Words from Pastor Bill

  I was working with my Son Peter over the weekend. We were splitting firewood. Pete was doing the splitting and I was watching and moving wood.    
  While he was swinging the ax, I was reminded of a time when I was around his age and was helping with some chores at my grandmother’s cabin in Colorado.     
  On the hillside behind her cabin, was a fir tree that had succumbed to disease.     It was large enough and close enough to the cabin that it had to be taken down or we would risk it falling on the cabin.     
  I decided to take it down with grandpa’s ax. There was a perfectly good chain saw in the garage but no fuel.     I planned how I would fell the tree, removed the leather cover from the ax and began to swing.     Not much happened. The ax hit the fir tree and made only small notches into the bark. I swung harder no change. I felt the edge of the ax. It was dull and nicked. Obviously no one had taken care of it for quite some time.     I returned to the garage put the ax in the vice and worked for several minutes restoring a sharp edge.   
   What an amazing difference! The time spent with the file sharpening the ax was worth it. I didn't have to swing as hard and I was getting large chunks of fir flying off the tree.     
  Solomon speaks of this idea in Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NASB) If the ax is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.     
  As believers, we must keep our edge sharp. To have wisdom requires constant diligence. How do we do this? The answer is simple but the carrying out the answer always seems so difficult.     
  We sharpen our spiritual ax by being in God's word. Daily being challenged by what God has revealed in Scripture.     
  While I watched Pete, I remembered a couple passages and I also realized how easy it is to get dull.               
  Paul wrote to the romans, Romans 15:4 (NASB) For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.     
  2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.    
  Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.     
  And I have always been challenged by Joshua 1:8 (NASB)  "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.     
  Make a time for God to speak to you from His word, make that time a habit and keep your edge sharp! 
In Him,
Pastor Bill