ChosenRebel's Blog

Tuesday is for Preaching

The devil will let a man prepare a sermon if that will keep him from preparing himself.

—Vance Havner

Men, it is too easy, to fall for the trap of the evil one. He is a liar, the father of lies, a  deceiver from the beginning, a defiler and confuser of the mind. (John 8:44, Genesis 3:1-7) 

Message preparation is important. Intense, detailed study of the word of God is important (2 Timothy 2:15). Crafting words so that they have penetrating impact and lasting power (Ecclesiastes 12:9-10, Proverbs 15:2) is a worthy work.

But the larger, more important, more powerful preparation is the preparation of our own souls. We need to be men who are trafficking in the truths we preach. We need to be men whose dependence is not on our preparation, our education, or our personality, or our experience but on the work of the Spirit.

• Worthless preaching flows from men who prepare messages but not themselves.

• Worthless preaching flows from men who study hard and neglect holiness.

• Worthless preaching flows from men who craft words for smiles and laughter rather than glory and conviction.

• Worthless preaching flows from men who think more of their profession than their King.

Preach for an audience of One.

If He is our audience, we will spend more time in prayer and have more impact for His glory.