Test Yourselves

"Examine yourselves: are you acting according to faith? Test yourselves. Can you assert that Christ Jesus is in you? If not, you have failed the test." - 2nd Corinthians 13:5-6

Scripture says that all good things come from God, therefore, if we want to live our lives as good people, we need to be firmly planted in the Lord. But so much more than this, we need to be radical in our approach to living a life in Christ. Think about this, every single person Jesus met in His life was transformed by Him. Meeting Jesus would make people change their entire lives! People left their families to follow Him, people turned away from sin, people rose from the dead and were cured of disease. Even if people didn't change for the better, like the Pharisees and the Sadducees, Jesus stirred in them violent emotions because the message He delivered was full of purpose and full of passion. His was a life that made people examine themselves and what they stood for. That's how we need to live our lives.

What is the impression we make on people? Will they even remember us a week later? Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God has given us this same fire to change the lives of the people we come into contact with, to make an impact, if we use it. This is why, like Paul says, we need to examine our faith and test ourselves. If you think the Spirit of God really lives in you, can you honestly say you live your life according to the faith? Can you say that Jesus Christ lives in and through you? Are you causing an impact in the lives of the people you come across? Or are you simply passing by people's lives? Test yourselves to see if Jesus Christ really lives in you, if not, you have failed the test.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, You have given us a clear way to tell if we are really living our lives in accordance with You. Help us to let You live in us and manifest Yourself through us so that all can see You and Your work in our lives and come to believe. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Tests

"There is cause for joy, then, even though you may, for a time, have to suffer many trials. Thus will your faith be tested, like gold in a furnace. Gold, however, passes away but faith, worth so much more, will bring you in the end praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ appears." - 1st Peter 2:6-7

I spent the day thinking to myself that it's so ironic that yesterday I wrote about having the attitude of a conqueror because God gives us strength, yet today, I had trouble keeping that mindset. I had a horrible day today. I can't really find a place to feel relaxed and at peace except here right now with God. I'm stressed at home and I'm stressed at work. In my mind, I feel attacked from all corners. I know that God will work it all out for me and everything will be ok, but I have no clue how things will get there. This is the struggle of faith; the testing of gold in the furnace. In instances like this, I am being tested. It's so easy for me to write these verses every night and not actually put these into practice, but I do and it's hard. Being on this path is long and arduous, but like Peter says, this faith, when finally carried through, will bring me glory and I want to please my Lord Jesus Christ.

So I sit here right now, trying to find peace and balance, not knowing why all this is happening, but knowing it will be ok…some day. And I'm not mad at God and I won't complain and say that He's abandoned me, because He hasn't. I'm not even going through 5% of what Peter, Paul, John, or Stephen went through, but at least I know that my faith has made it through this far and through His grace it will go further.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I don't know where my trials will lead and sometimes it's so hard to keep positive and hold on to Your teachings. Help me stay firm. Help me to always keep my reward before me. In Your Name we pray, amen.