God Glimpses from the Toolbox E-Book

Michelle Cox

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 142

Beschreibung

What is in your toolbox? Most of us have hammers and screwdrivers for repairs, and of course power tools—because nothing brings greater happiness than making a mess and generating a lot of noise.   But did you know that God's fingerprints can be found in our toolboxes as well? We can uncover amazing spiritual lessons tucked between our pliers and wrenches. Sometimes we act as if God is distant, but God glimpses are present in every aspect of our lives. We just have to look for them.   Take a trip through thirty items in a toolbox and discover encouragement, inspiration, and confirmation that God is so close you can reach out and touch Him. Get powered up to live as a man of character and strength.  

Leseprobe

ENDORSEMENTS

Move over Bob Vila! Whether you need a spiritual gut rehab, remodeling, or plain old preventive maintenance, you’ll need this toolbox by your side. Michelle and John have nailed down practical, easy-to-read blueprints for a man’s spiritual growth. Of course we are all “fixer-uppers,” but when it comes to spiritual property value for Christian men, location, location, location is still what matters most—and that location is our hearts.

—DR. JEFF BROWN, psychologist, assistant clinical professor at Harvard Medical School, and author of The Winner’s Brain and The Runner’s Brain

As an avid do-it-yourselfer, I have acquired an extensive array of tools in my toolbox. I, however, never imagined that there was a whole new way to look at my toolbox until I read God Glimpses from the Toolbox: Living as Men of Character and Strength. Reading this book has shown me that just as I am careful about using the proper tools when doing improvements to my home, I need to equip myself with the proper spiritual tools as well as know how to correctly use them if I am to make much-needed improvements to my spiritual home. What great lessons I learned and can now apply to my life through this marvelous book! Excuse me now as I go plan my next do-it-yourself project.

—ISAAC HERNANDEZ, VP of Programming at Parables TV

We built our home so we have tools upon tools we used to build a strong and stable home. That same plethora of handy tools is exactly what John Perrodin and Michelle Cox have placed in God Glimpses from the Toolbox: Living as Men of Character and Strength. Having three sons and a grandson, this book is exactly the kind of toolbox every guy needs to hammer together a sturdy and well-built future.

—PAM AND BILL FARREL, authors of forty-five books, including 7 Simple Skills for Every Woman and 7 Simple Skills for Every Man

Catching a glimpse of God is one of the great joys and encouragements in our daily walk with the Lord. I’m so glad Michelle and John wrote the God Glimpses books. It’s a brilliant concept—stuffing jewelry boxes and toolboxes with clever concepts to enhance our relationship with God.

—TODD STARNES, FOX News & Commentary

You can’t do better than my friends Michelle Cox and John Perrodin if you’re looking for spiritual guidance leading to real growth. When I think of them both, what comes to mind—beyond their commitment to stellar writing and careful scriptural scholarship—is a deep love for God and a reverence for His Word. Add to that their examples as spouses and parents in two long-term marriages, and you have a pair of authors uniquely qualified to mine the unsearchable riches of Christ. Immerse yourself in God Glimpses … and come away more disciplined, consistent, and prepared to serve.

—JERRY B. JENKINS, novelist and biographer, JerryJenkins.com

What a clever idea! I like the use of “manly” stuff as a way to illustrate our relationship with God.

—KEN RANEY, Clash Entertainment

BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC

Racine, Wisconsin, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

GOD GLIMPSES FROM THE TOOLBOX

LIVING AS MEN OF CHARACTER AND STRENGTH

Copyright © 2016 Michelle Cox and John Perrodin

ISBN-13: 978-1-4245-5211-5 (hardcover)

ISBN-13: 978-1-4245-5212-2 (e-book)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Quotes from the authors are so identified. Quotes in chapters 2–3, 6–7, 9–10, 15, 17–18, 20, 23, 26–27, and 29 are taken from Worth Repeating © 2003 by Bob Kelly. Published by Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. All other quotes are in the public domain and sourced with appreciation to www.bartelby.com.

Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Stock or custom editions of BroadStreet Publishing titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, ministry, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

Cover design by Chris Garborg, garborgdesign.com

Interior design and typesetting by Katherine Lloyd, TheDESKonline.com

Printed in China

16 17 18 19 20 5 4 3 2 1

I wish to dedicate this book to the queen of my

heart, Sue, and my four princesses: Jenna, Carol,

Cosette, and Liesl, through whom I am daily

granted glimpses of God’s love and blessings.

I also want to thank my team of mighty men who

have helped me with more projects and planning

than I can possibly list: Jace, Patch, Quentin, Tad,

Tom, Mark, Wade, Jackson, Paul, Bill, Bob, Brian,

Bruce, Doug, Derek, Rob, and Ed.

