When you are preaching on subjects that could only be appealing to a child of God, then there are some that are not going to listen, no matter how something is said. However, if your preaching or thinking is appealing to children of God (since we still carry this corrupt man around) and the non-elect, then your base to draw from is larger than the first scenario.

It is really no wonder why the Lord's true church is small in number (when compared to the other groups out in the world). The truth of God's Word requires that we lay some things aside. One of the first things that we are required to lay aside is our pride in thinking. We still need to think, but we need to be thinking, looking, walking, and finding by faith and not by sight. This requires effort and concentration of will with much fervent prayer. The road is difficult and the job never complete.  

The only final rest that we receive is when this old man is laid aside in death. However, when walking by faith, miracles can be easy to accept while still impossible to explain. Can anyone explain how 5 loaves and 2 fishes can feed 5000 men (perhaps about 12,000 people) and still have more left over than when you started?  It cannot be done with man's reasoning. There are Gnostics that claim that the people present had food, and they ate theirs when Christ brought out the loaves and fishes. Then, how come they continue following Him looking for another meal? Preposterous thinking! Can anyone explain how Lazarus was raised up from the grave after being dead for four days? Can anyone explain how Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were spared from the burning fiery furnace or Daniel from the den of lions? The lions were obviously hungry, and the fire was definitely hot. Most surely, Lazarus stank after four days in the grave.  

There are so many more in the Bible, but the common answer to all of these questions is that it is the power of God. How does He do it? Many times He does not tell us. Occasionally, He will tell us as when one of His angels went and stopped the mouths of the lions, but many times we are not told the EXACT method by which He accomplished His purpose. Therefore, our faith is the only thing that will answer our question. It is the power of God. It is in His hands. That is enough for me, and anything else would be knowledge too wonderful for me that I am unable to utter while on this earth.

In Hope,

Bro Philip