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"Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit."
- 3 John 2 NLT
I have no doubt in my heart that God is calling us up to a new place in him.I feel so strong about this call that if we will answer it like God wants us to it is going to propel the church into a place where we are going to carry the presence of God like never before. God is looking to "show himself strong on the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him"(2 Chronicles 16:9).
A perfect heart is a sound heart, one that pulsates with the beat of God's heart. As I look around at the people I see in my circle of influence, I find all kinds of conditions that exist. Some are weary because of the demands of life. Some are so busy that they are burning the candle at both ends always trying to get ahead. Some are just simply unhappy with the ways things are going that they draw back and try to hide what is going on.
There are signs that indicate a person's spiritual wellbeing just as there are signs that determine a person's physical health.When I see an individual's countenance fallen, when I look and see that the light in their eyes is dim, I know things aren't like they should be. Something is wrong. But oftentimes, when you ask how things are going, the common reply always seems to be: "Oh, I'm fine."
How long can folks continue living an unhealthy spiritual life and expect everything to be OK?When a person shows signs that they aren't feeling good, immediately they start checking their vital signs. There are four basic areas that are commonly checked: 1. Blood pressure. 2. Heart Rate. 3. Body Temperature. 4. Respiration. All of these are indicators that help locate issues of concern. Spiritually speaking, there are vital signs we need to pay attention to that also help to locate where a person is in their walk with God. We need to ask ourselves, what is our heart beating after? What gets us all pumped up? Where do our passions lie? Are we hot, cold, or just lukewarm? What kind of atmosphere are we drawn to, and what it is that we are breathing in spiritually?
To enjoy a good, healthy Christian life one needs to keep a check on their spiritual vital signs. You ought to ask yourself: "Do I have the spark of life that carries me to live well pleasing in his sight?" Is my heart beating after the things of God? Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? Am I hungry for the Word? Do I thirst after his presence? Do I enjoy being around other believers who are all fired up? What is it that I am standing for? Do I have an excitement or anticipation to see God move in my life? Is there a longing in me to be in an atmosphere that draws me close to God? These are all important questions we need to determine within ourselves to know how well we are.
Not only can these signs indicate our spiritual wellbeing, but each one carries a prescription to improving our spiritual condition, if we will simply seek to apply what the Word says to our lives. Proverbs chapter four says,
"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those who find them, and health to all their flesh" (Proverbs 4:20-22).
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