I remember the early mornings on the farm. No matter how cold or miserable, when it was barely light enough, we got our equipment ready for the day. We refueled no matter how much was in the tank. Not to be overlooked was the dirty & messy job of greasing (lubricating) all the many places on a tractor, disc, planter…anything with ball bearings. Failure to properly grease the equipment was a guarantee of an expensive breakdown. Failure to refuel before starting the day risks running out of fuel in the middle of the field. It’s the Principle of doing “First-Things-First!”

I now recognize the soundness in this strategy as a Life Strategy. First, before I start my day, I need to intentionally pull my tractor up beside the source of fuel, connect the fuel line to my tank and fill it to the top. I don’t want to run out of fuel. I call this part of my day, connecting with God, my fuel source. It’s my “Thank You, Lord” time. This fuel, The Holy Spirit, is fuel unknown to the world. It’s the knowing, the guiding, the Peace, and the power that God gave Paul to “Press on…” through the difficulties of life. It’s His whispers of “I Am here…” that come when facing impossible storms of life. This fuel is the source of Joy in good and bad times. Only followers of Jesus can receive this fuel. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” Acts 1:8. From Romans 8:26 we read, “the (Holy) Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” God promises Believers, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me (Jesus) that He will receive what He will make known to you.’ John 16:13-14 This fuel…the Holy Spirit, will never run dry. Praise God!

Now that you are fueled up, we need to grease up. This is daily time reading & pondering His Word. One October morning in 2019 I read Jerimiah 29:11-14. At the time I thought that’s interesting. For some reason I marked it and off to work I went. One month later my new Reginal VP and I had lunch where she expressed finding another carrier choice would be good for me. I remember sitting there, the words I had read one month earlier, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. Jerimiah 29:11. Little did I know in October, God was giving me the anchor for the storm. At the end of January, I left the company with no job or possibility and enough money until the end of March. It was in the middle of March, with no prospects of a job, a former co-worker, from 25 years before, called looking for me. I remember sitting in his office reminiscing old times when he paused and said, “Robert, I’m going to retire in a year or so and I thought you might like to have my job.” Immediately His Words, “For I have a plan for you…” flooded over me. I looked up at the ceiling and said, “God, you’re cool!” His Word, “For I have a plan for you…” was all I had to hang on to. I trusted His Word…I prayed His Word. Know this…God is the Promise Keeping God!

Are you finding the fuel you are using is not enough? Is your fuel full of trash that clogs up your system? Are you run down and worn out? Are your bearings overheating because of no grease? Are you experiencing breakdowns in the field? Maybe the answer is how you start your day. Instead of staying up late & getting up late, try the 30-Day, Time-With-Jesus Strategy. Get up 30 minutes early, before everyone else, and talk with Him. Then spend 10 to 15 minutes reading a few scriptures & just ponder His Word. Now, you will be fueled & greased for the day. What have you got to lose? Jesus tells us, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20.

Isn’t it time you got up and answered the door?