The After Affect

Photo Credit: Priscilla Du Preez on unsplash

The After Affect

An affect is defined in the following way in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

"...A set of observable manifestations (noun); to produce a material influence upon or alteration in (verb)"

As parents, grandparents and leaders, we often ponder the power of our influence on the lives that matter the most to us - the lives we have the privilege of leading. Many times, the greatest opportunities to influence an individual's life will come during a situation or after the individual has come through a situation. I call this, "THE AFTER AFFECT." We must realize the power of our influence and then purpose to use it for the glory of God.

Now, let's consider Pastors, Evangelists and any Bible teachers we know. They spend hours each week preparing messages from the Lord to deliver to their congregations so the Word may go forth in power - changing every life. Sadly, many preachers wonder if their messages stop at noon on Sunday, or if they carry on into Monday and the following days of the week.

AFTER AFFECT #ONE - REHEARSE God's Word and works at home.

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:7)"

Our homes must be places where the Word of God is found. Our children must know that their parents love the Scriptures and the Lord with all their hearts. We must set a great example for them to follow! Do you take time to talk about the sermons you just heard? The 15 minute car ride is a perfect platform for this. The lunch table is great, too. Sometimes, the digital screen times in children's lives take away from the prime opportunities to talk about the sermon and how we are going to move forward from here. This might be a good suggestion: say, "No screen time until after we talk about what we've learned today." Ask them, "Now that you've told me what you've learned in class/church, how are you going to apply this to your life?" In essence, what will we do with the Word we have heard?

AFTER AFFECT #TWO - REFUSE to reject God's Word at home.

"Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: [25] But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. (Psalm 106:24-25)"

I wonder how many times we are guilty of causing the Word to stop dead in it's pursuit of challenging and changing a life because we make home a place of rejecting the Word. Rather, let's refuse to reject the Word, and allow It to continue to influence those within our reach with It's power by cultivating rich soil for growing TRUTH. We can do this by choosing not to murmur about the man of God or the message from the Word that he brings into our lives. WE can either set our homes up for failure, or we can set them up for success. The choice is ours.

While growing up in the country north of Peoria, IL, my Dad laid a new slab of concrete. He selected an inside corner of the slab and etched the following Bible verse into it, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Then each family member pressed their hands into the concrete. I'm thankful for parents who desired to make our home a haven of rest from the outside influences of the world. There are enough wrong influences that can get to us, as it is, therefore, we must do our best to create an atmosphere with in our homes that promote the vision of the Word of God. Here's the full reading to the portion of the passage which is etched on our concrete:

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord , choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. [16] And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord , to serve other gods...(Joshua 24:15-16)"

Please note my personal pattern for sermon preparation in a typical week: Currently, I prepare to deliver messages during the Sunday School hour (discipleship class), Sunday Morning hour, Sunday Evening hour, and Wednesday Evening hour. Also, when in a "Through the Bible" Series, my pattern is to prepare 20 messages a week in the current book of the Bible moving forward. Then when that is complete, I prepare around 10 messages in a book or two in the back of Bible working my way to meet in the middle for future recordings. I then record 18 10 minute podcasts of the prepared messages for future launches on our digital platforms.

Here's what I've thought to myself on occasion:

"LORD, with all the time and energy put into preparation and delivery, WILL THERE BE ANY AFTER AFFECT...IS ALL THIS WORTH IT?"

Of course, God's answer is always, "Yes, My Word is worth it. They must choose how they receive it and apply it, for 'So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.' (Isaiah 55:11)"I say, "Praise the Lord!" and then I carry on...leaving the results up to HIM. 

AS PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS AND LEADERS, WHAT MORE COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED if we apply the correct AFTER AFFECT to the preaching and teaching of God's Word? Could we see greater results if the baton is passed correctly from the preacher to the parent? I believe the answer is, "Yes!"

Let's determine that we will advance the purpose of the Word through the double doors at church and into our homes - for the glory of God! God bless you!

Blessed Beyond Measure,
Pastor Justyn Smith • CrossroadsPeoria.com