Romans 1:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

Preachers often fall into slumps do to a lack of preparation before they mount the pulpit. If you been preaching a while you know how easy it can be to throw in a "microwave" message. A microwave meal is something that has already been prepared and you just artifically heat it up. But I like to have a fresh home cooked meal when my body is tired and worn. Paul said in verse 15, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. Notice he said "to you" which is personal, that "are at Rome" which is a place. He was prepared to preach a personal message to a specific place. He made preparation to preach. How do we avoid the slump and prepare to preach?

1. Regular time in the Word of God. Brothers, on a daily basis we have to spend time in God's Word. How are we going to preach the Word if we don't read and get an understanding of the Word. As a preacher we need to set aside time for regular reading and not just to get a preaching message but that the Word of God may minister to our life.

2. Recycle Bread. I listen to preaching every morning on my way to work, when I travel in the vehicle, and preaching is playing by my bed side at night while I sleep. I can't get enough of the preached Word of God. And for me personally, I need hard, straight forward preaching because I have a tendency to get at ease when I'm not stirred or challenged. With that said, God gives us fresh manna to feed on and He expects us to give His people fresh manna. Exodus 16 if the manna was saved over and not used it got worms and stunk. Have you ever heard wormy, stinky preaching? We need to keep fresh bread prepared and sat out for the people to feast on.

3. Right message. Paul said I'm ready to preach to you. He was preaching to people in Rome. It was a personal fitting message to those people. What I preach at Liberty to the people may not be edifying to the people in another church. In preparing to preach I need to have the sense of mind and discernment to know the people I am preaching too. Preaching is not about me it's about God using me to minister to His people. That is uncomfortable and difficult many times as we all know. For example, if I'm called upon to preach in a funeral to a congregation of mostly lost people who know nothing of God, it is not appropriate or edifying to give a lengthy discourse regarding the history of southern Judah. It is lawful but not expedient to such a thing. It is also not appropriate to go to another congregation and berate the people you have no personal relationship. Paul was tough on Corinth but he had the respect and relationships within the church. In preparation we need to have the discernment to preach the right message.

4. Realness. You can have a well polished set of notes, you could have spent hours in the week studying, and you may have a fitting message for the congregation; but are you prepared to be real before the people. Paul said you that are in Rome also. Did you catch that? You that are in Rome also! I believe he saying I am real with the people wherever I am called upon to minister. Although he may have been rude in speech and not as eloquent in word as Apollos, the Apostle Paul was real and could connect with the people anywhere he was called upon. He connected with legalistic Jews at times, he connected with harden Jailers, he connected with the intellectual at Mars Hill, he connected with royalty, he connected with sailors and fisherman, he was at all times ready to minister to a variety of people. He was prepared to preach because he was real with himself and real with our Lord Jesus Christ.