Rate Yourself
“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Rate yourself 1–10 (ten being best):
_____ I don’t want to be so critical that I see a person’s weak points before I see their good points. Read 2 Corinthians 10:12.
_____ I do not want to be so childish that everyone has to handle me with caution to keep me from getting upset. Read 2 Peter 3:18.
_____ I don’t want to be so involved with self that I am not considerate of others. Read Ephesians 4:32.
_____ I don’t want to be so sensitive that I can make myself miserable by taking in a personal way everything that is said by others. Read 1 Peter 2:21–23.
_____ I want to be sure that I make every effort to correct any hurt that I have inflicted on another. Read Romans 12:18.
_____ I don’t want to repeat that which should be kept secret and then explain myself saying, “But it’s the truth.” Read Proverbs 19:1
_____ I want to be completely trustworthy and merit the confidence of those with whom I associate. Read Proverbs 18:24.
_____ I want to follow the things that make for peace and avoid the things that bring about strife. Read Proverbs 15:9.
_____ I want to rest on the promises of the Almighty to appear before Him. Read Matthew 11:28–29.
How did you do? Pick out the two lowest scores and raise them this week.
Stay Positive
A positive thinker does not refuse to recognize the negative; he refuses to dwell on it. Positive thinking is a form of thought that habitually looks for the best results from the worst conditions.—Glenn Hitchcock
“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
Bible Paradoxes
Finding through losing (Matthew 10:39).
Living through dying (John 12:24).
Receiving through giving (Acts 20:35).
Freedom through service (Romans 6:18).
Strength through weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Gaining through losing (Philippians 3:7–8).
Exaltation through humility (James 4:10).
—Mark Posey
Listening to Preaching
James 1:21–22
What to do before a sermon: “Lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness” (1:21).
What to do during a sermon: “Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save” (1:21).
What to do after sermon: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (1:22). —Mark Posey
