H. Kenneth Martin: 6/11/95,
Edited and uploaded by Shone Brooks, 6/20/95

AS ONE READS THE SCRIPTURES, HE BECOMES AWARE THAT GOD INTENDS FOR HIM TO TURN HIS ATTENTION INWARD AND CAREFULLY EVALUATE HIMSELF FROM TIME TO TIME. THIS SELF EVALUATION SHOULD BE DONE REGULARLY IN ORDER TO KEEP A CAREFUL CHECK ON OURSELVES.

IN DALE CARNEGIE'S BOOK, HOW TO STOP WORRYING AND START LIVING, HE TELLS ABOUT A MAN WHO, WHEN IT CAME TO SELF-APPRAISAL AND SELF-MANAGEMENT, WAS AN ARTIST. MR. H.P. HOWELL; A LEADER IN AMERICAN FINANCE, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMERCIAL NATIONAL BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, AND DIRECTOR OF SEVERAL LARGE CORPORATIONS GREW UP WITH LITTLE FORMAL EDUCATION. MR. HOWELL KEPT AN APPOINTMENT BOOK AND WROTE DOWN SOMETHING ABOUT EVERY APPOINTMENT HE HAD. ONCE A WEEK, HE REVIEWED EACH ONE AND ASK HIMSELF, "WHAT MISTAKES DID I MAKE? WHAT DID I DO THAT WAS RIGHT? AND IN WHAT WAY COULD I IMPROVE MY PERFORMANCE?" MAYBE MR. HOWELL BORROWED HIS IDEA FROM BEN FRANKLIN.

FRANKLIN, HOWEVER, DIDN'T WAIT A WEEK; HE GAVE HIMSELF A SEVERE GOING-OVER EVERY NIGHT. NO WONDER MR. FRANKLIN BECAME ONE OF THE BEST-LOVED AND MOST INFLUENTIAL MEN THIS NATION EVER PRODUCED! IN II COR. 13;5, PAUL WROTE, "EXAMINE YOURSELVES AS TO WHETHER YOU ARE IN THE FAITH. TEST YOURSELVES." IN I COR. 11:28, "BUT LET A MAN EXAMINE HIMSELF AND SO LET HIM EAT OF THE BREAD AND DRINK OF THE CUP." IN THIS CASE, HE HAD IMMEDIATE REFERENCE TO THE PREPARATION NECESSARY BEFORE ONE EATS THE LORD'S SUPPER, BUT I BELIEVE THE PRINCIPLE APPLIES IN ALL OF MAN'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOD.

IT IS SOMETIMES HARD FOR ONE TO REALIZE ANYTHING WRONG WITHIN ONESELF. SOME YEARS AGO A NEWSPAPER IN NEW MEXICO REPORTED ON A SERIES OF RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS THAT HAD BEEN ASKED OF A LARGE NUMBER OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. ONE QUESTION WAS, "DO YOU BELIEVE IN HEAVEN?" THE ANSWER WAS AN OVERWHELMING, "YES." ANOTHER QUESTION WAS, "DO YOU EXPECT TO GO TO HEAVEN WHEN YOU DIE?" 88% OF THE PEOPLE QUESTIONED CONFIDENTLY ANSWERED "YES."

THIS ANSWER REMINDS ME OF JESUS' WORDS IN MATT. 7:13-14. "ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE; FOR WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND THERE ARE MANY WHO GO IN BY IT. BECAUSE NARROW IS THE GATE AND DIFFICULT OR (STRAIGHT) IS THE WAY WHICH LEADS TO LIFE, AND THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND IT." IN THE WORDS OF AN OLD SPIRITUAL, "EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT HEAVEN AREN'T GOING THERE."

ROBERT BURNS, THE SCOTTISH POET SAID, "O, THAT GOD THE GIFT WOULD GIVE US TO SEE OUR SELVES AS OTHERS SEE US." AS OTHERS LOOKAT US, THEY SEE US DIFFERENTLY THAN WE SEE OURSELVES. OUR FIRST STEP IN SPIRITUAL SELF-EXAMINATION IS THE REALIZATION THAT WE MAY BE BLIND TO OUR OWN FAULTS; THAT WE MAY HAVE A VERY DISTORTED VIEW OF OURSELVES. SOMEONE ONCE SAID, "THE OPINIONS OF OUR ENEMIES, COME NEARER TO THE TRUTH ABOUT US THAN DO OUR OWN OPINIONS." I FEEL IT WOULD OFTEN BE WISE TO ASK ADVICE AND COUNSEL OF SINCERE, MATURE, SPIRITUALLY-MINDED CHRISTIAN FRIENDS.