JOHN PERRODIN

This book is dedicated to my little buddies—

my grandsons Jack, Ethan, and Nolan. My prayer

is that you’ll find glimpses of God in every day,

and that as you grow up, you’ll use God’s tools to

become men of character. Grandmama loves you!

MICHELLE COX

Iron sharpeneth iron;

so a man sharpeneth

the countenance of his friend.

—Proverbs 27:17

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION:What’s in Your Toolbox?

1  The Instruction Manual

2  The Pencil

3  The Tape Measure

4  The Band Clamps

5  The Screw-driver

6  The Handsaw

7  The Pliers

8  The Trowel

9  The Putty Knife

10The Chisel

11The Carpenter’s Level

12The First Aid Kit

13The String

14The Nails

15The Wrench

16The Pry Bar (Crowbar)

17The Duct Tape

18The Sandpaper

19The Safety Glasses

20The Non-Contact Voltage Tester

21The Kneepads

22The Hammer

23The Awl

24The Flashlight

25The Stud Finder

26The Square

27The Extension Cord

28The Plane

29The Caulking Gun

30The Toolbox

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Introduction to God Glimpses from the Jewelry Box

INTRODUCTION

WHAT’S IN YOUR TOOLBOX?

Guys, what’s in your toolboxes? Most of us have hammers and screwdrivers for home repairs. Tools for demo work. And power tools—because nothing brings greater happiness than making messes and generating lots of noise.

We’ll admit that sometimes we don’t use the best judgment when we do things. Proof of that can be found in blackened nails where we’ve hit our thumbs instead of the boards, bruises we wear as badges of honor, and cuts we’ve received from sharp pieces of metal. Yes, we keep the bandage folks in business!

When we look into our toolboxes, it’s easy to see the items that are in there. But what most of us haven’t discovered before are the amazing spiritual lessons hiding between the pliers and the wrenches.

Glimpses of God are present in every aspect of our lives if we’ll just open our eyes and look around. That’s the premise for the God Glimpses book series: to take important spiritual truths and apply them to ordinary experiences, such as the items found in a toolbox or jewelry box, a visit to the gym, or a day in the garden. We can discover God’s will and purpose for our lives if we’ll just take time to catch a glimpse of Him.

God often mentions tools and building in the Bible. Jesus spent His childhood with His earthly father as Joseph shared his knowledge of carpentry and building skills. Men used tools to construct the cross and then drove nails into the hands and feet of our Savior as He hung on that rugged tree. How appropriate then, that God Glimpses from the Toolbox: Living as Men of Character and Strength is an inspirational book for men featuring the tools found in a toolbox.

Each of the chapters includes a definition of a tool and the spiritual application gleaned from it. Then, inspirational stories feature an anecdote about building, followed by a quote, a prayer, and a verse of Scripture that hammers home the truths of each chapter. A “building permit” page (asking, “What will I permit God to do in my life?”) provides thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter.

Guys, we don’t know about you, but we want to be powered up and ready for God to use our lives. We want to be dependable tools in His toolbox. Please join us as we look for God glimpses from the toolbox.

ONE

THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Reading the instruction manual will assist the builder in knowing how to use the tools properly, how to care for the tools, and how to use them safely in conjunction with the manufacturer’s instructions or OSHA-mandated rules. But the instruction manual doesn’t do any good unless it is read and put to use. Failure to utilize the instructions can lead to delays, injuries, and additional costs, so a wise man will begin each job by following the directions.

It won’t kill a guy to follow instructions,

but it just might kill him if he doesn’t.

—Michelle Cox

JUST FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS

“What are we going to cook first? Steaks? Mile-high burgers? Hot dogs with all the trimmings?” Whoops of excitement filled the air as Keith asked those questions. He and his buddies were out on his deck for a momentous occasion.

Keith had owned a cheap grill, but he’d just gotten the mack daddy of all grills as his Father’s Day gift. This baby was sweet! Gleaming stainless steel. An extra-large cooking surface. Two side burners. Hooks for hanging grill tools. A halogen light. It even had a smoker box to flavor the meat.

Keith felt almost as if he needed a moment of silence. He couldn’t wait for that first bite of awesomeness from his grill, but there was one small obstacle—it wasn’t assembled. That’s where his buddies came in.

Using a utility knife, they slit the box, dumping the grill pieces on the deck. They worked as a team, assembling the parts, fitting nuts and bolts together, tightening everything with their wrenches and other tools until a shiny grill appeared before their eyes.

There was a problem, however. It didn’t work. And there were several leftover parts. The men tried fitting the extra pieces into place, but they didn’t fit right, and the grill still didn’t work.

