Running on Empty?

Running on empty? 

Pushing yourself through another Monday of another week?

Does your  To Do List

dwarf the strength you have  to do the To Do?

Mark 12 gives the perfect description of a disheveled soul.

A vineyard owner sent a servant to collect the fruit due him. 

Those taking care of the vineyard didn't deal kindly with the servant.

Mark 12:3

And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

We have all felt this way, beaten and empty,

facing another day only because we have to.

If the gas tank was leaking,

it would be foolish to keep adding gas.

We must give our souls the same concern as our cars.

When we are empty we must figure out why.

What have we been filling our tanks with?

Personal strength and abilities, worldly wisdom, caffeine and sugar, pride...

Not all sources of stamina are good,

especially apart from the Word of God.

This is our spiritual gas.

Ephesians 3:17,19

"... to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;

that you may be filled with all

the fullness of God."

What are we wasting our gas on?

Remember when we first got our driver's license and our parents

nagged incessantly about not cruising Main and wasting their gas?

They were right.

Putting out energy just for the sake of putting out energy is a waste.

Our life is no different than our car.

Are we cruising to be Super Mom?

Are gifts and talents wasted on activities not led by the Lord?

Are we seeking after too much entertainment and fleshly enjoyment?

Why are we forgetting to refuel?

Sometimes, we're driving in the right direction, but don't check the gas gauge.

Are spiritual activities keeping us from filling up on the Word of God?

Have trials or physical sufferings kept us from refueling?

Check your gas tank.

Fill up the right octane.

Colossians 1:9

"We...do not cease to pray for you,

and to ask that you may be

filled with the knowledge of His will

in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."

Philippians 1:11

Filled with the fruits of righteousness,

which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

2 Corinthians 7:4

 I am filled with comfort.

 I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

How much gas should we put in?

We love the perfect pump. 

Not $20.05, it has to be $20.00.   

We cringe especially at the $30.01,

begrudging that little penny, longing for nice round 00's to fill out the final columns.

The Lord isn't satisfied to just fill us up, He longs for us to be overflowing.

The first time he fed the multitudes there were leftovers. 

Matthew 14:20, "And they did all eat, and were filled:

...the fragments that remained twelve baskets full."

The second time he fed the mutlitudes there were leftovers. 

Matthew 15:37, "And they did all eat, and were filled...

the broken meat that was left seven baskets full."

Fill up on Him,

and He'll tell you where to drive.

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith..."