GOOD TOOLS SAVE YOU TIME AND GIVE YOU BETTER RESULTS.

Isaiah 44:12  (ESV)

The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint.

Over the years I have spent hours and hours  woodworking, During that time I’ve come to realize how much woodworking relates to our walk with God. I’m not alone.

Over a span of 10 days I am going to share 10 ways I’ve discovered that woodworking goes along with our spiritual life. Today I am sharing the 2nd way I’ve discovered that woodworking affirms the spiritual life.

I began building things out of wood with my dad. I used mostly hand tools and then one Christmas my wife got me a tablesaw. (What do you know? I can cut a straight board!) Good tools save you time, keep you accurate, and make the experience more fun. For the workshop, I recommend beginning with a good table saw, a router, and an orbital sander (there’s no end to this list, by the way, there is always one more tool that you will need).

In the same way, you need good tools in the spiritual life. Good Bible study tools are a worthy investment that will help you understand the Bible better and pave the way for proper application. As far as priority, I recommend:

•       A good study Bible. Be sure you study a translation, not a paraphrase. Some great examples are the New American Standard Version, the New Living Translation, the English Standard Version (the Kindle Version is currently free), and the New International Version (the 1984 edition).

•       An exhaustive concordance. This tool allows you to look up and study any word in the Bible. These days, it’s easy to use a good computer program like Accordance (Mac) or Logos (PC), because these allow more complex searches. If you want a physical concordance, I recommend the NASB Exhaustive Concordance or NIV Exhaustive Concordance.

•       A good atlas. One of the reasons I’m so passionate about Bible lands is that it has given me more understanding of Scripture than even Greek or Hebrew. I have listed my recommended atlases in another post.

There is no greater investment in your spiritual life and understanding of the Bible.

Dear Lord, help us to use the tools around us to study Your Word. Help us to understand what we study and apply it to our life. I the Name of Jesus, Amen.

YOU WILL HAVE TO CUT CROSS GRAIN, SO STAY SHARP.

Ecclesiastes 10:10  (ESV)

 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,

    he must use more strength,

    but wisdom helps one to succeed.

Over the years I have spent hours and hours  woodworking, During that time I’ve come to realize how much woodworking relates to our walk with God. I’m not alone..

Over a span of 10 days I am going to share 10 ways I’ve discovered that woodworking goes along with our spiritual life. Today I am sharing the 1st way I’ve discovered that woodworking affirms the spiritual life.

Cutting wood in the same direction as its grain grows is easy and makes clean cuts. But cutting cross grain is tough. You need a sharp blade, or it’s messy.

In a culture that’s cross grain to Christianity, we have to stay sharp in order to stay effective. I love the metaphor Solomon gives:

If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. —Ecclesiastes 10:10

Taking time to sharpen your “tools” in the spiritual life makes work more efficient. That includes your daily relationship with God, and it may even include additional training in areas of theology, apologetics, or Bible knowledge.

Dear Lord, help us to take the time to keep our tools sharp so that our spiritual life is more efficient. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The power of encouraging words

Proverbs 15:23 (ESV)

To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,

    and a word in season, how good it is!

A modern parable has been written about the tools of the enemy that I believe we can really learn from.

"Some time ago, an advertisement appeared in which the devil was putting all his tools up for sale. On the day of public inspection, each one of his tools was marked with its selling price: Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Doubt, Lying, Pride, and so on, were each on the block. Set apart, however, from all the rest of the pile, was a harmless-looking tool, well-worn, but priced very high -- it was discouragement!"

Someone asked the devil, 'why is that one priced so high?' He replied, 'Ah, that one is more useful to me than all the rest. With it I can pry open a man's heart and enter, when I cannot get near him with any other tools. Once inside, I can lead him any way I choose. The tool is very worn because I use it on almost everyone, since few people know it belongs to me.'"

The enemy loves to sow discouragement -- but believers have a tool much more powerful -- encouragement! We can speak a word into the lives of those who desperately need to hear it: to the college student adjusting to his new environment; to the missionary who may feel alone in the harvest field; to the disillusioned newlywed young couple; to the forgotten servants of God who labor in an obscure and difficult ministry; to the orphans and the widows; to all those who need to hear a word in due season!

