Saturday, December 24, 2022

Examine yourself, whether you be in the faith.

Do you believe in the One who was pierced for your sins but have yet to be personally pierced by Him?

Do you know what it means to be "compelled by the love of Christ"? 

Do you personally know why Paul said, "To live is Christ: to die is gain"? 

Have you been satiated with "the unsearchable riches of Christ"?

Has Christ become to your soul the "Indescribable Gift"? 

Does your walk contradict your talk?

Does your life agree with your lips?

Does your "hallelujah" proceed from your heart?

Do you thank Jesus for His drops of blood but have little desire to give Him a drop of your time?

Have you grown up singing hymns but still don't know Him? 

Are you more in love with the world than with Christ? Do you have more of a passion for programs than for His presence? 

Are you hidden in the wounds of Christ and found refuge in His side?

What is your fascination? 

What captivates you?

What do you enjoy the most? 

Do you rejoice in suffering? 

Have you any love for those who do not love you?

Are you governed more by fear than by love? 

Are you afraid to die? 

Does your heart find any encouragement when humiliated? 

Do you find obedience to Jesus a burden or a blessing?

Do you find the call to bear the cross a cost or a comfort? 

Are you easily offended? Is it easy for others to correct you? 

Do you hide behind smiles? Do you express passion to conceal your fears? Are you bold yet double-minded? Are you confident yet confused?

Does the Spirit of the living God really live in you? 

Can you truly say with the apostle, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). 

Do you have the "Witness" inside of you (1 John 5:10)? 

Has the Spirit of God testified to your heart that you are a child of God (Romans 8:14-16)? Does this sound evangelical to you? Are you able to see this in Scripture? Have you experienced this? Do these questions frighten you? 

Jesus said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38).

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“Reason dictates that persons who are truly noble and who love wisdom will honor and love only what is true. They will refuse to follow traditional viewpoints if those viewpoints are worthless...Instead, a person who genuinely loves truth must choose to do and speak what is true, even if he is threatened with death...I have not come to flatter you by this written petition, nor to impress you by my words. I have come to simply beg that you do not pass judgment until you have made an accurate and thorough investigation. Your investigation must be free of prejudice, hearsay, and any desire to please the superstitious crowds. As for us, we are convinced that you can inflict no lasting evil on us. We can only do it to ourselves by proving to be wicked people. You can kill us—but you cannot harm us.” From Justin Martyr's first apology 150 A.D. Martyred A.D. 160