The Pulse

How many of you have ever sat through a sermon and the whole time wondered, "what is the point of all of this?" Or maybe you've been the one preaching and thought, "man, I should just go sit down and let someone else finish...". I think it's always a good idea to remind ourselves that we aren't immune to "missing it." Face it, you aren't the most dynamic speaker in the world. People are not lined up for miles to hear the latest "nugget" that descends straight from heaven and out of your mouth. CNN and Fox News are not simulcasting your services for the masses. And occassionally, just every once in a while you will deliver a "dud". You will be so far form the "pulse" of what your people need to hear that you end up just giving a very well thought out lecture, that on the surface seems to hit all the right buttons, but leaves no lasting change. Here is a very important piece of information-you can assemble a great series, with incredible illustrations and really drive home each point with power, but still lack the necessary element that will see results. That element is the "pulse". What is the pulse of your group? What is God's heart for those particular people at that particular time? And I'm not talking about preaching on gossip because you just found out that there's a bunch of gossips in your church! Look at this passage in Jeremiah 23: 21-22, "I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds. To me, that is an incredible passage and it places an incredible burden upon the messenger to stand in the council of God and hear His message so that we can proclaim it, in order that we might see people changed! Again I ask-what is the "pulse" of your church? What is it that God is telling you when you stand in His council? What message is He giving you to proclaim? Simple Application: Before you start your next series...get the "pulse". I'm interested in hearing from you all...what do you do to ensure that you are getting the pulse? How do you pray and prepare for messages? Give me some feedback!