Dear Lord, help our words be filled with encouragement top those around us. Help us not fall into the trap of discouragement.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

The Carpenter’s Tool belt

Romans 12:4-5 (NIV)

4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Is there somebody at your church, who just won’t cooperate is hard to get along with or who always has a negative attitude or sour spirit. The temptation is to think the church would be better off without them.

Let's take a look at the carpenter’s tool belt.I think it will help explain this biblical principle...just the way Jesus’ parables do.

The Carpenter’s Tool belt.

Brother Hammer served as the chairman. The other members of the tool belt informed him that he must leave, because he was too noisy. But brother Hammer said, "If I have to leave this carpenter’s shop, then brother Gimlet must go too. He’s insignificant and makes a very small impression." (A gimlet is a small tool with a screw point, grooved shank, and a cross handle for boring holes). 

Little brother Gimlet arose and said, "All right, but brother Screwdriver must go also. You have to turn him around and around to get anywhere with him." 

Brother Screwdriver turned to the other tools in the belt and said, "If you wish, I will go, but brother Plane must leave too. All of his work is on the surface; there’s no depth to what he does." 

To this brother Plane leveled his terse reply, "Well, then, brother Saw will have to depart too. The changes he proposes always cut too deep." 

Brother Saw complained, saying, "Brother Ruler will have to withdraw if I leave, for he’s always measuring other folks as though he were the only one who is right." 

Brother Ruler then surveyed the group and said, "Brother Sandpaper doesn’t belong here either. He’s rougher than he ought to be, and is always rubbing people the wrong way." 

In the midst of the discussion, the Carpenter of Nazareth walked in. He had come to perform his day’s work. He put on His tool belt and went to the workbench to make a pulpit. He employed the ruler, the saw, the plane, the hammer, the gimlet, the screwdriver, the sandpaper, and all the other tools.

When the day’s work was over, the pulpit was finished, and the carpenter went home. All the accusations against each of these tools were absolutely true, yet the carpenter used every one of them. No matter which tool He used, no other tool could have done the work better. And the final product would be used to preach the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ!
You and I are God’s "tools". While we have our flaws, each of us has a purpose, ability, and a task to perform. Won’t you accept the value of the other tools, and let God use you today?

Dear Lord we thank You that You made us each special with a specific job to do. We pray today that we will work together as a team to build the pulpit so Your love can be preached from it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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.

The Carpenter’s Tool Belt

Romans 12:4-5 (New International Version)

4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Is there somebody at your church, who just won’t cooperate is hard to get along with or who always has a negative attitude or sour spirit. The temptation is to think the church would be better off without them.

Continuing my series  form the workshop I found this cute parable about the tools in the carpenter’s tool belt.I think it will help explain this biblical principle...just the way Jesus’ parables do.

The Carpenter’s Tool belt.

Brother Hammer served as the chairman. The other members of the tool belt informed him that he must leave, because he was too noisy. But brother Hammer said, "If I have to leave this carpenter’s shop, then brother Gimlet must go too. He’s insignificant and makes a very small impression." (A gimlet is a small tool with a screw point, grooved shank, and a cross handle for boring holes). 

Little brother Gimlet arose and said, "All right, but brother Screwdriver must go also. You have to turn him around and around to get anywhere with him." 

Brother Screwdriver turned to the other tools in the belt and said, "If you wish, I will go, but brother Plane must leave too. All of his work is on the surface; there’s no depth to what he does." 

To this brother Plane leveled his terse reply, "Well, then, brother Saw will have to depart too. The changes he proposes always cut too deep." 

Brother Saw complained, saying, "Brother Ruler will have to withdraw if I leave, for he’s always measuring other folks as though he were the only one who is right." 

Brother Ruler then surveyed the group and said, "Brother Sandpaper doesn’t belong here either. He’s rougher than he ought to be, and is always rubbing people the wrong way." 

In the midst of the discussion, the Carpenter of Nazareth walked in. He had come to perform his day’s work. He put on His tool belt and went to the workbench to make a pulpit. He employed the ruler, the saw, the plane, the hammer, the gimlet, the screwdriver, the sandpaper, and all the other tools.

When the day’s work was over, the pulpit was finished, and the carpenter went home. All the accusations against each of these tools were absolutely true, yet the carpenter used every one of them. No matter which tool He used, no other tool could have done the work better. And the final product would be used to preach the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ!

