Examine Ourselves

(Go To Meeting)

Ray Murray—March 31, 2023

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Happy Sabbath to all! At this particular time of the year when our attention is focused on the Festival season of God's Holy Days, particularly starting with the Passover.

As we know, all the Holy Days present a way of life that God is calling us to. Those who have responded are here today and there are those who are in the process of responding, and most of the humanity is not responding at all.

Even when they hear the Truth, it's maligned and spoken against because of the lies that have promulgated amongst the people over the centuries, Satan has deliberately done this, blinded people and God has allow it as part of His plan.

Today what I want to do is give an overview of the way of life, of Passover, of change, of what God has called us to. The first aspect of is Christ our Passover. Part of that is the Days of Unleavened Bread and examining ourselves and getting sin out of our life.

1-Cor. 11—this is where Christ was instituting the Passover [of the New Testament] and He gave the symbols. The Apostle Paul was reminding everybody exactly what it was all about.

1-Corinthians 11:26: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you solemnly proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes. For this reason, if anyone shall eat this bread or shall drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, he shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord" (vs 26-27).

That's pretty serious! We need to take to heart what Paul admonishing us here; what God is admonishing us through Paul and the Scriptures.

Verse 28: "But let a man examine himself…"

What does the word 'examine' mean? To inquire into the nature, the condition of, a test, and examination! It times past when people were examined, and with powers they were put to torture to try and extract information. It's not a pleasant process.

This nature that we have, the carnal nature, is not subject to the Law of God, and it can't be! It can be painful at times to look into the Law of God and be examining our own selves and seeing where we come short. But this is crucial to our salvation. It's crucial to the way that we live our lives. The way that we think.

Verse 28: "But let a man examine himself and let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup accordingly, because the one who eats and drinks unworthily is eating and drinking judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord…. [the consequence of that]: …For this very reason, many are weak and sickly among you, and many have fallen asleep" (vs 28-30)—which means they died!

So, there are consequences in this life and also for our future salvation. We know that we are admonished to make our calling and election sure! That's one reason why God gave us the annual Holy Days to remind us of His Plan and how He will bring it about. But we have to do our part, too.

We know the tools that God has given us: the Word of God to study, over 14 authors over a long period of time. We also have prayer and access to God. We have meditation, which is thinking deeply about the Word of God. And fasting is a tool, as well, when we examine ourselves. We know that the Scriptures say that 'we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works,' for the things we do, and thing that we don't do.

As the prophet warns, 'we who tend to think we stand, take heed lest you fall!' Every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord tests the spirits. So, we need to examine ourselves to make sure that we are walking as Christ walked, and letting the will of Father in doing that. In so doing, we actually make ourselves worthy to partake of the Passover.

There are so many questions, and there are five basic ones that I want you keep in mind as we go through today's message: Where? What? When? Why? and How?

When we use the tools of studying the Word of God, praying about things, thinking deeply, fasting and asking God to open our eyes and mind to see where we have fallen short, missed the mark. We can ask ourselves these five basic questions.

David was a man after God's own heart; yet, he sinned grievously. There were consequences for that, but God did forgive him. In this particular one was his sin with Bathsheba and also killed Uriah, her husband, Yet, he repented:

Psalm 51:6: "Behold, You desire Truth in the inward parts…"—in our heart had mind, what we think and how we act!

So often we deceive ourselves with our own self-talk, our own lives, our own desires that we want what we want. That's for when the opportunity presents itself if we're not careful we can slip.

"…and in the hidden part You shall make me to know wisdom" (v 6)—in our mind and heart!

The heart also has some nero cells for memory, and there are emotions seated there. Yet, we have the Truth, the emotions in the mind and they work together. God wants us to have Truth in our inward parts, our mind and heart.

Verse 7: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

We're washed with the 'washing of the water by the Word, through Christ and the goodness and grace  that we're give, which is a gift! We are expected to behave in a certain way, and God has told us as well (inaudible)

How long will we survive on the roads if we didn't obey the road rules/laws. How many people get road rage when others obey the roads and make a mistake, and  get angry? Life is governed by laws all around us. Take a step back and look at our national situation historically and currently.

