So far we’ve examined:

Who are you? Made in the very image of God, you have been given life and told that you are salt and light, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people, the temple of God.

What are you? A child and servant of God and everything that entails. Your time. Your efforts on his behalf. The entirety of every minute of every day of the life God gives you.

When are you? You are living in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation among whom we should shine as lights in the world.

And now we ask, Where Are You?

God asked Adam that question when he tried to flee after eating from the forbidden fruit.

And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

— Genesis 3:9

And that’s our question to explore now. Where are you in your walk with God, as his child?

Do you ever remember a time in your life when your mother or father, or someone you loved, or even a friend told you that you needed to grow up? That you needed to act more maturely?

Have you ever said that to your own children, or to a loved one or friend?

What about considering ourselves? Examining our lives as a Christian. Are you spiritually mature? Have you grown up in that regard?

Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ?

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

— 2 Peter 3:18

Do you desire the sincere milk of the word and do you stand ready to teach and help convert others to Jesus Christ?

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

— 2 Peter 2:2

Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness?

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
— Matthew 5:6

Do you study to show yourself approved unto God? Not just reading the Bible and making a checkmark every day after you do your “Daily Bible Reading”…that’s not study. Do you study? Study is what is commanded. Read the word. Study the word. Think about the word. Live the word. That’s what gets God’s approval according to the scripture.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

— 2 Timothy 2:15

I remember many years ago on a business trip out of state that I had assembled with the local brethren for a mid week service and was quietly waiting for the study to begin.

Two aged ladies were in front of me and I was able to hear their conversation. They were discussing the impending lesson and one commented that she was ashamed of herself because she had only been able to devote “about an hour” to the study.

I hung my head in shame.

Here’s a compelling thought someone came up with; certainly food for thought for those of us who think we are Christians in good standing:

If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence every minute of every day of your life to convict you?

Wow. Never thought of that have you? But God sees the evidence through the life we live every day. The life he gives us. The days, the minutes, the hours, the years. How much of that time do we redeem in His service?

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

— Ephesians 5:16

Examine yourselves.

What does your time as a Christian father, mother, son, daughter, grandfather, or grandmother look like?

To others?

To yourself?

To God?

Where is the treasure of your heart?

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

— Matthew 6:21

How determined are you to live God’s will in your life no matter what?

Look at our examples in God’s word in regards to that question:

And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him.

— Genesis 7:5

You think it was easy to build a big boat on dry land? You think there was no ridicule and mocking? Didn’t matter. Noah did all that God commanded him to do.

Abraham did all that God commanded him to do also.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

— Genesis 12:1-4

Ok Abraham…get up and get out. Leave your country. Your kinsfolk. Your father. Go where I will show you I want you to go. And Abraham did this.

I find no complaining, excuses, or faltering at these hard commands of God.

You think he was not ridiculed and questioned by his friends and family? And even if he wasn’t he still was determined to obey God.

No wavering. And this wasn’t the only time God commanded him to do something that was demanding in his life, and to his soul. That shook the foundation of who he was and what he believed.

And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, behold, here I am. And he said, take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, abide ye here with the donkey; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

— Genesis 12:1-5

What conflicting thoughts in Abrahams mind!

Take your son that I know you love.

Go to the land of Moriah (a three days’ journey).

Offer him there for a burnt offering.

Abraham could have said “No!” But look at his actions…

He got up early the next morning. Do you think he got any sleep the night before knowing what was getting ready to occur? But yet the text tells us he got up early the next morning. He got the wood for the sacrifice. He started the three days’ journey.

He even tells the young men that went on the journey with him and his son that he and the lad were going to worship and that they would return.

What faith! He had already come to grips with the fact that if he did indeed sacrifice his son, God somehow, some way, would raise him from the dead and they would return.

And then we get to the following passage, and I want all reading it to put yourself in Abraham’s place, knowing what he knew, as he answered a burning question from his son that he loved so much…

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, my father: and he said, here am I, my son. And he said, behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

— Genesis 22:7

Right then and there, Abraham could have folded his tent and left and said that it was enough. He couldn’t kill the son he loved.

Can you imagine, mom and dad, looking into the eyes of your child and having that burning, sincere question in your heart?

What did Abraham do?

And Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

— Genesis 22:8

Abraham did all God asked him to do, and you know what the scriptures say about him?

And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

— Genesis 15:7

For what sayeth the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

— Romans 4:3

He didn’t linger at what God told him to do.

Noah didn’t linger at what God told him to do.

Faith over fear!

Do we linger with sin in our life? Are we willfully disobedient?

Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? So evil that God destroyed those cities. We automatically think of the story of Lot. He was called a righteous man. It was said that he was vexed with the daily activities of those he lived around each day. He saw the sin. He knew the implications. God designed a plan for he and his family to leave but what happened?

