- Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
- Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
- Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
- Can I be trusted?
- Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
- Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
- Did the Bible live in me today?
- Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?
- Am I enjoying prayer?
- When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
- Do I pray about the money I spend?
- Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
- Do I disobey God in anything?
- Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
- Am I defeated in any part of my life?
- Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
- How do I spend my spare time?
- Am I proud?
- Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
- Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
- Do I grumble or complain constantly?
- Is Christ real to me?
Thursday, October 29, 2009
20 Questions? (Plus 2)
John Wesley’s Methodists started as a regular meeting of students at Oxford University called The Holy Club. These are 22 questions the members of this group asked themselves every day in their private devotions over 200 years ago. These questions convicted me, so I thought I would share them.
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There is a 23rd question to which i have been struggling over the past several days and really over the past year or so.
ReplyDelete23. Do I allow my relationship with God to be dependent on someone/group other than Him?
As I sit here on sunday morning with no real motivation to go to the church that I attend, simply because i know I will go, find a seat that hasn't been taken yet, worship in my own little world, write down sparking comments that the pastor says, and then leave. I might walk around for a little while after the service hoping to find someone familiar to say hey to, but then Go home. All the while I am thinking I can sit here and write, read and pray while listening to great worship songs and feel like I am in better commune with God that way.
This is a struggle for me because I know I should be a part of a family of believers and not be disjointed from the body of Christ. All my life I have been taught to go to church and to have good Christian friends that build me up and that challenge me. Because I do not feel that connection at my local church I have no motivating desire to go there. I enjoy everything to a certain degree but because I am not sharing it with any friends or family I have no strong desire to be there.
On one hand I know my relationship with God does not solely exist at the local assembly and on the other I know there is something intimate about Worshiping God in his house. So as I stand surrounded by hundreds of people feeling alone or I sit alone surrounded by none, I hear God calling me to make a difference and to be a leader in among his people. So first I must come to him and when or where?
The discipline God has been calling me to my entire life since mid high school is finally coming to fruition and becoming a demand. Before maybe it has been an option and along the way have been great people and friends that challenge and build me up. There comes a time it seems in everyones life that we must decide whether or not we will be disciplined. Some maybe more subtle than others. The ultimate test, however, when everything is striped away, all people friends, familiarity and atmosphere, what is left? Who is left? This is the true test of Godliness! This is the true test of self surrender and complete submission to Christ!
Caleb,
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't mind my post back to Anonymous. But I have surely been where he/she is...when I made Christianity...well my idol. One thing I have learned is what brings you (music, excellent preaching, friends, Jesus...whatever it may be) must keep you. Major Ian Thomas said, "There is nothing as boring as Christianity without Christ." When everything is stripped away...there should be Jesus. Not an attribute or even a reflection. In Galatians 2:20 we have been crucified and Christ lives in us. In John 15, Jesus is the Vine and we are branches. Does a branch produce fruit? No, the Vine THROUGH the branch produces fruit. What is the fruit produced? Galatians 5:22-23.
Check out:
http://www.abidinglife.com/
http://gracewalkministries.blogspot.com/
http://www.ecclesiaonline.com/index.html
It's just where God has me now. 1 John 2: 20,27
Grace to you!
Awesome Starla! Thanks for that. This is what I want this blog to be.
ReplyDelete