Following Christ is more than believing right
things... it is also living the right way. A disciple of Jesus not only experiences a
change of position, but God's grace transforms us resulting in a changed
performance too. While
everything we become is due to God’s grace, we can open ourselves up to His
grace by healthy introspection—doing a “self study” like this from time to
time. It gives God a chance to put His finger on something in our life and
opens us up to His changing grace. Get ready for a powerful life-changing
experience as you go through this process. (Most folk who have been through it
once repeat the process every year or so.)
INSTRUCTIONS: Circle a number which
represents how you are doing in each of the following areas of discipleship.
"0" represents absolute failure in that area, and "9" means
you are experiencing habitual success in that area. No one else will see
your results, this is just between you and the Lord, so be honest with
yourself and with him.
1. THANKFULNESS 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
It is the habit of my life to thank God and others for what they have done. I
can honestly say that I am a thankful person and often express my gratitude.
2. GENTLENESS 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
My life is free from all outbursts of selfish anger or
rage. I am approachable, easily appealed, quiet in spirit, open to criticism,
and I don't get defensive when I am corrected or rebuked.
3. HUMILITY 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I do not have an inflated self-opinion and consistently consider others before
myself. I have a teachable spirit, and avoid all bragging, name dropping, and
spiritual pride.
4. PURE ATTITUDES 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
My lifestyle is one of right relationships, not just
outwardly, but inwardly too. I have no hate, ill will, malice, or bitterness
toward any other person anywhere on this earth.
5. MEEKNESS 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I refuse to fight back when people criticize, condemn, reject, or complain
against me. Even if they do it with wrong motives. I
practice giving a soft answer to turn away their wrath.
6. PEACEMAKING 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
It is my practice to try to bring peace between others who are at odds. I don't
just stand by and allow division to fester without trying to get involved to
bring peace.
7. BOLDNESS 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I have been able to launch out and take risks for God, keeping fear under
control and risking obediently when God calls me to do something. There is
nothing God is now asking me to do which I am resisting because of fear.
8. COMPASSION 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I search out opportunities to care for the needy, visit sick people, aid the
elderly, visit prisoners, clothe the naked, and house the homeless. My
compassion is more than a feeling, it leads to action.
9. TRUST 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I not only believe, but act like, "His eye is on the sparrow and I know
He's watching me." My life is one of simple reliance on God. I am free
from fretting, worrying, or anxiety about the future.
10. PERSISTENCE 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
It is normal for me to hang in there when things get difficult, stressful, and
unrewarding even if I must face suffering, trouble or persecution.. My persistence keeps me from giving up too easily so I
just "keep on keeping on."
11. HARMONY 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I am not a participant in any "group sins" like quarreling,
dissension, fighting, or factions in my church, at work, or in my family.
12. SUBMISSION 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I do not resist those in authority over me, even if they are less competent or gifted.
13. RELATIONSHIPS 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
Reflecting on all my relationships, past and present, I am able to say that
there are no broken relationships with anybody anywhere which I have not
attempted to straighten out.
14. GIVING LIVING 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I regularly practice generous giving to both the church and to the poor,
homeless, helpless, widows, orphans, and other needy folks. Generosity is
normal behavior for me.
15. FAMILY TIME 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
It is the routine of my life to control the amount of
time I spend in work, pleasure, or other activities which take too much time
from my family. Family time is a top priority of my life and I live like it.
16. FORGIVING 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
If there is an individual or a group of people who
have hurt me in the past, I hold no resentment, bitterness, or any grudges
against them. I have fully forgiven everyone who ever hurt me.
17. RESTORING 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I hurt when sin overtakes another Christian, so I do not avoid or exclude them.
I often get involved, humbly coming alongside to help them back on their feet
spiritually.
18. RESTITUTION 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
If I have ever taken things which do not belong to me, or hurt people by what I
said or did, I have gone back and made restitution for everything God has
prompted me about so far.
19. MATERIALISM. 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I resist the grasping materialistic lifestyle of my culture, choosing rather to
live a life of contentment and satisfaction with what I've got. I am not always "wanting more."
