[Joel's Lessons] Leaky Christians (May 20)

[Joel Warren]

On Saturday, I participated in a group ride from Butler to Freeport for lunch and back. On my previous ride, I had a pinhole slow leak on my back tire, which caused me to have to add air several times and ultimately cut my ride short. On the morning of the group ride, I patched the pinhole leak and was seemingly good to go. About halfway down the trail, my back tire blew out—pshhhhh—completely flat. I carry tools and a spare tube, so I replaced the tube, filled it, and was on my way. After having lunch in Freeport, we headed back up the trail. My tire looked a little low, so I added air. About a mile and a half up the trail, I had another flat tire. Out of spare tubes, I added some sealant, refilled with air, and headed back to the nearest trailhead to get picked up. I had to bail on the ride.

There is a lot to be said about a leaky tire. It's good for awhile, but then before long, it becomes useless. You can fill it again and get some more use out of it, but it's only temporary. It isn't trustworthy—you can't count on it. You just don't know how long it will hold out before it's flat again. Sure, I could have kept riding, but with twenty miles ahead of me, I would have had to stop and refill the tire quite a few times. I wouldn't have been able to expect anybody to keep falling back and waiting for me. And perhaps after a few miles, the leak would have gotten worse to the point that refilling wasn't an option. A much better situation would be to have a good tube in your tire that can hold air forever. You'd never think about it. It would always be full and would get you where you need to go. It would do what it was intended to do, consistently and constantly.

This idea can apply to a few areas of life:

• You attend church and various Bible studies throughout the week. Each time that you meet with other Christians, you hear God's word: the pastor preaches a sermon, a teacher shares a lesson, a friend tells you about something that God spoke to his or her heart that week, etc. Don't let these things easily slip away. God's word strengthens you and gives you the wisdom that you will need on a daily basis. It's important that this doesn't just 'leak' out and we forget His word in times that we need it.
• God gives us His Spirit so that we might know His will and be empowered to live righteously in all situations. It's important that we don't forsake fellowship with God and find that we are distanced from Him and our hearts are emptied of His Spirit.
• We must be consistent and constant in our walk with God. This will result from a life committed wholly to God.
• We must be committed to one another. As God's people, we are to be there for one another and encourage each other in the faith. We don't want to be empty or absent when our friend needs us the most.

Ruth 1:16-17 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: (17) Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

2 Timothy 1:16-18 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: (17) But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. (18) The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

2 Timothy 3:1-17 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, (4) Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (6) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, (7) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (8) Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (9) But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. (10) But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, (11) Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. (12) Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (13) But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (14) But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; (15) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

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Posted By Joel Warren to Joel's Lessons at 5/20/2012 01:00:00 PM