Piston and Rod -Preventive Maintenance

Intro

As someone who has been in the trades for a long time, one of the things we preach is preventive maintenance. If you don't change your oil, eventually your engine will lock up. If you don't change your spark plugs, your engine will misfire and run rough. If you don't inspect your brakes, you will eventually lose stopping power.

But preventive maintenance isn't just for cars or lawn mowers. We also need preventive maintenance in our own lives to keep us running the way we should.

In this Bible study, we're going to look at several things we need to do in our lives to keep ourselves spiritually healthy and running right.

Oil Change - Prayer Time

What is the purpose of oil? What does oil do for an engine?

The first thing oil does is lubricate the engine, keeping friction from destroying its internal parts. I've seen many engines that ran without oil, and over the years I've seen plenty of them throw a connecting rod through the engine block.

Prayer is like oil. When we experience friction in our lives, we can go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to help us through those difficult times.

The second thing oil does is clean the engine. It carries away dirt, sludge, and debris that the engine creates, helping keep it clean and preventing damage. Sometimes we need to pray in repentance so that we can be made clean. Just as oil carries away the debris from an engine, the Lord cleanses us when we come to Him in prayer.

The third thing oil does is protect the engine from corrosion. It coats the metal parts inside the engine, helping prevent rust and corrosion. Prayer also provides a layer of spiritual protection. As we spend time with the Lord in prayer, He strengthens us, guards our hearts, and helps us withstand the spiritual corrosion that comes from living in a sinful world. Philippians 4:6–7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Changing Spark Plugs - Fellowship

Spark plugs all have to fire together for an engine to run properly. If one or more spark plugs fail to produce a spark, the engine will have a dead cylinder, resulting in a loss of power and rough performance.

As mechanics, we sometimes think we can handle everything on our own, but the truth is that we are better together than we are apart. When all the spark plugs are firing in the correct order, the engine runs smoothly.

Fellowship is a lot like spark plugs. Every spark plug has the same purpose—to ignite the air and fuel mixture, creating a small explosion that pushes the piston down. Each spark plug plays an important role, and together they keep the engine running as it should.

In the same way, fellowship brings believers together to encourage, strengthen, and build one another up. We all have a common purpose: to worship the Lord who saved us and to serve Him together. When God's people work together in unity, the church functions the way God intended. Hebrews 10:24–25 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Inspecting the Brakes - Practicing Self Control

There is no doubt that the brakes are one of the most important components of any vehicle. If you don't have good brakes, how are you going to stop?

You have probably already guessed it—this one is about self-control.

I have to admit that, sometimes, while working in the shop, my brakes don't always work very well. Sometimes I give in to anger and throw tools. Other times I get caught up in shop talk and say things I shouldn't.

Having good brakes—self-control—helps you say "no" to temptation. I know this isn't easy because it's the area I struggle with the most. There are many things that make self-control difficult: stress, anger, the pressure of finishing a job quickly while still doing it right, and the stresses of life outside of work.

Just like a braking system needs plenty of brake fluid to function properly, we need to stay filled with God's Spirit so we can exercise self-control.

When it comes to the filthy shop talk that is so easy to get caught up in, we need to remember what Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:4:

"Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks."

Our words matter. Speaking sinful words can be just as harmful as sinful actions because they reveal what is in our hearts. One of the best things we can do is say "no" to the temptation. If the conversation around you becomes inappropriate, put in your earbuds and listen to a sermon, an audio Bible, or worship music. Filling your mind with God's truth makes it much easier to resist joining in with ungodly conversation.

Another part of maintaining your brakes is making sure there is plenty of brake pad left.

Anger is something that happens a lot in the shop, especially during the busiest times of the year when there is more work than you can keep up with and customers don't always understand. The summer heat can make it even worse.

Sometimes we have to take a deep breath, pray about it, and move forward when dealing with a difficult customer or coworker.

When I'm in those situations, I often repeat the phrase "heaps of coals" in my mind. It comes from Romans 12:20, where Paul teaches us not to treat people the way they treat us. Instead, we are to respond with kindness, allowing their conscience to convict them.

Responding in anger only adds fuel to the fire, but responding with grace reflects the love of Christ. Self-control isn't just about holding back our anger—it's about choosing to honor God with our attitude and our actions, even when it's difficult.

James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”

Outro

Preventive maintenance isn't about what you want—it's about what you need. If you don't practice preventive maintenance, you will eventually experience some kind of failure.

The same is true in our spiritual lives. If we neglect our relationship with God, we will eventually begin to struggle spiritually.

Remember to pray, have fellowship with other believers, and practice self-control. These are just a few of the ways we can maintain a healthy walk with the Lord. Another important part of our spiritual maintenance is spending time in God's Word. Instead of getting caught up in the things of this world, we should make time each day to read and study our Bibles.

My hope is that we leave here today understanding the importance of practicing these things every day. Just as preventive maintenance keeps a vehicle running smoothly and helps prevent costly breakdowns, spiritual preventive maintenance keeps us growing in our relationship with Christ and prepares us for whatever lies ahead.