What's your compass?

When you speak... teach a Sunday school class, a small group bible study, preach, or a devotional - what's your compass? How do you decide what the message will be about? Is it a video clip you want to show? Is it a visual you want to use? Or Is it God? We'd all say it's God, but if we drilled down deep we might find something otherwise. It your message derived from your talents & personality, or is it derived from God?

The following words belong to Oswald Chambers. You can find the full text here.

When we say, "What a wonderful personality, what a fascinating person, and what wonderful insight!" then what opportunity does the gospel of God have through all of that? It cannot get through, because the attraction is to the messenger and not the message. If a person attracts through his personality, that becomes his appeal. If, however, he is identified with the Lord Himself, then the appeal becomes what Jesus Christ can do. The danger is to glory in men, yet Jesus says we are to lift up only Him.

We have to be careful when delivering God's word. The temptation is to preach something easy. I knew I was preaching Wednesday night long before. I spent a lot of time in prayer asking God what HE wanted me to share. No matter where I went, God always brought me back to the repentance of Ninevah (Jonah 3). You can download the message here.

Many people kept asking, "What are you preaching on". When I would tell them, "The repentance of Ninevah", I got a reaction that I wasn't expecting. One person told me that they weren't as excited to hear the message. My reply was this...

"All I can do is listen to God, and share what He tells me to."

Preachers and teachers:

• don't let culture tell you what to preach


• don't let your friends tell you what to preach


• don't let your family tell you what to preach


• don't let your staff tell you what to preach


• don't let yourself tell you what to preach


• LET GOD TELL YOU WHAT TO PREACH!

Perry Noble said this:
"Pastors…my advice on this (for what it’s worth), study the Scriptures, pray like crazy, listen to God and then speak with authority. You WILL offend someone…either the people because you speak truth, OR, you will offend God in an attempt to keep the religious comfortable."

Though I had a little discouragement to preach something different last Wednesday night. I am so glad I listened to God! If you share God's word, don't be afraid to share exactly what God tells you to. Your personality, illustrations, and creativity is in no comparison nor is a substitute to the power of God. Listen to God, speak with authority.