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EXAMINE YOURSELF

THE LORD’S BRANCH CHRISTIAN CENTRE
THE BRANCH’S WAY-Isaiah 4:2 (A WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE) Sunday September 8, 2024
TOPIC: EXAMINE YOURSELF


Today because of the importance of the topic, we are going look into several versions of the Bible or our text. We are taking our text from the book of 2 Corinthians 13: 5:
King James Version: “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?”
New Living Translation: "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.”
“Amplified version:"Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?”
“Message Version: "Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it.
In the above passage, I have emphasized some portions in order to draw the salient points.
In our text above Brother Paul was encouraging us to carry out a spiritual check up as people do medical check up of their bodies by visiting their doctors. And by this spiritual check up we would be able to know if we are genuine Christians or pretenders. Now take a moment and look into your life for self examination.
Now what do you see? Are you growing closer to God daily or you are withdrawing from His presence? If you have genuinely examined yourself, you must know where you stand.
Let me emphasize this here that our standard of of living is "Christ " not the pastor, or any church leader. Paul said he daily examined and disciplined himself lest he be disqualified (castaway). For us to win the race we must constantly examine ourselves so as not to get tripped over. Lack of self examination can lead to self deception which is unhealthy for believers.
Isaiah said as quoted in Matthew 15: 7- 9 "These people honor (draw near) me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is (in vain) a farce, for they teach (commandments of men) man-made ideas as commands from God.’
The Message translation puts it succinctly like this “ These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it. They act like they’re worshiping me, but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy.””
God 's plan for all His children is that "Christ the Hope of Glory" should be in us. He wants His "Son" to live in our hearts. The question now is "is Christ in your heart? "Is Christ formed in you"? If you are not sure, then do something about it today.
Let us therefore, examine ourselves in the light of the truth revealed to us in the Scriptures and allow God's Word to convict and change us.
Psalms 139: 23- 24 NLT says “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
1 Corinthians 11: 31 NLT says "But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.”
Let us now look at ourselves in the mirror of God as set before us:
1. Does your life glorify God in the way you dress, or talk ?
2. Do you love to tell others by way of evangelism about the love of Jesus?
3. Are you ashamed to let people know that you are a Christian ?
4. Do you spend more time on social media than you read your Bible daily?
5. Do you pray in the morning before going out and at night before going to bed?
6. How do you react to fasting?
7. Do you enjoy fellowship with others?
8. Do you enjoy the praise of people ?
9. Do you pay your tithes?
10. Do you drop the dirtiest naira notes in your pockets as offerings?
11. Do you spend more on recharge cards than what you give God as offerings?
12. Do you pray on your food before eating?
13. Do you always see yourself better than others in performing a task?
14. Do you react negatively if someone is called to take up your normal role in the church despite your preparation?
15. Do you advance the Gospel of Christ in your environment ?
16. Do you love to be begged to come to church?
17. Do you want to be noticed in any place you are?
18. Do you cheat?
19. How much of yourself can you give to others?
20. Are you jealous of others' achievement ?
21. Do you love those who hate you?
22. Do you have secret pride in your heart?
23. Do you love power, position and fame?
24. Do you allow others to do hard work while you choose the easiest task?
25. Do you curse or swear?
26. Do you feel slighted when you are overlooked by others?
27. Can you seat under a secondary school student for Bible studies?
28. Are you easely provoked or angered?
In whatever you do, always ask yourself the following questions:
* Is it a sin if I do this thing? If the answer is yes then do not do it, let it go.
* This thing I am about to do is it helpful and edifying? Or will it affect the faith of others? “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (1 Corinthians 6: 12).
Message translation says - “Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.” The fact that others are going something does not make that thing right before God.
* Does this thing I am doing give glory to God? . 1 Corinthians 10: 23 - “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
NIV - ““I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.”
* Will this my actions or inaction make others to stumble?
Mark 9: 42 - ““If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.”
* Is it worldly? 1John 2: 15 - “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”
Rom 12: 2- “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
James 4: 4 - “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
In conclusion “let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord" (Lamentation 3: 40).
“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor" (1 Peter 5:6 NLT).
A. W. Toxer says in his book - The pursuit of God "Look unto Jesus for your perfection. While you look at Jesus Christ, the very thing you have so long been trying to do will be get done within by Him" (p 85).
WHAT TO DO
* Be born again.
* Be holy.
* Read the Bible and live by it.
* Have the Holy Spirit in you.
* Be obedient to God.
* Determine to please God.
PRAYERS
1. Spirit of self in my life I paralyze you by the power of Jesus in Jesus name.
2. Hinderances to pleasing God in my life, catch fire in Jesus name.
3. Anything robbing me of my joy in Christ Jesus, I destroy you in Jesus name.
4. Satanic power dominating my life, I destroy your power over me in Jesus name.
5. Divine brush of God cleanse me of spiritual dirtiness.
6. Every spiritual padlock and evil chain hindering my progress in life be roasted by fire.

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