Sample of Work
Doing something with
God’s Word is the key. In order for us to survive the storms of life we
have to hear God’s Word, not just have an intellectual approach to God’s
Word. But we have to see it in action to appreciate it.
The Japanese Shoguns, the
old time samurai warriors, put great emphasis on the quality of the swords
that they carried. To the masters of the art of fighting, it was imperative
to have a sword made out of the finest steel. It would take a blacksmith
many years of forging that steel, day after day of heating and cooling,
hammering it again and again to strengthen that piece of metal. The warrior’s
fear in battle was not that he himself would falter, but that in the heat
of the battle, when swords would collide, that his sword would be snapped
in two! He knew that the impact of two men swinging with their full strength
and clashing in the middle would put a severe strain on even the strongest
of steel. If your sword was weak, inferior to your opponents, and at the
moment of impact you are left with a broken sword, you were then virtually
defenseless and vulnerable. Your sword was your life.
Now I find it interesting
to see some of these swords still in existence today. They sit in museums,
locked in a glass case. You can admire the beauty of them, you can see
the razor sharp edges, you can see the jewels embedded in their handles.
They are works of art. And as much as we want to admire its beauty, we
will never fully appreciate the full strength of the sword until we use
it in conflict. Just to look it pales in comparison to the feel of it in
our hand. To feel the weight and balance. To swing it through the air.
To cut, slice, and lunge with it. To go toe-to-toe, steel-to-steel. Only
then can you really appreciate its full value.
Our faith in Christ can
be the same way. If we just look at it, study it, keep it locked in a glass
case, we will never know the full power of it. We have to hold it, use
it, share it with others. It is amazing how we appreciate the scriptures
when we use them to win others to Christ, when we are toe-to-toe with the
devil. Then we see that God’s word can change people and break the forces
of darkness. Even heal the broken hearted.
That is why we bother.
Because we will never fully appreciate what we have in our hands, until
we use it.
About the Author
Pastor Dave Brown of Calvary Chapel has been senior pastor of
Calvary Chapel of Columbus for ten years. Prior to that time, he completed
four years of military service with the Marines and was honorably discharged.
Afterward He attended Calvary Chapel Bible School in southern California,
then spent three years in Phoenix, Arizona before moving to central Ohio.
Pastor Dave is known for taking the Bible and effectively applying its
truths to everyday life. He has been married for fourteen years and has
four children. Dave’s favorite Bible verses are II Corinthians 5:21,22-”Therefore,
we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us:
we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew
no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness
of God in Him.” (NASB) comments: Tell them that you saw us on the
web, and get the web price of $4.99 plus a $1.00 shipping and handling.
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