THE PASTOR'S CORNER... Gerry White
STOPPING TO REFUEL
When
You're Running on Empty
... you will be filled with
the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Ephesians 3:19b (NLT)
In our culture today, with gas
prices rising almost by the hour, the idea of refueling might seem
negative. But spiritually speaking, refueling is positive, possible,
and powerful. If you are going to have a deep and vibrant life with
your gauges for God continually on "full," the only thing to do when
you're running on empty is to refuel. In Paul's letter to the church
at Ephesus, quoted above, the Greek word he used for "filled" refers
to a continual state of being filled. You need this today as much as
the early church did then. This week you'll examine three reasons
why you need to refuel and three doable steps you can take everyday
to keep yourself from running dry.
YOU NEED
TO REFUEL BECAUSE...
1. SOMETHING MUST
CHANGE... EMPTINESS ISN'T WORKING FOR YOU.
How does God instruct you through
Jeremiah 6:16 on how to find rest for your soul?
What are some ways you can become
more conscious about choosing to be less busy?
What behavioral and emotional
signs tell you that you are running on empty?
How does busyness weaken your
relationships with God and with others?
YOU NEED
TO REFUEL BECAUSE...
2. YOU HAVE A SOUL
THAT WANTS TO BE FILLED.
What would be the result of
gaining the whole world, according to Matthew 16:26?
When it comes to caring
for your soul, what worldly things do you tend to put first?
Name some practical ways to
better care for your soul.
Your soul is the invisible,
eternal part of you that is the real you - it defines who you are.
It is with your soul that you connect with God. What are some common
things you fill your soul with instead?
YOU NEED
TO REFUEL BECAUSE...
3. YOUR SOUL FILLING IS AN
INVESTMENT IN ETERNITY.
According to 2 Corinthians 5:6-7,
what are you sure of as long as you are living in your body?
What does it mean to live by
faith and not by sight?
What is the connection between
caring for your body and caring for your soul.
How does the way you care for our
soul affect your body and vice versa?
How does sin affect your body and
your soul?
In what ways can you invest in
your soul for eternity?
TO REFUEL
YOU NEED...
EVERYDAY I NEED TO...
STOP:
Take some time every day, even if it's just a few
minutes, to stop your hurried spirit. You can't fill
your car without turning off your engine, so stop
your body and stop your mind.
BE QUIET:
In your noisy world, quiet can be like air and water
for your soul. Did you know that noises can trigger
body reactions? In the same way, quiet refreshes
your spirit. It restores peace and serenity.
According to 1
Kings 19: 12-11, how does God often reveal himself.
MAKE A
CONNECTION:
In this age of connectivity, consider this - your
connection with God is completely wireless and does
not even require a modem - and no monthly fees! Turn
off the outside world and connect with God through
His Spirit dwelling inside you.
What are some
ways you can improve your connection with God?
Worship
- You worship God by giving Him regular space in
your life.
What
do you do to refuel when you are running on empty?
PERSONAL APPLICATION AND COMMITMENT:
Come to me, all
you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest... and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:28,
29b (NIV)
Can you see yourself doing these three things every
day? Imagine what your life would look like, how it
might be different, if you took this time -
again, even just a few minutes - to connect with God
daily and refuel. How can you not simply fill your
empty tank, but make sure you never run on empty
again? If you've been feeling guilty because
you're not taking
daily time to spend with God, perhaps it's because
you're looking at the wrong model. You don't have to
pour in hours at a time or try to be a super saint.
But to keep from running dry you need to top off
your tank on a regular basis. This week, take time
to study the model of Jesus by looking at how He
refueled everyday in Matthew 14:23; 26:36-39, Mark
1:35, Luke 4:42, 5:16, and 6:12. Then determine to
stop, be quiet, and make a connection by answering
these three questions:
WHEN?
When can you stop? What time of day works best for
you?
WHERE?
No matter how chaotic your life, try to identify a
place where you can be quiet.
WHAT?
What are some tools that will help you make a
connection.
Publisher's Note:
Gerry White is the pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church and Christian Academy in Hurricane.
The congregation of Lighthouse Baptist Church
worships the Lord every Sunday morning.
Traditional worship service is at 9:00.
Contemporary worship service starts at 10:30.
Sunday School meets at: 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday night worship service is at 7:00.
AWANA meets at 6:45 Wednesday nights from
September through May.
Lighthouse Christian Academy is a Bible-based
Christian School, pre-school through 6th grade.
Day Care is 1-5 years old. There is also an
after-school program.
Lighthouse Baptist Church and Christian
Academy are located at 2440 US Route 60, in
Hurricane.
The church phone number is: 304-562-3900.
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