Then one of the guys did something unusual. Something most men avoid at all costs. He picked up the manual and read the instructions. “I think I see the problem. There’s a piece we were supposed to install when we started assembling the grill. We’re going to have to take most of the grill apart and go back and do that. It’s the only way we can fix the problem.”

Everyone groaned. Dinner would be delayed—because they hadn’t followed the instructions. Man, if they’d only read the manual, they’d already be filling their plates with thick slabs of steak. They’d messed up for sure.

But isn’t that exactly what we do spiritually? God has sent us an instruction manual in His Word. It tells us exactly what to do, what to avoid, and who will cause us problems, and it even spells out the consequences for not following His instructions.

Then we go out following our own plans—and we mess up. We ruin relationships. We go places and look at things we shouldn’t. We do stupid things.

All of a sudden, we realize our life isn’t going right, that there are problems. Sometimes we even try to fix those situations ourselves—and often cause even more heartache and difficulties.

Pull out God’s instruction manual. Read the directions and make the necessary repairs. Spare your loved ones the heartache of a man who failed God’s plan for his life.

The solution is so simple: just follow the instructions.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,

for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly

furnished unto all good works.

—2 Timothy 3:16–17

Dear Father, I don’t know why I’m always so bullheaded and insist on doing things my way, or think I can help you fix whatever is going on in my life. Help me to remember that you can build me into a better man if I’ll get out of the way and let you be in charge. Thank you for being a God of patience and love. Remind me to read the directions in your Word and to allow you to show me the plans you have for me. In the midst of my busy days, help me to make time to talk with you. I want to be a man of character, a man who follows after you in everything he does. Amen.

THE BUILDING PERMIT PAGE

WHAT WILL I PERMIT GOD TO DO IN MY LIFE?

1.Just as Keith and his buddies messed up the grill assembly because they didn’t read the instructions, we can cause havoc in our lives when we don’t follow the instructions found in God’s Word. Why do we do that? What steps can we take to become more consistent about Bible study time?

2.How does it impact our attitudes, influence, and relationships when we aren’t spending time with God? How does it affect those things when we do spend time with Him?

3.We often forget that other people are watching us to see how we live each day. What do others observe when they look at you? What would you like for them to see?

4.What plan does God have for your life? What would you like to accomplish for Him?

TWO

THE PENCIL

The pencil seems so minor compared to all the other tools in the toolbox, yet it is indispensable to the builder. It often wears down, but it can be sharpened again. By the time the contractor finishes building a house, the pencil has touched almost every piece of wood in the structure. Just as the pencil leaves its mark on the wood, we leave our mark on every person with whom we come in contact.

I am like a little pencil in God’s hand.

He does the writing.

—Mother Teresa

A VITAL TOOL

A pencil inside a toolbox seems insignificant next to a hammer, wrenches, and other hefty items. Most people probably wouldn’t even notice it—but the contractor knows it’s vital.

The cool thing about the pencil is that it doesn’t matter if the builder is using it for an 800-square-foot starter home or a 20,000-square-foot mansion, it’s still up to the task.

Dave builds custom houses. When looking over blueprints, he uses a pencil to figure out how much wood he’ll need to build the house. When the pencil gets dull, he just sharpens it again and it’s good to go.

Sometimes Dave makes notes of things he needs to remember on the blueprints. A pencil works great because he can erase those reminders when using the same plans for another house.

When Dave and his crew start building the home, the true value of that pencil comes into play. You see, the builder uses that simple pencil to mark the pieces of wood so he will know where to cut them. By the time the house is built, that pencil will have touched every piece of wood in that home. Important job, wouldn’t you say?

That reminds me of when I was on a construction team that went to Costa Rica to help some missionaries. Our group attended church with them on the Sunday we were there. During his sermon, the minister told about another group from the United States who’d attended their service the week before.

He shared about one of the young men who was an artist. The pastor said, “He took a pencil and started making some lines, and soon a beautiful picture appeared.”

Just like the pencil that Dave uses when he builds houses, and the one that the artist used for his artwork, God wants us to make our mark on the world for Him. We might not see the blueprints for what He has planned for us, but as we serve Him each day, something beautiful will begin to show.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I let my insecurities keep me from doing things for Him. But like that pencil in the hand of the builder, we just need to be available for Him to use us.

It’s easy to get busy with life and our families and lose our focus on serving Him, becoming worn down or even broken. Is that where you are right now? Then spend time in His Word and in prayer. Sharpen your soul so you’ll be ready to work for Him.

Allow God to use your life—whether it’s a small task, like that 800-square-foot home, or something huge, like that 20,000-square-foot mansion. Become a pencil in the hand of a big God, and let Him build you into a man of purpose.