Isa. 57—here God is talking to Israel thousands of years ago and He's identified a problem that He has, and we have the same problem today. Our nations' people are the same, same nature!

Isaiah 57:10: "You are wearied with the greatness of your way…."

Doing what was right in their own eyes. The way of man is clean in his own eyes. But that doesn't make it right. We need to compare it with the Word of God.

• Which tree are we taking from?
• The Knowledge of Good an Evil?

or

• The Tree of Life?
• Do we want to decide for ourselves what's right and what's wrong?  As a nation we see around us everybody is doing exactly that!

"…Did you not say, 'There is no hope'? You have found strength; therefore, you were not faint. And of whom have you been afraid or feared, that you have lied and have not remembered Me, nor laid it to your heart?…." (vs 10-11)).

How often do people, for the sake of their circumstances, lie to keep doing what their doing even though they know it's wrong? But the consequences of facing up to it are too painful or too difficult. So, we let ourselves get into that situation. Often times we find ourselves faced with decisions and we have to choose, just as God said to Israel. Choose to stay with evil, live or die. Are we going to believe God and do what He says? Walk in faith? Knowing that the outcome is in God's hand. He is gracious to us and others who repent.

Are we willing to trust in Him? The nations, unfortunately at this time are blinded to it!

"…Have I [God] not been silent, even of old, and yet you did not fear Me? I will declare your kind of righteousness, and your works; for they shall not do you any good" (vs 11-12).

What's the result of 6,000 years of humanity? We're living it! God's given this so we will learn! He's called some of us early as the firstfruits. It's a harder thing to do now, because we have to resist what's going on around us. It permeates our mind and heart, that is thrust on us:

• through media
• through music
• through the news

Verse 13: "When you cry, let them that you have gathered deliver you; but the wind shall carry them all away. The wind will carry them off, a breath will blow them away; but he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My Holy mountain.' And He… [God] …shall say, 'Cast up! Cast up! Prepare the way! Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people'" (vs 13-14).

This is actually a prophecy of what God is going to do for all of our nations. Is 'Cast up!' casting up the grave, casting up the dead? Prepare the way. Christ and the work that God is doing: "…Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people."

• Satan bound
• blindness removed

It seems like every time there's a decision made, it just makes things worse! What's the consequence of that?

Verse 15: "For thus says the high and lofty One Who inhabits eternity; Whose name is Holy; 'I dwell in the high and Holy place, even with the one who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones, for I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit of man would then fail before Me, and the souls which I have made'" (vs 15-16).

God is looking to those who are contrite and have a humble spirit. Those who are willing to examine themselves and see where they're falling short.

Verse 18: "I have seen his ways, and will heal him. I will also lead him, and restore comfort to him and to his mourners."

Often when we produce problems for ourselves, or other people produce problems for us, it causes us to be in a state of mourning, sadness. Friendships dissolved and no longer being able to have fellowship with some people. This is not what God wants.

Isaiah 59:1: "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor is His ear heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have come between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear" (vs 1-2).

How important is it to examine ourselves? If we have some secret sin in our life that we're not really facing up to, or something that we have to deal with but we haven't, yet!

• Is that affecting our relationship with God?
• Is it stopping our prayers?

Verse 8: "They [Israel] have not known the way of peace, and there is no justice in their ways. They have made crooked paths for themselves; whoever goes therein shall not know peace. Therefore, justice is far from us; nor does righteousness overtake us. We wait for light, but behold, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. We grope along the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes. We stumble at noonday as in the night; among those who are strong, we are like dead men" (vs 8-10).

How many of our leaders are solving the problems that we face as a nation?

Verse 11: "We all roar like bears, and mourn grievously like doves…"

How many of us feel that way with the things that are going on around us? Mourning for the suffering the people are being put under, put through! Roaring at the injustices that are performed.

"…we look for justice, but there is none, we look for salvation, yet, it is far from us;  for our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us… [against God] …for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; in rebellion and denial of the LORD, and turning away from our God, talking perversity and revolt, conceiving and speaking from the heart words of falsehood. And justice is driven backward, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth has fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter" (vs 11-14).

