THE FACE OF LOVE CHAPTER 15 LIVING TO PLEASE GOD

 

THE FACE OF LOVE

CHAPTER 15

LIVING TO PLEASE GOD

SO WHAT, IF I'M NOT EQUIPPED? WHO'S TO BLAME? NOT ME! God has a plan for my life? What is it? I don't know what the plan is. How can God accuse me of anything if I don't know what His plan is? It's not my fault if I'm not following His plan. He hasn't told me what it is and since I don't know what it is, I'll live life my way.

Brothers, Sisters, Believers, and Disciples, once our rebellion or sin is pointed out, we are often quick to be in denial, or, to deflect blame. While we are loving ourselves and the world more than God, change is out of the question. So, when we make a mistake or sin, we're looking for answers, reasons, circumstances, and people to blame. It doesn't matter if we erred or sinned because we were unprepared or ill-prepared spiritually. We may not know what being spiritually equipped is, let alone know why we need to be spiritually equipped, or, how to use what we've learned. What do we need to be spiritually prepared for? 

The world will rob us of our very soul, as it is the adversary's purpose to roam to and fro seeking whom he may devour, while using those who are of the world and the temptations of this world to do his bidding. Believers need to know what the world really is, why we are here, and what it means to be of the world. If we base our standards and beliefs on the ideas and morals of the world, does that mean we are of the world? If we love the world more than the Kingdom of God, does that mean we are of the world? If we trust man more than God, does that mean we are of the world? If we place our faith completely in the things of this world, does that mean we are of the world? The answer is yes to all of these questions, even if we don't apply them to everything in our life, if we are guilty in one area, we are being of the world, and perhaps trying to serve two masters.

If this world is not our home, then, why are we here? Is this a testing or proving ground meant to prepare us for our final home in Heaven? Why would God place us in a world ruled by the Prince of Darkness, Satan? Is God cruel and sadistic? If God loves us and only wants good things for us, why does God allow this world to be full of wickedness? Is it because He promised not to destroy the world again by flood? Is Jesus the answer for the evil in the world? 

There are so many questions that people have about God that they want answers to before they will believe in Him or trust Him. We were created to be curious and inquisitive. In order to believe in something, we want to see it and understand it. If someone presents us with a set of standards they claim to be from a superior being and says that we are supposed to live by these standards in order to please this god, we want proof, especially if we believe our standards or other standards of the world are acceptable and satisfactory.

The world shows us people who are living successfully, by its standards, without being all holy, righteous, and religious, as some might put it. Of course, unknowing to them, their success can only be measured by those of the world, as a result of being of the world. Well, isn't that enough, if that's all you desire? That depends upon how much you value yourself, others, and life. Your idea of success depends on how much you love God, His Holiness, and His Righteousness. If you live to please God, you will not compromise in upholding His standards, because of your love for God, holiness, and righteousness. Your success can be measured by your fruitfulness, in being attached to The Vine, Christ Jesus, and producing the good Fruit of God's Holy Spirit.

Judas Iscariot was the Disciple who betrayed Jesus. Did Judas Iscariot love God and His Son, Jesus, more than the world? Judas soon found out that selling the life of Jesus was not worth the agony and damnation he brought upon himself. The ill-begotten money could not restore that which he depended upon to feel self-worth in the world. Depression, anxiety, shame, guilt, and despair enveloped Judas and gripped his heart until it had squeezed the very life out of him, resulting in consequences that caused his demise. After having betrayed Jesus, the world could no longer produce the illusion Judas had come to accept as his vision of happiness, wealth, and success. He had failed to understand what Jesus was teaching His Disciples, in that joy, wealth, and success cometh not by the world and worldly things, but, by bearing the Fruit of God's Holy Spirit. After his act of betrayal, he didn't count on having feelings of regret and remorse. However, when we abandon God, we are left in the hands of the adversary to do as he pleases. Judas, like those before him, who had turned their back on God, joined Satan in his misery, which can only end in death.

How often do we see this Judas pattern among those who idolize wealth and even among Believers seeking abundant life by means of earthly pleasure? The world will try to convince us that we can have exactly what other people have, if we live by its standards. The world will try to convince us that money and power are within our reach, regardless of how prepared we are to attain our goals and obtain that which we desire, or, to be prepared to maintain that which we are responsible for. We are often  exposed to media and given examples of those who bypassed preparing themselves mentally, physically, and spiritually. These three things affect one another and go hand in hand. Yet, the world will tell us that people who haven't had much academic training or chose not to go to college, people who have little or no respect for their body as God's temple, and people who do not have a thirst and love for holiness and righteousness can be successful. The world can only create an illusion of success and sells its lies based on appearances. People appear to be rich, famous, popular, beautiful, healthy, and influential, by those whose eyes are fixed upon the world, yet, if they have failed to please God, in His eyes, they are nothing and only kindling good for the fire. 

In order to show ourselves approved in the Word, as well as being armored and equipped Saints, who are prepared and living in the Word of God, can we apply worldly methods and behaviors to spiritual preparation? Jesus spoke of the world's inability to understand Him. Hence, what the world does not understand, it can neither teach us about, nor, embrace as favorable ideology, lest it work against itself. As Jesus said, a house divided cannot stand. Evil will not work against itself, for, that which is evil will not work on behalf of that which is good. Therefore, we must acknowledge that the world has no desire to build us up and grow us spiritually, but, instead, seeks to stunt our growth by whatever means possible to keep us from being fruitful, holy, righteous, and connected to the love of our Heavenly Father. 

The world tries to convince us that one does not need to be spiritual or religious to be successful in life. The world focuses on living for the moment and the here and now according to conditions, circumstances, and manmade possibilities which will ultimately end in a vain and finite life. God promises us abundant and everlasting life with infinite possibilities according to His matchless and magnificent power and might. There is hope, love, and faith in God. To keep you attached to the world, the enemy mimics God by creating worldly hope, love, and faith. What will people do to hold onto the world and their desires? What lies have you accepted as truth, in order to cling to the world and things you desire in the world? How many times have you denied Jesus in order to escape worldly consequences such as shame or exclusion? 

OPINIONS OR TRUTH?

People are more comfortable with opinions than they are with statements or set standards. Therefore, they will take God's Word and call it an opinion, as if it qualifies as an option or choice. So, how do you know if what someone tells you is just their opinion? Judas soon found out that after the luster of his ill-begotten money rubbed off, God's Word still stood. However, he found out too late. What was done, was done and he couldn't take it back. It is said that you can prove God's Word by His Word. Just what does that mean? It hardly sounds scientific or credible to judge or compare something to itself. What we must remember is that God's Word is a Living Word, who is Christ Jesus. He and His Father are inseparable. When you try to prove the Word, you are testing God and Jesus. Think about that. You are testing God and Jesus. You are trying to disprove His Holy Spirit as Truth, which is blasphemy, the unforgiveable sin. So, if you want to prove God's Word, you have to try God. You have to trust and believe in Him and His Son, otherwise, you are denied access. You are cut off. There is no trial membership with a refund if you are not satisfied. The vanity of man makes him believe that he has authority and entitlement over God. Not so. The Word will prove itself, as it did with Judas. God doesn't need you to prove His Word. His Word is the fabric of the Universe upon which everything is built, including you. 

Nonetheless, people create their own proofs to disprove God and try to get what they want. These proofs are really lies in disguise. People will make uninformed statements, needing to believe them in order to hold on to something, some lie, that gives them hope in life, or, to justify their pride, beliefs, ignorance, indifference, or, most importantly, their lack of godly love. 

Statements like:

1. So what, if I'm not equipped? I can still make it in the world.
   
   This statement shows a lack of desire to achieve one's fullest potential. It also shows a lack of understanding of what the world is and that it was not intended to be our final home. Moreover, this type of thinking proves that we lack an understanding of who we really are in Christ and who and what God intended for us to become. It is easy to dismiss something as irrelevant or unnecessary when one doesn't understand what they are missing. Even more, this statement is tainted with pride blinding the person from seeing Truth. We are nothing and we can do nothing without God.
   
   
2. What matters is what happens to me right now. What can religion prepare me for in life that will change my life right now and for the better?
   
