Forty Soul-Searching Questions
By Simeon L. Young Sr.
“Search me, O God, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23,24)
I recommend that you read this list of forty probing questions during your devotions or quiet time. As you read these questions be completely honest with yourself and with God. Confess and repent of every sin that is revealed to you. Purpose that you will, with God’s help, make the needed changes. I further suggest that you keep this list in your Bible and that you review it periodically and prayerfully.
1. Have I ever genuinely repented of my sin?
2. Did I ever really receive the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance?
3. Have I ever totally surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
4. Do I enjoy reading and meditating on the Word of God?
5. Do I read and meditate on God’s Word daily?
6. Do I apply the Word of God to my life?
7. Is it easy for me to mourn and confess all known sin to God?
8. Is it easy for me to apologize and make restitution when I have wronged or hurt others?
9. What are my feelings when others are recognized or promoted and I am ignored?
- Do I find it easy or hard to obey the human authorities that God has placed over me?
11. Do I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?
12. Do I give money for the furtherance of God’s Kingdom cheerfully or grudgingly?
13. Is my family second only to God in order of importance?
14. Are my affections set on things above or on things on the earth?
15. Is there really an element of sacrifice in any area of my life?
16. Am I filled with the Spirit at this moment?
17. Is there any evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit in my life?
18. Do I earnestly covet the best spiritual gifts?
19. Do I love Jesus as much now as I ever loved Him?
20. Do I care more about what God thinks of me than about what others think?
21. Do I pray, fast, witness, worship and give to be seen of men, or because I love Jesus?
22. Which is more important to me: pleasing God or pleasing men?
23. Do I read books or deliberately feast my eyes on things that cause me to lust or have impure thoughts?
24. Is my conversation always pure?
25. Is my behavior always above reproach?
26. Do I try to settle differences with others as quickly as I can?
27. Is it easy for me to forgive others who wrong me?
28. Is my heart tender and sensitive to the workings of the Holy Ghost?
29. Do I quickly obey God’s directions and leadings in my life?
30. Do I have a burden for lost souls generally and a lost soul specifically?
31. What am I doing to reach the lost for Christ?
32. Do I pray daily for revival in my life, my home, my church, and my nation?
33. Is there anything I am doing that hinders revival?
34. Is there anything I am doing that will hasten the reality of revival?
35. If God showed me anything that I should get rid of or stop doing would I be willing to obey Him for the sake of revival?
36. If God revealed to me some specific duty that I should perform would I be willing to obey Him for the sake of revival?
37. If my Pastor called for sacrificial prayer and fasting and giving for the advancement of revival would I be willing to follow his leadership?
38. Am I willing for God to use me in any way He sees fit (including making me invisible) as an instrument of revival?
39. Am I willing to forego my plans and rearrange my schedule and do without things for the promotion of revival?
40. Is God dealing with me now about anything in this list?
(The above information was published by the INDIANA APOSTOLIC TRUMPET, April 1986.)
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THE GROWING CHRISTIAN
By Rev. David F. Gray
QUESTION:
The standard of holiness in dress and hair in our church is different than a neighboring church. My pastor is more strict that the other pastor and insists that we obey him and the standard of holiness he preaches. I can’t see why we have to be different than the other church. If they can dress differently and be saved, why can’t we?
ANSWER;
I can understand your confusion. I hope the day will come when we all speak with one voice on these matters and have a unified standard all over our fellowship. Frankly, however, it seems to me that the day is still far off when everyone sees eye-to-eye on every point.
But, let us not magnify these differences. For the most part they are minor. We stand united on the major, important things relative to dress. We all believe in long, uncut hair for our girls and women: short, cut hair for boys and men. We believe in modest apparel for both sexes, the women’s dress covering their knees and upper arms with no sheers or “see-throughs” and no tight skirts: the men with no tight pants, effeminate styles or long sideburns.
Having said this, let me now stress the value of convictions and the solid ground a pastor is on when he teaches and preaches additional convictions to his people, whether other ministers do or not.
God has little use for namby-pamby, spineless, follow-the-crowd weaklings, whether in the pulpit or in the pew. The men God has used have always been men of deep personal conviction. When a minister compromises his convictions for expediency’s sake, because of threats that his saints will leave him unless he does, or to follow the lead of another minister who is getting a crowd, he is then in deep trouble.
First, he loses his self-respect, knowing he has sold out. Then, even those worldly minded members of his congregation who want to compromise lose respect for him, although they might have been the very ones that urged him to do so. The holiness minded saints are bewildered and ashamed. Worst of all, his ministry loses it’s power and anointing. He becomes a hireling and Satan has his number. The downhill slide never stops once the momentum has begun. “Ichabod,” the glory has departed, is eventually written over the church door. I am sure you do not want this to happen. Therefore, you should be glad that your pastor is a strong man, a man of convictions and spirituality.
Here is a Scripture we should never forget: “Obey (that is, outwardly conform to your pastor’s teaching in full obedience) them that have the rule over you. (God has not given the neighboring pastor the oversight of your soul, but He has given it to your pastor), and submit yourselves (this is an inward attitude void of resentment or secret desires to disobey or rebel): for they watch for your souls (your pastor is burdened for you, that you will be saved), as they must give account (for the convictions He has given him to preach), that they may do it with joy, and not with grief (a disobedient or rebellious saint is a grief to his pastor and it will turn to be a grief to that saint when the pastor gives account of his disobedience to God): for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).
Finally, suppose the neighboring pastor is wrong and your pastor is right? The chances are that the strictest one is closer to the will of God and God’s true standard of holiness than the more lenient one. It is always safe to adhere to the strictest standard you can. Take it from God when your pastor preaches it. He does not do it because he enjoys doing it, but because he wants you to make it into heaven. You are not responsible to obey the pastor of a neighboring church, but, you are responsible to obey your own pastor. The old saying, “The grass is greener on the other side of the fence,” is not always true. The blessings of God will come into your heart only when you stop looking across the fence, pray through, obey your pastor with gladness and rejoice that your pastor is a man with deep and God-given convictions. By submitting to his leadership you will make it through to heaven.
(The above information was published by the INDIANA APOSTOLIC TRUMPET, March 1986.)
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