20. STEALING 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I am careful to avoid taking anything that belongs to another, no matter how
small.
21. AMBITION 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I have laid aside all jealousy of another's success, envy and selfish ambition.
I do not secretly hunger to climb the ladder to gain personal power and
position.
22. SPIRITUAL INTIMACY 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
It is the routine of my life to spend Time Alone With God each day and to read
the Bible and pray. And beyond that, I "practice the presence" of
Jesus all day long. I am constantly sensing His surrounding presence in my
life, like that air I breath.
23. THOUGHT LIFE 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
My thought-life is absolutely free from all impure
thoughts. I have habitual victory over all sinful sexual fantasies or
daydreams.
24. ABOVE REPROACH 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I carefully tend to my relationships with the opposite sex so that not even the
hint of impropriety exists. I painstakingly avoid situations which could feed
sinful desires or even tempt others to gossip about me. I have no dangerous
emotional bonds which could lead to trouble.
25. TRUTHFULNESS 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
My yes is yes, my 200 is 200, my ten point buck is a
ten point buck. I totally avoid half-truths, flattery, white lies, and
exaggeration. I practice absolute honesty in speech.
26. TONGUE 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I abstain from slander, gossip, harshness, unkindness, biting criticism,
caustic remarks, obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking. Instead, I use my
tongue to build others up, giving words of encouragement, comfort, help,
inspiration, and challenge. My tongue is under the Holy Spirit's control.
27. USE OF TIME 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I am a good steward of my time; I live close enough to Christ that His
priorities are becoming my priorities. I do not waste time on watching too much
TV or other time wasting activities.
28. "EYE GATE" 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I carefully guard what I allow to enter my mind through the eye gate. I avoid
questionable movies, magazines, videos, and TV shows which could cause me moral
problems.
29. WITNESSING 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I typically share the gospel with unsaved people every time the Lord prompts me
to do it. Evangelism is a habit of my life.
30. HONESTY 0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
I tell the truth and am honest with others and myself—in fact I have even been
brutally honest in answering all the above questions—I did not fudge on any of
my answers and I am this truthful and honest in all my dealings (If you did
fudge go back and correct them now).
Moving into a period of meditation and listening to find out what God wants to put His finger on in my life now.
I. LISTENING
Looking back through my
your answers to find one or two areas where God seems to be speaking to me.
If I marked myself low in a dozen areas, I should concentrate on listening to
the Holy Spirit in order to narrow these down to one or two since the
Lord seldom deals in more than one or two areas at a time.
Note: If I get a terrible feeling of despair
after looking through my list, I need to recognize that these feelings come
from Satan, not God. Satan condemns
us for our poor performance. The Holy Spirit convicts us. Condemnation
makes us want to give up; conviction makes us want to change. After taking some
time to LISTEN to the Spirit, list in the following space the specific areas
you feel God wants to begin changing today.
The areas God seems to be putting His finger on in my life now are:
1.
_________________________________________________________________ .
2.
_________________________________________________________________ .
II. DECISION
Are you willing to be changed? Will-ing? Will you set your will to receive God’s
grace? Write out my “decision of the
will” to receive God’s changing grace no matter how long it takes Him to change
me.
III. ACTION
God seldom changes us without our involvement. Becoming Christ-like is a
partnership in which God does His part, but He wants us to do our part too.
What must I do to get change started? List what I will DO to cooperate with God
in changing this area He's speaking to me about today. What is my “first step?”
I will: ____________________________________________________
When I will do it: ____________________________________________________
IV. ACCOUNTABILITY
Commitments are easier to make than keep. One great secret in keeping
commitments is having someone check up on us. Who could I ask to check up on me?
Who could be my accountability partner to see that God and I finish, over the
next few months, the changing work begun today?
Whom I could ask: __________________________________________________
When I will ask them: __________________________________________________ .
By Keith Drury, 1982. You are free to transmit, duplicate or distribute
this article for non-profit use without permission.