   We live in a world where instant gratification is promoted as a norm, or normal behavior to desire and maintain. Yet, God tells us to be anxious for nothing. The statement also shows a lack of understanding of what true or pure religion is, for, if the person understood that their ignorance of religion actually revealed their unpreparedness for life, perhaps, they would not have made the statement. Pure religion is the manifestation of the Fruit of The Holy Spirit in our willingness to serve and please God and one another.
   
   James 1:27
   
   Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
3. I'm saved because I belong to my particular religion, and/or, I gave my life to God.
   
   The vast majority of us became Believers, looking for a miracle cure for whatever ailed us, even if we had no idea of what that ailment was. We are still too in love with our flesh and the world to truly love God and want to obey His will. We actually had no idea of what God really expected of us, or, that we were supposed to be surrendering our will to become God's servant. Our expectations were that God would be doing the serving and changing, not us. Most people who belong to religious institutions continue their lives with the same expectations, unwilling to change themselves in order to serve and please God. They continue acting upon their need for immediate gratification at the expense of others and with little or no accountability. Unlike Jesus, their first priority is not that they should please God, their Father.
   
   
4. Being successful is all about having money and possessions.
   
   Love of the world keeps you wanting for more, forever thirsting, and never being satisfied. It will also keep you struggling to hold on to what you have and to get more, because these things cannot quench your thirst or satisfy your hunger, or, ensure an abundant and eternal life. Love of self and the world does not bring you peace and success. It assures a life that is unfruitful, where your work, possessions, desires, and passions are also in vain.
   
   
5. Who says you have to think about religion and God all the time? It doesn't make any sense to apply religion to everything you do, that's being a fanatic. 
   
   Believing that you can do nothing without God is a gigantic leap of faith for those who place their faith in the world and their own abilities. To those who can only process the tangible and explainable things in life, contributing your very existence and abilities to the Grace and Mercy of God are even more far-fetched ideas. So, to incorporate God and godliness into every aspect of your life, may seem ludicrous and unnecessary. 
   
   The benefits of being an Equipped Saint are obviously not seen by those seeking approval from the world. The immoral and compromised state of the institutional church provides evidence to prove that it has neither lived up to the roll and responsibility it says it has undertaken as representing the commission given to the Disciples of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, nor, does it desire to separate itself from the world. That roll and responsibility includes not only bringing in the lost, but, preparing them as Saints. As Saints, Jesus's disciples are crucified with Him and carry His cross. Equipping the Saints prepares them to conquer this world by dying to the flesh, then, living in and functioning under the Mind of Christ, living to serve and please God, the Father. Only then can they stand ready to meet the Bride Groom, when He returns.

MAKING ROOM FOR GOD

As Equipped Saints, we are taught to look for and dispel lies, which are an integral part of the world, in order for it to create illusions. We dispel lies because it is important that we know The Light of God from false light that attracts to lead us into darkness. Believers who fall prey to the lies of the world use the deception of the enemy to justify their behavior and sin. To fulfill their desires, they will resort to naming, blaming, and shaming others, as I did in my youth to justify my desire to be of the world. When you are looking for someone else to blame, it is all too easy to put the blame on parents, guardians, family members, teachers, clergy, politicians, or, those who claim to be Believers, Holy, Righteous, in the church, etc. We look for these people to either convince us to join them, or, to stay away from us, stay out of our business, and let us live our lives as we please. Yet, that is the key. It is OUR LIFE and each one of us is accountable for his/her own life. Be careful what you wish for.

When God created us, He did not intend for Earth to be our only home. Out of love, God allows us to experience trials and temptations that change our heart, in hope that these experiences will draw us closer to Him and our Heavenly Home. We are to seek Him and the Kingdom of Heaven just as diligently as He seeks us. Daily, every minute, and every hour, God is seeking to have a relationship with us, no matter how small or fleeting the instant may be, and no matter how big or small our problems may be. God wants to be a part of our lives. He wants to dwell within us and make our body His temple. Knowing this means, that everything that you do to yourself and others effects God within you. Knowing this you can no longer say that my faith and God have nothing to do with what I am doing, or, what I want to do. Knowing this, we should understand the importance of our life and the temple God dwells within. 

