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12 QUESTIONS
Happy New year everyone. Growth in grace is an ongoing thing: 2 Peter 3:18.
Have you grown in grace this past year? It's time to examine your life: 2 Corinthians 13:5.
Here are 12 questions to ask ourselves.- Be honest with yourself and God
1. DO YOU LOVE GOD'S WORD MORE?
Psalm 119:97 – ‘O how love thy law! It is my meditation all the day.’
Do you have a passion for the word of God? I am not asking if you read it more. Has it become like honey to you? Every time you read it, does God speak directly to you? Can you say the same words above? I mean when you are slogging through Leviticus or the first ten chapters of 1 Chronicles, can you say Oh how I love to read the bible
2. DO YOU LOVE SPENDING TIME IN PRAYER?
Now here is a biggie! I struggle here, I must admit. One minute spent praying is worth a hundred doing anything else. Prayer is the Christian's vital breath; it is his lifeblood. We just talk to our heavenly Father. We talk to the ones we love.. Amen! If we love God, then we will spend more and more time with Him. How much time do we spend communing with God? The average daily time is 7-10 minutes for the average Christian, I ask myself, why is that?. Would you give your wife ten minutes per day?
3. ARE YOU MORE INVOLVED IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE?
If you hadn't noticed, the Christian is a warrior. He/she is engaged in a desperate battle. In Ephesians 6, we are told to arm ourselves with spiritual weapons that will overcome the devil, etc. We need to be in hand-to-hand combat. The Roman soldiers whom Paul saw were always ready to fight. They obeyed their Commanding Officer and would go anywhere to fight for his cause. There is no let-up brothers and sisters; let's be engaged in warfare. Let's say like Paul at the end of his life.. I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT!!!
4. DO YOU LOVE GOD AND YOUR FELLOW BELIEVERS MORE AND MORE?
Jesus said the two greatest commandments were to love God and love your neighbour. Is God our first love or just one of many? This was the problem with the children of Israel. They loved God, but He was just one of many loves. He wants and demands your undiluted love. Do we also have pure love for our brethren, whoever they are? I am in China and can't understand much of what people say and likewise they also of me; but we love each other. There is a powerful and pure love between us. Do you show it to your fellow believers, not just in words but in actions?
5. DO YOU LOVE TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE?
Before Adam and Eve fell, they loved to hear God's voice. It is so sad to hear God's words in the garden.. God calls to them when they are hiding. This year when God speaks, let us not say like Adam:. "I am afraid because of some sin," but like Samuel, who said: "Speak Lord for thy servant hears." When God speaks to us, may we have open ears and eager hearts. Jesus says “My sheep hear My voice and they love to hear it..” HOW SWEET IS THE VOICE OF GOD TO THE BELIEVER.? AMEN. HOW SWEET IS IT TO YOU, MY FRIEND?
6. DO YOU SHARE THE GOSPEL MORE?
The Great Commission is to share the gospel with people in our locality. Some of us, like me, have been called to China. You may not be called to some far country. You may still live in the same neighbourhood that you were born in, but the Commission remains the same. Go out and share the gospel! We are not to stay in our comfortable churches and expect people to come to us. Remember. what we do is a CO-MISSION, between you and God. It is God's power filling weak vessels like us. Have you spoken to anyone about the gospel this year? Have you invited anyone to church this year?
7. DO YOU LOVE THE WORLD LESS?
1 John 2:15 –“ Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Do we obey this command? To obey this command, we truly need to be loving Jesus more. In the words of the chorus:
TURN YOUR EYES OPEN JESUS
LOOK FULL IN HIS WONDERFUL FACE
AND THE THINGS OF THE WORLD
WILL GROW STRANGELY DIM
IN THE LIGHT OF HUS GLORY AND GRACE.
www.casgv.org/Hymnary/Hymnary-H509.pps）
Do we love the world less or more than we did last year?
What do you spend your time doing?
Do you spend more time on worldly or heavenly things?
