Thoughts for Life: When Should the Preacher Speak?

James H. Cagle: The Bible says, “My heart was hot within me; while I was musing (meditating) the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue” (Ps. 39:3).

The writer of our text held his tongue until he had something to say. While he was meditating his heart got warm and then hot and then caught fire. (Preacher, Google image)

Then he opened his mouth and spoke. He became like Elihu as he waited to give a response to Job -

“For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready

to burst like new bottles. I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer” (Job 32:18-20).

Personally I think every preacher should be in the same state Elihu was in before he preaches. It would sure make a deference in our churches.

Preaching the Word (KJV) should not be a drudgery, nor be done with a light or frivolous spirit. And it never will be if the preacher goes about it the way he should.

According to our text, before the writer spoke with his tongue his heart meditated on the Word until he had a fire burning in his soul.

The Word (KJV) is a fire (Jer. 5:14; 23:29) and with a spark of interest from the preacher will catch his soul on fire until he is burdened with a message by God that he must release to his people in order for him to be relieved and refreshed.

This fire is started by the Word, fed by the Word and stoked by the Spirit. Without the preacher having a spark of interest in what he’s saying, nor understanding the importance of the truth he’s presenting, and not feeling pressure from the Spirit, it’s just another ho hum message. The stove must be hot if those standing around are to get warm.

Preacher’s get prepared for preaching in many different ways, but if during preparation the Word doesn’t set the heart on fire and the preacher isn’t moved by what he’s heard from God, and the heart doesn’t become cherry red, he isn’t prepared to preach.

The preacher must take heaven’s fire to the pulpit if he is to put fire in the pew. He must have heaven’s fire if he is to melt the ice in the pew.

The call to preach is a call to prepare. That may mean Bible college (which I highly recommend) for some, but it definitely means getting alone with God and His Word before getting behind the pulpit. And if in the secret place with God He doesn’t give us a fire to take to the pulpit we need to find out why.

God will not work through a person He has not prepared. A preacher must recognize his need for preparation and spend time before God in getting prepared.

Ezra was mightily used by God among the Jews that had returned from Babylon (Neh. 8). But he got prepared before hand -

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the

Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes

and judgments” (Ezra 7:10).

When Should the Preacher Speak?

James H Cagle

Let's pray-

Preaching that unleashes
the Bible's Power

Father, we see our failure to prayerfully support our pastors, that they spend amply time with You for preparation in seeking You for Your Word to them for us.
Spark interest in what our pastors are seeing as Your messages for our various congregations.
Give them understanding of the importance of the truth they're about to share, sensing pressure from Your Holy Spirit, to deliver them with His help.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, so our pastor's messages will have the evidence of Your Holy Spirit's Fire in each of our churches. Amen.

Today's Bible verses-

(Ps. 49:3 KJV) "My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding."

(Ps. 79:9 KJV) "Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for they name's sake."

(Ps. 90:17 KJV)"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us: yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."

Today's quote-

Herald of His Coming paper: "It is high time for the pulpit to thunder and burn with the power and fire of the ancient prophets and apostles of our Lord! It is high time for God's people to awake from their Laodicean slumber, and strip themselves from their love of the world and love of self, and from the deceit, sham and hypocrisy of their shallow professions - and to turn to the Lord with all their heart, with fasting and tears, and with contrition and confession and restitution." Jan. 2017, p. 1, vol.76 No. 1 (901).

I invite you to read two of the verses from my book below...

Upcoming posts-

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21st- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#100 Level 2 of Prevailing Prayer - Seeking

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25th- Saturday's post by Leah Meahl

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