that Saul was already suffering in

his conscience because of his cruel deeds. It's

intimated in the statement, it's hard for you

to kick against the bricks. And while Saul lay

on the ground, He was a changed man there. He

saw the magnitude of his sin and that it was

his sin more than, and that his sin rather was

more than equaled by the magnitude of God's love.

Saul not only accepted the fact that Jesus had

died on the cross, but while he lay in the sand,

he died on his cross with the Lord Jesus Christ,

unquote. What a powerful paragraph. And that's

the reason we hear him later proclaim to the

churches of Galatia, I am not ashamed, or rather

I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live,

yet not I, but Christ lives in me. The life that

I'm living now, I live by the faith. I live in

the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of

God, the one that loved me and gave himself for

me. Hallelujah. Now, ever since his incredible

conversion, All that energy, all that drive,

all that passion he had put into fighting against

the gospel, he now used to fight for the gospel.

No wonder he boldly proclaimed in our text, I

am not ashamed of the gospel. It's the power

of God and the salvation. He had met him. He

had surrendered to him. His heart was changed.

His life was changed. He was a different man.

He was a child of God. He was called now to share

that great gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and

preach it. He did everywhere he went, and God

gave signs and wonders following. We're talking

about the power of the gospel. Would you give

him another hand this morning? He is so worthy.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Glory to his

wonderful name. How did Paul know about this

power? Because it was clearly proclaimed in the

Old Testament. He knew it by his experience,

radical change on the domestic road. Thirdly,

he knew it about it. He knew about this gospel

because he witnessed firsthand time and time

again. As we sang this morning, it's wonder working

power. It had been demonstratively proven to

be the divine dynamic that brings deliverance

to any and all who will dare put their faith

into it. Paul discovered it was the power of

God and the wisdom of God unto salvation. It

brought salvation to the whole man, body, mind,

soul, and spirit. He said in 1 Thessalonians

1 and 5, for our gospel came not unto you in

word only, but also in power. and in the Holy

Ghost, and in much assurance. You see, something

wonderful happens. Pastor Cliff gets up Sunday

after Sunday and preaches this blessed gospel.

And how many times have we witnessed it? The

Holy Ghost comes down. He makes his presence.

He makes his presence in our church. A presence

that a Holy Ghost brings makes the preaching

effective. The gospel is not just factual. It

is effectual. It's not merely a document. It's

dynamic. It's not just verbal communication.

It's Holy Ghost anointed communication. Can you

say praise the Lord? Oh, hallelujah. Praise God.

He said to the Corinthian people, and my speech

and my preaching was not with enticing words

of man's wisdom, but I came in a demonstration

of the spirit and of power. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Praise God. I don't know about you, but I'm so

glad. Pastor, I'm up in the gospel. Amen. Baptized

in the Holy Ghost. I've seen God move, and I

wouldn't change it for anything. Glory to his

wonderful name. Help us, Lord. Everywhere he

went, he preached the gospel. And everywhere

he went, the power of the gospel was manifested.

Scores turned to Jesus Christ. Healings took

place. Demons were cast out. In fact, even the

dead was raised back to life. We read where the

gospel was so powerful that they said of the

missionary team, those that have turned the world

upside down, they've come here also. Now, please

hear me this morning. When Jesus himself preached,

the power of the gospel went into effect. Folks

were set free from sin. Healings took place.

Miracles followed. And when he called the 12

disciples, they too preached the gospel. They

witnessed the power of the gospel. Folks were

delivered. Folks were set free by the power of

the gospel. Demons were cast out. And since the

day of Pentecost. This has always been the pattern

from the early church fathers right up to today

in which I'm standing behind this pulpit. We

look back at the record, men like Jonathan Edwards,

D .L. Moody, Charles Finney, more recently Smith

Wigglesworth, Billy Graham, and Franklin Graham,

and on and on we could go. But I want to tell

you this morning, I personally have witnessed

the power of the gospel. In my day, under various

ministers in my own family, I come from a church

of God family, and I thank God for it. I know

what it is to see the anointing, and so do you,

most of you. We know what the real power of God

is. We know what makes the difference when somebody

sings under the anointing and teaches under the

anointing and preaches under the anointing. It

is the power of the gospel. It's the Holy Ghost,

my friend, and that's why we worship. him and

can say with Paul, I'm not ashamed of the power

of the gospel. Give the Lord a handcup of praise.

Thank you, Father. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Not long ago, Phil Morris wrote a book of the

history of the church of God in Delmarva on the

eastern shore. My grandfather is in that book.