• Do we find that today? Sadly, yes!
• Can it change? Yes, it can!
• How?
• What sort of will, will we have if everybody took the admonishment that God gives to examine themselves?

Let's compare ourselves with the Word of God!

• What kind of world would we have if everybody repented and changed from what they were doing?

It's pretty simple: love God and love your neighbor! It's not hard to know, but it's very hard to do! We're told through the Scriptures how: through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the receiving of His Spirit. Walking in Their way of life!

Is it important to examine ourselves? This is another Passover season, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread coming up! It's so easy to become complacent! Its so easy to hear the things we've heard for year upon year and to gloss over them. We need to take it to heart!

Verse 15: "Yea, truth fails; and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey…."

How often does that happen? It's happened to me lots!

"…And the LORD saw, and it was evil in His eyes that there was no justice. And He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no intercessor. Therefore, His own arm brought salvation to Him; and His righteousness sustained Him" (vs 15-16).

God did something about it! He determined this before the foundation of the world. When He established the re-creation of the earth and created Adam and Eve on it. How did God do this?

Verse 17: "For He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon His head. And He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was covered with zeal like a cloak."

Does God get angry?

Verse 18: "According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay; fury to His foes, deed for deed to His enemies. He will repay their deeds to the isles." No one will escape!

It's amazing how that little section of Scripture is a prophecy of what God does to rescue humanity from their own selves, and us personally from ourselves.

In Matthew 4:17 is what was expounded on Ephesians. This is what God did and we are called to be His children, His sons and daughters. We're also admonished to do the same things:

• put on righteousness like a breastplate, to protect our heart and mind
• put on the helmet of salvation protecting our head where our mind is

How important is it to change? Here is where Christ overcame Satan, tempted in the wilderness!

Matthew 4:17: "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent… [change; why?] …for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.'"

He was talking to people who were living in the kingdom of Rome and Israel. Christ was saying that they needed to change because there's a change in kingship coming.

In order to change, we need to actually see what we need to change. The way of the world is to change other to suit ourselves. But the way God says to change the world, is to change ourselves, then the world will change!

Proverbs 16:6: "By mercy and Truth iniquity… [lawlessness] …is purged… [gotten rid of] …and by the fear of the LORD men turn away from evil."

We need to examine ourselves! Consider the nations, people need to do this. What a world we would have. Do we want it?

2-Cor. 2 is where there was a problem in the Church, a man had taken his father's wife. The church had put him out so that it would wake him up to what he had done wrong. What was to happen after that?

2-Corinthians 2:6: "To such a one this punishment, which was inflicted by the majority of you, is sufficient."

That was the person who had taken his father's wife; he had been put out and now has come back because he repented, changed! What was the problem now?

Verse 7: "So that on the contrary, you should rather forgive and encourage him, lest such a one be swallowed up with overwhelming sorrow."

• Do we do this to people who have offended us?
• Sinned against God?
• Sinned against us?
• Are we willing to forgive from the heart?

It takes strength, which is not by our own power, it's by the Spirit of God!

I had a personal circumstance once where I knew I had to forgive. I also knew that I couldn't, it didn't have within me. I knew what I had to do! I prayed about it and God gave me the strength to be able to forgive. As I went through and forgave that person, which was a grievous sin, God healed my heart so that I actually felt it; that I wanted to forgive them. The challenge was to prove God. It's by His Spirit, not by our own strength!

• choose to do what's right
• choose to do what God says

It's hard, but He gives us power and strength! Paul says, 'I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.' There's nothing too hard! It just requires our choice!

Verse 8: "For this reason, I exhort you to confirm your love toward him. Now, for this cause I wrote to you, that I might know by testing you whether you are obedient in everything. But to whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; and if I also have forgiven anything, to whomever I have forgiven it, for your sakes I forgave it in the person of Christ… [here's the reason]: …so that we may not be outwitted by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes" (vs 8-11).

Satan wants to divide and destroy us! We can't allow that! What are we choosing?

