7 questions for spiritual self checkup dec. 29, 2013

7 Questions

Taking a Look

at How You Are

Doing with Life!

Every March I

go see my

doctor . . .

1 Timothy 4:16

Watch your life and doctrine closely.

7 Questions

Taking a Look

at How You Are

Doing with Life!

7 Questions: Taking a Look at How You Are

Doing with Life!

1. Am I more concerned with

achieving happiness or holiness?

―We hold these truths to be self-

evident, that all men are created

equal, that they are endowed by

their Creator with certain

unalienable Rights . . . that

among these are life, liberty and

the pursuit of

The Preamble of the

Declaration of Independence

HAPPINESS.”

Does the Bible ever

command us to pursue

happiness?

Does the Bible ever tell us

that the purpose of our

salvation is our personal

happiness?

Happiness is a

warm and good

feeling that is

based on external

happenings.

Happiness is

a warm

puppy!

Ephesians 1:4

For he chose us in him before the

creation of the world to be . . . HOLY

and blameless before Him.

Ephesians 5:25-26a Husbands, love your wives, as Christ

loved the church and gave himself up

for her . . . that he might SANCTIFY

(make HOLY) her.


Doing with Life!


achieving happiness or

holiness?

2. Do I suffer from myopia (near-

sightedness), living only for the

present with no regard for

eternity?

We live in a

culture that is

very NOW

oriented!

Whenever we

want something,

we want it NOW!

However – we

must look

beyond today to

a bigger and

better

TOMORROW

(eternity)!

James 4:14

Why, you do not even know what will

happen tomorrow. What is your life?

You are a mist that appears for a

little while and then vanishes.

Psalm 90:5-6

You sweep men away in the sleep of

death; they are like the new grass

of the morning—though in the

morning it springs up new, by

evening it is dry and withered.

However – we

must look

beyond today to

a bigger and

better

TOMORROW

(eternity)!

Colossians 3:2

Set your minds on things above, not

on earthly things.

Matthew 6:19-20

Do not store up for yourselves

treasures on earth, where moth and

rust destroy, and where thieves break

in and steal. But store up for

yourselves treasures in heaven,

where moth and rust do not destroy,

and where thieves do not break in

and steal.

Hampton Inn


Doing with Life!



holiness?




eternity?


Doing with Life!

3. Do I complain more than I give

thanks?

Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise; give

thanks to him and praise his name.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances, for

this is God’s will for you in Christ

Jesus.

An attitude of entitlement

permeates our society!


Doing with Life!


thanks?

4. Do I talk more than I listen?

James 1:19

My dear brothers, take note of this:

Everyone should be quick to listen,

slow to speak and slow to become

angry.

Proverbs 10:19

When words are many, sin is not

absent, but he who holds his tongue

is wise.

Proverbs 18:2

A fool finds no pleasure in

understanding but delights in airing

his own opinions.

Ephesians 4:29

Do not let any unwholesome talk

come out of your mouths, but only

what is helpful for building others up

according to their needs, that it may

benefit those who listen.

Lord God,

I ask for the wisdom to restrain my speech and the patience to listen more

carefully to others before responding with my own opinions. May I be a gracious and

others-centered listener rather than a controlling and self-centered talker. I desire to serve others by listening,

caring and encouraging. Amen.

(Ken Boa, Passionate Living)


Doing with Life!


thanks?


5. Am I standing firm in the Truth?

John 17:17

Sanctify them by the truth; your word

is truth.

Can you say that you

know God’s Word better

today than you did at the

end of last year?

DO you have a plan for regular

Bible intake?

We live in a culture in

which truth is often

determined by the

vote of the majority!

But God’s Word is not up for

a vote! We must not only

know it, we must build our

very lives upon it!

Matthew 7:24-25

Therefore everyone who hears these

words of mine and puts them into

practice is like a wise man who built

his house on the rock. The rain came

down, the streams rose, and the

winds blew and beat against that

house; yet it did not fall, because it

had its foundation on the rock.

Matthew 7:26-27

But everyone who hears these words

of mine and does not put them into

practice is like a foolish man who

built his house on sand. The rain

came down, the streams rose, and

the winds blew and beat against that

house, and it fell with a great crash.

Are YOU standing

firm in the Truth?

Carpe Diem (Seize the Day!)

A Spiritual Growth Initiative for 2014

The Bible cannot be our authority ... Our “polaris” ... Our reference point

for life IF we do not KNOW it!


Doing with Life!


thanks?



6. Do I have a heart for the

harvest?

John 4:35

Do you not say, ‘Four months more

and then the harvest’? I tell you, open

your eyes and look at the fields! They

are ripe for harvest.

Lord God,

Please give me eyes for the harvest and a heart for evangelism so that I will long to see

the people I love come into a saving relationship with You through the merits and

grace of Your Son, Jesus Christ. May I be involved in the harvest as a worker who

prepares the soil, plants the seed of Your word, cultivates the soil, and waits for Your

harvest. Amen.

(Ken Boa, Passionate Living)


Doing with Life!


thanks?




harvest?

7. Do I treasure Christ above all?

Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is Christ.

Philippians 3:7-8

But whatever was to my profit I now

consider loss for the sake of Christ.

What is more, I consider everything a

loss compared to the surpassing

greatness of knowing Christ Jesus

my Lord, for whose sake I have lost

all things. I consider them rubbish,

that I may gain Christ.

“Christ is not

valued at all

unless

He be valued

above all!”

Augustine


Doing with Life!



holiness?




eternity?


Doing with Life!


thanks?




harvest?

7. Do I treasure Christ above all?

Today’s PowerPoint slides on my blog!

Sheet with 7 questions available at HC!

Are you faking

or trying when

it comes to

God?

The Blazing Center

Connecting God's Truth to

Real Life