maintenance

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Nehemiah 13:11 Don’t Forsake The House Of God

So I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place. Nehemiah 13:11

Things tend to get abandoned and forsaken by people over time. They get busy with other things in life and forget about what is needed to be done. Many want to just relax and have fun and not take care of the necessary things. As that occurs, many of those things begin to fall apart, breaking down, being unable to accomplish what they were intended to accomplish.

Nehemiah noticed the house of God was not taken care of properly. He got angry with the rulers and asked them why they had forsaken the house of God.

It is easy in life to get so busy with life that one will either forget or just put to the side some of the more important things. People get busy in survival mode or trying to have fun and not wanting to work. Doing regular maintenance is not something that many desire to do, because it can be costly and takes time and effort.

Most people will never be in a position to have to take care of a physical church building themselves. Yet, there is a house of God that each one is directly responsible to take care of maintain. It is each individual believer’s personal soul and body. Every believer is a temple of God–a house for God dwell in.

In order to take care of the house of God, one’s own body and soul, one must not forsake it and maintain it on a daily basis. Maintenance of the soul takes time in prayer, studying and apply God’s word, times of worship and praise, repentance of and fleeing from sin. Believers must not forsake these activities.

As a believer, you are the temple of God, the house of God in which He can dwell. Do not allow His temple to fall into ruins and disrepair by living in sin.

Begin every moment with constant communion with God in prayer. Take time to study His word, memorize it and apply it to your life. Keep His temple clean from all the corruption of sin in this world.

Make your life one that God dwells in so closely that the world can see Him in you and in everything that you say and do.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will be the temple of God; that God will strengthen you in maintaining your life as clean and holy before Him; that the world will see God dwelling in you; and that you will never forsake the Lord your God in anything you say or do.

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Leviticus 24:4 Maintenance Is Required

The lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord must be tended continually. Leviticus 24:4

Lighting in a building that is in constant use must be maintained on a regular basis. Light bulbs burn out and need to be replaced. Electrical wiring can wear out and need to be repaired. Provision of power to the lights must always be available.

Maintenance workers are continually monitoring the lights to ensure that they are always working when needed. If the basic maintenance is ignored, the lighting will go out and everyone will be in the dark, unable to see.

God told the Israelites that the lamps that were before Him must be tended to continually, never allowing them to burn out.

Jesus told His followers that they are to be a light on a hill, a light in this world to shine the gospel message in this darkened world. Every believer is a light for all the world to see the truth of God’s amazing love and the salvation He provides.

In order to keep the light burning in the life of a believer, he must maintain the lamp. Maintenance for a believer is continually remaining in God’s word and applying it to his life. It is also praying without stopping making petitions known and listening to what God has to say. It is staying in tune with the Holy Spirit leading and guiding him.

Too many believers let the maintenance be set aside, getting caught up in the things and busyness of this world. Their focus is on the here and now, rather than the future. As this occurs, their light grows dim and often will burn out falling into sinful habits and the ways of this world.

Every believer must focus on keeping their light lit and burning brightly for God. Maintenance is not an option but required.

As a believer, you are to have a light shining bright in your life that reveals who God and Jesus is to the world. Your actions, reactions and words are what that light is. Everything you say and do or not do should be a revealing of who God is and His love for all people.

The only way you will be able to continually keep your light burning is to tend to it continually. Daily study God’s word and apply it to your life and seek God in prayer for wisdom and direction.

Don’t let your light burn out.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will study God’s word daily and hide it in your heart; that you will seek God in prayer for wisdom and direction; and that your light for God will never burn out or grow dim.

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Ecclesiastes 10:18 Sagging Rafters And A Leaking House

Old house

Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks. Ecclesiastes 10:18 

Owning a house is the dream of many people. Of those who dream of owning a house, many also dream of it being a large home with many rooms and space for everything the want.

There are many people who will be able to somehow make it happen to be able to own their own house. After much work, they are able to get a mortgage and purchase the home. They are excited.

However, once owning the home, the reality begins. Things in the home wear out and break down. It costs more than just the mortgage payments to own a home. There must be repairs and upkeep.

Solomon talks about maintaining a house. He says that with laziness the rafters will sag and the house will begin leaking.

This is very true of a physical house. One must maintain the house to keep it in good condition. Little problems must not be ignored, or they will develop into larger problems.

This same principle works in the lives of believers. While salvation is free and easy to accept, walking the path God has for a believer is not always easy. It takes work to make the journey.

When a believer becomes lazy and does not spend time in prayer or studying God’s word, when he chooses to not be around other believers, then the rafters in his life and the soul will start developing leaks. Sagging rafters of compromise will rise up in living the holy life a believer is called to live. Sin will leak in through the cracks.

As this occurs, there is a gradually pulling away from God. It all comes because of laziness and idle hands, refusing to work at living a holy and pure life before God. Being lazy in the work God has called one to do and be.

Your life is a house that requires maintenance. God has given you the blueprint in how to maintain your house–the Bible. He has also given you His Holy Spirit to guide you in how to maintain your life in the same manner in which Jesus lived His.

The work of maintaining your life is not to earn salvation, but because of salvation. It is done out of love for God to maintain and build what He has given you. To use it to the best of your abilities and with His strength that He provides.

Are your hands idle today?

I pray today that you will know the salvation Jesus provides; that you will see the guidance God gives you in the Bible to live your life; that God will help you to live as Jesus lived; and that by God’s Holy Spirit you will live the holy life God has called you to live.