Testing yourself

Faithfulservant

Faithfulservant

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2 Corinthians13:5
"Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--"

Does anyone else ever test themselves? Do you ever just look at yourself to see whether you are living a life for God or are you too worried about work and bills and what game is playing on the TV? I have to do this every day.. or I might forget to pray.. sometimes that television show is so much more important than that hour with my bible.. Did I forget to say thank you for helping me avoid that temptation? I know I forgot to say I was sorry for thinking how much of a b**** my boss is... I dont want to take my salvation for granted. I want to see my Lords face.. I want to feel Him... see Him ...touch Him.. I want Him to draw close to me because I draw close to Him...I want to shout my praises of His holiness...and I do this in my car...you should see the looks I get. I live to worship Him...

Eph 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

Do you ever wake up from sleep with a hymn on your lips? You think thats just random..? Thats the Holy Spirit starting your very day off directing you straight to Jesus Christ. Who needs coffee...

Anyways I really am curious... do you ever examine yourself? or test your faith by taking a leap of uncertainity? Please share.
 
Faithfulservant said:
2 Corinthians13:5
Anyways I really am curious... do you ever examine yourself? or test your faith by taking a leap of uncertainity? Please share.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I test...I ask for forgiveness every night and start over again in the morning.
 
Faithfulservant said:
2 Corinthians13:5
"Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--"

Does anyone else ever test themselves?

I surround myself with original Christians. No: not THE original Christians, but really good people who are following Christ and truly love each other.

I became a Christian in 2003. Prior to that, I studied various paths (Buddhism, Taoism, etc.) I never got too deep into them because although I learned interesting and what seemed like life changing things at the time, when I really examined them they only seemed like God, really didn’t go anywhere, and were surrounded in legalism. (I apologize if this comes off as intolerant.) It wasn’t until after I became a Christian and started studying what the bible TRULY says (and not the common worldly/media version that can be so warped) that Jesus entered my heart and I have never looked back.

I know, surrounding yourself with fellow Believers doesn’t exactly fulfill the Great Commission (Jesus said to go make disciples of all the earth so none will perish.), but I am working on it.
God really loves mankind, but this has to be a reciprocal relationship
Click to expand...
 
Prober said:
I don't know if I test...I ask for forgiveness every night and start over again in the morning.
Click to expand...

Hi Prober,

When I first became a Christian in 1980 I found myself examining every thought daily and constantly asking for forgiveness much as you describe. Over the years, God has shown me that much of it was unecessary. He said that if I didn't measure, judge, or keep unforgiveness in my heart then forgiveness was mine already without the need for guilt and constant asking of forgiveness. It is recorded Jesus said "be ye perfect even as your Father in Heaven is perfect". It stands to reason that it must be possible. Otherwise, why would he command us to be something that was not possible? It is also recorded that if we will reckon ourselves dead to the flesh but alive to the spirit of Christ, we cannot sin. Being perfect in God's eyes then must be different from our perception of perfect. If we love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourself then we will not measure or judge him or hold anything in our heart against him which negates the appearance of sin in ourselves making us perfect in Christ. Thoughts may appear that seem unholy as they do with everybody but if you reckon yourself dead to that nature and alive to the nature of Christ with unconditional forgiveness for all, you cannot sin for that which is born of God cannot sin. Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Here is a free booklet that if read, I believe will make your walk much easier.

http://home.fuse.net/mattioli/condemned.htm

Best wishes in your walk with God,
Love in Christ,
JM
 
Faithfulservant said:
... Who needs coffee...

Anyways I really am curious... do you ever examine yourself? or test your faith by taking a leap of uncertainity? Please share.
Click to expand...
I think on a regular basis. I seem to find if I don't test myself and put myself out there further, spirit and life has a tendency to do it for me.

They say G-d won't give you anything you can't handle...and then add 'I only wish He wouldn't trust me so much'

I had addictive and dependency issues in my youth, started out a little wild and got wilder...after giving those things up and growing up some my wife left after 22 years of marriage with two young children. Through that lost the house and had to start over. If I hadn't had the opportunity to learn I would have been right back to old behaviours....but instead had a couple kids and a spiritual community to focus on.

So while the kids are growing up nicely, well rounded, healthy and smart, and internal work is also going on....I stretch entrepreneuraly risking, knowing that intent will allow me to either succeed or learn...and it is good.
 
Anyways I really am curious... do you ever examine yourself? or test your faith by taking a leap of uncertainity? Please share.[/]

I walked away from Catholicism at 19, came back when I was 40 something – the intervening years I was testing God.

Now I study theology – not simply the theology I like (I've been doing that for years), but theology as is taught by the Church. So now I'm looking at stuff, and thinking about stuff, I've never thought of before ... and you probably won't believe this, but some of the most testing questions have come not from this Forum, but from my Course Director, who constantly faces us all with the assumptions of our faith.

I have found the course I am studying (BA Divinity) more testing, and more illuminating, than I could have imagined.

Thomas
(I assume we're not talking 'examination on conscience' here - something a Catholic is required to do.)
 
My preacher recounts while sitting in a graduate level class at Loyola, a Jesuit School, with the Priest who was teaching slowly turning around from the board and to the students during a discussion, the horror in half the class when he said, "You don't actually believe there was a garden do you? You are aware that Genesis is full of metaphor, right?"

I believe the problem is, they forget that is what they taught us as children...if we'd have more respect at what children can absorb, learn and understand we'd be so much further. It is so hard unlearning to learn.
 
wil said:
My preacher recounts while sitting in a graduate level class at Loyola, a Jesuit School, with the Priest who was teaching slowly turning around from the board and to the students during a discussion, the horror in half the class when he said, "You don't actually believe there was a garden do you? You are aware that Genesis is full of metaphor, right?"

I believe the problem is, they forget that is what they taught us as children...if we'd have more respect at what children can absorb, learn and understand we'd be so much further. It is so hard unlearning to learn.
Click to expand...

Hi Wil,

Yes. It seems that there is much to be unlearned before we can understand. Thanks for such an insightful post.

Love in christ,
JM
 
How quickly this thread deviated from the originator's thoughts. The question is do you test yourself to see if you are walking along the correct path with God in the lead, or are you on your own merit and understanding...

Answer: I deviate every damn day...

v/r

Joshua
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Faithfulservant
Do you ever wake up from sleep with a hymn on your lips?

yeah that is another interesting one...I walk around whistling a lot...and sometimes as I see others looking or smiling I have to stop and listen to what I'm whistling to find out what tune is emmanating...Rock of Ages (I think that is the title) was a recent one...
 
When Im examining myself I am searching for secret sin.. sins that I commit without knowing.. anything that keeps me from drawing closer to Christ. A big one I used to have was gossiping.. at work I would always seem to become friends with all the gossipers and I was highly susceptible to it. As I prayed that God would shield me from these situations He put me in a job where I sat by myself in a room...where I spent 8 hours a day in conversation with Him instead of the the other women... and amazingly once I worked through that sin He put me in a job where I am surrounded by gossipers and Im still content to spend 8 hours of my day in conversation with my Lord...

After the fact I can look back and see the story but when it was happening I was freaking out.. like what did I do wrong!! Why am I in this little room all by myself and I hated it.. God is so awesome.

I just pray that Im always wise enough to keep myself in the center of His will. That Im always seeking to grow spiritually... that is true fulfillment. I will always place my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanks for all who responded I think its important that we always keep ourselves in check.
 
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