Pits a little tent on the little island of Chingateague,

Virginia. On the island of Singatink, Virginia,

there was no such thing as a church of God. Pentecost

was certainly new, but he preached the gospel

pitch that preached every night. And every night,

I'm told, and Bill Morris writes about the history,

the altars filled up, and folks were set free.

They were healed. They were delivered. They were

baptized in the Holy Ghost. And today, while

I preach, there's a beautiful, large congregation

of believers on Singatink Island. Can somebody

dare to preach the gospel? gospel of Jesus Christ.

And on a side note, Dr. Raymond Crowley came

into the church of God and was baptized in the

holiness on Shigetick Island. There's power in

the gospel. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

And then I think of my own feeble, limited ministry.

But can I tell you with my simple preaching,

I too many, many times, Have you witnessed the

power of the gospel? Healing power, delivering

power, transforming power. Every preacher in

this congregation knows what I'm talking about

because you felt it too. You spoke with the anointing.

You spoke under the power of God. You preached

the gospel. You could tell your story and how

powerful that story is many, many times as a

young evangelist. Matter of fact, right in Woodbridge,

Virginia, I never figured a young man that...

God marvelously delivered from this chain -smoking

addiction. Now, he prayed for him, and he was

set free. I forgot about it. A year later, he

came back, and he said, remember me. He was still

free. He whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

Hallelujah. That's the power of the gospel. Oh,

yes, it is. Oh, yes, it is. Praise the Lord.

In a revival in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, I remember

an elderly, an old man. He was healed by the

power. He couldn't hear very well. One ear could

totally deaf. And I prayed for him. The next

night he came back. He said, I've got to testify.

The pastor let him testify. He said, for the

first time in 20 years, I heard the plant whistle

yesterday. God healed my ear. Oh, we're talking

about the power of the gospel. In a revival in

Bangor, Maine, Don Littlefield, he said he got

up one night in that revival. He said tonight,

I know I've been sanctified in that service.

And God knows he needed it. Today, he's a Church

of God Pentecostal preacher. He's held me meetings.

I'm telling you there's power in the gospel.

My cousin's wife, Missy Abbott. I counted in

my office. She was having some issues, suffering

with a severe stomach pain and ate up with fear.

After preaching one Sunday night while I was

going back and forth, the altars were filled.

The Holy Spirit nudged me, spoke and said, lay

your hands on her. I went over and laid my hands

on her. And she fell out under the power. And

she stood up and testified that night and said,

tonight I felt the healing power of God. It went

all through my body. He has healed me of my fear.

Can you say praise the Lord? But now I ask you,

I ask you this morning, what do you think of

this power? Hear me when I tell you there is

still power in this gospel for you. As Sister

Sandy shared this morning, it's power for you

for whatever you need, whatever your needs are.

I'm telling you the power of this gospel sets

the alcoholic free. It sets the chain moker free.

It sets the cusser free. It sets the sexually

addicted free. It sets the pornographer free.

It sets the homosexual free. It sets the bisexual

free. Even those bound. confused transgender.

It sets them free. He said in 1 Corinthians 6

and 11, and such were some of you, but now you

are washed, you are sanctified, you are justified

in the name of Jesus Christ by the Spirit of

God. He has set you free, praise the Lord. Oh,

glory to God. Thank God for the gospel. I'm not

ashamed of the gospel. Glory, glory, glory. Thank

you, Lord. Hallelujah, hallelujah. He can restore

marriages. He can heal depression. He can heal

any type of issue that you're dealing with this

morning. By simply accepting and believing the

gospel. I look at this congregation this morning.

It would be wonderful to hear your testimony.

It would be wonderful to hear your testimony.

What the songwriter said, that's what I used

to be. If you could have seen me from what I

was to what I am now, you wonder why I love him

so. I'll tell you what, friend, when you've been

set free, you'll love him. Praise God. Hallelujah.

Praise the Lord. There's power in the gospel,

power in the blood. We sang it this morning.

This wonderful, wonderful gospel. Power in this

great gospel. Listen to me. The greatest aspect

of this great gospel surely is power to save.

For the power of God, he said, is unto salvation.

Again in Hebrews 7 and 25, wherefore he is able,

don't you love it, to save unto the uttermost

them that are come to God by Christ. I look back

over the years. People that I've known, I look

at their testimonies. It's all what God did.

I think of Arnold Carroll. Some of you pastors

know Arnold Carroll. That was our general overseer

for a while until he died of a heart attack.

