Questions To Those Who Hunger For Spiritual Awakening

 by Joshua Bradley (1819)

Have you hungered after a spiritual awakening in your life? Then the following questions should stir your heart with a new sense of earnestness for the great power of God to set you ablaze.

 

1.  Have you ever seen yourself by practice and inclination to be a lost sinner? Have you seen that your own will and heart is the fountain of your sin, that in the natural, there is no good thing in you? Has a picture of this led you to realize you cannot help yourself and that you must be altogether indebted to Christ for your salvation, and to the Holy Spirit for the strength and motivation to correctly perform your Christian duties?

 

2.  On what have you based your acceptance with the Lord? Is it based on your reformed lifestyle, on your sorrow for your sins, on your prayers, on your tears, or on your obedience and Christian observances? Or has it been on Christ alone, as your all in all?

 

3.  As far as you can tell, do you hate and desire to be delivered from all sin, without the exception for a favourite lust? Do you pray continually to be delivered from all sin? Do you watch against it, and against temptation? Do you get victory over it?  Have you truly repented of it so as to have your soul really set against it?

 

4.  Have you counted the cost of following Christ, or of being truly one of His disciples? Have you realized that following Christ will cut you off from vain amusements, from the indulgence of your lusts, and from conformity to this evil world? Do you know that following Christ will expose you to ridicule and contempt and possibly more serious persecution? In view of all of these things, are you willing to take up your cross, and follow Christ wherever He leads you? Is it your lifestyle to cleave to Christ in reliance on His grace and put His cause and people in the forefront of your life?

 

5.  Do you love being surrendered to the Lord? Do you love righteousness? Do you love a Holy God, and because He is holy, do you earnestly desire to be conformed more and more to His law of liberty and love? Do you seek and find those times of communion with your God and Savior?

 

6.  Are you resolved, in God’s strength, to conscientiously fulfil your whole duty to God, your neighbour and yourself? Do you exercise your daily duties as part of your devotion to the Lord?

 

7.  Do you conscientiously make secret prayer a daily part of your life? Do you sometimes feel deadened in your prayer life? Do you, at other times, sense a great delight in it? Do you have a set time, place and vision for this type of duty? Do you sense a fervent spirit of prayer for all of the great needs that surround you?

 

8.  Do you daily read the Word of God in a focused manner? Do you love to read the Bible? Do you realize the sweetness of its promises and the warnings of its rebukes?  Do you find the Scriptures relevant to your needs, challenges, and weaknesses? Do you make the Word of God the source of your counsel and do you endeavour to have your heart and life conformed to its doctrines and injunctions?

 

9. Does the glory of God ever seem to you as the first, greatest, and highest objective in your life? Do you desire to promote the glory of God in your family and community?

 

10.  Do you sense the importance to shine the love of God into your world by a holy, exemplary, amiable walk and conversation?

 

11.  Do you fear bringing reproach on the cause of Christ? Does this prospect seem extremely dreadful? Are you watchful about backsliding, growing cold, and returning to a condition of carelessness?

 

12.  Do you desire to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ more and more? Are you willing to sit at His feet, as a little child, and submit your ideas and understanding to His teaching, inviting His Spirit to guide you into all truth and save you from fatal errors? Furthermore, are you willing to receive the truth and be transformed more and more into His likeness?

 

Remember that these questions are intended to point your attention to subjects of the most important kind. Do not simply content yourself with a casual glance at them. Read and think deeply about your condition as a Christian. Examine yourself closely on each question, and let your heart be lifted up to God. You probably cannot go over all of these questions at one time. Divide them up and take one part at a time.