FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK ~ “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you -- unless, of course -- you fail the test?” (1 Cor. 13:5). I have often heard that the hardest test that any of us will ever take is a “self-examination”. We, like the church at Corinth, are challenged by the Apostle Paul to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. This test is so important for us as Christ followers as we witness the direction of our society and culture in these last days. The test of “self-examination” requires us to answer questions of ourselves that make us uncomfortable to confront. 

Pastor and author Rick Renner has posed several probing questions for us to consider in this test. We must open our hearts, be honest, talk with ourselves and God as we consider our answers: 1. What do you do with your time? (Do you make time with God in prayer and Bible study a priority?) 2. What do you do to serve others? (Do you serve God in a practical way in the church or a ministry?) 3. When you pray, what do you pray about? (Do you pray for yourself only, or for the needs and dreams of others?) 4. What personal sacrifices do you make to serve the Lord? (Do you give up something to walk in obedience to God or to serve others and to make a difference in someone else’s life?) 5. What do your spending habits reveal about you? (Do you spend money on your interests, personal possessions, and other non-essentials, and then compare it to the amount of money you invest in the Gospel?) 6. What does your lifestyle reveal about your priorities? (Does your daily lifestyle reveal what you love and that you are consumed with your own needs and offer no service or help to anyone else?). 

As we may agonize over but honestly answer these questions, it will hopefully expose those areas in our lives and thinking that need to be changed. By doing so, when all truth is exposed, we will be able to stand before the Father joyfully and confidently knowing that we were found in the faith. ~ God’s blessings, protection, and favor to all.

Benny Nolen
Director
Joseph's Storehouse