Everyday, if we are to share our body with God, we must make room for God. Our body must reflect more of God and less of us. We must die to our flesh, our self-will, and pride, and live in Christ. We must treat our body as a holy temple. Therefore, the question we must constantly ask ourselves, when we act upon our own desires is, does this glorify God, or, am I looking to glorify myself and/or others? Am I making room for God? If I change myself, am I changing to reflect more of God and less of me? These may seem like easy questions, but, they can be hard for many people to answer who are still seeking to please themselves instead of pleasing God. They may rationalize, exclude scripture, omit facts, subtract transgressions,  add and then, sum up and reward good behaviors,  cloaking their intentions in a garment of holiness and righteous, fooling only themselves; for, if you are truly one with God, then, He is part of everything that you do. If your body is truly God's temple, then, what you do to your body becomes what you do to and for God. God said that we are to be Holy for He is Holy. Then, what we do to our body must be acceptable and right for Holiness.

Until we dispel the lies we have accepted in order to be part of the world, we will remain in the rationalizing stage of our learning. For some, the journey will end there, because, they refuse to let go of the world. Ask God to show you those things in your life which are not of Him and not pleasing to Him.

People have come to believe that we can separate our bodies from God. This results in our bodies becoming mentally, physically, and spiritually ill. This also results in our giving our body to the world and the enemy, then idolizing and/or disrespecting our body. Vanity is a state of mind borne out of pride. One can be humble and yet, adorn themselves in beauty that honors and pleases God. However, can we change how we look without changing who we are and who God created us to be? This question requires us to once again look at our love for God and our trust in Him. Do we love God more than we love our physical self and the world? Do we trust God to have made us according to His plans for us and in His image? Do the changes we want to make reflect God's image?

We are constantly expecting God to make exceptions for us, for even if we know our actions do not glorify God and align with His Word, we defiantly enact our self-proclaimed privilege to do as we please. Out of this self-proclaimed privilege is a long list of things that do not glorify God, which define sin and self-idolization, or, self-love. You may think that what you are doing is not a sin. However, the revelation comes through who and what is actually glorified by your decision. Glory, like God is ETERNAL, HOLY, and RIGHTEOUS. If your act is indeed to glorify the Father, it is capable of being eternal, holy, and righteous. Just your statement of its eternity, holiness, and righteousness does not make it so. God has spoken. 

Those of the world who love themselves often interpret God's love as His approval to do as they please because God loves them unconditionally. However, they have misconstrued the meaning of God's unconditional love and confused it with His Grace and Mercy. Loving you does not mean that I approve of everything that you do, nor, does it mean that I will not punish you for going against my will. Just to be clear, God is not putting conditions on His loving us. He punishes us because He continues to love us and wants us to do better. 

Loving yourself to glorify God is very different from idolizing yourself for self-satisfaction. We idolize ourselves when we believe we know better than God what is best for us and continue in our sin because it pleases us. By idolizing yourself, you have love of yourself over and above God. You reject loving the One True God. When we see ourselves as a god, needing to be worshipped and idolized, above all rules, law, and authority, believing we are deserving of all that we desire, we have rejected and denied the true love of God; for we are to put loving God and the love and well-being of others first. When we are in self-love, we don't see how very selfish it is to continue living and doing things our way, not caring how it affects others. Yet, when the behavior of others affects us, we complain.

The sad thing is, we often don't see ourselves as rejecting God, or, that we have chosen to love ourselves more than God. We are too blind and in love with the world and what we want in the world. We are too blind to see that we have become of the world. If we are equipped with God's Holy Spirit, God quickens our soul to warn us of sin and gives us discernment. His Holy Spirit will guide us to tell us which path to choose. If we falter, God within us helps to humble us and lead us to prayer, repentance, and deliverance. 

The smallest of thorns can effect the state of the body as a whole. The smallest of acts or decisions can impact our lives forever and lead us into unknown sin and corruption which can effect generations to come. On Earth as it is in Heaven carries down to the smallest events and decisions in our lives that can become disruptive, stumbling blocks, and impenetrable walls to detour us from the Mind of Christ. If we refer to ourselves as Believers, Saints, Zealots, Followers, Soldiers, etc., as part of the Body of Christ, that which carries the cross of Holiness and Righteousness, working together to increase the Kingdom for the King of Glory, then, we must without doubt be mindful of what we do that does not glorify God and His Kingdom, that which can only be identified as, and called---sin.

