Watching the Gauges of Life

**fennywest** Thu 18 Oct 2012, 2:43 pm

Gauging the Gauges of Life

As For Pastors so the People

This article was inspired by: Watch The Gauges in Your Life and Ministry
by By Rich Carmicheal

‘Pastor London told the story of a time he was ministering to chaplains on a military base and had the opportunity to fly a helicopter simulator (a simulator imitates flight for training purposes, but does not actually leave the ground). As they prepared for the simulated flight, the instructor told him to not forget to watch the gauges. Pastor London sat in the left seat, and the instructor in the right, and they began flying. The instructor then put them into some turbulence and they began bouncing around as they flew over hills and valleys. He then put them into clouds, and Pastor London did not know if he was right side up or upside down, and he crashed the helicopter. As he stumbled out, nauseated somewhat from the vertigo, the instructor said to him, "Pastor, you forgot to watch the gauges."’
“Gauges are important because they help us keep our bearing. They are also important because they help us know how well an engine is running and if there are any problems. Pastor London suggested that just as there are gauges in helicopters or on the dashboards of cars to help with safe operation, so there are gauges that pastors can use to help them monitor the health of their lives and ministries. “

As For Pastors so the People ( As for Pulpit, so the Pew)

In the article that triggered this follow-up there were three gauges of life mentioned: the Spiritual, Physical and Emotional. Whereas the author looked at these essential gauges of life in relation to the life of a pastor or his ministry, without any shadow of a doubt, they are also essential gauges to watch in the life of every believer- especially those who are parents.

Spiritual Gauge
In our relationship with God, you and I will find that there will be competing demands for our time, despite many labour saving devices and gadgets. We would from time to time find our schedules so crowded that we scarcely have time to pray (not just speak to God but hear Him speak back to us); or read , study and meditate on the bible. Our prayer time could be like a child listing what he/she wants Father Christmas to bring during Christmas or a wish list. We could be like the child who rings the door bell but disappears before it is opened. We may read the bible just to cleanse our guilty conscience even though we cannot boast of any light or revelation we received from reading it because the Holy Spirit was not involved. When this is the case, our spiritual gauge will be flashing and we need to attend to the problem without delay before disaster ensues.

5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 1Thess5:6-8

5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2Tim4:5
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
Rev3:2,3

Rev16:15
15 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2Tim2:15

1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
Luke18:1
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? --- unless indeed you are disqualified.

6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
2Cor13:5-6

16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.1Thess5:16-18

20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.Prov4:20-23

6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. Deut6:6-7

Physical Gauge
Just as Pastors need to balance rest with the work of the Lord, so do the people they serve. Jesus Himself recognised the need for rest after work ; to replenish-recuperate, when He told his disciples to’ come apart and rest.’ We need to know how far to stretch ourselves and know when to wind down to allow the body to regain its strength. That was why God in His wisdom, made day and night. The day for you to go out and work and the night when you should rest, sleep, switch off and put your feet up. Unfortunately, some people bring their work to their home and worry about their work as they fall down to sleep and worry so much that they are unable to sleep.

31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.
33 But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. Mark6:31-33

28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matt6:28-34

At home, here will be many demands: meals to cook, washing, cleaning, preparing children for school, making packed lunches, taking them to school, bringing them back, helping with the homework etc etc. We must f actor in a time for rest otherwise we will come apart. It is often said ‘a woman’s work is never done.’
“If we do no t come apart and rest we will come apart.”

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Phil4:6-7

Some of us are not used to going on holidays where we put our feet up. There are others that go on holidays where they are so busy that they come back on the holidays and need another holiday to recuperate from the exhaustion resulting in the holidays. How pathetic!

Emotional Gauge
You and I have an emotional gauge that we need to watch out for. If you have friends or colleagues that are close to you, you will find that some of them will always be making demand on you, making emotional withdrawals from you and hardly putting anything back in. If you don’t find it amongst your friends then you may not be close enough to them and such shallow friendships are of no use. Daring can also happen at home between parents and children. Some children will drain you, whilst others will fill you with joy. Also your spouse can drain you emotionally so much that you may want to run from your home. Some who persevere may find themselves drowning in depression and desperation and despair. When this happens, seek counsel trusted spiritual mentors and pastors. However, above all, seek the Counsellor- the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and comfort and strength that only He can give.

‘A burden shared is halved.’

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.John16:7

Amplified

7 However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.John14:26-27
2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
Isa11:2

So my friend, examine your gauges. Is it flashing of spiritual trouble? Attend to it.
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? --- unless indeed you are disqualified.
2Cor13:5

Is it flashing of ‘restless trouble’? Attend to it without delay.
Is it flashing of emotional bankruptcy? Then refuel your emotional bank or look for someone to make a deposit to your account.
You can see that it is not only pastors that have gauges of life to watch out for. You and I have too.
You can also read the word for the pastors to gain more insight for your life.

https://christian-talk.forumotion.com/t3154-find-rest-in-the-best-of-the-best?highlight=rest

http://www.heraldofhiscoming.com/Past%20Issues/2012/September/watch_the_gauges_in_your_life_and_ministry.htm