Take time to examine yourself

As a follower of Jesus Christ, we need to take stock of our Christian growth in the Lord periodically. What should we check for:

Are we growing in faith, knowing all things are through Him and by Him and He will always be there for us?

Are we more patient and understanding towards others?

Do we hunger for God's Word to inspire and strengthen us on a regular basis?

Do we stand behind the whole foundation of God's Word -- not making excuses and following worldly logic?

Do we realize we are representatives of Jesus on Earth and that His Spirit lives in us? See John 14:17.

Paul knew how important self-evaluation was. Turn to I Corinthians 9:27, "I discipline my body and bring it into subjection lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." Paul knew how important it was to stay on the track which leads to eternal life. He also stressed examining oneself before partaking of the bread and wine symbols of Jesus' blood and body, see I Corinthians 11:28. Also, Galatians 6:4, "Let each one examine his own work."

I know when I start drifting away, it's time for me to once again get serious and seek the Lord through prayer and study. Brethren, we do not want to be disqualified as a vessel unusable by our Lord. We must stay pliable so Jesus can mold us into one of His own representatives here on Earth. Don't compromise the truth just so you can be accepted by others outside of the faith. The closer we come to the end of the church age, the harder it will be for believers to stand firm on the foundation of God's Word. The warning to the Jews in Acts 28:26-27 can apply to us today, "Hearing you will hear and not understand; Seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes have closed."

It's all up to us. Jesus died to save us from our sins. He is alive promising us eternal life with Him if we stay true to Him. Stay close to Him and He will stay close to you. Draw away from Him and He will draw away from you. The example is in physical Israel, and also applies to believers spiritually. With His Spirit, we have the strength to endure and hold on, we must nourish this strength daily. Let's take the time to examine ourselves, it's worth the time.

Craig Joyner has worked and served in the Hot Springs area for more than 20 years. He has a passion for studying the Word of God and sharing with others. His main objective is for believers to continue drawing close to Lord Jesus Christ, seeking the truth of the Word.