Continuous Assessment

Sunday 1 November
READ: Lk. 15:1-10
MORE LESSON: I Cor. 11:27-29

Success in life can be maintained by a continuous assessment of one's performance. It is not wise to keep doing things without periodic evaluation to make room for improvement. Jesus’ parable about the lost sheep and the lost coin is interesting because of what the shepherd and the woman individually did to get back what they lost. The price each of them paid was high. The shepherd had to leave ninety-nine secure sheep in search of one lost sheep. The woman had to light a candle and sweep the whole house in search of the lost coin.

What I really like about these two people is that they both recognised that they had a loss. The shepherd who had a hundred sheep suddenly realised, by continuous assessment, that his sheepfold was less by one. The woman also, by continuous assessment, realised that she lost a coin. You must periodically examine your life and what you are doing to see if all is well. There are blessings that the Lord has given you that you must keep monitoring to ensure that you don't lose any. Learn to check your spiritual life to see if you have lost any virtue.

For example, it was not in your character to get angry or tell lies, but suddenly you realised you are easily provoked, and that you exaggerate easily. Another situation could be that you have suddenly discovered that you lust easily or that you have become materialistic. This means there is an emergency and you need to go for spiritual evacuation. Like the shepherd and the woman in today’s examples, look for whatever you have lost at all costs and you will get it back. It is very dangerous for you to wait until God to examines you Himself, because judgement may follow as it was for Nebuchadnezzar, TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting: Dan.5:27. That was why Paul admonished, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves...: II Cor.13:5. This was in contrast to David’s cry in Psa. 26:2, Examine me, O LORD, and prove me.... The good thing to note here is that ... if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged: I Cor. 11:31.

Again, recent medical discoveries have proved that a regular medical check is a better guarantee for long life than treatment against sickness. This is also the same in the academics; a student who is successful in continuous assessment is not likely going to be a failure. So in whichever area of life, a continuous check is a guarantee for well-being. Have you had a spiritual check up today?

Prayer/Action
* Ask that God will not hide your true spiritual state from you.
* Tell the Holy Spirit to maintain a continuous x-ray of your spirit man all life long.
* Ask God to restore all your losses in life and cause you to recover fully.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, it’s the eleventh month, thank You for the privilege of seeing today, in the name of Jesus.