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3 Ways to Examine Yourself
by Elizabeth Marks And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:14-17 NKJV Youve probably heard it said that God forgives and forgets. Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. We humans, on the other hand never forget. With regard to our sin, thats a very good thing. Not forgetting what we were like before we were saved is a great way to stay humble. Remembering where we came from, how we didnt always believe and how our life was a mess before can help us have compassion and mercy towards others, just as God had with us. Remembering our own failures and weaknesses is helpful in drawing us close to our Lord and Savior. For it He, who came to into the world to save sinners and by His strips we are healed for our sins were laid upon Him, who knew no sin. Contrasting our sinfulness with Christ Jesus righteousness helps us see a more accurate picture of ourselves, which in turn, helps keep us humble. The Bible ( Micah 6:8 NKJV ) tells us to walk humbly before our God. Humility plays a key part in our relationship with Christ. He is the head and we are the body. We are under His authority and our lives are submitted to His will. Without humility, we wouldnt submit to Him. Without humility, we wouldnt recognize our sinfulness and our need to be saved. Without humility, wed be prideful. The Bible ( James 4:6 NKJV ) tells us God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. As Christians, we must examine ourselves to ensure were living our lives pleasing to the Lord to bring glory and honor to Him alone. Lamentations 3:40 NKJV Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the LORD. Heres a few things to prayerfully consider when examining your thoughts, words and actions: 1) Are my thoughts focused on good, pure, honorable, and trustworthy things? Philippians 4:8-9 NKJV 2) Are my words helpful in building others up? Ephesians 4:29 NKJV 3) Are my actions driven by godly motives or selfish desires? 1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV Lord, thank you for loving us enough to die for us when we were still sinners. Thank you for pouring out your grace, mercy and forgiveness on those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ. Teach us to examine our ways that we may be your witness of Christ for your glory. Help us remain humble and submitted to your will. In Jesus name Amen. Copyright Elizabeth Marks, author of ThinkOnIt Devotions, has a heart for encouraging believers with God's Word. Please visit http://www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com for more devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more! Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |