Greatest compliments ever!

In all of my years in the ministry I have received many compliments and nice things said from a lot of people. When I was young and starting out it really went to my head. I thought I was something when after the first time I preached some dear old lady came up to me after the service and told me "that was the best preaching I've had heard in years." Boy, I thought I was really something. I was ready to load my car down with tapes and hit the road as an Evangelist! It's a wonder I could even get my head through the double front doors of the church.

It didn't take long for the LORD to knock me down a few hundred notches and flat on my face. It was a rough way down but thank God He not only brought me down but He grabbed me by the hand and lifted me back up enough to get on my feet. Ever since then, I don't see things the same way. Nowadays when people tell me I did a good job I just smile and say thank you and let it go in one ear and right back out the other and give God the credit for anything good that may have came out of it. I'm sure people mean well and most are probably trying to encourage me and I do appreciate the encouragement, after all, we are supposed to lift up and encourage our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. But I don't let it influence my thinking anymore.

If you have ever listened to any of my messages, from the past 3 years or so, you will find that I now preach expository style. I believe that is the way the Lord intended for preachers to preach; "precept upon precept, line upon line." I've not always preached that way, I used to preach mainly topical sermons but once I really got into the Bible and became a serious student of the Word, God illuminated the Scriptures. I discovered how the Holy Spirit can work through just the preaching of the Word. Many preachers brag about preaching the Word but in all reality they are really preaching their own ideas and thoughts and not much of the Word. I would rather hear a man preach one verse of Bible Scripture and expound upon it than to hear someone spit, scream, yell, hack, sweat, stomp, and snort their way around the pulpit and say absolutely nothing. Oh sure, those hackers are fun to watch and are good entertainment but for someone that is really interested in hearing from God, they want to hear the Bible preached.  

Having said all of that, I want to tell you about something that has been happening lately. I'm not taking credit for any of it but rather want to give God the honor and glory for it all. Just in the past few weeks I have had 4 different people come up to me after the service and tell me that they are actually learning things from the Bible through my preaching. They are actually learning what God's Word says! All I can say is Hallelujah! Instead of learning some man's thoughts or some man's preferences as to whether he thinks "women ought to wear britches to church" or if "a man ought to have an earring" or not. They are actually hearing what God says through expository preaching of the Word! Do you know what that means to me? That means that people are finally receiving from church what the whole purpose of church is for; equipping the saints and edification. Friends, church is for the saved, not the unsaved. Sure we often see God work in the church service to bring lost sinners to Christ but that is just a great bi-product of the church. The New Testament church that began in the Book of Acts was a local baptized body of BELIEVERS. That is what it is still meant for today. It is so the church body can come together to learn and be equipped to go out and fulfill the Great Commission.

I could go on forever talking about this because I am so excited about it and all I have to do in it is be a willing servant to stand and preach the truths from God's Word. I don't have to "work up" some sermon because as long as you preach the Bible you never have to "work up" anything. All that's required is a whole lot of praying, studying, and obedience; the Holy Spirit does the rest! Well, I'm going to get off of here. I realize it's been a while since I've written anything on my blogs. I've just been super busy. I really don't have time to sit here tonight and write because I'm in the middle of another Seminary course and need to get it finished. So, until next time, preach the Word, keep the faith, and pray without ceasing!