The pressure is there all around us to give in to or ignore life's small embellishments that tempt us to veer towards the false light of the enemies camp. The greater the desire the greater our rationalization and argument as to why we should not be deprived of our worldly desire. It is a perfect opportunity for the adversary to pit us against one another...to divide and conquer, so that he may kill, steal, and destroy, reaping the spoils. 

AM I SEEKING GOD'S FACE TODAY AND NOT JUST HIS HANDS?

As Believers, when tempted or making a decision, a before thought and an after thought should be, am I seeking God's face today and not just his hands? Am I putting God first? How will this decision glorify God and His Kingdom? Who do I want to please today, myself or God? How will I feel about this tomorrow? Will I regret my decision? Should I repent, that is, change my ways and thinking? Am I following the Mind of Christ, which always seeks to please and glorify God, our Father?

Be anxious for nothing is not just a phrase. It is a way of life that will bring you peace and glorify the Father. The adversary wants you to be anxious in order to confound and confuse your mind, whereby, he can instill fear, pride, and distrust, drawing you away from God, holiness, and righteousness. However, is that the end of the story? Have we no defense against this trickery? What is anxiety and why does God allow us to have it if it is not good for us?

Wise decisions must be made by knowing as many sides to a problem, decision, or, situation as possible. We must know our enemy and his ways. We must know the follies and perils of the world. We must know the difference between good and evil, even when evil is disguised as good. We must know false light from The Light. We must know what the bad feels like in order to appreciate and enjoy what is good. Therefore, God equipped us with what we needed in order for us to make the right decisions, even if it meant coming about to what is right by way of having done wrong.

God told Adam and Eve what they could and could not do in the The Garden of Eden. He wanted them to take care of one another, as well as take care of The Garden. Yet, seeing Eve's weakness, God allowed Eve to be tricked by Satan in the Garden of Eden, in order that He might turn what was meant for evil into good. Hence, God is the power and authority that is able to end all fears and false pride, God Almighty, who is able to do all things and Christ Jesus His Son, who strengthens us.

I have often found my weaknesses within those things I desire for my children. They are sometimes things that I expect to happen now, because of my weakness and not because of God's strength and power. They are things that I seek to make my children happy and keep them from struggling, instead of the happiness they would gain by seeking God first. and experiencing the trials and tribulations of life. I may attempt to rationalize my behavior by saying that I was bearing good fruit in wanting to give more than to receive.  I may attempt to rationalize my behavior by saying that I was trying to comfort. I might even rationalize by saying that long-suffering, patience, led me to overlook their sin and show them the unconditional love of God, but, does my rationalizing turn my sin into good or justify using sinful behavior to achieve good? Does the end justify the means?

Let's say that I believe that I have rightfully acted and set an admirable example for my children to follow, believing that example will help propel them in the right direction. But what are my beliefs founded upon? What goal am I trying to achieve and for who's benefit? Who and what determines the right direction for me to go? So, how do I parent? I put God first! Even before wanting to please my children! I must first acknowledge the presence of God in my and their life. I must acknowledge the fact that my children belong to God. I must acknowledge that He knows what is best for them better than I do. Even as I chastise and punish them based on Kingdom Principles, I must also reward them based on the same guidelines. When my children's behavior goes against Kingdom Principles, I am accountable to God, first. Do I allow their behavior to disrupt my path and stance? Do I join them in their sin? Do I stop STANDING until the end? Do I remove myself from my Foundation and stop standing upon The Rock?

Life's little embellishments that promise us joy, fun, beauty, status, riches, etc., can throw us a curve ball and cause us to strike out, without our ever seeing it coming. We are blinded, not because we were standing at the wrong angle or line of sight, we simply just decided to compromise because of our own desires and weaknesses. We have taken our eyes off of Jesus, ending up wondering, how we got there. 

Part of our weakness comes from not loving God's way, but, instead loving our way. Another part of our weakness is our wanting to be accepted, loved, or, desired, which can lead us to love the way the world loves, which is, selfishly and always with conditions. Yes, we can even love our children selfishly and conditionally. We may make what we see as harmless allowances that may compromise our faith, unable to see that which we have applied is not unconditional love, but, in reality, it is a trap of the adversary, a trap in which there may be no door or option to escape. By seeking approval from the world and being led by fear, pride, and vanity, we can become trapped in deception and an illusion of holiness, righteousness, acceptance, love, happiness, and success.

