FAITH CHECK

Put a check mark in the blank by each statement you believe.

I BELIEVE:

_____ The Bible is the inspired word of God and Christians should believe and apply the scriptures in every area of their lives.
_____ When a person confesses their sins, believes in Jesus Christ and accepts Him as their Savior, they are forgiven and cleanses from the sins of their past and they are no longer guilty or condemned.
_____ When Jesus was beaten before His crucifixion, the stripes on His back were for our physical healing. When we are sick, we are supposed to ask the elders of the church to pray for our healing and are to pray for each other to be healed.
_____ God is our provider and Christians should trust Him to meet their needs.
_____ The Bible instructs us to honor God with tithes and offerings and we should tithe our income and give offerings in addition to the tithe.
_____ As Christians, we should be generous to the poor in practical ways that minister to their needs.
_____ Every Christian is part of the body of Christ, the church and should use their gifts to serve in the church.
_____ As a husband, I am supposed to love my wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.
_____ As a wife, I am supposed to submit to my husband as unto Christ and respect him.
_____ As parents we are to lead our children by our examples, teach them the Bible at home and train and discipline them to obey God and His word.
_____ As children and teenagers, we are to honor our parents and obey them.

James 2:14-26
The only way to know if you have real faith is to see if there are actions in your everyday life to prove the things you claim to believe. James said the only way we can prove our faith to ourselves and others is by our actions.

FACE THE TRUTH

• Are there areas in your life where your actions or inaction contradict what you say you believe?
• Is your faith evident to people around you by your actions?

WE DARE YOU TO…

• Take this Faith Check List and give yourself a grade for each statement you checked saying you believed. Use the traditional school grading system, A B C D F.
• If your actions prove that belief in your daily life, give yourself an appropriate grade.
• If your belief is not proven by actions in your daily life, be painfully honest and give yourself an appropriate grade.
• Using your Bible, make a scripturally sound, practical, attainable plan for developing corresponding actions in your daily life for each belief.

DOUBLE DOG DARE

• Make your own Faith Check List using the things from this list and adding others that you believe to be true according to the Scriptures.
• Grade yourself on your list.
• Ask your spouse, parent or close friend to grade you on the actions in your daily life that prove what you say you believe. Compare their grades to the grades you gave yourself and ask them to share why they gave you the grade on each belief.
• Using your Bible, make a scripturally sound, practical, attainable plan for developing corresponding actions in your daily life for each belief.

This week, we’re bringing two games of TRUTH & DARE to you. He is round two of your favorite test of faith…

FACE THE TRUTH

Oh yeah, this week we’re throwing a barrage of truth questions at you. Are you ready? Take a deep breath and face the truth…

• Does prejudice exist in your heart?
• Do you judge people positively or negatively based on race, color, culture, nationality, education, title or financial status?
• Do you trust one people group more than another?
• Do you stereotype people based on appearance?
• Have you turned a deaf ear and blind eye to prejudice in your family or sphere?
• What have you done proactively to deal with prejudice in your own heart or your sphere?

WE DARE YOU TO…

Find someone who is proactive about crossing boundaries that divide people. This person should be someone who is not afraid to tear down racial, cultural, educational or financial walls to connect with people different from themselves. Now that you’ve found them, swallow your pride and ask them to help you overcome your fear and timidity and expand your world.

You can do it. We believe in you.

Too easy? Then we…

DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU TO…

So, you’re one of the brave ones who dare to take it to the next level. If you believe you’re ready, here is this week’s DOUBLE DOG DARE.

Examine your life and the dynamics of your comfort zone. Take some time to identify the deliberate, proactive things you are doing to destroy prejudice and discrimination.

Make a list of current, meaningful relationships you have outside your race, culture or community. What organizations or activities are you involved in that promote unity?

Now it gets difficult. This week, reach out to someone you’ve been distant from because of latent prejudice. Pursue unity and reconciliation where you see division, strife, fear and distrust caused by race, culture or ethnic differences.