And God took him home in a revival in the little

town where I was from. That is the Eastern Shore,

rather, camp meeting. He preached in one of those

night service. The guy's name was Jack Jefferson.

You talk about a brawler and a drunkard. Had

married my cousin and about to beat her half

to death. Pastor got a call one night. Said,

you better call the police or get over here.

He's going to kill you. this woman, but in that

camp meeting, Jack Jefferson dared to go to the

camp meeting, and the Holy Ghost got a hold of

him, and lo and behold, he got up out of his

seat and made his way down to an altar, and God

gloriously saved and delivered him from the power

of sin. I think of Sue Fairbanks along in the

high school. They called her a slut. She was

bad, and you name it, and she did it, but that's

all Sue Fairbanks knew. She was a cusser. And

she was a little raw. And she was just not a

very good person. In a revival, God got a hold

of Sue Fairbanks. Do you remember T .L. Moreland?

T .L. Moreland, Brother Ron knows her, that pointy

nose. Somebody asked you how he got that big

pointy nose. He said, by keeping it out of other

people's business. 86 years old, he preached

the revival. Sue Fairbanks came down and gave

her heart to Christ. I think of Journey Owens.

I played football with Journey Owens. He'd fight

to drop a hat, and he'd drop the hat. I'm going

to tell you, he was mean. And Journey Owens,

Ernie Joins, he was quite a guy. God got a hold

of him. The gospel was preached. It changed his

life. Today, he's a father. He's a man of God.

He works in his church. I'm talking about the

power of God. the gospel. Hallelujah, hallelujah.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Wonderful,

wonderful Lord. I ask you, what do you think

of the power of this great gospel? I'm told millions

have expressed their amazement, utter amazement.

Look what it did for me, the power of the gospel.

I repeat the question, what do you think of this

great gospel? I ask some of the songwriters of

old, and I hear their answers. John Newton, what

do you think of the power of this great gospel?

I hear him as he shouts out, amazing grace, how

sweet the sound. It saved a wretch like me. I

once was blind, now I'm pound. I was blind, but

now I see. I asked William Cowper, you've lived

with depression and despair. You've tried to

kill yourself numbers of times. What do you think

of the power of this great gospel? And he answers

back, there is a fountain filled with blood drawn

from Emmanuel's veins. And sinners punished beneath

that blood lose all their guilty stains. I asked

John Wesley, Charles Wesley, what do you think

of the power of this gospel? And with heathen

breath and joy down deep in his soul, he begins

to sing, Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy

bosom fly. While the nearest water roll, while

the tempest still is high, hide me, O my Savior,

till the storm is past. Safe into the haven,

God, O receive my soul at last. Finally, I think.

of Fannie Crosby. I shout aloud to Fannie Crosby.

You have been blind all of your life. You couldn't

enjoy the beauty of a sunrise or the glory of

a flower. You couldn't see the faces of your

loved ones. You have been deprived so much. What

do you think of the power behind this gospel?

As she speaks the words of her immortal hymn,

her face glowing with an inward joy, she recites

one more time for us. Blessed assurance, Jesus

is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.

Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of the

Spirit. I'm washed in the blood. Perfect submission,

perfect delight. Visions of rapture now burst

on my sight. Angels descend and bring from above

echoes. of mercy, whispers of love. Can you say

praise the Lord? Ask me what do I think of the

gospel? What do I think of the gospel? I was

shackled by a heavy burden. Neat the load of

sin. We know that story. Then the hand of Jesus

touched me. Now I am no longer in sin, something

like that. He touched me. How many remember?

Oh, did he touch me. I'm telling you, he touched

me and set me free from the power of sin. I think

I was 14 years old when I went to the Church

of God youth camp in Simpsonville, Maryland.

I wanted to be a Christian. I didn't think I

could live it, but I didn't want to start and

end up not doing it. I was miserable, but I wanted

to be saved. And I said, God, I want to give

my heart to you, but I want to know that I know

that I know you have saved me. I don't know what

the preacher preached. I just know when the altar

call was given as a teenager. Amen. Brother Donnie,

I went down to that Simpsonville camp meeting

where your dad preached. God knows how many camp

meetings. It was the overseer there. But anyway.

I went down to that altar, and that was in my

heart. I want to know that I'm a Christian. And

Ken Walsh was on one side. I think his sister's

here this morning. And Crabb was on one side.

Steve Doherty was on the other side. They knelt

with me. And my uncle came over and ministered.

