»Prayer is the Key!

I still believe prayer works.
I believe it still does.

In preparation of the message for this Sunday, I felt like I could not get it on paper... I always use notes to guide me when I teach or preach (I'm not that skilled as just to teach without notes. Hehe).
Anyway, I was having a hard time... I knew what I wanted to say, but I could not write it down. Ugh! That is so frustrating!

So, I prayed simple, short prayer and started to write. I'm stumbling around. Point 1... then Point 3... Conclusion... Read it over again. And again. Write Point 2. Oh, the Introduction.

Yea... it has not been this hard for a long time. And if you are not a preacher, you might undermine this job... but to tell you the truth, it is hard work.
Some people may say about preaching, "Oh, that's easy... just write what you want to say... get on the stage... say what you wrote down on paper and waste 40 minutes of people's time."
O.K. It's not that easy, smart one!

I was feeling a little mad... I got up and went outside to catch some air... I breathed in and out... You know. I did everything I could.
Then it hit me.

And that's why I know that this message will impact people this coming Sunday.
I started praying. Again. But differently.
Not this prayer: "Dear God, I will be preaching your word this coming Sunday. I thank you for the opportunity. You are so kind and merciful to let me have this assignment. Lord, I need you to help me in the preparation of this message."
No. Not that prayer.

I prayed a prayer of faith.
O.K. don't spiritualize it. I just prayed a simple prayer of faith, believeing that He would be the one guiding me.
I told him... that it was His word that I would be teaching this Sunday and not mine.
I told Him... that He was going to do miracles and convict people to start walking a simple journey and not me.

After that short session of prayer, I'm not going to tell you that it was smooth.... but I have got tranquility and peace, knowing that His word will be taught and preached and not mine.

Let's get back to prayer.
Let's get back to relevant Bible teaching.

"Jesus, thank you... and please don't wake me up in the middle of the night to tell me something. If you have something to tell me... tell me now. Goodnight."

People, I was just kidding about that last part.
Geez! Are you serious?
Can you take a joke?

Go pray.