TRUTH

James 1:26, 3:1-18
Real faith brings discipline and control to our tongues. Our words can wound and destroy or heal and restore and our faith or lack thereof will determine the character of our words.

FACE THE TRUTH

• How have you belittled, wounded or offended others with your words?
• How sharp is your tongue?
• How quick are you to judge, condemn or criticize?
• Are you reckless and careless when you talk?
• Do you offend and embarrass people with crude and course humor?

WE DARE YOU TO…

If these truth questions trouble you, we dare you to go to those you have hurt or offended with your words. You know who they are. Now take a deep breath… and ask for their forgiveness. Don’t make any excuses or try to downplay the significance. Say, “I’m sorry that I said ___________. It was wrong. Will you forgive me?”

Search the scriptures for passages that instruct us about our words and memorize them. Incorporate them into your daily devotions until they become disciplines.

Once you’ve got the dare mastered move up to the next level…

DOUBLE DOG DARE

Ask someone you interact with on a daily basis if they have observed you being insensitive, crude, reckless or careless when talking with others. When they answer, don’t say, “You misunderstood” or “That’s not what I meant.” If they feel you were careless with your words, that’s good enough for you. Remember, you trusted them enough to ask.

Ask them to hold you accountable to get it right. Ask for their help to make your words a true expression of your faith.

FACE THE TRUTH

Oh yeah, this week we’re throwing a barrage of truth questions at you. Are you ready? Take a deep breath and face the truth…

• Does prejudice exist in your heart?
• Do you judge people positively or negatively based on race, color, culture, nationality, education, title or financial status?
• Do you trust one people group more than another?
• Do you stereotype people based on appearance?
• Have you turned a deaf ear and blind eye to prejudice in your family or sphere?
• What have you done proactively to deal with prejudice in your own heart or your sphere?

WE DARE YOU TO

Find someone who is proactive about crossing boundaries that divide people. This person should be someone who is not afraid to tear down racial, cultural, educational or financial walls to connect with people different from themselves. Now that you’ve found them, swallow your pride and ask them to help you overcome your fear and timidity and expand your world.

You can do it. We believe in you.

Too easy? Then we…

DOUBLE DOG DARE YA

So, you’re one of the brave ones who dare to take it to the next level. If you believe you’re ready, here is this week’s DOUBLE DOG DARE.

Examine your life and the dynamics of your comfort zone. Take some time to identify the deliberate, proactive things you are doing to destroy prejudice and discrimination.

Make a list of current, meaningful relationships you have outside your race, culture or community. What organizations or activities are you involved in that promote unity?

Now it gets difficult. This week, reach out to someone you’ve been distant from because of latent prejudice. Pursue unity and reconciliation where you see division, strife, fear and distrust caused by race, culture or ethnic differences.

***BONUS***
This week, we’re bringing two games of TRUTH & DARE to you. Check back online this Wednesday for round two of your favorite test of faith…

FACE THE TRUTH

What was the last difficult trial you faced with patience, wisdom and joy?

WE DARE YOU TO

Get somewhere alone in a quiet place and review a very difficult test or trial. Changing a flat tire in the rain doesn’t count. What shook your world, threatened your peace and security or caused you to question your faith?

Got it? Good.

Make notes and define the test, the issues and people involved as well as the outcome. Then write a personal report of how you responded. Make a list of areas you succeeded. Make another list of areas where you came up short. Using your Bible, write a plan for success when your faith is tested again.

Too easy? Then we…

DOUBLE DOG DARE YA

Ready to take it up another notch? We dare you to…

Think back to a very difficult test or trial in your not too distant past, one where you really struggled, and make a list of people who were close to you and that situation.

Go to 1 or 2 of them and ask for their honest evaluation of the following:

• Was I joyful, or did I complain?
• How did I treat you or others?
• Was I patient or impatient?
• Did I act like a mature or immature Christian?
• Was I a good witness of my faith in how I conducted myself?

Tosha Holland 10/26/08

Connie Green 10/26/08