In a previous chapter I asked if God is requiring too much from man. God has said that He wants us to walk in the Spirit by faith and not by sight. Will this keep us from falling into the pitfalls of life? God wants us to grow and learn. So, there are times when we must fall in life. However, when we fall, it does not mean that we have failed. It means that it is an opportunity for us to seek God's face and His character. 

When we seek God's face, we should be seeking to reflect His image. Our intentions and expectations should not be to just receive blessings, relief, forgiveness, or prosperity from God.

Yes, God's face is Grace and Mercy and when we fall we are in need of both. But, the privilege and purpose of seeking God's face is to reflect back a like image imitating the character of God and that is why we need Jesus. In other words, God wants to see the Jesus in you that makes you worthy of His Grace and Mercy.  This is why He asks us to seek His Face. His Face is the image of who and what we should try to become. God wants to see the Jesus in you that makes you worthy of seeking His face.

When we look at God's Ten Commandments to His People, along, with Jesus's command that we love one another as He has loves us, it appears that man has repeatedly failed individually and collectively to meet the standards of God. Considering that God loved us so much that He sacrificed His only begotten Son for our sins, it would seem that God is not only not requiring too much, but, not requiring enough, whereas, He knows that without the help of His Son and Holy Spirit, we will most assuredly fall short of His expectations. 

God loves us despite the fact that we are indeed flawed. He looks beyond our faults to see our needs because, as our Creator and Father, He only wants good things for us. In turn, those of us who are parents, love our flawed children and only want good things for them. However, if we had to sacrifice our flawed, but, precious child for someone else's sins, would we be willing to do so? Then, we must consider the magnitude of God's sacrifice of His beloved son, The Spotless Lamb, unstained by sin by having not sinned. Jesus lived to please His Heavenly Father and so should we.

Jehovah God, a god who is all powerful, a God who can change everything, but, a God who keeps His promises and promised not to destroy man and earth by flood again to start anew. Our Father is so mindful of the potential of His creation, mankind, that He allowed His precious son to endure the humility and torture of being crucified upon a cross. By making this sacrifice, God intends for His Son's blood to cleanse man so that man can be born again into a new man filled with holiness and righteousness.

I marvel at the mind of God, which can pierce the depths of the Universe and yet, His heart has compassion for that which is the least. I marvel at God's wisdom, when all else failed to bring man into submission, God sent His Son to redeem us. With compassion in His heart, God had looked beyond our faults and poor understanding of godliness and seen our redemption through the sacrifice of His son.

Watching my children suffer has brought me to my knees, praying for God's mercy. I have felt helpless and crushed from hearing my child call out for me when they are hurt or in trouble. Certainly, God felt anguish as Jesus hung upon the cross and called out to Him. He could have ended Jesus's suffering at any time, but, He counted us as worthy through Jesus's sacrifice to become His sons and daughters, co-heirs to His Kingdom. God didn't need us. He wanted us and continues to want us and our love. Still, our weak mind is often lead by a heart that treasures the things of this world instead of His love.

Living to please God should take precedence over culture, race, ethnicity, nationality, political and religious affiliation, self-interests, and worldly influences and desires. Is God requiring too much from man? When we sin, we seek to gain the world in vain, at the risk of losing our soul. God is offering our soul salvation. He is offering us His Kingdom, along with abundant and everlasting life. How much more can we gain from trusting Him and obeying His Will? 

By the Grace and Mercy of God, through the Life Changing Blood of Christ Jesus,

Your servant and soldier,

Mishael

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SELF REFLECTION: A Look in the Mirror *

Once again, when we look at Jesus' parables, He is challenging us to examine where our heart lies. Closely examining your heart, answer the following questions. 

*DISCUSS your answers with a mature Believer who can guide you in your spiritual relationship with Jesus and our Father, and/or have group discussions to learn from those who have different experiences and perspectives. 

QUESTIONS: Write down your questions and discuss them with a mature Believer or submit them to: fsasw.blogspot.com, or fssw-followers.weebly.com.