You and I are God’s "tools". While we have our flaws, each of us has a purpose, ability, and a task to perform. Won’t you accept the value of the other tools, and let God use you today?

Dear Lord we thank You that You made us each special with a specific job to do. We pray today that we will work together as a team to build the pulpit so Your love can be preached from it. In Jesus’ name, amen.

A Meeting of the Tools

Acts 1:8  (New International Version)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Here is a story from a workshop near you of a group of tools who live in a toolbox belonging to a carpenter. One day, the tools had a meeting. You see, they have been having some problems getting along with one another. They have been complaining about each other, and each one of them thinks that the others are not doing their jobs very well.

Brother Hammer stood up… "Well, first of all, I want to complain about Brother Drill and his family. I don’t see what is so important about their job. They are noisy, always going around in circles and to me, brother Drill is extremely booooorrrrinnng!"

Brother Drill quickly spoke up…"Yes, I know we have a reputation of going around in circles but at least we are not like Brother Pencil. He gets on everybody’s nerves. He is so small that he often can’t be found when he’s needed. And when he is found, he is so blunt at times that he makes such a bad impression. He needs to be sharpened up a bit around here if he expects to be of any use."

Little Brother Pencil spoke up…"Alright, alright…I am a little blunt at times…but it’s only because I’ve spent too long in service. At least I’m not like Brother Sandpaper. He’s so rough…I can’t stand being beside him. He just rubs me the wrong way!"

That remark made Brother Sandpaper really angry. “Hey, what about Brother Ruler? He makes me mad by always measuring others by his standards, as though he is the only one right around here."

Soon, everyone was shouting at each other. Some were even ready to leave the toolbox when…who should open the toolbox but their master…the carpenter. He had come to perform his work…to build a house. He pulled out the tools and started using each one of them: hammer, screwdriver, drill, sandpaper, ruler…every single one was used to do different things and to build different parts of the house. The tools then realized their foolishness. The carpenter has use for each one of them; there is not one that is more important or more useful. Big or small…the carpenter needed all to build his house.

Let us imagine that the whole church is a toolbox…we are the tools and God is the carpenter. What kind of tools can you be? Maybe you are a little pencil…writing a note of encouragement. Maybe you are a hammer because when you talk, it knocks some sense into the heads around you. Maybe you are a drill…when you tell a story…it reaches deep, deep down into the hearts.  Maybe you are a ruler… always showing  the right way to follow God.

You see, we all have different roles to play in building God’s kingdom. What if there is a tool that doesn’t want to be used? He’s quite happy just lying there in the box. Do you think the carpenter is happy with him? No, because he is not doing his job, not pulling his weight…

Everyone has to do their part, whether we are big or small, young or old, everyone has a different but important role to play. Just like the tools in the toolbox!

Dear Lord please use me today. Help me not just lay in the toolbox and be useless but help me be the tool that You have designed me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Tools in the Carpenter's Hand

Proverbs 16:3 (New International Version)

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,

    and he will establish your plans.

A group of tools once came together for a meeting with Mr. Hammer presiding. Brother Screwdriver said, "Brother Hammer must go, because he is always making noise, always knocking." Hammer said, "Brother Screwdriver has to go, because you have to turn him around all the time to get him to do his job." Someone else said, "Brother Plane has to go, because he always wants to just touch the surface. He never goes deep." Plane said, "Brother Sandpaper has to go then, because he is always rubbing people the wrong way." Sandpaper spoke up, "Then Brother Saw must go, because he is always cutting things up and leaving sawdust all over the place." Then the Carpenter from Nazareth came in and said, "I need all of you. We have a job to do. Put yourselves in my hand. Let me use you." Hammer said, "Here am I, Lord, use me." Screwdriver said, "Here am I, Lord, use me." Plane said, "Here am I, Lord, use me." Sandpaper said, "Here am I, Lord, use me." Saw said, "Here am I, Lord, use me." So when each gave himself to the Carpenter from Nazareth together they built a great kingdom.

Are you willing to say “Here I am, Lord use me”? Take the time today to let the Lord use you.

Dear Lord we pray that we would be willing to let You use us today. Help us use the special talent that You have given us to work together with others to build your Kingdom. IN Jesus’ name, Amen.