Lot lingered…

And the men said unto Lot, hast thou here any besides? Son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

— Genesis 19:12-16

And that’s what happens to us. We are Christians. We are strong in the fight against Satan, or so we think, but so many times we look back at things that have happened in our lives, in our past, things that others are doing or have done to us, and we linger. We let those things get in the way of our service to God.

You can’t linger in sin. You can’t look back.

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

— Genesis 19:26

A personal question here:

Examine yourself.Are you trying to move forward in your life but yet looking out of the rearview mirror of your life?

Are you doing things in your life right now that five years ago, or two years ago, or even six months ago you would have never considered doing?

Where are you?

Make no mistake, God is in the details. He pays attention to all things, even the smallest of details of your life.

And then there was poor old Uzzah.

You can read about him in the 6th chapter of 2nd Samuel.

He was attending to the Ark of God as it moved along a road. He knew not to touch it, lest he die. You say, well, that’s a small detail. No. It was God’s command. So what happened?

And they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.

— 2 Samuel 6:3

And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the Ark of God.

— 2 Samuel 6:6-7

What happened?

What happened was in the details. God had given instructions on how his ark was to be carried: with poles on the shoulders of men. Not on a cart. There was the problem. God was in the details and small though it was, when the details were ignored, and man did it his way, Uzzah paid with his life!

Is God in the details of your life?

Maybe we should pay attention to the word from God:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

— Numbers 23:19

Do you really doubt that God is not going to hold us accountable for sin in our life, especially when we don’t repent of it? Especially when we are willfully disobedient to his commandments?

Some say, “Well, you are speaking to others, not me.” No. I’m speaking to everyone who considers themselves to be a Christian.

Let me give you an example.

Have you ever made a vow to God that you didn’t keep?

God is in the details and he’s serious about living as you should to receive the reward of Heaven. So again let me ask, have you ever made a vow to God that you didn’t keep?

If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

— Numbers 30:2

When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

— Deuteronomy 23:21

But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.

— Numbers 32:23

So, a little self examination here:

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

— Deuteronomy 5:11

Do you take the name of the Lord in vain?

Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

— Deuteronomy 5:16

Do you honor your father and your mother?

Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

— Deuteronomy 6:12

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

— Judges 17:6

You may choose to say, but this was from the Old Testament, under the old law. That is true. But may I kindly ask you to consider the fact that the principles are all about right and wrong and came from the same God that watches over you and I today, who changes not.

Are you influenced by bad friends and influences? People you know are bad influences? People you know you shouldn’t be hanging around? Things you know you shouldn’t be doing…but you hang around them and do ungodly things anyway? Wilfully.

Examine yourself. Where are you?

Maybe your friends are like a friend that Amnon had named Jonadab.

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.” 2 Samuel 13:1-3

Subtle indeed.

Amnon’s friend Jonadab devised a way for Amnon to be alone with Tamar, which eventually led to Amnon raping her, then hating her, then being murdered later because of the deed that was done, which, remember, was crafted subtly by his friend!

Examine yourselves.

That’s the way it goes, isn’t it? So many times we listen to our friends’ bad advice, instead of those who give us good advice, and we fall into the pit.

Or even worse, we are so set in our ways, being right in what we think, where we go, what we do, who we run around with, that we wind up many times being our own worst enemies when it comes to what we want to do, or even what we think vs. God’s commands.

Enter Naaman the Leper.

He so desperately wanted to be rid of the loathsome disease of leprosy that he had, that he was willing to do almost anything…as long as it didn’t conflict with what he thought.

He was told about a prophet in Samaria that would heal him of his leprosy. Excitedly he left, bearing gifts, and came to the king who basically could not help him, but the prophet Elisha heard about Naaman and asked that Naaman come to him concerning this matter.

Naaman did. But Elisha didn’t as much as come out of the door of his house, only telling Naaman to go dip in the Jordan River seven times and be cured. Which brings us to…

But Naaman was wroth, and went away and said, Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, my father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, wash, and be clean? Then, went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

— 1 Kings 5:11-14

Behold, I thought.

Ever been there?

Ever been wrong?

Examine yourselves.

Here’s a chilling thought:

Have you provoked God to anger with your actions lately? Have you grieved God in His heart? When’s the last time you hurt God’s feelings?

We do it so many times, don’t we? Think not?

Do you trust in money?

They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have if we pray unto him?

— Job 21:13-15

Let’s face it, folks: unless you are independently wealthy, you are just one or two paychecks and a major disaster in your life away from the poorhouse. Don’t trust in money. Trust in God!

Examine yourselves.

