I recently had a friend lovingly say to me that “it must be hard to be called to preach.” She was recounting a sermon I had preached a year ago, and the more she spoke, the more I realized that she had actually absorbed and hung on and believed the words declared from the text. Humbly, I had to ask: What text was that from? She recollected the particulars of Genesis 27 and how gospel application had come to bear on her life. Then she said it – “it must be hard to be called to preach.”
No, not really, it is just hard to believe what you preach.
That is where I am at. Looking back over old sermons and recalling the power of God present at the exposition of his Word. What times… seeing God engage and enrapture his people by nothing more than the apropos relevancy of his Word. He is exalted as he exposes us whenever we expose his Word. What a God. It really is not hard to preach when the Word is so riveting and clear, but to believe what is in the text… to believe it with as much passion as one speaks it! O God, who can submit to such a spiritual task?!
I am excited that, beginning mid-September, I will be preaching through the book of Ecclesiastes again. Due to West Valley PCA being in our early chaotic days of church planting, it seems wise to preach through a book I have already engaged from the pulpit. I preached through Ecclesiastes at Harmony PCA in Tennessee 3 years ago. What joy to do it again… for there is nothing but vanity if the gospel of God (revealed in his Word) is not clear for people who are as prone to emptiness as am I.
O God will I actually believe it as I re-engage it. Could it be that the imprint of your relevant and authoritative truth will be slow to fade? I pray so… sitting with your Word, being exposed by your Word… right now these are my hopes ABOVE standing to declare your word and exposing it for your people. May I only expose the truth which has exposed me and the power of your gospel for the salvation of sinners and the transformation of all things!
weak Christian 
West Valley PCA, you will be blessed by this exposition of God’s Word, which He so gracefully led Jim through at Harmony PCA. I know; I was there. And to my dear “old” pastor friend, it was the most moving! God will led you through this again – I wish I could be there!