10 Questions To Diagnose Your Spiritual Health Part 3 of 3

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Melissa Bruce
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1 10 Questions To Diagnose Your Spiritual Health Part 3 of 3 Are you spiritually healthy? This is the question I want us to continue to focus on, as we finish up with part 3 of our 3 part series: 10 Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. And as I ve said the last two Sundays Many of us are spiritually busy, but are we spiritually healthy? There is a difference. But as I continue to caution us It isn t enough to just make note of the areas in our lives that we see as spiritually unhealthy. We should want to change in light of what we see. Last week, we covered questions 4, 5, and 6 And we ll probably briefly review those questions, as well as the first 3, when we wrap things up at the end of this message. But since we have the final 4 questions to cover this morning, we best not waste any of our time so, let s begin: The seventh question in diagnosing whether we re spiritually healthy Is it the pattern of your life that The spiritual disciplines are becoming more and more important to you? Well, the first question we need to ask is What are the spiritual disciplines? Well, the spiritual disciplines are God ordained practices practices by which we come before God, experience God, and are changed by God. They are the practices God has designed for us to do practices that He uses to conform us into the image of His Son. 1

2 Don Whitney says, The disciplines are the bellows and the iron poker tools in God s hands through which He stokes and blows upon the eternal fire He himself ignites in His people. If we would compare God to a life-giving river the spiritual disciplines would be the ways God has provided for us, to come to that river so that we can be nourished, refreshed, and even cleansed. Now Some of the spiritual disciplines can be practiced alone such as reading a passage of the Bible, and meditating on it or approaching God in prayer. But other spiritual disciplines are meant to be practiced in groups like worshipping God together, praying together, and fellowshipping around the Lord s Table together during our communion service each month. These are all spiritual disciplines. To summarize what I m trying to say here, allow me to share with you the train of thought I believe each one of us ought to have when it comes to these spiritual disciplines As Christians, we should desire to become closer to Jesus, and become more like Jesus, right? Therefore any way of accomplishing this closeness, and Christ-likeness, should be important to us. Well, Scripture tells us that the spiritual disciplines are God s way for us to both become closer to Him, and become more like Him. Therefore as we grow spiritually, the spiritual disciplines should become more and more important to us. But notice that the question isn t merely, Are you practicing the spiritual disciplines more and more? The question is rather, Are the spiritual disciplines becoming more and more important to you? Just because we read the Bible more, pray to God more, and attend church more, doesn t necessarily mean we are growing more spiritually. 2

3 I say that because there are many people out there who are not saved yet they read their Bible, pray, and attend church and many of them do so as much, if not more, than you or I. But what is their motive? Is it to experience God and grow to become more like God holy? Or Is it to make themselves feel better like they ve done their duty for God? If we practice the spiritual disciplines without the right motive, we will not grow spiritually and therefore are not healthy spiritually. On the other hand, the spiritual disciplines are evidently not that important to us, if we rarely practice them. If we re a Christian, yet we rarely read the Bible we re showing that hearing what God has to say, is just not that important to us. If we re a Christian, yet we rarely pray we re showing that our relationship with God is also not that important to us. If we re a Christian, yet we rarely fellowship with other Christians we re showing that God s plan for His people is also not that important to us. So, the real question to consider is, Since you desire to be more and more intimate with Jesus and desire to be made more and more like Him Are the spiritual disciplines becoming more and more important to you? If we love Jesus, we ll want to be around Him. This seems obvious to me My wife is not going to believe I love her, if I never want to be around her. If we love Jesus, we ll want to have an intimate relationship with Him. This also seems obvious to me My wife is not going to believe I love her, if I never want to really get to know her. and what we need to understand is: Intimacy with Jesus happens through the spiritual disciplines. Here are a few examples from my own life 3

4 When I pray to God for comfort, and He answers my prayer with an indescribable peace within me, I am reminded of how much He loves me. Through this spiritual discipline, I am brought closer to Him. When I read the Bible, and am reminded of the selfless sacrifice Jesus became for me, I see more and more the undeserved mercy I was shown. Through this spiritual discipline, I am once again, brought closer to Him. When I come to church on Sunday morning and worship God with all of you through the songs we sing, through uniting our hearts in prayer, and by reflecting together, on the sufferings of Christ during communion I am reminded, not only of God s mercy on me, but of God s mercy on us. Through this spiritual discipline, I am once again, brought closer to God. What I m trying to say is Since growing Christians will desire intimacy with Jesus, and since this intimacy with Jesus comes through the spiritual disciplines then growing Christians will make the spiritual disciplines a high priority in their lives. The question then becomes, Are you making the spiritual disciplines a high priority in your life? Is it the pattern of your life that the spiritual disciplines are becoming more and more important to you? If so, this is a sign of spiritual growth and a sign of spiritual health. The eighth question in diagnosing whether we re spiritually healthy Is it the pattern of your life that You are grieving more and more over your sin? As Christians, the closer we get to Jesus the more we ll hate sin. Why? Because nothing is more unlike Jesus than sin. Jesus hates sin and so the more we become like Him, the more we will hate it too. This hatred of sin, and subsequent desire not to sin, will cause us sorrow or grief, when we do mess up and sin against God. 4

5 But should our lives be one continual life-long event of sorrow and grief over sin, as we continually are unable to live perfectly? This is where it will be helpful to consider Paul for a few moments The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV) 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Paul also wrote Romans 7:18-19 (KJV) 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Then a few verses later he writes Romans 7:24 (KJV) 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? So, Paul was often sorrowed by his sin grieved over the fact that he often ended up doing that which he did not want to do sin. But we also see that Paul didn t mourn over his sin every single moment of every single day. No, even in prison, Paul rejoiced in the Lord Acts 16:25 (KJV) 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. So, as we have seen Paul certainly grieved over his sin. But he also rejoiced in his merciful God who saved him even while he was yet an undeserving sinner. But why would I say that grieving over sin is a sign of spiritual health, when many non-christians might also be sorrowed over their sin? This is where it will be helpful to look at 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (KJV) 5

6 9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. You see Many people are sorrowed over their sin. They may be sorry that their sin has hurt those around them, or They may be sorry they got caught, and that they now have to face the unpleasant consequences. But the difference is They aren t sorry they ve offended their Creator. They don t have a godly sorrow. Listen to the heart of David after having an affair with Bathsheba Psalm 51:1-4 (KJV) 1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight Verses Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Look again at what David says in verse 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned said David. This is the difference. Do the words of David here in Psalm 51 describe your heart, when you ve sinned against God? I know they certainly describe how I feel sometimes. Don Whitney said, The closer you come to the light of Christ, the more sins his holy light will expose in you. 6

7 Jesus hates sin. and the more we become like Him the more we ll hate sin too. This is why when we do sin; a spiritually healthy Christian will feel sorrow. Is it the pattern of your life that you are grieving more and more over your sin? If so, this is a sign that you are spiritually growing and spiritually healthy. The ninth question in diagnosing whether we are spiritually healthy Is it the pattern of your life that You are more and more eager to forgive? Why? Why does a growing eagerness to forgive, show spiritual health? Because a growing eagerness to forgive, reveals a proper perspective a perspective that takes into account the greatness of God s forgiveness of us Look at Ephesians 4:32 (KJV) 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Colossians 3:13 (KJV) 13 forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. The word I d used at first when I first started this sermon was willing Is it the pattern of your life that you are more and more willing to forgive? But by the time I got to the end of this section, I d replaced the word willing with eager. I changed it because We should be eager to forgive it shouldn t be just a neutral willingness. We should be eager to forgive because we should be eager to reflect Christ to others, by our ability to forgive others. 7

8 We live in a culture that is so obsessed with individual rights, that it s often to the point of sinful pride. It s so bad that people who get offended are actually applauded, and even rewarded if they respond with retaliation, vengeance, or even a lawsuit. But we as Christians must be different. We must be eager to forgive. Let me ask you Did how undeserving we were to be forgiven, play any part in God s eagerness to forgive us? No. Should then how undeserving someone else is to be forgiven, play any part in our eagerness to forgive them? No. It doesn t matter how undeserving we may think someone is of our forgiveness, we still ought to forgive. Let us always keep this in mind We were less deserving of God s forgiveness, than anyone could be of ours. We need to choose to live our lives covering a multitude of sins. We can t turn every issue into a confrontation. Forgiveness takes place in the heart and the majority of the times, the person we forgive doesn t even need to know about it. How productive would our marriage be if every single time I did something to my wife Julia that remotely bothered her, she called me aside to discuss and work toward verbal forgiveness? Not very productive. How productive would our local church be if every single time a person did something to someone that wasn t perfectly righteous, we felt we had to set in motion the three step process of Matthew chapter 18? Not very productive. We need to be forgiving people eager to forgive eager to prevent bitterness and resentment from destroying our relationships. Let us also not forget Matthew 5:23-24 (KJV) 8