WHEN WE ARE ILL, WE GO SEE A DOCTOR. WE TELL HIM OUR SYMPTOMS AND THEN VOLUNTEER AN EXPLANATION OF WHY WE FEEL BAD. OUR DIAGNOSIS MAY BE VERY WRONG. AND I'M SURE OFTEN IT IS. IN ANY CASE, THE DOCTOR DOES NOT TAKE OUR INTERPRETATION OF THE SYMPTOMS, BUT RUNS THE USUAL TESTS - TEMPERATURE, BLOOD PRESSURE, LISTENING TO THE HEART AND LUNGS, ELECTROCARDIOGRAM, AND OTHERS. THESE TESTS OFFER A FAR MORE ACCURATE EVALUATION OF OUR PHYSICAL CONDITION THAN OUR SUBJECTIVE APPRAISALS.

ALLOW ME TO PURPOSE A SERIES OF TESTS WHICH WILL HELP US IN OUR TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT TASK OF SELF-EXAMINATION. LET US START WITH:

TEST #1-MUSIC. WE CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT OURSELVES BY CONSIDERING, THE MUSIC THAT WE ENJOY. THIS DOESN'T MEAN GENRES LIKE CLASSICAL, POPULAR, OR COUNTRY; BUT WHETHER OR NOT IT IS SENSUAL AND EROTIC. MUCH OF THE MUSIC THAT IS PLAYED TODAY APPEALS TO ONE'S BASE NATURE AND IS IMPURE. MODERN DISC-JOCKEYS PROVIDE A VERY THIN DIET FOR CHRISTIANS. "SPEAKING ONE TO ANOTHER IN PSALMS, HYMNS, AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING AND MAKING MELODY WITH YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD." I FEEL WE HAVE TOO EXCLUSIVELY APPLIED THIS TO PUBLIC WORSHIP. ACTUALLY, PAUL IS TEACHING THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD FILL THEIR LIVES WITH PSALMS, HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS. MANY OF YOU KNOW DR. JERRY JONES.(HIS WIFE DIED A VERY PROLONGED, AGONIZING DEATH FROM CANCER LAST NOV.) HE TOLD US AT MICHIGAN CHRISTIAN COLLEGE LECTURES LAST OCTOBER, "I HAVE STUDIED MY BIBLE LESS IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS THAN ANY TIME IN MY LIFE, BUT WORSHIPPED MORE IN SONG AND PRAYER, I HAVE WORN OUT SEVERAL OF JEROME WILLIAMS TAPES, AND PUT MY CHRISTIANITY INTO PRACTICE." HOW MUCH BETTER OFF THE PEOPLE OF OUR LAND WOULD BE IF THEY HEARD FEWER OF THE TYPICAL POPULAR SONGS OF THE DAY AND SPENT MORE TIME IN CONTEMPLATING AND SINGING SPIRITUAL HYMNS.

TEST #2-HUMOR. WE CAN LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES BY THE HUMOR WE ENJOY. SOMEONE ONCE SAID, "A SENSE OF HUMOR IS WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH AT SOMETHING WHICH WOULD MAKE YOU MAD, IF IT HAPPENED TO YOU." MANY STORIES THAT ARE TOLD PRESENT A BRAND OF OFF-COLOR HUMOR. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A GATHERING AND SOME ONE WILL SAY, "HERE'S ONE I HEARD THE OTHER DAY," THEN PAUSE AND SAY, "ARE THERE ANY WOMEN PRESENT? WELL LET ME GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU." IF WE FIND OURSELVES ENJOYING THESE LITTLE STORIES, MAYBE WE'D BETTER BE MAKING SOME CHANGES.

TEST #3-COMPANIONS. YES, WE CAN TELL A GREAT DEAL ABOUT OURSELVES BY CONSIDERING OUR COMPANIONS. ARE THEY THE KIND OF PEOPLE WE WANT TO BE? ARE THEY THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO BUILD A COMMUNITY, A NATION, A FAMILY? WHAT ATTRACTS US TO THEM? WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE WORDS OF PAUL IN l COR. 15:33, "EVIL COMPANIONSHIP CORRUPTS GOOD MORALS.