2-Corinthians 3:4: "Now we have this confidence through Christ toward God; not that we are competent of ourselves, or credit anything to our own abilities: rather, our competency is from God; Who also made us competent as ministers of the New Covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (vs 4-6).

Are we willing to forgive as Christ forgives us, as we're told in the prayer (Matt. 6). He forgives us as we forgive others; the 'golden rule': doing for others as we want done to us. Are we living that? Is this something that is too painful? It will be more painful if we don't deal to it!

2-Corinthians 4:1: "Therefore, having this ministry, according as we have received mercy, we are not fainthearted." Why was Paul fainthearted?

Verse 2: "For we have personally renounced the hidden things of dishonest gain…"

• How often to people in business try to take dishonest gain when they shouldn't, not doing the job properly, taking shortcuts?
• Do we do that?

"…not walking in cunning craftiness…" (v 2).

Not taking advantage instead of dealing openly and honest!It might feel a little uncomfortable, but the outcome will be much better; it will be peace.

"…nor handling the Word of God deceitfully…" (v 2).

How often do we hear people misquoting the Word of God to justify what they're doing? Either in willing ignorance, or just not understanding?

"…but by manifestation of the Truth, we are commending ourselves to every man's conscience before God…" (v 2)

When we live it, people can see it and then they can believe it and understand it. That's what the Apostle Paul here was saying. Not everybody will see it and recognize it:

Verse 3: "But if our Gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are perishing"—they don't understand!

We can't make them understand, only God can open their eyes!

Verse 4: "In whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the Light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

It's not their time to understand. Yes, we make ourselves a prey to depart from evil. But in doing so, people see. Why did you do that when you could have taken advantage? Then at the end of the day when God visits them, they'll remember. They will glorify God and they will respond because they've seen your example. They will remember those things! They stand out!

Ephesians 4:1—Paul speaking: "Therefore, I, the prisoner of the Lord, am exhorting you to walk worthily of the calling to which you were called with all humility and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (vs 1-2).

That's giving them space to grow up. God gives us that! We are expected to be that way toward our brothers and sisters. Some are not as mature or are behaving in a wrong way, they don't have the strength for the faith as yet. It's not our place to condemn them or to judge, but to keep our eyes on Christ and to be the example that they need of the way through it.

Verse 3: "Being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

That's our fate, to deliver peace, the unity of the Spirit and being willing to forgive, to allow people to grow.

Verse 11: "And He gave some asapostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints… [bringing to full completion] …for the work of the ministry… [service] …for the edifying of the Body of Christ until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. So that we no longer be children, tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine… [teaching] …by the sleight of men in cunning craftiness, with a view to the systematizing of the error; but holding the Truth in love, may in all things grow up into Him Who is the Head, even Christ" (vs 11-15).

That's our calling, to become like Christ! To become like God. We live in an evil world, an evil age, but God gives us the strength to be able to do it.

Verse 22: "That concerning your former conduct… [think about the way your were before your calling, before you understood] …you put off the old man… [the old way of doing things] …which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts." We want how we want now!

Verse 23: "And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new man, which according to God is created in righteousness and Holiness of the Truth" (vs 23-24).

• How can we do this if we don't examine ourselves?
• If we don't carefully consider where we have missed the mark?

Verse 25: "Therefore, let each one put away lies and speak the truth with his neighbor, because we are members of one another. When you become angry…" (vs 25-26).

It's not wrong to be angry; it's not wrong when someone has behaved badly. There are consequences for bad behavior or sin. It affects everybody as it happened to Israel when one man stole something and they were going in to take the city. He hid it --- and the whole nation suffered! How much more are our actions and the way that we think and do things, when we are called to be the children of God and be kings and priests in His Government. We need to examine ourselves and make sure that we are walking in love and tolerance. It's hard! It's a challenge! But God's has made a way through Christ for us.

Verse 26: "When you become angry do not sin…."

When we become angry, it's easy to lose control of our emotions and mind, and we can easily lash out and we end up sinning again.

"…Do not let the sun go down on your anger… [resolve it today so you and they will sleep better and you compound it the next day] …neither give place to the devil" (vs 26-27).

