- Jul 13, 2004
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That brings to mind an interview I once read where a prominent preacher was asked the secret of his effectiveness. He thought a moment, then confided that years before, when he gave his first sermon, he stepped into the pulpit full of self-confidence. He kept telling himself that this is a great sermon, and I'm a great preacher.
But that didn't last for long. As he looked out on the crowd he lost his composure, and as he started to speak he got more confused, and it just got worse and worse, so he finally gave up and sat down.
A wise old lady told him afterward, "If you had started as humbly as you finished, you might have finished as confidently as you started." He remembered that the next time he preached and forever after.
In short, his secret was humility, keeping an accurate view of himself and his need for God's help.
On our own, we'll only get so far, but with God's power, God's guidance, God's support, there's no telling what great things can happen!
That's true for individuals. That's true for our church. That's the first thing we want to learn from this message today, the kind of people God uses are aware of their short comings.
A little humor
A preacher's little boy inquired, "Daddy, I notice every Sunday morning when you first come out to preach, you sit up on the platform and bow your head. What are you doing?"
The father explained, "I'm asking the Lord to give me a good sermon."
The little boy said, "So why doesn't he
But that didn't last for long. As he looked out on the crowd he lost his composure, and as he started to speak he got more confused, and it just got worse and worse, so he finally gave up and sat down.
A wise old lady told him afterward, "If you had started as humbly as you finished, you might have finished as confidently as you started." He remembered that the next time he preached and forever after.
In short, his secret was humility, keeping an accurate view of himself and his need for God's help.
On our own, we'll only get so far, but with God's power, God's guidance, God's support, there's no telling what great things can happen!
That's true for individuals. That's true for our church. That's the first thing we want to learn from this message today, the kind of people God uses are aware of their short comings.
A little humor
A preacher's little boy inquired, "Daddy, I notice every Sunday morning when you first come out to preach, you sit up on the platform and bow your head. What are you doing?"
The father explained, "I'm asking the Lord to give me a good sermon."
The little boy said, "So why doesn't he
