Examine Yourself
Eli Brayley's sermon challenges listeners to examine their spiritual lives through a series of reflective questions.
Eli Brayley challenges the congregation with introspective questions to examine their spiritual walk: Are they nourishing their spirits with the Word of God, prioritizing prayer, bearing good fruit, and daily dying to selfishness? He emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, gratitude, honesty, and love for God over worldly desires. Brayley urges believers to focus on eternal matters, the Great Commission, and giving God all the glory in everything they do.
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This isn't anything new or complicated... I just thought I'd post a few simple questions for us all to stop and examine ourselves:
1. Am I nourishing my spirit with the Word of God? Am I eating as much spiritual food as I am physical food? If I ate as much real food as I read my Bible, would I be a malnourished starving wreck?
2. What does my prayer life look like right now (not what did it look like in the past)? Am I spending time with Jesus, my precious Savior? Can I spend hours in front of the TV yet find it hard to spend half an hour on my knees? Do I need to seriously discipline myself in this area and ask Jesus to make it natural and enjoyable and not an inconvenience?
3. Am I bearing good fruit or bad fruit in my life? Do my actions line up according to what I say? Can others see Christ in my life, and are the fruits ripe so that they can glean from them?
4. Do I die daily and take up my cross, peeling away the calloused layers of selfishness off my heart? Is the mind of Christ in me, which is selflessness, or does my flag still fly high from the walls of the castle?
5. Is there anyone that I harbor unforgiveness against? Do I hold any grudges, cherish any bitterness or nurture any resentment towards others?
6. Do I thank God consistently, rejoice in the Lord always, and praise Him unceasingly?
7. Am I honest before God and honest before men, or do I put on a performance in order to hide who I really am? Do I act as a different person when I am around my Christian or non-Christian friends?
8. Do I love the world or anything in the world? Are there things in my life I know that shouldn't be because my conscience warns me so? Do my deeds, interests and affections adhere to the will of God?
9. Am I concerned about lost souls? Do I occupy myself with eternal matters and the task of the Great Commission, where Jesus called me to seek and save those who are on their way to hell forever? Or am I more interested in doing other things than what is truly important?
10. Finally, do I willfully give God all the glory in everything I do? Do I choose to acknowledge Him in all my ways, and live and move have my being to please Him, and to magnify Jesus Christ whether by my life or by my death?
Sermon Outline
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I
- Nourishing the spirit with the Word of God
- Comparison of spiritual and physical nourishment
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II
- Evaluating prayer life
- Discipline in prayer
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III
- Assessing the fruit of our actions
- Visibility of Christ in our lives
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IV
- Daily self-denial and taking up the cross
- Selflessness versus selfishness
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V
- Addressing unforgiveness
- Bitterness and resentment
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VI
- Consistent gratitude and praise
- Rejoicing in the Lord
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VII
- Honesty before God and others
- Authenticity in relationships
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VIII
- Love for the world versus love for God
- Conscience and adherence to God's will
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IX
- Concern for lost souls
- Focus on eternal matters
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X
- Giving glory to God in all things
- Acknowledging God in our lives
Key Quotes
“Am I nourishing my spirit with the Word of God?” — Eli Brayley
“Do I die daily and take up my cross, peeling away the calloused layers of selfishness off my heart?” — Eli Brayley
“Do I willfully give God all the glory in everything I do?” — Eli Brayley
Application Points
- Commit to reading the Bible daily to nourish your spirit.
- Make a conscious effort to improve your prayer life by setting aside dedicated time for prayer.
- Reflect on your actions and ensure they align with your faith, bearing good fruit for others to see.