Check Yourself Outline

Check Yourself

“Examine yourselvesto 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?” – 2 Corinthians 13:5 [NIV]

“Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven.” – Lamentations 3:40-41 [ESV]

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test meand know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead mealong the path of everlasting life.” – Psalm 139:23-24 [NLT]

 

What do you see when you look at yourself?

What does everyone see when they look at you?

What does God see when He looks in your heart?

ARE YOU GLORIFYING GOD??

Matthew 23:25-26– “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy–full of greed and self-indulgence!You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cupand the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.” [NLT]

Outer Appearance

What do people see when they see you?

• Make up (powdered antimony) & Jewelry
  • Jeremiah 4:30–“What are you doing, you who have been plundered? Why do you dress up in beautiful clothing and put on gold jewelry? Why do you brighten your eyes with mascara?Your primping will do you no good!The allies who were your lovers despise you and seek to kill you.”– basically this passage says it doesn’t matter how much you try to cover up because you are still facing wrath
  • 1 Peter 3:3-4– “Do not let your adorning be external-the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing- but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable (or unfading) beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”
  • Make up isn’t bad. Just know if you are trying to cover up the outside blemishes but the inside is dirty, it doesn’t matter.
• Tattoos
  • Leviticus 19:28 – “Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the LORD.”– Pagan Idolatry was cutting self and tattooing self to worship dead people – they would honor and worship dead people as gods – God didn’t want them aligned to that kind of life in that culture
• Attire
  • 1 Timothy 2:9 – “And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselvesby the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.”
  • It’s not about drawing people to you – it’s about pointing to Jesus
  • Be mindful of your surroundings—are you trying to lead your brothers/sisters down a path of sin?
  • Why do you dress as you do?
• Body Language – Are you welcoming? Inviting? Approachable?
• Good Physical Shape – 1 Timothy 4:8– Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. [NLT]

 

Do you appear fake or real / transparent / genuine?

(Does the outer show the inner?)

 

God has a different standard than us. When Samuel was looking for a man to succeed Saul as King of Israel, God said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the LORD sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart“(1 Samuel 16:7).

Man places a high price on the outside but God examines deep within that man for something more. Man judges one on the basis of one’s appearance, but God examines the heart.

 

“Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life”(Proverbs 4:23).

 

Inner Appearance – The Heart

Psalm 7:9b – “For You look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God.”

Proverbs 16:2– “All the ways of a man areclean in his own eyes; but the Lord weighs the spirit.”  A man may justify his ways, but God will weigh his spirit.

• Do you say one thing and do the other?
• Do you care only when it is convenient?
• What are your motives?
• Are you just going through the motions?
• Are you disconnected with people?
• Do you really like people? Do you LOVE people?

 

What can cause some heart issues…

1. Success – Success crowds our heart with things that tend to puff up our heart with pride causing us to say “look what I have done.”
2. Selfishness– Selfishness shrinks our heart to where there is room for only three – me, myself, and mine. It becomes ugly and is unable to face life because it alienates the body of Christ, the needed life-support of others.
3. Laziness– Laziness dries up the heart with inactivity and lack of service. The heart is like love– it functions to maximum capacity as it pumps out service to others.
4. Sin– Sin hardens the heart to the things that really matter in life. The heart becomes hard as it is separated from its life source, God Himself.
5. Stress– Stress breaks the heart by placing unnecessary demands on it. The heart crumbles under the pressure. It fails to recognize the power that has been made available to prevent anxiety. It wears down a person.

What do you see when you look at yourself?

Do you see a child of God? If you believe in Jesus, you are a child of God. That’s where your identity should be.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)

What does everyone see when they look at you?

Do people see the real you? Do they see you in long robes like the Pharisee pretending to be better than everyone else, hiding your sin and pointing a judging finger? Do they see someone who sticks with their friends and wants nothing to do with anyone new or not in their “group”? Do they see someone who loves or someone who doesn’t show love?

What does God see when He looks in your heart?

You are a child of God, marked by the Spirit of God – the Holy Spirit. You a co-heir with Christ.

If you believe in Jesus Christ, He paid for your sins and you are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.

He sees the real you—you cannot hide what’s in your heart. So if you fake you are something you are not to the others, remember that you cannot fake with God. He knows why you wear the clothes you do. He knows what you really think of other people when you give a fake smile. He knows if you really mean what you say. He sees more about you than you see. He knows you better than you know yourself. Ask Him to reveal anything you need to address.

 

ARE YOU GLORIFYING GOD??

Are you glorifying God with your life?

When people see you, do they see a reflection of Jesus or do they see someone who is talking the talk but not walking the walk?

Are you pointing people to Jesus or are you pointing to yourself?

Do you LOVE people? Do you truly LOVE people like Jesus commanded?

Remember, His love is not based on outside or inside appearance. His love is based on Who He is. It has nothing to do with you.

If you love like that, your love wouldn’t change from person to person. Your love wouldn’t stop when someone upsets you or doesn’t agree with you.

 

Take some time to check yourself…

 

“God, create a clean heart for me

and renew a steadfast spirit within me”

(Psalm 51:10)