Hey there, welcome to Week 2 of our devotional series here at Men of the Word Ministry.
Today, we’re diving into something that’s at the heart of every preaching ministry — Contact, Content, and Connection.
And to anchor everything we’ll talk about, we’re starting with the words of Jesus in Matthew 22 verse 37.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
Now that sounds simple, but it’s loaded with meaning. Jesus wasn’t just listing parts of us — heart, soul, mind — to check off. He was showing us how complete, how *all-in* our love for God should be.
So what does that look like?
To love God with your heart means letting Him have your emotions — your desires, your passion, your inner fire. It’s not surface-level. It’s deep.
Loving Him with your soul? That’s a forever kind of love. Even after this life ends, our souls continue — and God wants that connection to remain unbroken for eternity.
And loving Him with your mind? That means you choose Him even when it’s hard, even when you don’t feel like it. It means filling your thoughts with who He is, what He’s done, and what He promises.
The more you get to know Him, the more you love Him. And the more you love Him, the more everything inside you — heart, soul, and mind — starts to burn with a desire to honor Him.
But let’s talk practically. How do you know when a desire in your heart is actually from God?
Here’s the truth — the more time you spend in His Word, the easier it becomes to recognize His voice.
If that desire draws you closer to Him…
If it requires you to lean on Him more than ever before…
If it lines up with His Word…
Then there’s a good chance it’s from Him.
So how do you keep your heart close to God, especially when life gets noisy?
It’s not about doing something dramatic. It’s about the daily, consistent habits that build intimacy.
Talk to Him — pray.
Let Him talk to you — read the Bible.
Say thank you, often.
Walk humbly.
Memorize verses so His truth lives in you.
Take care of your body — it’s part of your worship.
And make it a point to start and end your day with Him on your mind.
Now let’s go even deeper:
What does it mean to seek God with your whole heart?
It starts with a hunger to know Him. You feed that hunger by opening your Bible, by lifting your voice in worship, by creating moments to just sit in His presence and talk to Him honestly.
The Bible says God inhabits the praises of His people — that means when you praise, He shows up.
And don’t be surprised if, as you seek Him, He begins to lead you out of your comfort zone.
He does that. Because growth happens when we stretch. And God wants to take you deeper than where you’ve been.
So let’s pull it all together with this simple question:
What does God actually want from you?
Micah 6:8 spells it out clearly — “To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
That means treat people right.
Be kind, even when it’s hard.
And stay humble — remembering who you are and who He is.
So as you reflect on today’s devotion, ask yourself:
What’s the true focus and function of a sermon?
What basic structure should every sermon have?
Why do Contact, Content, and Connection matter so much in preaching?
Is that desire in your heart truly from God — and are you listening?
And most of all, are you staying close to Him?
Because at the end of the day, God isn’t just calling us to preach well.
He’s calling us to live surrendered.
Let’s not just be men talking about the Word.
Let’s be Men of the Word — in how we live, how we lead, and how we love.
Thanks for tuning in today. Stay rooted. Stay faithful. Stay connected.