No Cold Starts

I had an errand to run before church.  I needed to leave right then or I was going to be late for intercessory prayer.  I jumped into the car, started it, turned on the heater and pulled out of our drive way heading for town.  The dash board lights were all lit.  That only usually happens when you round a corner too fast.  The car started sputtering acting like it wanted to die.  The car started slowing down.  

I gave it some gas, the RPMs climb and the car moved forward.  On each side of the road were deep ditches so pulling off to the side of the road was not really an option.  I looked for someone’s drive way that I can pull into should the car die.   I gave it more gas and the car acted a little better as it picked up speed.   I was praying to God asking what I was to do.  Missing church was not going to happen.  I continued to give the car gas and it continued to move forward.  All of a sudden it had some oomph and acted normal so I proceeded to head to my first stop and thanked God that all was well.

That is when He told me, “You didn’t warm up the car, you didn’t allow the fluids to run through the engine and the car did not want to operate on the cold start.  Just as you started your day with Me…a cold start.”

BAMM that is exactly what happened!  I had slept in this morning by an hour.  As I got out of bed told God good morning and that I loved Him and that was it.  I carried on with my morning as if I had taken the normal time with God going about the things that happened afterwards.  I had my coffee, checked my email, checked Facebook and proceeded to my time in the word and even managed to watch a few television evangelists.  But no actual God time in Prayer, Praise and Worship.

As you can imagine, the repenting and the asking for forgiveness took place.  Just as my car needed time to warm up, allowing the fluids to do their job for the car to run properly I need to be prayed up for me to run properly.

I am a spiritual being that needs to be filled up with God’s Spirit, having Him flow through me in order for me to be at my top performance...I need God.  Without God I am running on Joela power and frankly Joela ain’t got no power!  I am like my car without gas and fluids running through me…DEAD DEAD DEAD.  

I need God’s anointing over my life, I need the Holy Spirit working in me to work through me or I just struggle to operate as the Creator intended.

I did get to have my prayer, praise and worship time at church however we can’t just have our God time in the building we call the church.  We need to have our God time in our own homes, in our daily lives.  We should have a place that is dedicated to our God time.  A place that when we go there God knows that we are there to minister to Him. 

What do I mean by ministering to the Lord?  When you minister to the Lord You give Him all of your attention.  No multitasking, give Him your all.

You Praise Him in His Majesty.  He is the Great I Am that I Am.  He is Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, Everlasting to Everlasting.  He is God Almighty, He is Lord of lords and King of kings.  He is our Rock of Salvation and He is MY ROCK.  He is my everything, He is my source.  Let Him know how Mighty and Powerful He is to you.

Worship Him in Song.  Speak His word back to Him.  Remind Him of His promises to us.  Speak to Him in your prayer language.  Violently stay focused on Him and in obedience.

It isn’t a matter of how long as in the aspect of the time on the clock.  It is about spending time with our Father, our God who created us, Who loves us and wants us to have a relationship with Him.

If you are married or in a relationship, do you tell that person I only have 10 minutes to talk to you then I want to do what I want?  No, you spend as much time with them as needed to nurture and grow in that relationship.  God wants you to grow in Him.

When you talk to Him you are feeding your spirit, when your spirit is satisfied with the time that is spent you will know when you are full. 

The best time is before you start your day, first thing.  Get up an hour earlier than you normally get up.  Even if you have coffee in one hand and the Bible in the other, talk to Him.  If music will disturb others in the household put on earphones.  Worship God.

You want to know how to get into His presence?  It all starts with Worship in Spirit and in Truth.  Don’t think that you can fake it with God.  He knows if you are just singing along to the song or if you are truly praising Him from your spirit.

I pray that you get your juices flowing properly; get God flowing in your life so that you operate at your top performance.  No cold starts in the Kingdom of God.  

Until Next Time, God Bless!

To God Be All the Glory AMEN AMEN AMEN!