Do you murmur? Boy that’s a BIG one. I would tell you that we need to be really careful here.

Take the rubber band test and be honest with yourself. Get a rubber band and place it around one of your wrists and for the next two weeks, every time you murmur, complain, fuss, or say an idle word, pop yourself with that rubber band.

Know what you’re going to find? You will see quickly just how much negativism runs your daily life. The complaints. The murmuring. The dissatisfactions of life…and on and on it goes. If you’re honest with yourself, you may be shocked what you find out about your life.

You know, if anybody had a right to complain and murmur, it was Job. Afflicted with boils from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, rebuked by his wife and close friends, having lost everything he had including his children…he had every right to complain and murmur. Listen closely to what he says:

Moreover Job continued his parable and said, as God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty who hath vexed my soul; all the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; my lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

— Job 27:1-4

When I think of how much murmuring, bickering, and complaining I’ve done in my life, I’m ashamed of myself.

Children of God, with everything to be thankful for.

Blessed immensely, with the hope of eternal life and what do we do? Murmur. Complain. Bicker.

Examine yourselves.

Then we come to the things that make up our every day life.

How many temptations to sin does Satan surround you with each day?

Lust maybe?

Have you made a covenant with your eyes, that no matter what, you just simply aren’t going down that path, but choose to take the way of escape as promised by God.

Most of us look.

We don’t examine ourselves at the source of the temptation, we look.

I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

— Job 31:1

What about the filth on television?

I’ll simply say this, if you willingly sin by watching television shows in your home that take God’s name in vain, that have nudity, cursing, and just filth in general as their content, (and you know this on the front end), and don’t change the channel or better yet, turn it off, you are sinning.

And don’t give me the bunk about there being good shows on. I understand that and watch some of them, what we’re talking about it willfully sinning by continuously allowing Satan to put evil thoughts in your mind by the evil you allow in your home.

If Jesus was your guest, would you get up and turn the filth off? Why? Isn’t he there all the time?

Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

— I Thessalonians 5:22-23

What about the books you read? Same principle applies. I don’t care if it’s the hottest best seller, if it’s filthy and if you are a Christian you have no business reading it. Why would you want to?

Examine yourselves.

What about your ears?

Do you listen to music with filthy lyrics and suggestions? Do the “artists” curse and use vile language and take God’s name in vain? Do the thoughts and suggestions in the songs pervade your daily thinking?

Case in point.

When one of my children was about two years old, we were taking a drive in Little Rock when the infant started singing a song they had heard on the radio. You know what the song said, which they were singing?

“I like my women just a little on the trashy side.”

Go ahead. Laugh. But realistically it’s not funny. And that’s the subtle way Satan works, from the youngest to the oldest. From the rising to the setting of the sun and in between. Sad.

Examine yourselves.

What about the things you think about?

Where are you in your life as a true God fearing Christian?

O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

— Psalm 119:97

Is it?

Have we slipped in both our homes and our lives and go where the wicked go? Whether it’s TV, music, books, internet, you name it…we go there willfully, when we truthfully know better.

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

— Proverbs 4:14-15

Did you get that? Don’t go where the wicked are.

Don’t enter the path.

Don’t go in the way of evil men.

Avoid it.

Don’t pass by it.

Turn away from it.

Pass away from it!

Do you? Do I?

Seven times in two verses, the overwhelming encouragement is to stay away from evil!

Do you ponder the path that you are on currently? I’m not talking about your spouse, your children, your parents, I’m talking about YOU! Which path does your life take every day?

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward (deceitful) mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

— Proverbs 4:23-27

Evildoers are everywhere. Don’t let that grieve you. Don’t let that be an excuse that you go into the cesspool and filth where they are.

Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; for there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

— Proverbs 24:19-20

Guess what? God’s gonna have the last word.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

— Jeremiah 17:9-10

Where are you?

Where is your heart?

Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; consider your ways. Ye have sown much and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; consider your ways.

— Haggai 1:5-7

Here’s the secret of staying on the straight and narrow way of life that leads to a home in Heaven. You’ve read it hundreds of times, more than likely. You’ve heard sermons about it. You may have discussed it in Bible class.

Think about where your life as a Christian is as you consider what happens in this story…

And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

— Matthew 14:25-31

Did Peter walk on the water?

Yep, sure did.

So what happened? I’ll submit to you that what happened to Peter is the same thing that happens to us when we start getting involved with the things of the world that we know we shouldn’t.

When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked into the world at the waves, the thunder, the lightning, he began to sink…and so do we.

Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ in your life every minute of every day and reach the goal. Get your eyes out of the world and its allurements.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

— Philippians 4:13

Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

— 2 Corinthians 13:5

Where are you?