TEST #4-THE WAY WE SPEND OUR FREE TIME & WORK TIME. THE WAY WE SPEND OUR FREE TIME TELLS US MUCH ABOUT OURSELVES. WHAT KINDS OF MAGAZINES DO WE READ? WHAT KINDS OF MOVIES DO WE GO SEE? WE CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT OURSELVES BY LOOKING AT OUR DAY-PLANNERS. HOW DO WE FILL THEM UP? IS THERE TIME SET ASIDE FOR BIBLE STUDY, FAMILY TIME, PERSONAL BIBLE STUDIES WITH NON-CHRISTIANS ETC.? DOUG SHERMAN AND WILLIAM HENDRICKS PROBE THE ROLE OF THE BELIEVER IN THE MARKETPLACE IN THEIR BOOK, KEEPING YOUR ETHICAL EDGE SHARP. HERE ARE SOME THOUGHTS DRAWN FROM THEIR WRITING: PROBABLY NO QUESTION HAS RECEIVED MORE ATTENTION IN THE LAST TWENTY YEARS AMONG CHURCH LEADERS THAN, "HOW CAN WE REACH THE WORLD WITH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL?" HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT IF THE TA SK WERE UP TO YOU? TOUGH QUESTION, RIGHT? HERE MAY BE A POSSIBLE ANSWER. "THE WORKPLACE HAS BECOME THE MOST STRATEGIC ARENA FOR CHRISTIAN THINKING AND INFLUENCE TODAY! WHATEVER EFFORTS ARE MADE, WE SHOULD PAY A LOT MORE ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT NEARLY EVERYONE WORKS, THAT WORK IS COMING MORE AND MORE TO DEFINE THE WAY LIFE IS LIVED, AND THAT FOR MANY IF NOT MOST NON-CHRISTIANS, THE WORKPLACE IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE THEY'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE CHRISTIANS--AND THEREFORE CHRISTIANITY -- UP CLOSE. YOU SEE, REGARDLESS OF THE EFFORTS MINISTRIES/CHURCHES EXERT TO REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, THEY WILL HAVE LITTLE IMPACT IF PEOPLE DON'T SEE GENUINE CHRISTIANITY AT WORK. ALL THE SERMONS, TELEVISION SHOWS, PAMPHLETS, AND CRUSADES IN THE WORLD ARE UNLIKELY TO OVERCOME THE DEEP SKEPTICISM PEOPLE FEEL ONCE THEY SEE A PERSON WHO CLAIMS TO KNOW CHRIST COMPROMISE HIS INTEGRITY- ESPECIALLY IF HE DOES SO REPEATEDLY AND UNASHAMEDLY. THE FLIP SIDE IS THAT YOUR LIFESTYLE, IF IT REMAINS CHRIST-LIKE, CAN HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON OTHERS. LISTEN TO PHIL 2:14-15(NIV), 'DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT COMPLAINING OR ARGUING, SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS AND PURE, CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN A CROOKED AND DEPRAVED GENERATION, IN WHICH YOU SHINE LIKE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE.' GOD MAY HAVE PLACED YOU IN THE MIDST OF MORAL DARKNESS TO LIGHT THE WAY TOWARD HIM. AS YOU SHINE LIKE A STAR WHERE YOU WORK, YOU CAN INFLUENCE YOUR CO-WORKERS TOWARD CHRIST. IF THE WORKPLACE IS THE MOST STRATEGIC ARENA FOR CHRISTIAN THINKING AND INFLUENCE TODAY, IT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE THE MOST STRATEGIC FIGURE IN THE CAUSE OF CHRIST TODAY."

TEST # 5-THE WAY WE SPEND OUR MONEY. WE LEARN A LOT ABOUT OURSELVES IN HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY. THIS IS A CONCRETE INDICATION OF WHAT WE THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR CHECKBOOKS AND OUR CREDIT STATEMENTS. ARE THE FIRST FRUITS RETURNED TO GOD, THE GIVER? SURELY WE WILL SHOW BY THE GENERAL USE OF OUR MONEY THAT OUR DEDICATION TO THE LORD IS MORE THAN A MATTER OF WORDS AND MORE THAN A MATTER OF AN HOUR IN THE WORSHIP ON SUNDAY MORNING.

