December 6, 2010

Yesterday we honored our pastor at church with pastor appreciation.  North Prairie came, too and we ate together, otherwise we were here.  i talked to Brenna, and I am putting together a book for her with some sewing helps.  This is a devotion by Greg Laurie.

A Spiritual Checkup

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.
— 2 Corinthians 13:5


I don't look forward to getting my physical. They do a lot of tests, and they always check my blood pressure. The last time I went, they told me, "You know, your blood pressure is a little high." I told them it was high because I knew they were going to take it.

So I told my doctor, "You walk into the room, and my blood pressure goes up. It is your fault. You need to sneak up sometime when I am not looking and then take it. I bet it will be lower." We kind of joke back and forth a little. But we know it is an exam. I fill out a questionnaire, and he asks a lot of questions: Are there any lumps? Are there any growths? Are there any things out of the ordinary? It is an exam to determine my physical state.

There is a spiritual exam as well. The Bible says, "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5). In other words, are you really a Christian? Or are you just pretending? You are really a Christian when you have put your faith in Jesus Christ and Christ alone to save you, and you are trusting in Him and walking with Him. It will show itself in the way that you live.

Sometimes when people go through hardship, they say that event or tragedy has shaken their life; it has shaken their faith. In fact, they say they have lost their faith. But the faith that can't be shaken is the faith that has been shaken. If it is genuine faith, then it will stand up to the test.

I got to thinking about the concept of examine yourself, what kind of a self check list should I use in my own life?

1 Corinthians 11:28  A  man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

Romans 8:10  But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet our spirit is alive because of righteousness.

later in that passage it say in verse 17  Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

It helps us to see that we are brothers and sisters of Christ, we are intimately a part of his family.  Do you ever feel really close to someone who isn't a sibling, but rather because they are a part of the family of God?  I think he is speaking of that close relationship that we have, in Christ.

Father bless this  day in Jesus Name. Amen.