About the Book
Members of the true church of Jesus are part of a building created by Christ Himself. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” We are called to enter the kingdom through Him and then to follow Him in obedience and love. The world around us is every bit as dark and evil now as it was displayed to the twelve apostles that day at Caesarea Philippi. In His High-Priestly prayer of John 17, Jesus describes His followers as being in the world, but not of it. As redeemed members of Jesus’s church, we are called to shine like glaring beacons of light in the darkness.
This is the challenge for all of us. Jesus, the Master Builder, gives each of us in His church gifts (tools) which He intends us to use in the building process. We are required to use those tools as directed by Him with love and devotion. We can choose to obey Him and get on with the work, or disobey Him to our own loss. Those who push on with the project will do so motivated either by pride and self or by loving devotion to Almighty God. Either way, the church will be completed with all of the glorious strength and beauty intended by the Chief Architect. Our efforts will be burned up if they result from self-seeking, self-centered motives. Our God will wonderfully reward them if they are the product of humble obedience.
We must answer these questions: Will we deny ourselves and take up our crosses to follow Jesus, or will we seek to gain the whole world only to forfeit our own souls? Will we be ashamed of Jesus and His words in this adulterous and sinful generation, or will we be in the world but not of it? What are our true motives? We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus to grow ever stronger in good works as His church. Let us all push ahead with a new commitment to grow ever closer to our calling as we feed our spirits with God’s Word and then share the Word with the world around us.
This book contains a collection of devotional messages that were originally written for and included in a chaplain’s newsletter written for members of a Christian-owned company involved in the low-voltage cabling industry. As the company chaplain, I wanted to use a stylistic approach that might be more easily accepted by the young technicians in our organization. This is the origin of the name “Chaplain’s Tool Belt.” When I decided to convert some of these newsletter devotionals into the book you are reading, it made sense to give the book the same title and construction-oriented style. I hope you will open your heart and allow the Word to do His perfect work as you read each of the thirty devotionals, which I chose to call “construction projects.” Discuss them with a fellow believer and answer the Safety Check questions prayerfully.
About the Book
Members of the true church of Jesus are part of a building created by Christ Himself. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” We are called to enter the kingdom through Him and then to follow Him in obedience and love. The world around us is every bit as dark and evil now as it was displayed to the twelve apostles that day at Caesarea Philippi. In His High-Priestly prayer of John 17, Jesus describes His followers as being in the world, but not of it. As redeemed members of Jesus’s church, we are called to shine like glaring beacons of light in the darkness.
This is the challenge for all of us. Jesus, the Master Builder, gives each of us in His church gifts (tools) which He intends us to use in the building process. We are required to use those tools as directed by Him with love and devotion. We can choose to obey Him and get on with the work, or disobey Him to our own loss. Those who push on with the project will do so motivated either by pride and self or by loving devotion to Almighty God. Either way, the church will be completed with all of the glorious strength and beauty intended by the Chief Architect. Our efforts will be burned up if they result from self-seeking, self-centered motives. Our God will wonderfully reward them if they are the product of humble obedience.
We must answer these questions: Will we deny ourselves and take up our crosses to follow Jesus, or will we seek to gain the whole world only to forfeit our own souls? Will we be ashamed of Jesus and His words in this adulterous and sinful generation, or will we be in the world but not of it? What are our true motives? We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus to grow ever stronger in good works as His church. Let us all push ahead with a new commitment to grow ever closer to our calling as we feed our spirits with God’s Word and then share the Word with the world around us.
This book contains a collection of devotional messages that were originally written for and included in a chaplain’s newsletter written for members of a Christian-owned company involved in the low-voltage cabling industry. As the company chaplain, I wanted to use a stylistic approach that might be more easily accepted by the young technicians in our organization. This is the origin of the name “Chaplain’s Tool Belt.” When I decided to convert some of these newsletter devotionals into the book you are reading, it made sense to give the book the same title and construction-oriented style. I hope you will open your heart and allow the Word to do His perfect work as you read each of the thirty devotionals, which I chose to call “construction projects.” Discuss them with a fellow believer and answer the Safety Check questions prayerfully.