I am obsessed with getting better at my preaching and teaching of the Bible. I am obsessed with reaching more people with the gospel and training them to be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. The gap between where I am in my preaching/teaching skill and where I want to be is huge, like across the Grand Canyon. The size of that gap can discourage a person or motivate them depending on how they talk to themselves about it. My gap is probably greater than most because what I aspire to be is on another planet. My inner image and target of what I aspire to become as a preacher is hugely impacted by the fact that I listen to the best preachers in the world every day. The gap between how I preach now and what I want to preach like someday is huge, but that gap drives me to do what I need to do to get better, always better. Discouragement comes from thinking that I am stuck, that I can’t get better, that I can’t improve, but I know I can if I work at it hard enough. The immensity of the gap also drives me to prayer, always asking, begging, pleading with God to help me, guide me, anoint me so that my preaching is living and active, sharp as a two edged sword, piercing between soul and spirit, judging the thoughts and motives of all those who hear, that it would be as it were, the very utterances of God. Preaching the Word of God is a supernatural event, because when it is done with a gigantic amount of preparation, with the right attitude, with total dependence on God, and with the right motive it changes people’s heart and character to being more like God, permanently, forever.

Colossians 1:28-29 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

By the way, I am preaching through the book of Philippians on Wednesday night at 7:00 pm, come and join us at Jefferson Baptist Church, and I am also teaching a Theology and Doctrines class at 10:15 am on Sunday mornings.