Elul 1
“For if we were to
EXAMINE OURSELVES, we would not be judged.” (1Cor 11:31 ISR, emphasis
mine)
We know
when we have deliberately done something wrong, something we should not have
done. It is unfortunate that too often we
choose to ignore the voice of our conscience, and disregard the wrongdoing we
have done. The Ruach HaKodesh, Spirit of YHWH, will convict us of what is right
and truth; this is one of the functions of the Set-Apart Spirit (see John 16:8,
13 Amplified Bible Classic Edition). It
is, however, our own responsibility
to test and examine ourselves;
nowhere in the Word of Elohim is there such a thing as a “Ministry of Critique”, where we are called upon to examine
anyone other than ourselves. We are to look at our own lives (no one else’s), hold them up and compare them to the standard
that is found within the pages of the Word,
the Torah. We are also to look closely
at the life of Messiah Yeshua, the living
Word, for He is our example in all things.
Am I truthfully lacking in some areas? Am I successfully ‘walking the talk’? Has the Spirit of YHWH pointed out, through His
Word, areas in my character and personality that need adjusting? Is my lifestyle not, perhaps, giving honor to
my Elohim as much as it could? And
should?
It is at this
point where we will find it necessary to yield and surrender. When we stop, and submit to our Master Yeshua
in those rotten and corrupted areas of our lives, we have successfully examined
and judged ourselves. We then do teshuva, repent, and invite Him to perfect those things that concern
us (see Ps 138:8).
Discipleship and discipline walk hand in
hand. I cannot claim to be disciples of
YHWH Elohim if I am not willing to
live a disciplined life of self-examination and scrutiny. It is such a simple
thing to ask the Spirit of YHWH to shine a light of illumination on any area of
our lives that is not pleasing to our Creator, and then invite Him to help us
change what needs to be changed. Is this
not what we desire: to become that person our Elohim desires to spend eternity
with?
For these next 40 days, leading up to Yom Kippur
(the Day of Atonement), it is my hope that we can spend some time turning the
spotlight INWARD, in examining ourselves, and doing some serious
housecleaning. Through it all, let us
determine to come up to the next
level, clean the crud off of the glass, and reflect more of the light and love
of our Creator. Amein …
“An
Internal Audit”, ©2017
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