8. ARE YOU IN FULL CONTROL OF YOUR WORDS?
The tongue is called an unruly evil in James 3. Are you more in control of your tongue than you were last year? One of the pieces of evidence of a growing Christian is that you are in control of your tongue. Are your words sweeter than last year? We ask what is the defining quality of a Christian? In my estimation, it is the ability through the Holy Spirit to control his/her tongue
9. ARE YOU MORE OBEDIENT TO GOD?
Jesus says ”If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Obedience to God is one of the greatest characteristics of the Christian. As we said earlier, Paul talks about the Roman soldier. These soldiers obeyed their Commanding Officer. Are you obeying your Commander? - God himself?. Obedience to the commands and call of God is essential to progress in the Christian life. Has God called you to do something this year and you are still refusing?. It is time to obey that call, don't make excuses like Jonah and Moses did, although they obeyed, it took God to virtually twist their arm to get them to obey.
10. IS THERE A GREATER EXCELLENCE IN ALL YOU DO?
Ephesians 6:5-9 and Colossians 3:17 give us a blueprint for living: We are to do all for the glory of God. Whether it is washing up or preaching, we are to do everything for His glory. If we are washing, we should wash up as if Jesus was going to drink out of that cup or glass. Is our work done in an a more excellent way than it was last year?
11. DO YOU WEEP FOR SOULS MORE AND IN REPENTANCE?
I love Jeremiah; he wept so much. But he is not the only one who weeps in scripture. Our Saviour weeps at the grave of Lazarus. We need to cry over our sin... we need to be in sorrow for our sin. We need to have compassion like Jesus had for a world that is dying.. He wept over Jerusalem. Look at Paul in Romans 9:1-3, and his pain for his own people, Israel. Do you have the same pain for your community and country? When was the last time you cried in repentance? When was the last time you cried to God in prayer for your family, community and country? This year has been terrible, Covid has devasted many countries and communities, do we weep for them?
12. DO YOU HAVE A DEEPER WONDER ABOUT YOUR SALVATION?
It has been 45 years since I first trusted Christ. It is incredible to me that God loves me and that He sent His Son to die for someone like me. Has the wonder of your salvation grown in the last year? Ever wonder why God should pour his love, mercy and grace upon you? I do.
David prayed that he wouldn't lose the joy of his salvation. I hope you still have the wonder of a little child when it comes to your salvation. I hope it is something that brings you joyful amazement, joyful wonder, and makes you raise your voice in praise to your Saviour.
There are other questions you can ask yourself, but these are a good way to start.
When we get to the end of 2023, may we be able to answer all the questions, by saying "YES I have."
God bless you,
Keith
Happy New year everyone. Growth in grace is an ongoing thing: 2 Peter 3:18.
Have you grown in grace this past year? It's time to examine your life: 2 Corinthians 13:5.
Here are 12 questions to ask ourselves.- Be honest with yourself and God
1. DO YOU LOVE GOD'S WORD MORE?
Psalm 119:97 – ‘O how love thy law! It is my meditation all the day.’
Do you have a passion for the word of God? I am not asking if you read it more. Has it become like honey to you? Every time you read it, does God speak directly to you? Can you say the same words above? I mean when you are slogging through Leviticus or the first ten chapters of 1 Chronicles, can you say Oh how I love to read the bible
2. DO YOU LOVE SPENDING TIME IN PRAYER?
Now here is a biggie! I struggle here, I must admit. One minute spent praying is worth a hundred doing anything else. Prayer is the Christian's vital breath; it is his lifeblood. We just talk to our heavenly Father. We talk to the ones we love.. Amen! If we love God, then we will spend more and more time with Him. How much time do we spend communing with God? The average daily time is 7-10 minutes for the average Christian, I ask myself, why is that?. Would you give your wife ten minutes per day?
3. ARE YOU MORE INVOLVED IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE?
If you hadn't noticed, the Christian is a warrior. He/she is engaged in a desperate battle. In Ephesians 6, we are told to arm ourselves with spiritual weapons that will overcome the devil, etc. We need to be in hand-to-hand combat. The Roman soldiers whom Paul saw were always ready to fight. They obeyed their Commanding Officer and would go anywhere to fight for his cause. There is no let-up brothers and sisters; let's be engaged in warfare. Let's say like Paul at the end of his life.. I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT!!!
4. DO YOU LOVE GOD AND YOUR FELLOW BELIEVERS MORE AND MORE?
Jesus said the two greatest commandments were to love God and love your neighbour. Is God our first love or just one of many? This was the problem with the children of Israel. They loved God, but He was just one of many loves. He wants and demands your undiluted love. Do we also have pure love for our brethren, whoever they are? I am in China and can't understand much of what people say and likewise they also of me; but we love each other. There is a powerful and pure love between us. Do you show it to your fellow believers, not just in words but in actions?