1. Do you believe God has a plan for your life? If so, do you know what it is?
2. Have you asked God to reveal His plan for your life?
3. Could God's plan involve many or different stages and ways for you to serve Him?
4. If you trust God and just obey His will, can it lead to your discovering His plan for your life?
5. What does being spiritually equipped mean to you? 
6. Are you being equipped as a Saint? Why or why not?
7. Do you believe you need to be spiritually equipped and prepared to conquer this world?
8. If we base our standards and beliefs on the ideas and morals of the world, does that mean we are of the world? How so?
9. If we love the world more than the Kingdom of God, does that mean we are of the world? Why or why not?
10. If we trust man more than God, does that mean we are of the world? Why or why not?
11. If we place our faith completely in the things of this world, does that mean we are of the world? Why or why not?
12. If this world is not our home, then, why are we here? 
13. Is this a testing or proving ground meant to prepare us for our final home in Heaven? 
14. Why would God place us in a world ruled by the Prince of Darkness, Satan? 
15. Is God cruel and sadistic? 
16. If God loves us and only wants good things for us, why does God allow this world to be full of wickedness? 
17. Is it because He promised not to destroy the world again by flood, or, is there another reason? 
18. Is Jesus the answer for the evil in the world? Why or why not?
19. The world shows us people who are living successfully, by its standards. Is that enough, if that's all you desire? Why or why not?
20. Did Judas Iscariot love God and His Son, Jesus, more than the world? Why or why not?
21. Do you love God and Jesus more than the world? 
22. Do you give God all the glory or do you glorify and idolize yourself and others?
23. How often do we see Judas's betrayal among those who idolize wealth and even among Believers seeking abundant life by means of earthly pleasure? When we sin and love sin, how often do we realize that we betray and crucify Jesus again?
24. In order to show ourselves approved in the Word, as well as being armored and equipped Saints, who are prepared and living in the Word of God, can we apply the worldly methods and behaviors to spiritual preparation?
25. What is your definition of success?
26. Can you separate material success from spirituality and pleasing God? Why or why not?
27. What will people do to hold onto the world and their desires? 
28. What lies have you accepted as truth, in order to cling to the world and things you desire in the world? 
29. How many times have you denied Jesus in order to escape worldly consequences such as shame or exclusion? 
30. How do you know if what someone tells you is just their opinion?
31. Do we have to understand everything God tells us in order to obey Him? 
32. Do you always understand what your parents and others in authority tell you to do? Do you obey them anyway? Why or why not?
33. God tells us to honor our mother and father. Do we honor them by obeying them? Do we honor God by obeying Him?
34. When trying to make a decision, have you asked yourself, does this glorify God, or, am I looking to glorify myself and/or others? Are you putting God first? How will this decision glorify God and His Kingdom? Who do you want to please today, yourself or God? How will you feel about this tomorrow? Will you regret your decision? Should you repent, that is, change your ways and thinking? Are you following the Mind of Christ, which always seeks to please and glorify God, our Father? 
35. Are you making room for God within you, daily? 
36. If you have or are considering changing yourself physically, mentally, or spiritually, are the changes to reflect more of God and less of you?
37. Can we change how we look without changing who we are and who God created us to be? This question requires us to once again look at our love for God and our trust in Him. 
38. Do you love God more than you love your physical self and the world? Do you trust God to have made you according to His plans for you and in His image? 
39. Do the changes you want to make reflect God's image, His character?
40. Are you seeking God's face today and not just His hands?
41. Have we no defense against Satan's trickery? 
42. What is anxiety and why does God allow us to have it if it is not good for us?
43. Does rationalizing turn your sin into good or justify using sinful behavior to achieve good? Does the end justify the means? 
44. Do you allow the behavior of others to disrupt your path or prevent you from standing for God? 
45. Do you join them in their sin? 
46. Jesus told us to stand in holiness and righteousness until the end. Have you stopped STANDING?
47. Have you removed yourself from your Foundation in God and stopped standing upon The Rock, Christ Jesus?
48. God said that He wants us to walk in the Spirit by faith and not by sight. Will this keep us from falling into the pitfalls of life? Why or why not?
49. If you had to sacrifice your flawed, but, precious child for someone else's sins, would you be willing to do so?
50. If given the choice to live just for your lifespan on Earth, or, to live for eternity in the Kingdom of God, which would you choose?