This past week in the DYP coaching group we talked about one of my favorite parts of the sermon writing process.....OBSERVATIONS. In the I.N.S.P.I.R.E.D. sermon framework it is step two: NOTICING. It's the unlock that will make you more confident as a communicator, more valuable than AI, and give the ability to never run out of things to say. It's the step many are tempted to skip... It's much easier to pull up YouTube, rely on cliches, or go straight to the expert in a commentary. But what you want to do is SIT WITH THE TEXT. Well... before that.. pray what David prayed: "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."- Psalm 119:18 Then... SIT WITH THE PASSAGE. LOOK. LOOK AGAIN. LOOK AGAIN AGAIN. WHAT'S HAPPENING? WHO'S TALKING? WHERE ARE WE IN THE META-NARRATIVE OF SCRIPTURE? WHAT ARE THE ACTIONS OF HUMANITY? WHAT ARE THE ACTIONS OF GOD? ASK QUESTIONS. ASK MORE QUESTIONS. MAKE CONNECTIONS. Your heart is not to see something "no one else has seen before." That's arrogant. The heart is to see something YOU'VE never seen before. A connection you've never seen before or a greater enlightenment on a simple truth. Anything that God wants to show you. I'm writing those observations down. I'm turning those observations into points. I'm turning my process of discovery into a sermon. There is so much to see. Here's a truth that needs to be a conviction for every preacher: EVERYTHING IN THE PASSAGE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE BIGGEST DEAL. Read that back and get that in your heart. I heard a preacher preach on a comma before. "Don't put a period where God puts a comma." lol. People got saved that night. He preached on a comma y'all! I'm opening up a new discussion category for anyone to write out biblical observations from your study. Here's on from reading Psalm 23... The first 3 verses of Psalm 23.. David is talking about God in third person. THE LORD is my Shepherd. HE makes me lie down... HE leads me besides still waters... HE refreshes my soul...