I’m reminded of these challenging Charles Spurgeon words as I think about how we preachers and teachers prepare for this weekend:
Prayer will singularly assist you in the delivery of your sermon; in fact, nothing can so gloriously fit you to preach as descending fresh from the mount of communion with God to speak with men. None are so able to plead with men as those who have been wrestling with God on their behalf.[1]
Moreover,
The minister who does not earnestly pray over his work must surely be a vain and conceited man. He acts as if he thought himself sufficient of himself, and therefore needed not to appeal to God. . . . If we are truly humble-minded, we shall not venture down to the fight until the Lord of Hosts has clothed us with all power, and said to us, “Go in this thy might.”[2]
And,
He [who neglects to pray] limps in his life like the lame man in the Proverbs, whose legs were not equal, for his praying is shorter than his preaching.[3]
May God help us to spend time with Him today before we stand before His people this weekend.
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[1] Charles H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (p. 45). Fig. Kindle Edition.
[2] Ibid., p. 48.
[3] Ibid.