It's Monday night right now in Ratchaburi, Thailand as I write this. Usually, Monday is my rest day. Had dinner beside the lake nearby with my wife and my son. Back home now and I can't wait to re-read my next passage for this Sunday. It's funny because of as I read, the thematic keyword just pops up in the pages of Scripture - Matthew 8:1-17 - Authority - a compassionate and willing authority. Matthew 8:18-34 - Authority - demanding sumbmission over all domains of life and as I continue, Matthew 9:1-17 - Authority - forgiving sin, over sinners and the inaugurated kingdom. I have read this many times but the "keyword" system gives the lens to which we see the flow of thought of the author. The Spirit makes the Scripture more enjoyable and convicting when read through the natural flow of creation, fall, redemption and restoration - AKA PPGR. I am jsut amazed how the Holy Spirit has embeded this in all pages of the Bible. It's easy to preach the Gospels but lose sight of Person of the Gospel. With PPGR - you can't miss the one and only Hero. I believe the joy of preaching is not in how neat our manuscript is but how awesome our Redeemer is. Now I understand more what Tim Keller said in his lecture on preaching, just give them Jesus. By the way, the new Preach 360 Studio is awesome. The UX/UI is great and very intuitive. All praises to Christ alone.

In my seminary homiletics class this week, something came up that I found helpful. When selecting a keyword, do a biblical-theological study of that word. See where else in Scripture it appears. There may be some amazing connections that can be made by simply doing a study of the keyword and its usage throughout Scripture.

Many of you have noted on your membership applications that you want to improve sermon delivery. Your request is my demand! The focus of this coming Wednesday's workshop (Wed, March 25 at 11 AM ET) is sermon delivery! "Level Up Your Pulpit Presence: 8 Delivery Skills You Can Use This Sunday." 🚨 NOTE: Everyone is invited to attend! But replays are reserved for Premium and VIP Tier members. Here's the link to get it on your calendar with the video link: https://mckaycaston.tiny.us/level-up-pulpit-presence-workshop Feel free to share the link with friends, invite staff, ministry partners in networks, on social, etc.

What do you use in the pulpit for notes? iPad? Paper? Handwritten? Typed? Full manuscript? Bullets? Why did you land there? What else have you tried? Why does your preferred method work for you? Can't wait to hear!

As a pastor for over three decades, I can relate to the struggle. The sermon application struggle. We're good at explaining the text. But application is hard because it requires a different homiletical muscle. So we default to shallow, surface-level application. Here's the difference. Shallow application says: "This passage teaches us to love our enemies, so this week, be nice to that difficult coworker." Deep application asks: "What does it reveal about my heart that I've labeled this person my enemy? What am I protecting? How does the gospel dismantle my need to be right, to be vindicated, to be superior?" A shallow application says, "Jesus calls us to generosity, so start by giving 5% more this week." Deep application probes: "Where have I made money my functional savior? What am I afraid will happen if I loosen my grip? How does my spending reveal what I truly believe about God's provision? What would it look like to live like a beloved, adopted child vs an orphan with my finances?" Shallow application says, "We should forgive because God forgave us. So forgive your spouse." Deep application wrestles: "Why does my identity still depend on holding this grudge? What payoff am I getting from my bitterness? How have I made myself the victim and them the villain? What would it cost me to release my right to revenge... and why does that feel like death?" The difference isn't just depth. It's direction. Shallow application points outward to behavior modification. Deep application points inward toward heart exposure, then upward to gospel rescue. Surface-level application gives us the illusion of control. We can measure it. Track it. Check it off. Attend church every week. Read three chapters daily. Pray for ten minutes. Volunteer once a quarter. Give a percentage. Post a Bible verse. Surface application feels doable in our own strength. Deep application is terrifying because it requires total surrender. It means admitting we can't fix ourselves or bear fruit apart from Jesus.