Do you have hidden sins that are undoing you? They don't have to be huge or incredibly sleazy, just dishonest to God's commands, law, will, and the commandments of Jesus Christ. Tolerating such behavior in ourselves will surely undo the good work that has been done in us. We will certainly become blinded by our unrighteousness.
How do you know when you have been praying in fervent prayer? Is it when you end your sentence with Amen, or is it when you unfold your hands, open your eyes, or get up off your knees? Those can all be indications of having prayed, but the real give away regarding fervent prayer is your heart; when the fingers of your soul begrudgingly let go of the hand of God, you return spiritually to your body... and language serves you once more.
God never leads us by the ear into salvation. He never forces us to acknowledge Him against our will, or badgers us until we finally give in. No, a tiny seed is planted within us, and it becomes our responsibility to tend and grow it, or let it lie dormant and eventually wither away.
Do we worry about our salvation and the salvation of our family members? Are we believers who don't trust that your own household is saved and faithful? Well, take heart, our belief has saved them all. By our faith and example, we are bringing the Word of the Lord into our homes and leading our families to believe.
Are we prepared to do our Heavenly Father's bidding? I am not talking about the things we consider to be the grand tasks of heaven, but rather, the trivial and menial jobs. Those that occur every day as we live out our lives; the ones that humble us and define us as servants.
Have you prepared yourself for the challenges of faith ahead? Are you ready for the trials that lie before you, or are you totally out of spiritual shape? Be as Jesus was... ready for the moment of God's calling... be ready to join the Father in the race of your life.
Do we claim the glory of God for ourselves? Have we done this while doing great things that He has called and gifted us to do? Have we puffed out our chests and swaggered as if they were all about us? We are tempted by our nature as men and women of the world to claim personal responsibility for God's work when it moves through us to be performed in the physical world, but we must defeat that temptation lest we be humbled.
Do you feel particularly unworthy this morning? When you rose did you feel dulled by the world as if you had lost your spiritual sheen? Well, cast that feeling off because you are a living stone... a piece of heaven. When you look into the mirror rejoice and see yourself as a reflection of the Kingdom to come. You are most likely asking yourself if this is true and how you could possibly be a piece of heaven? Well to answer this we must first consider these questions... “Of what is the kingdom of God constructed?” and “what are the building blocks of glory?” The answer to each of these questions is the same… "You are!" So, friends, let’s rejoice!
Do we trip over your feet as we begin our walk of faith? Do we have a certain understanding of God's will for our lives only to fall flat on your faces when we try to walk in it? Well, what do you do if that happens? Do we spring at once to our feet again, slowly pull ourselves up, or just lay there and cry? Then again, maybe the Lord makes the road before us straight and removes all the obstacles from our path; perhaps He delights in our way and we do not trip at all.
Have you always wanted to be the kind of Christian that is a blessing to others? Perhaps you have seen saints serving in your church and wished you could touch the lives of other people in the same way that they do. Well, don't discount yourself because you may be rippling out blessings at a much higher rate than you think, and having an impact that is being felt far beyond the world around you. Your seemingly small and insignificant faith is being felt on the distant shores of heaven itself!
How do we pray when we are broken? What do we pray for when we have nothing left, and our life is in total shambles? How do we lift our spirit high enough that we can face God with our desires? We are often embarrassed when we have completely failed in life; we are inclined to cover ourselves in leaves and hide as Adam and Eve did. Is that really what we should do? Is our faith that shallow? Has our God given us up to our despair? No, He comes to us even when our prayer is nothing but a quivering breath. Listen to what He says…
Do we wake up in the morning to a life of freedom, or have we given control of ourselves to something or someone else? Are we independently ruling our lives, or have we given ourselves over to a grand idea or something else such as our family, job, perhaps drugs, or some other thing… how about God? Is being free really a choice we can make, or are we owned, and just being rebellious by considering ourselves free? Let's explore our freedom as it relates to God, Jesus Christ, and faith.
What do we do with the fruit of great sacrifices that have been made for us? Do we take them like provisions into our larder? Do we consume them like fine wine? Or perhaps we attempt to distribute them among the deserving? This begs the ultimate question of faith... what are we doing with the great sacrifice of Christ, and what are we doing with the blood offering of Jesus? There are certain things that people give us, and blessings that God lavishes upon us that are just too great to accept easily unto ourselves. Let's look in scripture at a bible story that might help us understand this...
Are we satisfied with what God has done in us? When we look in the mirror in the morning are we pleased and at ease with the fact that Jesus has filled us with His teaching and that the Holy Spirit has expanded us to the point of popping at the seams? All of this is wonderful, but what is really asked of us isn't to achieve self-fulfillment, but rather that we Channel all we are given to the betterment of those around us. Our measure is in the redistribution of our faith and loving service, not simply in the volume of work we do.
Have we set ourselves apart for God? In other words, are we holy? If we think that this is possible, or that we already are, then let's go a step further by asking ourselves "am I perfect?" These are both hard questions and we often deflect them by saying that only God is Holy, and only Jesus is perfect, so how could we who are fallen creatures possibly think of ourselves in this way? Well the answers might surprise you.