Knives and Axes

By Rachel Coltharp

My child is frustrated. He wants soooooooo desperately to read, but is chafing over the fact that he is being forced to first learn letters. He does NOT want to learn letters, they are such small things, his heart yearns for BIG things - like sentences, chapters, volumes. 

He is itching to dive into the adventures encased within the tomes his older siblings are consuming. He is hungry for WORDS - and I am wasting his time on letters. His vision is BIG - and he thinks mine is too small.

Have you ever been there? Ever felt frustrated because you wanted, needed, were called to something, but instead of being launched out into your dream, you find yourself doing something that feels lesser.

Take heart my friend. You are not alone. You are instead in the throes of the painful place of training. Yes, I know you FEEL ready. But when the door has not opened, it is because God is preparing you for what you NEED. 

Feeling ready rarely has anything to do with BEING ready.  

So take a lesson from the pocket knife and the ax. Both are blades, wielded by a hand. Both will cut wood. 

God may call you to cut timber while you still have only a pocket knife.

You FEEL the call and answer it with a resounding "Yes." But hacking away at an oak with a pocket knife is wearing out your arms, exhausting your strength, may not be God's plan... 

  

Many times we are sent first to spend time splitting firewood. Our heart is in the forest, but it is in the smaller task of splitting logs that we build our strength and get the feel of the blade.

We are sent to practice on logs, in preparation for the forest.  

It can keep us from burning out our physical strength, hurting ourselves and others with wild swinging, or giving up in frustration, because our tools were inadequate.  

It is okay to feel frustrated splitting logs. Split them anyway.

It is okay to yearn for the forest. Yearn, but split with diligence.

David spent time protecting/feeding sheep and leading/rescuing rag-tag outlaws

before he became king.

Joseph spent time learning to run a household for Potiphar and work with fellow prisoners before he ran Egypt as Prime Minister.

So before you charge off into the forest with the pocket knife skills you were born with, remember this, time spent sharpening your skills with an ax is not time wasted.

"Do not despise these small beginnings,

for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..."

(Zechariah 4:10)

_____________________

Editor's Note: Rachel is the wife of Brent Coltharp, Co-pastor of First Apostolic Church of Aurora, Illinois, and District Superintendent  for the state of Illinois. They are the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter who are home-schooled by Sis. Rachel.

Trust and Obey

Editorial by Marjorie Kinnee

"When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way;

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will Trust and Obey.

Trust and Obey - for there's no other way,

To be happy in Jesus - but to Trust and Obey."

The words of this old song took on new meaning (for me) this week. Pondering on the issues of trust and obedience and an illustration oft repeated about the child who takes a blind leap on the say so of his father. Because he trusts his dad to catch him, a child obeys his father's command and jumps off some high place.
We use this analogy to explain faith as well as trust.

Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15) Years later,  John added greater emphasis... "And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (I John 2:3-4) He used strong words and serious implications that portend severe consequences (See Revelation 21:8.) in conjunction with obedience (keeping His commandments).

Consider these verses...
"Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." (Hebrews 13:7) This verse describes trust in at least four premises...

1. Their "rule" is by the calling and appointment of God, (See I Corinthians 12:28.)
2. They teach "truth" from the Word of God,
3. Their "faith" is worth following, and,
4. The "results" of their teaching are eternal.

Drawing on these four premises leads to this conclusion: "remembering" (bearing in mind, accepting, giving heed to,) equates with trust.

"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." (Hebrews 13:17) The word, "obey" leads off; it's a clear command. Six important areas are emphasized...

1. Again, their "rule" is ordained of God, (See Ephesians 4:11-13.)
2. We are commanded to "submit" ourselves (to their rule),
3. They are charged with the responsibility of watching for our souls,
4. They must give an account of their ministry,
5. They also give account (witness) of our response - with joy or with grief,
6. If their report is given with "grief" - it will not profit us individually.

While a wealth of meaning can be attributed to the command to obey, and obedience is required in many situations and applications; one key point remains. Obedience is perfected when it is rooted in trust. What's more, the level of your trust is indicated by the scope of your obedience! (And vice-versa!) Thus, trusting obedience is the only way to demonstrate both obedience and trust - to yourself, and, to an unbelieving world. (See Acts 5:29; James 2:18.)

Trust and Obey - There's no other way!

Waiting...

By Marjorie Kinnee

 

To renew my strength

To mount up with wings as eagles

To run and not be weary

To walk and not faint



 

To keep on keeping on

To stick and stay

To endure to the end

To smile and say, "Hallelujah anyhow!"

 

To go the second mile

To give my cloak also

To turn the other cheek

To love the unlovable

 

To decrease

To rejoice in others' increase

To by love serve

To keep hope alive

 

To abide in Christ

To let Christ abide in me

To be conformed

And transformed into His image.

 

To let patience bring experience

To let patience have her perfect work

To receive the desires of my heart

To walk worthy...

 

Till my change comes

Till Christ be formed in me

Till He comes

And I see Him face to face

 

O Lord, Teach me to wait!

 

 

Who's the Boss?

By Rachel Coltharp

Submission is not an easy thing. From the moment we are born, we fight for our own way. I am no exception. Submission grates my skin like sandpaper, its grit rubs me raw; exposing the real me underneath. While it goes against our nature, everyone submits to someone.

It's what you do when you choose to be employed. You submit your "mission" of sleeping till noon, talking/texting to your friends all day - to their "mission" of being productive in whatever area they direct. It's what you do when you choose to stop at a red light when you'd rather plow on through because there are no other cars on the road but yours. It's what you do when you choose to pay your taxes rather than spend them on a vacation to Hawaii. Submission is part of our everyday life.

The heavy handed misuse of the principle of submission by non-Christ-like individuals has given it a bad image. The true pattern found in I Peter is that of a husband who takes time, effort, and energy to study and learn his wife - to get a Ph.D. in her! Husbands are instructed in I Peter 3:7 to study her, to honor her, and treat her as an equal in Christ, and is warned that if he doesn't, God will not hear his prayers. In Rachel language, this says, "Look here son, I'm trusting you with my precious baby girl. Get to know her, what makes her tick, and remember she's MINE, before she is yours. Treat her like MY daughter should be treated. And if you don't, don't even bother coming to Me with your petitions for repentance, provision, or protection.

You don't get any more serious than that - to have your connection to the Father cut off. God takes this authority/submission thing seriously. So should we.

As a follower of Christ, I choose submission to my spiritual authority (Pastor) and to my husband. I do not find it to be an easy thing. Simple, yes. Easy, no.

In choosing submission, I find that I learn a LOT about myself. I see that I am often selfish. I see that I am easily irritated. I see that I have a lot of pride. And I would NEVER see these things if I did not choose submission. The weaker me wants things MY way. The undisciplined me wants things MY way. It takes strength and stamina to push past me, the big fat baby me, to get to the best me.

What about you? Who do you submit to? Who has veto power in your life? How are you doing in submitting your will/mission to that of your authority? Do you take your role of spouse/parent/child/spiritual authority seriously?

Everyone follows someone. Everyone leads someone. I beg you to prayerfully consider your role in submission. Someone's soul may be at stake. Maybe yours.

Editor's Note: Rachel Coltharp is the wife of Brent L. Coltharp, (Illinois District Superintendent,) pastor of First Apostolic Church of Aurora, Illinois. She is not only a pastor's wife, but mother of four, friend of many, homeschool teacher extraordinaire, consoler, writer and speaker, and wearer of many hats. Her joy and wisdom reveals her as a modern-day Proverbs 31 lady. It's a privilege to reprint this article written recently.