Darrell Dubree
As a young boy, my dad and i would spend many hours preparing firewood for the long winters in Indianapolis Indiana. Dad loved the smell of sassafras when split with an axe. He would talk about when he was a young boy and how they would use green sassafras to make toothbrushes. They would take a small piece a fray the ends. Back in that day, money was tight. He explained that seasoned sassafras was used for toothpicks. You can split a small piece and sharpen the end with a pocket knife. He would go on to explain how sassafras was not the best firewood. Seasoned sassafras was a good kindling used to start a fire. Dad would explain how you could determine how old a tree was by counting the growth rings of the main trunk. He would say, as long as the tree was connected to its source of nourishment it would continue to grow and develop new growth rings year after year. He would talk about the different types of wood and their best uses or qualities. For example, some for furniture, some for structural support in buildings, tool handles, somewhere even resistant to certain insects.
Just the other day as I was preparing firewood, I split open a piece of sassafras and the familiar aroma brought back those words spoken by my dad, some 50 years ago.
As I stood there remembering my dad and the simple things he would teach me. It occurred to me that these lessons could be applied to the Christian and their role in the body of Christ (Rom. 12:5-8). Secondly, just as a saw separates the tree from its source of support and nourishment. Sin and death can separate the Christian from their support and nourishment (Rom. 11:22). May we stay connected to God through studying his word, prayer and encouraging one another and taking advantage of every opportunity to continually add growth rings to our spiritual tree (2 Pet. 3:18). “And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you
and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Eph. 5:2).
This congregation over a decade ago began talking of the need to expand and have a bigger footprint in Warren County. That dream has now become reality. Praise be to God! The Bible tells us in Hebrews 9: 27, “And as much as it is appointed for men to die once and after this the judgment.” After this we have one more move to make. To Heaven or to Hell. I want to go to heaven, don’t you? This is why I want to go to heaven: Because in heaven,
There won’t be no time for crying
No more sickness, no more dying
Great joy awaits us in those mansions far away
When we rest from all of our labors,
Jesus will be our next-door neighbor
We’re going to be moving, moving away.
How do we prepare for this move?
Hear- Romans 10:14, 15
Believe-Romans 10-17
Repent-1 Corinthians 7:10
Confess- Matthew 11:32-33
Baptism- Mark 16:15-16
Live faithful the rest of your days- Hebrews 10:32
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