CONSIDER YOUR WAYS

Below is a spiritual inventory or checkup list from the book of Haggai to help you follow God’s call to Consider Your Ways.  The purpose of it is to help you experience personal revival. Everyone needs reviving by God from time to time. Even the people baptized with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost needed to be refreshed and revived (Acts 4:31). Go over these questions periodically, prayerfully, humbly, sincerely surrendered with all your heart (Psalm 34:18; 51:17; 1 Peter 5:5-6). Ask the LORD to refresh and revive you, to do a new work in you (Philippians 2:12-13). So let’s get out our Bibles and turn to the Old Testament book of Haggai. Prayerfully read the scriptures indicated and then read the comments for the section. May God lead you by His Spirit and bless you as you seek to consider your ways.

 

Consider His Priorities (Haggai 1:2-6)

What is first in my life? What do I spend the most time doing or thinking about? When I look at my life and ask, “What does my life revolve around? What is at the center of my life and interests?” Is it working and related activities, home improvement projects, recreational activities, or is it ministry related activities such as witnessing,  attending church and fellowshipping?  Am I attending church services regularly? Am I involved in the ministry of the church I attend? Do I “date” a church or churches without committing to any of them, or am I committed to a local body? Am I loyal? Do I keep my commitments? When I have a choice to go to church or go to work to make some extra money, which do I opt for? (Not including mandatory work schedules.) When I have a choice to work on home improvements or participate in church activities, which do I opt for? When I have a choice between going to church or going to a recreational activity or watching a sporting event on TV, which do I opt for? What truly is the priority in my life? How do my actions answer that question?   

 

Consider His Pleasure (Haggai 1:7-11)

What gives me pleasure? Things that promote or cater to self, or things that would bring pleasure to God? Do I take pleasure in lust and greed? Or do I take pleasure in the things of the Spirit, like seeing souls won to Christ and serving in ministry of some kind? Do I take the most pleasure in personal prosperity and building my own kingdom, or in being used by God in furthering His kingdom?

 

Consider His Presence (Haggai 1:12-2:5)

Do I have regular daily devotions in which I prayerfully come into the presence of the LORD and study His word? If I am a father, do I lead my family in daily devotions of prayer and Bible study? If I am a mother, do I support and encourage my husband in his leadership role in the family in a way that helps the family come into the presence of God? Do I recognize God is always with me? Do I pray without ceasing to the One who is with me without ceasing? Do I look for His presence and leading moment by moment?

Consider His Provision (Haggai 2:6-9)

Do I worry about my finances? Am I trusting God to provide for me? Do I give God a tithe (10%) of my total (gross) income? Am I willing and open to giving an offering to God and His work above and beyond my tithe? Do I seek God’s direction and permission to spend before I spend? Or do I spend and never give a thought to what God’s will would be in my spending activities? Is God LORD of my money and material resources?

Consider His Purity (Haggai 2:10-14)

Am I in accord with God’s word? Are my thoughts pure? Is my heart pure? Are my words pure? Are my actions pure? What motivates me in life? Do I attend church out of guilt trying to make up for some wrong or sin I did throughout the week or do I come to church prepared and eager to worship God, be edified in the study of His word, and partake in the fellowship of believers? Are most of my friends believers or unbelievers? Do I practice, “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ”? (Galatians 6:2). Are my relationships pure? Does Jesus approve of my relationships?

Consider His Promises (Haggai 2:15-19)

What gets me through the day, His promises, or only my intestinal fortitude to withstand the pressures of each day? Am I aware of God’s promises? Do I know what they are? What do I look forward to, live for? Am I focused entirely on earthly, worldly, and material goals? Or am I looking forward to the return and Rapture of Jesus Christ? Have I allowed myself to be beaten down by circumstances and situations beyond my control? Or do I find strength by standing on the promises of God by faith?

Consider His Power (Haggai 2:20-23)

On whose power do I depend? Do I depend on my own ability and resources to do whatever I seek to do throughout the day? Am I frustrated, exhausted, and ready to give up or do I pray to God and rely on His power through the Holy Spirit to accomplish whatever I do throughout the day? Am I holding on tight to things and circumstances, or have I let them go and trusted God with them? Am I trusting Him to empower me, deliver me and bring me on to victory? Is there a life-dominating or habitual sin in my life? Have I sought to be freed from it in the power of the Spirit? (John 14-16; Romans 6; 1 Corinthians 10:13). Whose yoke am I wearing, my own, the world’s, or God’s? Who carries my burden, me or Jesus? (Matthew 11:28-30).