© 22 Colin Melbourne
Self-Assessment Step One
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2 Cor. 13:5 KJV
Step Two 1 Jn. 3:10 KJV;
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Step Three 1 Jn. 3:21-22 KJV;
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Father instructs His children how to have confidence before Him, and receive whatsoever we ask of Him in prayer: The Holy Ghost invites believers to verify if they measure up to God’s written word and the inner witness of God’s Spirit.
Our Perfect Father
If the LORD was a fault-finder none of us would make it to Glory, but He is the opposite; He’s faith-filled, inspiration for His kids.
He believes in His children, that we will develop into the likeness of His Prototype: The God-Man in the Flesh.
Blood That Speaks
The LORD Jesus Christ lived the only sinless life ever lived, and has offered His Blood Sacrifice for each of us to depend on, and so be counted blameless in love before Him alway.
Halleluia for God’s Grace, oh how we need His Blood’s Testimony, and His Mercy every day. Heb. 12:22-24 KJV;
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Abel’s blood cried for revenge, thank God His Blood is pleading for mercy for you and me today.
But that does not stop Him from reminding us to assess our walk, and confirm we are doing that which pleases Him.
Self-assessment is Our Duty
It’s not the Fellowship busy-body’s job, the ones who behave as though the Lord had ordained them the ministry of correction to keep everyone in-line.
You’ve learned to steer clear of suchlike.
The bible truth is we each have a ministry of correction, but we’re only allowed to practise it on ourself, in fellowship with the Holy Ghost: Learn from Him how to be wise, tactful, loving and patient. Just like He is with you.
You’ll recognize the inward witness of the Holy Spirit always affirming the written word of God: The KJV for English speakers. The inward witness written of in 1 Jn. 3:21-22 KJV;
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Pleasing Father is not automatic: It’s up to the individual believer.
Three of the first Twelve disciples were closer to Christ than the other nine.
Peter, John and James knew Him more intimately than the rest.
Christ revealed Himself to them more than to the others.
Contemplate what that means for you
Father has no favourites, it was their choice and their commitment to press into the LORD.
You have the exact same access to Father as Christ has, so press in and get to know Him intimately.
He’s waiting for you to come to Him now. 2 Cor. 13:5 KJV;
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Wigglesworth Pressed In
George Stormont, a pastor and close friend of Smith Wigglesworth, tells of a Christian woman called Martha Eckhart prayerfully chiding Jesus for favouritism because He allowed John to lean on His bosom at the Last Supper. Jn. 13:21-26 KJV;
When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
She said Jesus replied, “Martha, they all could have put their head on my bosom if they’d wanted to, only John wanted to.”
Stormont commented, “We can all get where Wigglesworth got if we want to. Let it not be said that only Wigglesworth wanted to.”
It was his intimacy with Christ that made Smith effective in ministry. His heart unity with the purposes of God caused Jesus to be glorified in all he said and did.
That’s God’s plan for you too.
Press in and yield your all to The LORD now and alway.
© 22 Colin Melbourne
You may also like to read;
The Sacrifice – God provided a ram so Abraham didn’t have to sacrifice His son. God gave His Only Begotten Son, The LORD Jesus Christ, as The Sacrifice for us.
Tract image © Chick Publns. Used by permission