“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me
and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting.”
(Psalm 139: 23-24, NIV)
As we prepare our hearts for the coming Day of
Prayer and Fasting, let us set our hearts before the Lord. You might open the
Word to Ephesians and pray through Ephesians 4:1-6:9,
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
asking yourself and the
Lord the following questions…
Father,
am I walking worthy of my calling?...
Does my character, do my relationships reflect—
a willingness to humble myself?
gentleness?
longsuffering, patience?
bearing with, putting up with others in
love?
endeavoring to keep unity with others?
living with others in peace? in unity of
faith?
growing
with others in my knowledge of Christ?
Is there in my life any—
lack of purity, even in thought?
failure to care about right and wrong?
giving
in to immorality on any level?
Am
I constantly putting off my old nature and any sinful habits, my former
conduct?
Am
I letting You renew my mind?
Am
I consciously putting on my new nature, seeking righteousness and holiness?
Do
I ever lie? exaggerate? shade the truth? fail to correct wrong impressions?
Have I gone
to bed angry without apologizing and making things right?
Have I given
the devil a foothold by failing to deal with anger—or any other ongoing sin in
my life?
Am I hanging
on to any sins without confessing them, without repenting—turning away from
them in Your strength?
Have I stolen anything? —
even small things, like office supplies?
someone’s reputation, through gossip?
anyone’s
time, with thoughtless interruptions?
Am I
sharing with others in need?
Do I
ever say things that are unwholesome?
Am I
an encourager, always building others up? Or is my spirit critical and
judgmental?
Do I grieve the Holy Spirit with sins?
Am I bitter about anything?
Do I lose my temper? Have anger or show
rage?
Do I slander others with my talk?
Am I kind? Compassionate?
Do I forgive others as God has forgiven
me?
Am I living a life characterized by
love?
Have I been immoral? Gone against Your
Word in thought or action?
Am I greedy? Materialistic?
Do I
engage in obscene language or foolish talk? Off color jokes?
Am I
living as a child of the light, giving no place to deeds of darkness?
Do I
live wisely, making the most of every opportunity for Christ?
Do I
seek to understand the Your will when faced with choices and decisions?
Am I
daily filled with the Spirit?
Do I
sing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs with others? Make music in my heart?
Do I
always give thanks for everything?
Do I submit to others?
If married—
Do
I love my wife as my own body?
Do
I respect my husband?
Are
my children obedient?
Am I bringing them up in the training and
instruction of the Lord?
Do I
serve my employers or those in ministry wholeheartedly doing God’s will from my
heart?
