[I'm back from that cruise and picking up again where I left off] 

After Jesus gave parting words to His disciples like: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel...”, we are told they “went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” (Mark 16:15,20)

God has no interest or desire in confirming false gospels. And friends... there are an awful lot of them out there today.

In fact, sadly enough...people had to start writing books explaining why God no longer uses ‘signs and wonders’ to confirm the gospel they happen to be preaching. It never looks good when things don’t ‘work the way they are supposed to work’ so in order to save face, we have to make up reasons why that happens (or didn’t happen). Hence, the thick books filled with men’s theology and man-made doctrines. Need I remind us all “...let God be true and every man a liar”. (Rom. 3:4)

Confused? Maybe going back and re-examining the word again will help clear things up. Did Paul not warn that a day would come when folks might be easily deceived and led astray (in the same manner in which Eve was deceived) by ‘receiving another gospel’ after hearing ‘another Jesus’ preached? He even warned that one might ‘receive another spirit’ as well. (2 Cor. 11:3-4). And if there is any doubt as to who might be behind that, then just read further down in that same chapter and underline vs. 14-15, and then flip back to Matt. 7:15-20.

Did Paul not sound serious when he admonished if they or ‘even an angel from heaven came and preached any other gospel to us than what was first preached... to let them be accursed’? Why did he write that? Because folks were quickly ‘turning away to another gospel’, even back in his day. (Gal. 1:6-9)

I find it interesting the wording used, in English translations, at least, where Jesus references “this gospel” being preached, as if there might be others out there. (Matt. 24:14; 26:13 Mark 14:9)

Let us never forget that the gospel which Paul preached was not diluted or reduced to nothing more than flowery words that made folks feel good...promising the hearers of a better day coming if they just believed. Nor was his presentation filled with lofty words of intellect to impress folks wrapped up in men’s wisdom and reasoning. According to Jesus, His gospel was hid from such minds.(Luke 10:21). No...Paul reminds us that the gospel he preached came in the ‘demonstration of the Spirit and of power so that our faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God’. (1 Cor. 24-5). And what did we see Jesus constantly doing after He preached His gospel? He would then heal many (if not all) those who were sickly and afflicted with diseases along with setting many captives free of demonic oppression and torment.

Is it possible the reason we fail to see the demonstration of God’s power confirming the gospel preached today is primarily because we’re not hearing the same gospel Jesus came preaching?

Let’s be honest here- If you go out and purchase a brand new car and then it fails to start when you push the button (or turn the key), are you going to be satisfied if the salesman tells you that is normal and those days when cars started up with power are no longer for us? So just sit in your driveway and enjoy pretending you are driving. Folks...guess what church for many has become?