Nuggets from the Buckeye – By Bill Nichols – Bellefonte, OH

Area Leader Bill Nichols

And Jesus said to them “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs shall follow those that believe. In my name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them, they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.” Mark 16:15-18

As l looked over this stick, l thought about people who have brought in their fancy walking sticks all polished and beautiful to show off their woodworking abilities. Some of them were really beautiful but didn’t have the gospel message with the beads on them. This reminded me of the church with beautiful steeples, stained glass windows, carved seats but the Spirit has departed. What about us? We dress up for Sunday to the 9’s but have no authority over the devil. Like the fancy walking stick, that’s all we are, good looking but powerless in the face of the devil. Are signs following us?

When is the last time we commanded the devil to flee in Jesus name? When is the last time we prayed, so hard the Spirit of God enveloped us? When is the last time we laid hands on someone and the power of God flowed thru our hands and that person was healed? Are we like the fancy stick with no power? Are we like this stick with the Gospel message with the story of salvation and the promise of Resurrection Power? Just a nugget to ponder…