The Anchor and the Ark : June 2021

Fathers, it is time to sharpen your knife.

Gifts come in all sizes, shapes, and sounds. One of my earliest memories as a child was a man in Spain blowing a flute riding around on a unique bicycle. The year was 1966 and our family was waiting for Torrejón Air Force Base Housing to be opened. We were staying in an apartment outside of Madrid, Spain. As a child experiencing a new culture it was exciting beholding the streets teeming with people. The sounds and different language forced me to pay more attention to the body language resulting in I saw people for the first time. When someone heard the flute and flagged him down, he turned the seat around and sat on the bicycle backward and pedaled in reverse, spinning the wheel, which turned a tiny grinding stone so he could sharpen knives. Living upstairs we would lower a basket on a rope with the knives my mama needed sharpening, and when he was finished sharpening the knives, he would place them back in the basket. Then we would lower the basket again with Pesetas (Spanish currency) to pay.

Sharp knives make life in the kitchen much easier. You work faster, cleaner, and more efficiently. Prep work becomes surprisingly pleasurable, just consider dicing an onion and how easy it is when the chef's knife is sharp. Yet, sharpening is a skill that takes time to learn; even when you are capable it still takes a while to make a dull knife sing. Such is the case with our walk with Christ.

Sharpening a knife has seven simple steps:

1. Examine the edge. Get under a bright light such as the sun and hold up the edge. You'll see reflections on flat spots and nicks.

2. Test the edge. Touch it to your thumbnail and see if it slides around or if it catches. Applying little pressure using only the weight of the knife if it slides that means it's dull, as in not sharp, at least in this area.

3. Flatten your stone. In order to keep flat and straight edges it is necessary to have a flat/true stone to sharpen on.

4. Thin the edge. Rub the knife on the coarse side of the stone at a 7-degree angle.

5. Time to sharpen. Flip the stone over and stroke the blade edge forward at an 8-degree angle. First one side of the knife, then the other. You are cutting toward the stone.

6. Time to gild the lily. (this is a term to improve something) Stroke forward at a 10-degree angle, alternating sides. A couple of strokes is plenty, because you're taking off a miniscule amount of metal.

7. Test the edge. Touch it to your thumbnail and see if it slides around or if it catches. If it slides that means it's dull, as in not sharp, at least in this area.
Safety note: Don't chop your thumb off.

Sharpening our walk with CHRIST has seven simple steps:

1. Examine the edge. Get into the word and ask JESUS to reveal areas of your life you need to surrender. The Holy Spirit will show you reflections of GOD’s grace on flat spots and nicks in your life.

2. Test the edge. Begin to spend time with GOD by entering his courts with praise. Read the Bible out loud with intent. If you lack focus this means the pressure of life has dulled your edge as in not sharp, at least in this area.

3. Flatten your stone. In order to keep flat and straight edges in life, it is necessary to have a flat/ true stone to sharpen on. GOD’s Holy Word is the one “flat stone” which will consistently sharpen your edge.

4. Thin the edge. Much like sharpening a knife on 7 degrees, seven is equally important to the Christian. Seven is the number of completion. Therefore, the seven most important things in life are: our relationship with JESUS, family, friends, health, purpose, peace, love, and learning.

5. Time to sharpen. Turn each and every angle of your life over to GOD. First, spend daily dedicated time with GOD. “You are cutting toward the stone” when your eyes are focused on Calvary by walking in the light.

6. Time to gild the lily. Focus on the path ahead by surrendering self, and this way you will decrease as HIS presence increases in your life. The Holy Spirit will begin removing miniscule imperfections resulting in purifying our walk/ gilding the lily. When you purify your daily walk, it purifies your relationship with CHRIST by inviting HIM into every hidden corner.

7. Test the edge. GOD is always faithful, therefore “O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.” (Psalms 105: 1-4)

1 Peter 3:15

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

Maybe you’re afraid to share your faith because you don’t know what to say. Or maybe you’re sharing the Gospel, but nothing is happening; people aren’t committing their lives to CHRIST. This will always bring the question of “Am I doing something wrong?”

When my eyes were first opened to the needs of others, I had to realize I cannot open someone’s heart to the truth of the Gospel, only GOD can by His Spirit. As CHRIST followers we should share the Bible no matter our vocation because we are all ministers. We should invite people to church and be glad that by GOD’s grace we are able to gather and worship him in Spirit and in Truth. We plant the seed and GOD will bring in the harvest in HIS time.

I have had some wonderful joyous times in my life thus far, however along the road there have been trials, hurt, and pain. I am so grateful how along life’s journey GOD has never forsaken me yes, the LORD has always been with me, be it through the kindness of family, friends, strangers, and finding peace in the scriptures. Truly, one of the great mysteries of Christianity is GOD chooses to use imperfect people to accomplish HIS perfect will. The Bible is filled with traces of GOD’s footprints amid humanity, and not just where bad things appear to be happening. GOD is and will always remain present by HIS providential hand in the lives of humanity. Consider how we see GOD’s providence in the life of Joseph. As we search the scriptures, we see Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had 12 sons, of which Joseph was the 11^th and had been the favorite of his father. The with the onset of jealousy, resulting after the gift of a “robe of many colors” given by Jacob to Joseph. Here is where the story goes into warp drive Joseph’s as older brothers sold him into slavery which ultimately led him into the service of Potiphar After being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph wound up in prison, but redemption came through the interpretation of several dreams that led him to become second only to Pharaoh in power and authority. It’s important to note that as Genesis recounts the story of Joseph, multiple times we read “the Lord was with Joseph.” Equally important is Joseph recognized it was not the working of his brothers selling him into slavery and it was not his own doing which elevated him to his status, it was the hand of GOD working purposely in all things to bring about HIS perfect will. I believe GOD’s perfect will is to move the hearts of man to reconciliation. This occurs when being moved/used moves others to act. This is why keeping a sharp edge is vital.

Joseph was cast into prison, and GOD was with him. We are the hands and feet of GOD; therefore, we have a duty to act when we see struggling humanity. The ripest mission field is in our backyard. Just as GOD, was with Joseph GOD is and will always remain with us… using imperfect people to accomplish HIS perfect will. From any cardinal point on the map in your community, you can traverse in any direction and find those in poverty and those affluent communities.

Philippians 2: 3-8

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross!

This is the time, now is the place and non other, should satisy you.

I don’t know what joys, pains, or hurts you are facing today. I do know GOD is here, and now, and that he cares. Do you hear it coming? We have a specific amount of time GOD has provided each of us, so I ask you again, how are you living? The answer to this simple question is defined by what you are doing with your time. I would like to ask the Fathers five specific questions.

§ What gifts talents and abilities has our Heavenly Father Blessed you with?

§ When was the last time you served someone, not with a meal, money, or mirth…with something more valuable…your time?

§ Do your children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews’ friends know you exist as a result of your being present in their lives, at their school events, and for celebrations?

§ Do you spend so much time on your knees pouring out your heart to JESUS praying for your family that your legs fall asleep?

§ Or do you find yourself more concerned with your past accomplishments, your future goals, athletic scores, statistics, and social standing?

Get busy living, not for the acclaim of man, but for he who died that you might live.

Spend time with the ones who really love and know you.

As I pondered this magnificent journey called life, I realize three truths:

1. The acclaim of man does not matter.

2. The reflection we see in the mirror tomorrow is the direct result of choices we make today.

3. Everyone is on their way somewhere.

I would like to share a poem GOD gave me entitled:

On Our Way Somewhere

From the dawn of life, we are on a journey, a destination for certain

What shall we each accomplish before the final curtain?