TEST # 6-OUR LIVES IN THE LIGHT OF THE SCRIPTURES. MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OF THE OTHER TESTS MENTIONED IS THE DEEPLY REVEALING PRACTICE OF READING THE GREAT PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE AND COMPARING OUR LIVES WITH THESE GOD-GIVEN COMMANDS.

TIME WILL NOT PERMIT FOR ME TO READ ALL THE PASSAGES I WOULD LIKE TO, BUT LET ME MENTION SOME OF THE GREAT PASSAGES THAT WILL ASSIST US SO MATERIALLY IN SEEING OURSELVES AS WE REALLY ARE. LETŐS BEGIN BY LOOKING AT MATT. 19:16-17(NIV), "NOW A MAN CAME UP TO JESUS AND ASKED, 'TEACHER, WHAT GOOD THING MUST I DO TO GET ETERNAL LIFE?' 'WHY DO YOU ASK ME ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD,' JESUS REPLIED. 'THERE IS ONLY ONE WHO IS GOOD. IF YOU WANT TO ENTER LIFE, OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS." II PETER 1:5-9, "FOR THIS VERY REASON, MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ADD TO YOUR FAITH GOODNESS; AND TO GOODNESS, KNOWLEDGE; AND TO KNOWLEDGE, SELF-CONTROL, AND TO SELF-CONTROL, PERSEVERANCE; AND TO PERSEVERANCE, GODLINESS; AND TO GODLINESS, BROTHERLY KINDNESS; AND TO BROTHERLY KINDNESS, LOVE. FOR IF YOU POSSESS THESE QUALITIES IN INCREASING MEASURE, THEY WILL KEEP YOU FROM BEING INEFFECTIVE AND UNPRODUCTIVE IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. BUT IF ANYONE DOES NOT HAVE THEM, HE IS NEARSIGHTED AND BLIND, AND HAS FORGOTTEN THAT HE HAS BEEN CLEANSED FROM HIS PAST SINS." MY FAVORITE: I JOHN 3:18, "DEAR CHILDREN, LET US NOT LOVE WITH WORDS OR TONGUE BUT WITH ACTIONS AND IN TRUTH." I JOHN 2:15, "DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD. IF ANYONE LOVES THE WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM." IN I TIM. 3:1-13, PAUL LISTS THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELDERS AND THEN THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR DEACONS. MANY OF US MAY NEVER BE ELDERS OR DEACONS, BUT I THINK THESE ARE QUALIFICATIONS TO WHICH ALL CHRISTIANS SHOULD ASPIRE. THEY INCLUDE SUCH THINGS AS BLAMELESS, SOBER MINDED, BEING ABLE TO TEACH, ETC.

WE MUST LIVE IN A CONSTANT ATTITUDE OF SELF EVALUATION. IF WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO BE COMPLACENT OR OVER-CONFIDENT ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL ACHIEVEMENTS, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE WORDS OF PAUL IN I COR. 10:12. "SO, IF YOU THINK YOU ARE STANDING FIRM, BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T FALL." WE MUST BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR WEAKNESSES AND OUR FAULTS. WE MUST LEARN TO SEE OURSELVES THROUGH GOD'S EYES RATHER THAN OUR OWN. WHEN WE LEARN WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WE SHOULD DO IT. MAYBE THIS LEADS TO THE NEED 0F SOME IN THE AUDIENCE OF BECOMING A CHRISTIAN. IF YOU HAVE NEVER CONFESSED THE NAME OF CHRIST BEFORE MEN, IF YOU HAVE NEVER REPENTED GENUINELY OF PAST SINS, IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BAPTIZED, YOU NEED TO OBEY THESE COMMANDS OF THE LORD. WHAT A GLORIOUS DESTINY AWAITS YOU. IT CAN BE YOURS IF YOU WILL BUT COME TO CHRIST. REMEMBER IT'S IN DYING THAT WE ARE BORN TO ETERNAL LIFE. IF WE CAN HELP IN ANY WAY WON'T YOU COME WHILE WE STAND AND SING.[SONG OF INVITATION]