The Church Is God’s Box of Tools!

As I conclude my series on Tools let’s look at five priniciples from God’s Toolbox.

Principle one: He uses His tools (your talents) to bless others (Romans 12:4-8)

Principle two: He is not looking for special tools, but He uses them all - not leaving anyone out! (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Principle three:  He has assembled a variety of tools and placed them as he wanted them.(1 Corinthians 12:12-18)

Principle four:  He is currently using all available tools! Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 2:13 "And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers."

And Principle five:  He uses his tools to create other tools (2 Timothy 2:1-2 "You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,  and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.")

Let’s each of us let God use us. He has a specific purpose for each one of us.

Dear Lord we thank You for making each of us special with a specific job to do. We pray that we would each be willing to be used today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Let's Look in The Toolbox.

2 Timothy 2:15 (New International Version)

 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

As I wondered around in my workshop today moving tools around and putting them on the peg board. I was thinking about what to share in Youth group tonight. Below is some of my thoughts.

In 2 Timothy 2:15, it talks about being a "workman". If we are workman, we'll need some tools, so let's take a look in our toolbox and see what we can find. 

• Safety Goggles. When we are working on projects, safety googles are a must to protect our eyes. As Christians we need to protect our eyes as well. There's so many things that the world offers that will spark or spew our direction. We have to have some safety measures in place, such as what type of television and movies we watch. What type of magazines we read. What type of places we allow ourselves to go as Christians.
• Level. A level is a device that helps us line things up by establishing a horizontal line. It helps us do things with precision. That's how we need to approach life. The Word of God should be our level. The things in our lives should line up with the Bible and what it has to say. 
• Screwdriver. A screwdriver is one of those most commonly used tools. It's a tool for turning in and out such as when we put a screw into something and it goes the opposite direction when we remove one. How about us? Do we go the way that God wants us to, even if it's not the direction we want to go in? Do we follow His leading? 
• Nuts and Bolts. Nuts and bolts are amazing little things. They are used to put things together and make them sturdy. They allow for tremendous pressure. How about us? Do we lean on Christ? It's the only way that we will withstand that tremendous pressure of the world. 
• Adjustable Wrench. These are handy little tools for our toolbox. They have adjustable heads to accommodate various sizes of nuts and bolts. How about us? Are we flexible to situations that arise? Do we react to unforeseen things in a Christian way? 
• Chisel. A chisel is a tool with a sharp edge at one end. It is used to chip and carve into something that is solid, such as wood, stone, or metal. Are we busy chipping out all the things that aren't necessary in our lives as Christians? We should be constantly working on getting rid of that "old man".
• Hammer. As workmen, we are going to have to use a hammer from time to time to put things in place. How about us? Do we have things hammered in place in our Christian lives such as regular bible reading, regular prayer, regular church attendance? 
• Pliers. Pliers are tools used for holding things by pinching it. It allows us to work on things that need precision work. There are going to be some things in our Christian lives that need some attention. There may be times that we need to just grab hold of something and work on it. We may need to work on our faith, our prayer life, our witnessing, or something else that we struggle with. 
• Tape Measure. No matter what type of DIY or building project we do, there are going to be times when we need to measure things. When we are working on our Christian lives, we need to measure it from time to time. Are we doing more for Christ than we were a few years ago? Are we growing in God's Word? 

• Bible. The Bible and explain that it is the most powerful tool that God has given to us! We must make sure we have it in our toolbox for everyday life.?

The toolbox is like a church, and we are all God's tools. Each of the tools (each of us) is different and special, and each has its own purpose. God has a use for each and every one of us, and we all have a purpose.

What are some tools that I haven’t included in my tool box that can be used to share God’s love?

  Our verse in 2 Timothy talks about being a "workman" but it also talks about studying God's Word. That's what hones our craft. Staying in God's Word and knowing it helps us with our skills as a Christian. Knowing the Word of God will help us understand it and put biblical principles into place in our lives. The Bible is full of things that we can use as tools to improve our Christian lives and our relationship with the Lord. 

So, what's in your toolbox? 

Dear Lord we thank You for the tools that You give to each one of us. We pray today that we would let You use us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.