Has he got a place in our mind and heart because of our unwillingness to change, to repent? And it goes on to list a whole lot of the works of the flesh, and I encourage you to go through those as preparation for Unleavened Bread.

Ephesians 5:1: "Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children; and walk in love, even as Christ also loved us, and gave Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor" (vs 1-2).

Again, I encourage you to read the rest of this chapter. It lists the lusts of the flesh and the mind. It highlights things we need to be careful to avoid.

Verse 6: "Do not let anyone deceive you with vain words; for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience."

• How important is it to know the Truth? Very, lest we be deceived!
• How many people like being lied to? When they find out that they've been lied to, they get really angry! Then things just go from bad to worse!

They need to know the Truth, prove all things, examine things, and examine ourselves!

Verse 10: "Proving what is well pleasing to the Lord."

• What does God want?
• What does He say?
• How does it apply to me?

Verse 15: "So then, take heed that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as those who are wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (vs 15-16).

Verse 21: "Submit yourselves to one another in the fear of God."

This is an attitude of humility, an attitude of wanting to seek peace and resolve difficulties and problems, working to together.

Verse 22: "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord."

Even if he's made a mistake or made a wrong decision, submitting yourself to him, you are following God's instruction. In time it will come to light and you'll both learn from it, and you'll save yourself a heap of trouble in the meantime.

Verse 23: "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the Head of the Church; and He is the Savior of the Body. For even as the Church is subject to Christ, in the same way also let wives be subject to their own husbands in everything" (vs 23-24).

There's accountability! Husband are to get it right, to prove what is right and acceptable.

Verse 25: "Husbands, love your own wives, in the same way that Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it; so that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it with the washing of the water by the Word" (vs 25-26). Why?

Verse 27: "That He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it might be Holy and without blame." That's the way!

Simply said, it requires choice and following through! Believing in God and trusting Him!

Rom. 7—this is something that Paul struggled with, and every human being struggles with, and that's th nature that we have. That we've inherited through being born, because of the decisions that Adam and Eve made in choosing to decide for themselves what was right and wrong. God is giving us time to prove that. What are the consequences? To learn the hard way, and sometimes that's the best way of learning. Some people will only learn that way.

We don't have to. We can be wise, careful and prudent. We can look into the Word of God, we can examine ourselves and avoid the problems. In so doing we build our character and become the children that God wants us to be, behaving like He does, the God of love, of power!

Romans 7:14: "For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am carnal, having been sold as a slave under sin; because what I am working out myself, I do not know. For what I do not desire to do, this I do; moreover, what I hate, this is what I do. But if I am doing what I do not desire to do, I agree with the Law that it is good" (vs 14-16).

Verse 17: "So then, I am no longer working it out myself; rather, it is sin that is dwelling within me; because I fully understand that there is not dwelling within me—that is, within my fleshly being—any good. For the desire to do good is present within me…" (vs 17-18).

How often have we heard the comment, 'the way to 'hell' Gehenna is paved with good intensions acted on'?

"…but how to work out that which is good, I do not find. For the good that I desire to do, I am not doing; but the evil that I do not desire to do, this I am doing. But if I do what I do not desire to do, I am no longer working it out myself, but sin that is dwelling within me. Consequently, I find this law in my members, that when I desire to do good, evil is present with me" (vs 18-21). The battle that we have as human beings!

God has allowed this so we will learn, hopefully not the hard way. Hopefully, not too many mistakes.

Verse 22: "For I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man; but I see another law within my own members, warring against the law of my mind…" (vs 22-23).

How often do we have a battle in our mind when we're confronting something?

"…and leading me captive to the law of sin that is within my own members" (v 23).

What are we choosing today? We need to be careful how we walk, how we think, to guard our mind and the thoughts in our mind. Out that are the issues of life!

Verse 24: "O what a wretched man I am!…. [looking into our own heart and mind sometimes it's not a pleasant place to look] …Who shall save me from the body of this death? I thank God for His salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of this, on the one hand, I myself serve the Law of God with my mind; but on the other hand, with the flesh, I serve the law of sin" (vs 24-25).

Thank God for His Word! Christ and His work in us! Be thankful!

