"MR. GODWRENCH"

All of us are concerned these days about the rising cost of gasoline. My husband and I have been looking for ways to improve our car's fuel efficiency.  Some of the best strategies to improve our gas mileage have to do with making sure that our vehicle is in good running condition.

There are some basic maintenance needs that have to be done to keep our vehicle running at peak efficiency.

One of those things to help our fuel efficiency is to keep our engine tuned up. If we have a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test, it may decrease our mileage.  We also need to keep our air filters clean.  When the filters are clogged with dirt, bugs and dust, the engine has to work much harder and that causes our car to be less fuel-efficient. Another recommendation is to get the "junk out of the trunk".  A weighed down car uses more fuel.  We should carry only the basic emergency necessities and items we really need.

Another often forgotten thing that we can do to improve our gas mileage is to make sure that our tires are properly inflated.  One report that I read said that your gas mileage can decrease by as much as 15% by driving on under-inflated tires.  Driving on them under-inflated can also reduce the life of the tires by 15% or more.   

We can still drive our car when it is not properly tuned up; just not as efficiently. 

We can still drive our car with a clogged and dirty air filter; just not as efficiently. 

We can still drive our car with under-inflated tires; just not as efficiently. 

We can also drive our car with the trunk loaded down; just not as efficiently.

Isn't our spiritual life a lot like that?  When I forget to perform my daily "spiritual maintenance", I can still perform my normal daily tasks; just not as efficiently. And, because it may happen so slowly, I may not even notice that over time I have become spiritually ineffective --- until one day, I "break down somewhere on the side of the road".  Stranded!  All because I failed to perform basic daily spiritual maintenance.

I have experienced this in my own life, so I know what I'm talking about here!  Things seem to be "running" okay until one day you break down with no help in sight because you have not done the basic maintenance that you knew to be doing all along. The maintenance that you knew was necessary for you to operate efficiently!

What basic spiritual maintenance do I need to be performing on a daily basis to make sure that I continue to run efficiently?  

Bible study - "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth."   

2 Timothy 2:15

Prayer -  "Pray without ceasing"  

I Thessalonians 5:17

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." 

Phil 4:6

Praise - "Through Him, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips that give thanks to His name."

Hebrews 13:15

Worship  -  "For you shall not worship any other God"

Exodus 34:14

Thanksgiving  - "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"

I Thessalonians 5:18

"Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father"

Ephesians 5:20 

Obedience - "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in ignorance, but like the Holy One that called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior;"

Service -    "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall my servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him."

John 12:26

Renewing of my mind - "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Romans 12:2

• Have you checked recently to see if you are running on all of your "spiritual cylinders"?

• What kind of "emissions" are you producing? 

• Have you checked your spiritual air pressure lately? 

• What about your spiritual air filter?  What are you breathing in? Can God permeate your filter or is it clogged up with the "dirt" of this world?

• Are you weighed down with a lot of excess "baggage" that is not necessary? Are you carrying around a lot of "junk in your trunk" that God wants you to cast on Him?
  

It's time for us to get out our "Owners Manual"and see what "Our Maker" recommends to keep us in top shape so that we can operate efficiently!

Remember.....failing to do your daily spiritual maintenance may leave you stranded somewhere and it will definitely cause you to operate at less than optimum efficiency!

Father, I thank You for reminding me that there are certain things that You have recommended for me that will cause my life to operate much more smoothly and efficiently.  I ask that You would forgive me for the times in my life that I have operated without consulting my Owners Manual, thinking that I was still operating efficiently. Thank you for always being there to rescue me when I completely break down on the side of the road somewhere and you have to completely rebuild me!  I pray that in the future You will help me to never try to operate outside of Your recommendations, but to realize that in order to operate at peak efficiency I have to perform basic daily spiritual maintenance .  Amen.