5. DO YOU LOVE TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE?
Before Adam and Eve fell, they loved to hear God's voice. It is so sad to hear God's words in the garden.. God calls to them when they are hiding. This year when God speaks, let us not say like Adam:. "I am afraid because of some sin," but like Samuel, who said: "Speak Lord for thy servant hears." When God speaks to us, may we have open ears and eager hearts. Jesus says “My sheep hear My voice and they love to hear it..” HOW SWEET IS THE VOICE OF GOD TO THE BELIEVER.? AMEN. HOW SWEET IS IT TO YOU, MY FRIEND?
6. DO YOU SHARE THE GOSPEL MORE?
The Great Commission is to share the gospel with people in our locality. Some of us, like me, have been called to China. You may not be called to some far country. You may still live in the same neighbourhood that you were born in, but the Commission remains the same. Go out and share the gospel! We are not to stay in our comfortable churches and expect people to come to us. Remember. what we do is a CO-MISSION, between you and God. It is God's power filling weak vessels like us. Have you spoken to anyone about the gospel this year? Have you invited anyone to church this year?
7. DO YOU LOVE THE WORLD LESS?
1 John 2:15 –“ Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Do we obey this command? To obey this command, we truly need to be loving Jesus more. In the words of the chorus:
TURN YOUR EYES OPEN JESUS
LOOK FULL IN HIS WONDERFUL FACE
AND THE THINGS OF THE WORLD
WILL GROW STRANGELY DIM
IN THE LIGHT OF HUS GLORY AND GRACE.
www.casgv.org/Hymnary/Hymnary-H509.pps）
Do we love the world less or more than we did last year?
What do you spend your time doing?
Do you spend more time on worldly or heavenly things?
8. ARE YOU IN FULL CONTROL OF YOUR WORDS?
The tongue is called an unruly evil in James 3. Are you more in control of your tongue than you were last year? One of the pieces of evidence of a growing Christian is that you are in control of your tongue. Are your words sweeter than last year? We ask what is the defining quality of a Christian? In my estimation, it is the ability through the Holy Spirit to control his/her tongue
9. ARE YOU MORE OBEDIENT TO GOD?
Jesus says ”If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Obedience to God is one of the greatest characteristics of the Christian. As we said earlier, Paul talks about the Roman soldier. These soldiers obeyed their Commanding Officer. Are you obeying your Commander? - God himself?. Obedience to the commands and call of God is essential to progress in the Christian life. Has God called you to do something this year and you are still refusing?. It is time to obey that call, don't make excuses like Jonah and Moses did, although they obeyed, it took God to virtually twist their arm to get them to obey.
10. IS THERE A GREATER EXCELLENCE IN ALL YOU DO?
Ephesians 6:5-9 and Colossians 3:17 give us a blueprint for living: We are to do all for the glory of God. Whether it is washing up or preaching, we are to do everything for His glory. If we are washing, we should wash up as if Jesus was going to drink out of that cup or glass. Is our work done in an a more excellent way than it was last year?
11. DO YOU WEEP FOR SOULS MORE AND IN REPENTANCE?
I love Jeremiah; he wept so much. But he is not the only one who weeps in scripture. Our Saviour weeps at the grave of Lazarus. We need to cry over our sin... we need to be in sorrow for our sin. We need to have compassion like Jesus had for a world that is dying.. He wept over Jerusalem. Look at Paul in Romans 9:1-3, and his pain for his own people, Israel. Do you have the same pain for your community and country? When was the last time you cried in repentance? When was the last time you cried to God in prayer for your family, community and country? This year has been terrible, Covid has devasted many countries and communities, do we weep for them?
12. DO YOU HAVE A DEEPER WONDER ABOUT YOUR SALVATION?
It has been 45 years since I first trusted Christ. It is incredible to me that God loves me and that He sent His Son to die for someone like me. Has the wonder of your salvation grown in the last year? Ever wonder why God should pour his love, mercy and grace upon you? I do.
David prayed that he wouldn't lose the joy of his salvation. I hope you still have the wonder of a little child when it comes to your salvation. I hope it is something that brings you joyful amazement, joyful wonder, and makes you raise your voice in praise to your Saviour.
There are other questions you can ask yourself, but these are a good way to start.
When we get to the end of 2023, may we be able to answer all the questions, by saying "YES I have."
God bless you,
Keith