Romans 8:1: "Consequently, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

Yes, we fall down and make mistakes! We fall short again, and again! Providing we get up, like the righteous man in Proverbs, he gets up seven times. He carries on! He goes back to God Who is rich in mercy and graciousness! Because we are examining ourselves, because we are recognizing our shortcomings, we are determining to overcome them and change so that our lives can be better, and the lives of those around us can be better.

Verse 2: "Because the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has delivered me from the law of sin and death."

There's a Law of Life; He has promised us eternal life. Is it worth it to examine ourselves and make those hard choices. Yes, there's a cost now, but later there is eternal life. Are we willing to sell out? Sell ourselves short?

Hebrews 12:1: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great throng of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entraps us; and let us run the race set before us with endurance."

Keep trying! The only way we can do that is turn to God in prayer each day and using the tools He's given us, the Word of God to study, to pray, meditate and fast. Determine to do better next time. That's what God said to Cain, 'If you do well, will you not be accepted?' Can we do well? Yes, we can! It just requires a choice when looking.

Verse 2: "Having our minds fixed on Jesus, the Beginner and Finisher of our faith… [we need to exercise faith toward God, faith unto faith] …Who for the joy that lay ahead of Him endured the cross, although He despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God."

Verse 3: "Now meditate deeply on Him Who endured such great hostility of sinners against Himself so that you do not become weary and faint in your minds. You have not yet resisted to the point of losing blood in your struggle against sin" (vs 3-4).

We haven't been through what Christ went through. Hopefully, we don't have to. Hopefully, we will learn the lesson now the easy way by examining ourselves!

Verse 5: "And you have already forgotten the admonition that He addresses to you as to sons: 'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor grow weary of being reproved by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He severely disciplines every son whom He receives'" (vs 5-6).

We do that for our children, as God does it for us!

Verse 11: "Now truly, no chastisement for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterwards it yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness… [good results] …to those who have been exercised by it."

• Do we go through the pain and not learn?

or

• Are we willing to learn? By taking careful thought!

Verse 12: "Therefore, lift up the hands that are hanging down, and revive the weakened knees… [sometimes we feel like that] …and make straight paths for your feet… [follow God's instructions] …lest that which is lame be turned aside; but let it rather be healed. Pursue peace with everyone, and Holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (vs 12-14).

It's important to examine ourselves! Carry on! Keep going!

Romans 8:5: "For those who walk according to the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but those who walk according to the Spirit mind the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God; neither indeed can it be. But those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God is indeed dwelling within you…." (vs 5-9).

We receive the Spirit of God at baptism and the laying on of hands. There are other Scriptures that actually give us the standard why which we know that we have the Spirit of God.

"…But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him" (v 9).

Verse 11: "Now, if the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead is dwelling within you, He Who raised Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortal bodies because of His Spirit that dwells within you. So then, brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; because if you are living according to the flesh, you shall die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you shall live" (vs 11-13).

Verse 14: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God."

The Spirit of God brings to remembrance the things that we've been taught. Think about our situation, and the choices that we're making. Think on God's Word and do those things being led by the Spirit of God.

Verse 15: "Now, you have not received a spirit of bondage again unto fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship, whereby we call out, 'Abba, Father.'…. [that close relationship] …The Spirit itself bears witness conjointly with our own spirit, testifying that we are the children of God" (vs 15-16).

Verse 38: "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (vs 38-39).

Verse 31: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Scriptural References:

• 1 Corinthians 11:26-30
• Psalm 51:6-7
• Isaiah 57:10-16, 18
• Isaiah 59:1-2, 8-18
• Matthew 4:17
• Proverbs 16:6
• 2 Corinthians 2:6-11
• 2 Corinthians 3:4-6
• 2-Corinthians 4:1-4
• Ephesians 4:1-3, 11-15, 22-27
• Ephesians 5:1-2, 6, 10, 15-16, 21-27
• Romans 7:14-25
• Romans 8:1-2
• Hebrews 12:1-6, 11-14
• Romans 8:5-9, 11-16, 38-39, 31

Scripture referenced, not quoted: Matthew 6

RM:bo
Transcribed: 5/4/23

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