For us who are following Jesus, we are learning to live from our hearts, not our heads, or our circumstances. If we decide to try to figure things out on our own, this will leave us in a train wreck. We examine ourselves to see if we are walking in Jesus’s faith, we first must look at how we are living our lives. Can some look at your life and say, “You are a follower of Jesus.” Remember that the early followers of Jesus were called Christians because they saw Christ in their lives. Going to church isn’t what makes you a Christian, it’s a transformed life that does.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Acts 11:25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Let’s examine what controls your life. Does money control you? Is it about getting more, or are you content with what you have? Do you see what others have and you want the same? Do you see that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches will choke what is in your heart? Your heart is the engine of your life and your mouth is the rudder of that ship. Do your relationships with your spouse, family members control your life? What is the primary source of love in your life, family, or God? I only say this thing to get you to think that when the peace of Jesus rules in your heart, this affects every aspect of your life. The way you see, hear, talk and act changes because your heart has changed. The world wants to harden your heart, whereas God wants to soften it.
Mark 4:19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
James 3:4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful.
Everything in life pertains to the heart. To be in the spirit comes from the circumcision of your heart. When you live in the spirit, you are living from your heart. Also, being joined to Jesus is being joined with Him in the spirit which is of the heart. The first commandment for the followers of Jesus is to love the Lord your God with all your heart. We are to trust the Lord with all our hearts. All the issues of life come out from the heart. Death and life come from the power of your tongue. I hope I made you think. Be blessed, my friends.
Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.