Spiritual Gauge

I’ve mentioned this part before in my previous devotion and I’m going to quote this part again. It goes with my new devotion that  I wrote on here.  

“Does anyone hate to pump your own gas? Lord knows I do. It drives my husband, Rob, crazy because every time he decided he’s going to take my car for something, the gas gauge would be on E. He always gives me the look and be like why!!? I just smile and acted all innocent.  I really do hate to pump the gas in my car!!”

  Tonight, I want to talk about our spiritual gas tank. What is your spiritual gauge on? Is your spiritual gauge on half empty or almost to E?  We need to keep tabs on our spiritual gauge and make sure it’s not getting close to E. It’s so vital that we take care of ourselves.  Remember you are put here for a reason. God has a plan for each one of you.

 ““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” Jeremiah 1:5 NIV

 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 KJV

 Keep this in mind throughout this lesson. You are here for a reason.

 So back to the another question, How many of you would say you are exhausted? Maybe it’s mentally exhausted , physically exhausted or even spiritually exhausted?

I know I needed this lesson. I hope and pray that you could use it as well. I hate that it took me this long to learn this lesson. If only I learned it sooner. However, if I didn’t have this dizziness, it would’ve probably been different story.  I’ve mentioned a few months ago I was battling with dizziness. I’ve been battling with it since October of last year. The kind I have is a swaying kind not the room spinnning. The bad thing with this is it causes brain fog, sometimes forgetfulness, tiredness, stumbleness, neck stiffness and at times when all of this happens at once, it causes me to be depressed. Its mentally, emotionally and even physically exhausting. I hate that it does that to me.  However while doctors are still trying figure out what’s wrong with me and as I continue to go through so many tests. I realized something. Something clicked in me.  I need to take better care of myself. It’s time for me to put myself first. Well obviously God is first but I meant myself first before anything or anyone else. That’s what I’m currently working on. So I’m going to share you few things that I’ve learned .

  You know, there is so many things that could alter our spiritually gauge. It could be stress, money, work, marriage, health, school, or maybe the way we live our life, lack of sleep , sin, there’s endless things of what it could be. Only you would know what it is. So what can we do to increase our spiritual self? One thing for sure is rest. If you don’t have rest, it makes everything else harder. For example, not getting enough rest or sleep can cause some health issues. It does affect you mentally, emotionally and physically, eventually you could suffer spiritually as well. Such as brain fog, emotional distress, mood changes, exhaustion, you get the idea. It all adds up. All these things add up and compound and attacks us mentally, emotionally and physically then eventually our spiritually.  That would put your gauge on E. At somepoint we need to understand that it’s OK to rest.

Did you know that our Heavenly Father rested?  Even Jesus did?

Let’s get into that part. 

GOD

 The very first mentioned of rest in the Bible is when God created the Earth. In beginning he created heaven and earth,  From day 1-day 6 , God made the light/darkness, water, sky, dry land, plants, trees ,animals and first male and female in his image. Then on 7th day he, rested. I will read Genesis 2:2-3

 “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

Genesis 2:2-3 NIV

 God himself the creator of heaven and earth rested too. That says a lot.

 Who remembers what the 4th commandment is? Keep the Sabbath day, keep it holy.

““Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

Exodus 20:8-11 NIV

 So it is a commandment , to rest on sabbath day. So there’s a reason God commanded that because he knows we all need to do that. It’s so important for us to refreshed ourself.

Jesus

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  

 Luke 5:16 NIV

That is his time of rest and to talk to God. It’s his way to get refreshed and rested.

 He even tells his disciples to rest, this was before the 5000 was fed.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.””

Mark 6:31 NIV

Let’s go into Mathew 4:1- This was when Jesus was in wildness .

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

Matthew 4:1-11 NIV

Did you guys noticed something about this story? Keep in mind Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. So put yourself in his shoes for a minute, he was out there in the wilderness, so I doubt it was comfortable wherever he slept, he was tired I’msure, he definitely was hungry. So therefore it’s obvious that if we were in that condition, we would be affected physically, emotionally and mentally however, Jesus was able to withstand all of that and kept his spiritual gauge on full. How? It’s by all the scripture he said and memorized. 

Reading your bible says a lot. 

 Paul

In Colossians, Paul pointed out a few times about the importance of spiritual fullness using God’s word to fill up our flesh that is lacking Christ’s affliction. (Colossians 1:24) He pointed out in Colossians 2:6-7 that staying strong in your faith and reading God’s word will keep your heart full and thanking him daily.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Colossians 2:6-7 NIV

I don’t know about you but I know for sure that when our spiritual heart is full, we are in a much happier place. Wouldn’t you agree? It probably would help to keep the gas gauge full too!

So, how do we keep our spiritual gauge full? 

 Put God first

1. Take care of yourself
2. Keep the Sabbath Day, Holy (Rested)
3. Find a quiet place alone and pray
4. Read your bible and strive to memorized some verses like Jesus did when he was in wildness
5. As Paul says, stay strong in your faith, keep your heart full and always thanking our Heavenly Father daily for everything.
6. This one is important espeically if you’re not saved , it is to be saved. Admit you’re a sinner, Believe that Jesus died for your sin on the cross and Confess Jesus is the Lord and called upon him for Salvation

Here are few verses that is great to know well and it would help us with our mental, physical and spiritual health.

 1Tim 4:7-8. “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.”

1 Timothy 4:7-9 NIV

Train yourself to be spiritually healthy.

 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.”

Psalms 62:1 NIV

 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

Proverbs 3;23-24. “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely and thy foot shall not stumble..  when thou lieth down, thou shall not be afraid and yea thou shall lie down, and thy shall sleep sweet”

 This is the last verse and its from Jesus himself that said this,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  

Matthew 11:28-30NIV

 The conclusion is this, you need to take care of yourself first and be spiritually prepared for what God may throw in your way.  If you take care of yourself first , you would feel better about yourself as well. Taking care of yourself will also help you feel better in all your roles as well-whether you are a mom, a dad , coworker or friend etc. As I mentioned earlier in this devotion, you are put here for a reason. You are to share the gospel to others and be there for our brother and sister of Christ.  We are to stand before God one day and be held accountable for all we do and we should at least prepare ourselves to be spiritually full with the time we have before then. Why not be prepared now? Why wait? Take control of your life, your health and your spiritual being. Walk in the light. Trust in him along the way.

Praying for you today!