It's Almost Time

The passage has been selected. The word studies have been done and the truths extracted and put on paper. Prayers have been offered for insight and delivery. Now I wait. I wait somewhat impatiently for the next two hours to pass before I will gather to do what I delight to do so much. Teach and preach God's word.

Our Faith family is currently working our way through the book of II Samuel. We spent nearly nine months previously studying the book of I Samuel. I love the challenge of studying verse by verse. God's Word covers such a wide range of topics. It amazes me how timely and applicable the Scriptures are to daily life.

Most of the times I study certain truths make me think of certain people. That happened again this morning. Now I wait eagerly to get to share these truths with the folks who will come. It does not get old. After all these years I still love it. I love the studying. I love the actual teaching and preaching. I love the experience when God's people come into contact with God's Word and God touches their lives. That never gets old. It is one of the reasons I love what God has called and enabled me to do so much.

Some preachers begrudge the fact they have to prepare two or more sermons a week. I jokingly say that sometimes studying for a sermon is like writing a research paper every week. Pastors have to love book work even if their books are now on a computer. Lazy preaches can exit right here because I mentioned the word work. Studying is work. Not work in the sense of contracting a home, building a road, or working at the factory. It is still work.

Bible saturated expository messages do not just happen. Prayers have to be made. Word studies have to be done. Context has to be taken into consideration. Commentaries are often consulted. Research has to be done. I thank God it is work He put in my heart to love to do. I have often written about my love of reading and my love of words.

Yes, preachers can get tired and some sermons will be better than others. Yet the love of study and the passion to share Bible truths should permeate every preacher. I sit here counting down the minutes until I drive to the church and sit behind my music stand to teach life changing eternal truths. I have been doing this for close to 30 years and it still excites me today as much as it ever did.

I wish the people who attended Bible studies in churches all over the nation had such excitement to come learn and hear from the Lord. I wish they came to the church house prayerfully excited about studying God's word. It saddens me that there are so many distractions. There are distractions tonight. Game 2 of the World Series will be played tonight. The second night of the new NBA season starts tonight and several marquee teams are playing their first game on television. The Republic Presidential debate also is tonight. Some of these things are more tantalizing than a Bible study. Not for me.

So I wait. Now an hour and a half before I get to teach. It's almost time and I cannot wait.