Musick-al Note # 144
If you were the Lord, how would you judge yourself? You are in the position to know. Circumstantial evidence may or may not be correctly interpreted by the observer. You know yourself and are in a position to examine your own heart and mind, attitudes, desires and aspirations. You also know the guilt arising from transgression, failure, and neglect of God’s Word. Let us then as Paul indicated we should do, “examine yourself” that we may know where we stand and become ready for God’s judgment. Look at and answer these questions.
First, what is my attitude toward the Bible? Is it God’s Word? Do I receive it as coming from God to me? Am I really willing to learn more and understand more of this divine book? Or do I merely sit in class and pew to present a religious front? Am I afraid to put myself to the test to measure what I really know and understand of the teaching of the Master? Is my attitude such that things must be easy and have no requirements for learning before I will attend?
Second, what is my attitude toward the preaching of the Gospel? Do I really “listen as to eternity”? Do I really seek to gain knowledge for self to improve? Are the sermons beneficial because I listen attentively or boring because I would really rather be somewhere else? Must I continually attend to keep up a semblance of righteousness or do I desire to worship God regularly? Does the preaching of the Word help me to see the majesty of God, the Deity of Christ and the need of forgiveness, or am I asleep and spiritually blind?
Third, what is my attitude about the work program that is carried on? Have I given of myself that the work might be done? Am I willing to give liberally that the program be carried on well? Is the time given to me spent for self alone with without thought of the Lord? Am I disturbed when work is to be done and I cannot assist? Would I rather be doing something else when work for the Lord is scheduled? If the preacher or the elders insist that we all work, will I give my support or will I move my membership or possibly stop attending altogether?
Gordon Musick
Musick-al Notes 