How To Do A Self Examination

2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves, Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

The Bible is clear that we are to examine ourselves.  Typically, we are more out to judge or examine others before we are to examine ourselves.  The Lord gives us to simple instructions:

• Examine Yourselves
• Prove Yourselves

There are some principles that would be good to highlight in order to learn to do a self examination.

• Make Jesus Christ Your Mark:  We have a habit of comparing ourselves to others, when we are to make Jesus Christ our standard.  Remember, if you don’t look like Jesus then you don’t have any business judging others.
• Make The Bible Your Mirror:  The Bible is not just a composition of stories and fairy tales, but it is a mirror that reveals to us all our impurities.  Reading the Bible requires us to align and adjust to it, rather than making it adjust to us.  Allow the Bible to be the device that shows us our imperfections.
• Make The Holy Spirit Your Mentor:  There is no greater accountability partner than the Holy Spirit.  Allow Him to work in your life by giving Him complete access to your heart.  Trust me; the Holy Spirit will definitely be a truthful physician in the examination process.

Today’s Challenge:  Do a Self Examination using these tools and see what happens.

Give God the Glory

2 Corinthians 10:17 “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

Bragging and boasting is a dangerous thing.  God desires that if any glory is to be given then it needs to be given to the Lord.  Many times we forget to give credit, where credit is due.  My heart breaks over the amount of times I have failed to glorify God when He deserved all the credit.  Many times we give ourselves credit when things go well, and give God all the credit when things go wrong. Even when we brag on others, it is usually with selfish intentions. We must come to the place in our lives where God deserves to get all the Glory.  If we look inside the intentions of our heart we find selfishness at each corner.  We forget that God can promote us just as much as we can promote ourselves.  We must move the intentions of our hearts away from our selfish boastings.  The Lord is the only one that needs to get the credit.  We need to learn to brag on the Lord.  Give God the Glory, He deserves it!

Today’s Challenge:  Practice bragging on the Lord today!

Bloom Where You Are Planted

1 Corinthians 7:20 “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.”

Consistency is one of the great character traits of the Lord.  Thankfully He never changes.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  There is no doubt that there are things the Lord does differently, because the times are different.  However; when the Lord gives us an instruction, that instruction will not change.  I also believe that the Lord wants us to live in that same manner.

• We all have a Special Design:  God designed us so that He could use us.
• We all have a Specific Duty:  We learn here that God has a job for each of us.
• We all have a Sovereign Destiny:  God has a unique purpose of all of us.

The Lord has placed a specific calling in each of our lives.  We need not argue with that calling.  We also do not need to try to change that calling.  We must live in our calling.  We must abide right where God called us.  It is important that we realize that we can’t improve on an instruction from the Lord.

Today’s Challenge:  Bloom where the Lord planted you!

The Responsibility of Belonging To God

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

This scripture teaches us the importance of holiness.  God teaches us how important our bodies are unto the Lord.  Each one of us has a special design and a unique destiny.  God created us to use us.  However; it is hard for anyone to use damaged goods.  A defiled life is much difficult to use that one that has kept itself pure and holy.  We must realize that we do belong to ourselves.  Some have said “This is my life, my body, and I will do what I want with it.”  The person that decides to operate under those pretenses may be facing certain destruction.  Those that defile God’s temple will face destruction.  Just think about all those that have decided to do something harmful to their own bodies.  Just think about it for a moment.  When we make decisions like these we can see destruction from on different levels:

• We Lose our Testimony:  A testimony is difficult to create, difficult to maintain.  What can take a lifetime to build; can take a moment to destroy.
• We Lose our Influence:  When we defile our lives, we lose credibility, and when we lose credibility we lose our influence.
• We Lose our Impact:  With each bad decision we take away our ability to impact certain lives.  When your life becomes more about what “not to do” that what we “need to do” then we are definitely losing our ability to make an impact on another life.

While these statements may be hard to swallow, deep down, you and I both know they are true.  Mistake happens, bad decisions are a definite, but we need to be careful because a defiled life can truly cause ultimate destruction.

Today’s Challenge:  Remember you belong to God.

You’re Not A Mistake!

Romans 11:29 “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

GOD DID NOT MAKE YOU IF HE DID NOT INTEND ON USING YOU!  

God has a special design and a specific destiny for everyone He has created.  In other words, God has a plan for everyone.  Many times we find ourselves wishing we had the gift or calling of another.  This verse teaches us that the gift and calling God has designated for you is without repentance.  Meaning that you can’t reverse or change the way God designed you.  Just think about this for a moment.  When we become dissatisfied with our God given design we are telling God that He messed up…wait a minute…God don’t make mistakes.  God designed each and every one of us in a unique way.  Don’t get made at your make up or design.  Embrace the way God designed you, and then execute your design in such a way that will magnify your gift.  God did not make a mistake when he made you!  Here are some principles that you must understand.

• You were Designed for a Specific Plan:  God gifted you in a way that only you can perform this task.
• You were Designed for a Special People:  Realize that this calling and gift is given to you so that you can reach a person, or group of people that nobody else can reach.
• You were Designed for a Supernatural Purpose:  God made you to use you!

Today’s Challenge:  Don’t wish your gift away.  If you will embrace it and execute it, you will blossom in a Kingdom Missionary!