Missing Your Ax?

God has continually been faithful in providing what we need. He is so faithful and good. The Lord convicted me the other day that I was not getting involved in people's lives how I ought to be. I let myself get busy and used that as an excuse to neglect my responsibility to both disciple and be discipled. Really looking forward to spending some time weekly in prayer with a good friend of mine! I find it amazing that when God convicts, He always has a perfect opportunity right there for me to apply it. I am so thankful for His faithfulness to me. I was reading in 1 John 5 this evening. Verses 18-21 really stuck out to me.

We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

The reality is that we are in a spiritual battle. It's not like we are just living life battling our flesh. Yes, we are battling our flesh, but there is a very real spiritual battle out there. It's the battle for our loyalty. So, I ask you... have you been using your ax lately? I didn't say Axe... although I hope you use deodorant. ;) I mean, have you been chopping down your idols? Honestly, I think my ax has been hidden in the garage somewhere these last couple of days. I so much need it to be sharpened by the Word of God and used without restraint to cut down anything in my life that exalts itself against the one true God. If you (like me) haven't spent quality time in the Word in these last couple days, don't delay. It doesn't take long before our ax gets hidden away. We need His Word to transform us each and every moment of every day!