Often in the, Bible we are warned against a false estimate of our spiritual condition. The
church at Sardis had “a name that thou livest, and art dead” (Revelation 3:1). They had
reputation without reality.
The church at Laodicea boasted that it was rich, when in God’s sight it was “wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (3:17). In contrast to the Laodicean church, the
believers at Smyrna thought they were poor when they were really rich! (2:9) Samson
thought he still had his old power, but in reality it had departed from him (Judges 16:20).

Self-evaluation can be a dangerous thing, because we can err in two directions: (1) making
ourselves better than we are, or (2) making ourselves worse than we really are. The Apostle
Paul had no illusions about himself; he still had to keep “pressing forward” in order to “lay
hold of that for which Christ laid hold” of him.A divine dissatisfaction is essential for
spiritual progress.
Verse for today: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O
God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1-2).
Other Scripture: Psalms 63:1; 86:11-13, 16; 123:1-2; 139:23-24; Isaiah 55:1-2; Hebrews
11:6.
Action assignment: Ask God to help you evaluate your spiritual temperature. Are you
satisfied with your growth? Determine before God to keep “pressing forward.”
WARREN W. WIERSBE
www.backtothebible.in