9 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. This ought to show us the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation. Too often we hold on to things that should have been forgiven, years ago. We must be eager to forgive. Is it the pattern of your life that you are more and more eager to forgive? If so, this is a sign of spiritual growth and spiritual health. The 10 th and final question in diagnosing whether we re spiritually healthy Is it the pattern of your life that You are longing more and more to be with Christ in heaven? Do you long for heaven? I think most people would say they want to go to heaven... at least those who believe it exists. And perhaps due to their struggles in life, many of them may long for heaven in that they long to escape, to a place free of such troubles. But there s a saying I ve often heard that I think contains some truth It says, Everyone wants to go to heaven they just don t want God to be there, when they get there. But the longing for heaven that is a mark of spiritual health, is not merely the longing to escape from pain, or a troubled life. No. The longing for heaven that is a mark of spiritual health is a longing to be rid of our sin and to be with Jesus. Look now at Philippians 1:21-24 (KJV) 9

10 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. Paul recognized it was best for the church that he would remain alive, but he had a growing desire to depart this life and to be with Christ. Look at Romans 8:23 (KJV) 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Spiritually healthy Christians should be waiting for the adoption the redemption of our body. There will come a day, when not only will we be free from pain, but we will be free from sin a day when we will be with our Savior in heaven. Look at 2 Corinthians 5:2 (KJV) 2 For in this we groan (in our physical bodies), earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven (our glorified bodies): Look also at Philippians 3:20-21 (KJV) 20 For our conversation (or citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Are we looking for Jesus to come back eagerly waiting for Him to transform our bodies into bodies free from sin and decay? We should be. Paul was and so have many other Christians throughout history. Most of you know who I mean when I say Joni Eareckson Tada, right? 10

11 Well, listen to what she has to say about why she wants to go to heaven (Her comments may surprise you) People say, You must be looking forward to heaven, thinking I am looking forward to getting my new body. And after more than 25 years in a wheelchair, it s true that I am. But more than I am looking forward to my new body [she said with her voice choking with emotion] I am looking forward to a heart without sin. Jonathan Edwards once said To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the ocean. David Brainerd, a missionary to the Native Indians in 18 th Century New England, wrote in his journal at the age of 24 (5 years before his death), Saturday June 12. Spent much time in prayer this morning, and enjoyed much sweetness. Felt insatiable longings after God much of the day. I wonder how poor souls do to live that have no God. The world with all its enjoyments quite vanished. I see myself very helpless, but I have a blessed God to go to. I longed exceedingly to be dissolved and to be with Christ, to behold His glory. Oh, my weak, weary soul longs to arrive at my Father s house. Is this true of you? Do you long to arrive in heaven? Is it the pattern of your life that you are longing more and more to be with Christ in heaven? If so, this is a sign of spiritual growth, and spiritual health. In conclusion We ve spent three weeks now (close to 2 hours) focusing on 10 questions to try and diagnose our spiritual health. Let me now summarize what a spiritually healthy Christian looks like 11

12 1. A healthy Christian is satisfied with God, but is thirsty for more of Him. Are you thirsty for God? 2. A healthy Christian is guided by God s Word it s of great value to them. Are you being governed by God s Word? 3. A healthy Christian loves people with a selfless, kind, and patient love. Do you love people as you should? 4. A healthy Christian is consciously aware that God is with them. Are you comforted by the awareness of God s presence? 5. A healthy Christian is moved by compassion to help others. Are you concerned for the physical and spiritual needs of others? 6. A healthy Christian loves the church because Jesus loves the church. Do you love the church that your Savior died for? 7. A healthy Christian considers practicing the spiritual disciplines important because they recognize these practices bring them closer to God. Do you consider the spiritual disciplines important? 8. A healthy Christian is sorrowed over their sin primarily because it offends God. Do you grieve over your sin? 9. A healthy Christian is willing and eager to forgive those who hurt them. Are you eager to forgive others? 10. A healthy Christian longs for heaven. Why? Because Jesus is there and sin is not. Do you long to be with Jesus in heaven? So what IS the diagnosis? and if we re unhealthy, what are we going to do about it? 12

13 If we were to go to the doctor and he told us we needed to give up Doritos, and needed to walk 30 minutes a day or we d be dead in a week I doubt we d go home and sit on the couch with a bag of Doritos, right? Well, God s Word and the Holy Spirit are like physicians. They tell us when we re spiritually sick. If through God s Word and the Holy Spirit we have become aware that we are not doing that great spiritually, we must not ignore the fact we are sick. I pray we would all be willing to change willing to change so that God would be glorified through healthy lives and a healthy church. (Close in Prayer) 13

I. God Blesses the Heart That is Broken

I. God Blesses the Heart That is Broken THE BEATITUDES #4 Mourning. Pt 2 Matthew 5 1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,