Bible League: Living His Word Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.— 2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV Some people go to church and they've simply taken it for granted that they're a Christian. Indeed, they would be offended if anyone questioned whether they're a Christian or not. They know the lingo. They know the doctrines. They know what's expected of them morally. They've passed their Christian education classes. They've done better than most. Why would anyone, including themselves, have a question about the genuineness of their faith? Why would anyone, including themselves, want to go through an examination to see if they're in the faith or not? Maybe you feel like that. On the other hand, maybe it's not such a bad idea. After all, the world is full of phonies. The world is full of people who claim to be one thing but are actually something quite different. Some are deceptive schemers who have an ulterior agenda that's not fit for public consumption. Consequently, they have to cloak it with a masquerade. Many, however, are self-deceived. They are people who simply do not know themselves. They went along with the traditions of their parents or peers without realizing that they never made them truly their own. Maybe you're one of them. Maybe you've claimed to be a Christian, but Jesus doesn't live in you. It couldn't hurt to find out. You know what the stakes are from the Christian point of view. The stakes are very high. Heaven and hell lay in the balance. It couldn't hurt to take a hard look at your true motives and desires to see if they line up with what you've been saying about yourself all along. It couldn't hurt to deeply examine your inner life in order to find out what truly motivates you. In fact, do more than examine yourself. Test yourself. Look back to when times were tough to see if your confession held up. What happened back then? What would happen now? When the moral test comes, or when persecution comes, what would happen? If you examine and test yourself and discover that Jesus doesn't live in you, then now is the time. If you want, you know how to ask Him to come into your heart. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJeremiah 25, 26 Jeremiah 25 -- Jeremiah Prophesies Seventy Years of Captivity and Judgment on Babylon NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 26 -- Jeremiah Threatened and Spared NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 2 Timothy 3 2 Timothy 3 -- Godless Times Will Come NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear.Insight When we speak fearlessly for Christ, or live faithfully for him during difficult situations, we encourage others to do the same. Challenge Be an encouragement by the way that you live. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, etc.This prayer begins where all true prayer must commence, with the spirit of adoption, "Our Father." There is no acceptable prayer until we can say, "I will arise, and go unto my Father." This child-like spirit soon perceives the grandeur of the Father "in heaven," and ascends to devout adoration, "Hallowed be thy name." The child lisping, "Abba, Father," grows into the cherub crying, "Holy, Holy, Holy." There is but a step from rapturous worship to the glowing missionary spirit, which is a sure outgrowth of filial love and reverent adoration--"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Next follows the heartfelt expression of dependence upon God--"Give us this day our daily bread." Being further illuminated by the Spirit, he discovers that he is not only dependent, but sinful, hence he entreats for mercy, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors:" and being pardoned, having the righteousness of Christ imputed, and knowing his acceptance with God, he humbly supplicates for holy perseverance, "Lead us not into temptation." The man who is really forgiven, is anxious not to offend again; the possession of justification leads to an anxious desire for sanctification. "Forgive us our debts," that is justification; "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," that is sanctification in its negative and positive forms. As the result of all this, there follows a triumphant ascription of praise, "Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen." We rejoice that our King reigns in providence and shall reign in grace, from the river even to the ends of the earth, and of his dominion there shall be no end. Thus from a sense of adoption, up to fellowship with our reigning Lord, this short model of prayer conducts the soul. Lord, teach us thus to pray. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 104:34 Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.1 Peter 2:6 For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." Psalm 45:2 You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. Philippians 2:9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, Colossians 1:19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 1 Peter 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, Philippians 3:8,9 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, • and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. 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