God’s Filling Station

Introduction

                When your car runs low on gas, you pull into a gas station or, as some call it, a filling station. In addition, you can pick up snacks and drinks to help reach your next destination.

When your body runs low on energy, you sleep at night and eat food during the day. This helps you “recharge” so you can continue your day-to-day living. But what do you do when your soul runs low on energy? How does one refuel the body’s spirit?

The Full-Service Station

        The local church serves as a way of refueling the spirit:

Singing; as Paul writes in Eph. 5:19-20, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”,

Prayer; as James writes in Jas. 5:13-16, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Taking the Lord’s Supper as Paul writes in 1 Cor. 11:26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.”

Hear the Gospel preached as Paul writes in Rom. 10:13-17, “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?’ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Giving of our means as Paul writes in 1 Cor. 16:2, “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.”

        This is all for our spiritual edification and it is for the soul only. Paul writes about this in Rom. 14:17, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Some churches would have you to believe that eating a common meal in a fellowship hall is acceptable but this scripture condemns such practice. The auditorium, where worship is held, is the Lord’s fellowship hall.

Two-for-One Offer, Today Only

        There are those who believe going to worship once a week, Sunday Morning, is sufficient. Others say that there is no scripture in the bible that commands an evening service. If you want to go that far, there is no scripture that commands a morning service either. But what does the bible say about worship? The writer of Hebrews has this to say in Heb. 10:24-25, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” In other words, when the doors are opened for worship services, we should be there to assemble with other members. Attending both services assures us that our spiritual gas tank is full and ready to help us get back on the road and into the world. Even if Sunday night is a Song Service, you’re still filling up your tank for the coming week. And, as Paul writes in Col. 3:16, we are teaching one another through the singing; “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

The Tank is Still Half-full

        Another opportunity is the midweek bible study which usually takes place on Wednesday evening. Even though you might be only half-empty by Wednesday night, it’s always a good idea to stop in and refuel to get you through the rest of the week. As brutal as the world gets towards Christians and religion, it’s better to take advantage of an extra day of worship and not worry about running on empty by Saturday night.

Roadside Stops

        Additionally, we have opportunity throughout the week to study our bibles by ourselves or with brethren to keep our tanks full throughout the entire week. Obtaining copies of sermons preached on CDs or outlines that are posted on websites are an extra benefit. Even reading this article and others like it on the internet helps to keep things running smoothly.

Conclusion

        The prophet Isaiah wrote in Isa. 65:13, Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, My servants shall eat, But you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice, But you shall be ashamed” Those of us who are Christians are servants of God and will be fed daily by the word of God. We have no need to feel hungry or allow our tanks to run on empty. Even Jesus said in Mt. 5:6. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.”

        Make sure your spiritual tank is always filled to help you face the challenges of life and the worldliness of our society.