I came across a fallen beech tree that would provide great firewood for the cast-iron stove in our cabin. My chainsaw cut it neatly into logs about 18 inches long. But these 20-inch diameter pieces still needed to be split. So I began to swing my ax. Nothing happened--except that the blade got stuck in the wood. My ax was sharp, but it wasn't heavy enough to split that kind of wood.

After an hour of frustration, I drove to the hardware store and purchased a larger, heavier tool called a splitting maul. It has an ax blade on one side of the head and a sledgehammer on the other. With the right tool, I soon had a nice stack of split firewood drying for the next year.

Sometimes I try to get God's work done by using the wrong tool. I'm great at giving my opinion in helping someone solve a problem, but often not much happens until I search out and apply God's truth to the situation.

Jeremiah condemned the false prophets in Israel because they were using the wrong tools--their own words, dreams, and visions--to influence and lead the people rather than God's direct revelation (Jer. 23:16,25-27,31-32).

Let's do the Lord's work with the right tool--the power and authority of the Word of the living God.  — David C. Egner