And he said, what do you need? I said, I want

to be saved. He said, well, just say this simple

prayer and mean it. Boy, did I mean it. It was

a very simple prayer. And the last thing he said

was, Jesus, come into my heart. When I said,

Jesus, come into my heart, I'm telling you, Jesus

came in. Oh, yes, he did. I felt the burden of

sin roll away. Somebody reached down inside.

I felt it go. He reached down. He poured it right

out. praise God. I knew that I knew there is

power in the gospel to save any sinner that will

come to Jesus Christ. I'm not ashamed of the

gospel. It's the power of God unto salvation.

God help us to proclaim it and preach it and

preach it straight like our pastor does every

Sunday. Thank God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. In

closing. And I tell you, you and I in this service

are under the influence of the Holy Ghost. He's

in our midst and the power of the gospel. He

knew you'd be here. He knew eons ago the pastor,

for whatever reason, would ask me to get in this

pulpit and preach this message. And though I've

tried to get out of it a half a dozen times,

but he knew you'd be here. I'm telling you this

morning, we are needy people. But I have preached

the gospel. The gospel is preached every Sunday.

The good news is you can be set free this morning.

Listen, you can be delivered. You can be healed.

You can be baptized in the Holy Ghost. You can

get a miracle. It's the power of the gospel.

Why? It's the gospel of God. Can you say praise

the Lord? All right, then how can I receive the

touch I need this morning? I'll tell you how.

The same way everyone else received it. By faith.

For it is the power of God. Listen. He said to

everyone that believeth. Would you stand? We're

going to have opportunity to come and pray. Thank

you for your help with the instruments. For in

the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed,

a righteousness that is by faith from first to

last. He says in verse 17, just as it is written,

the Old Testament, Habakkuk, the just shall live

by faith. Jesus said, if you can believe, all

things are possible unto him that believeth.

So I'm going to deal with the pastor. always

invites us to do. That is to say, these altars

are open this morning. So I would be remiss to

fail to invite you to come. And can I humbly

ask every retired minister, along with the pastor,

those that might come this morning, you know

what to do. We know what to do. We stand behind

those people who hear the gospel and need a touch

from God. We don't need to leave the same way

we came. The Bible says in Jesus' name. How many

believe that? Would you lift your hand to heaven

and just love him for a few moments? Would you

invite his presence, his Holy Spirit to come?

Lord, we've come today. To receive from you.

We're hungry, needy people. Maybe there's someone

that needs salvation. He doesn't, she doesn't

need to die and go to hell. Where without end,

the fire is not quenched, the worms die not.

You're here this morning to bring them into the

fold, to set them free. Let them know that they

know they're children of God. We don't need to

leave this morning bound. When the power of the

Holy Ghost is among us with Spirit -filled preachers,

Spirit -filled laymen, we don't need to leave

this morning without a touch of God for whatever

we need. Thank God for men and women who will

step out of their seat and be bold enough to

say, I need a touch from God. I'm coming this

morning. I'm going to tell you something else

this morning, church. You can receive the baptism

in the Holy Ghost. You have not because you ask

not. So many of us without the Holy Ghost and

we are not asking God. This is not meant to be

an indictment. It's meant to be a plea and to

encourage you to receive what God has for you.

Therein lies the power in preaching and sharing

the gospel. So the gift is for you. It's a gift

for you this morning. And we come believing and

praying and receiving by faith anything we get

from God. It's by faith. Just pray quickly while

every head is bowed. If you're here this morning

and you're not saved, please don't look around.

Just would you say a little prayer? Would you

slip up your hand and say, Preacher, I'm not

saved, but I want to be. I don't want to go to

hell. I don't have any guarantee of tomorrow.

I need Jesus. God bless you. Anybody else? You

know anybody Jesus called? Billy Graham said

he called publicly. Hey, my friend, if you'll

come, he'll save you, but you got to come. While

hands are bowed, I'm going to ask you to come.

Just step out of your seat and come to the altar

and ask Jesus to come in. It's a simple prayer.

And watch what God would do. While they sing,

I'm going to invite you to come. Come on, if

you're lost this morning. That's right. God bless

you. God bless you this morning. Amen. Amen.

Amen. Come on. Come on, folks. Would you come,

please? You raise your hand. I'm begging you

in the name of Jesus because he wants to write

your book, your name in the land's book of life.

Would you come? Would you come? God bless you.

Amen. Any needs you have, okay, I'm opening it

up. Any needs you have, would you come? I need

a healing. I need deliverance. I need a miracle

in my family. God bless you. God bless you as

you come. Sing for us. Praise God. Praise God.

Praise God.