It's summertime, and those orange barrels are popping up like mushrooms on a warm spring morning. While we love our Interstate Highway system, summer road maintenance drives us crazy. But we know it's a fact of life as much as the sun rising each morning.

Maybe you bought a new car, but before the new car smell is gone, you’re taking it to the mechanic for an oil change and other upkeep. We're not even talking about repairs yet, but your brand-new car must have routine attention to prevent wear and tear. Then give the car a few of years, and the tires need replaced, plus other minor problems begin appearing that demand a certain amount of devotion. And if you're a car buff, you're out there washing and detailing your car.

Nope, that doesn't happen. Something will always go wrong. It doesn't matter how new or how old your house is, it's going to take maintenance and upkeep. Whether it's a leaking toilet, a crack in the ceiling, or a dirty spot on that new carpet, sooner than later, you'll need to fix or clean something.  

Shoes wear out, pants get torn, hair needs cutting, toenails need trimming, baths and showers need taking, teeth need brushing, grass needs mowing, lawnmower blades need sharpening, batteries need charging, bills need paying, clothes need washing, and the list goes on and on.  

Even minds need maintained. If we fail to use our minds, they get mushy – no matter what our age. The old saying goes, “Use it or lose it,” and that applies to more than muscles because our brains need regular use. That's the relevance of schooling. Learning in school is much more than the educational process. Learning helps keep our brains alive and active and must continue throughout our lives. We can call it mind-maintenance. 

Here's where the rubber meets the road concerning this article. While we understand everything in life takes effort to keep going, why do we often neglect spiritual maintenance? We're certainly not talking about you because you would never neglect your spiritual growth and well-being. Or do you? 

We must consider spiritual maintenance the most critical area of our lives that needs attention and repair, yet that is likely the area we ignore the most. Instead, we focus on the physical aspect as most important, but physical maintenance only lasts this lifetime. Spiritual fitness has results that live on into eternity.  

Discovering how weak (or strong) we are in the spiritual realm is easy. Let’s start with this morning. Did you say a heartfelt prayer before jumping out of bed and getting into high gear? Maybe you don't pray in bed. Have you taken quality time with God this morning after you got up? Did you give God a worthwhile portion of yourself thus far today?  Did you talk with Him or sit with Him and experience His presence?  

Do you know your Bible? Amazingly, many Christians don't. Can you tell someone the overall story of the Bible? Can you name the main characters of the Bible? Who was Abraham? Joseph, Abraham's grandson? King Saul? Solomon? Whose son was he? Do you know who Joshua was? Jeremiah? Daniel? Saul of the New Testament? Paul? Titus? In one word, can you tell someone the central theme of John's 1^st letter? What one word describes the book of Philippians? With one word, what is the theme of the Bible? Can you tell someone the theme of the Bible in a sentence? Can you tell someone about Jesus and how to become a Christian?

This doesn’t mean you need to know it all. We're not saying you must have all the answers. God doesn’t require an entrance exam to get into heaven. We're not trying to lay a burden on anyone. But we are talking maintenance: spiritual upkeep.

The resounding answer to that question for most of us is, “Yes!” It doesn’t matter who you are; you need spiritual maintenance to deal with life and service to God, just as your car needs mechanical maintenance to run safely down the road. 

For example, are you spiritually deflated at times? We've all experienced that. It means we must dig a little deeper to get closer to God. Are you grumpy at times? It's likely, but it means you need to put extra effort into how you react to problems or difficult people. (A little more sleep might also help.) Are you too busy? That occasionally happens to all of us, so you might need to take short breaks of time with God – maybe in prayer, meditation, or just sitting with Him in peaceful rest.  

How do we do spiritual maintenance on ourselves, spiritually speaking? We could list them, but let's let God's Word speak for itself.

The following verses teach us peace, thanksgiving, teaching, wisdom, praise, worship, and actions.  

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:15–17 (NIV)

This one teaches obedience to God.

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. - John 14:15 (NIV)

Should we prepare ourselves for defense of Scripture?

¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect -1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

How about sacrificial and spiritual living for Christ?

¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:1–3 (NIV)

You get the idea. The Bible has all the answers.

What are you doing to maintain yourself spiritually? You must not allow yourself to decline. What are you doing to grow spiritually?  The old saying is, “If you’re not growing, you’re dying." Stagnation rarely exists. Either you're growing, or you’re declining. We must do spiritual maintenance on ourselves. No one else can do it for you, but you.

Love you,

Kenny