Evaluate Your Progress - Col 3:22-24
"Servants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not only when their eyes are on you as pleasers of men, but in simplicity of purpose (with all your heart) because of your reverence for the Lord and as a sincere expression of your devotion to Him. Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul) as something done for the Lord and not for men. Knowing with all certainty that it is from the Lord and not men that you will receive the inheritance which is your real reward. The One whom you are actually serving is the Lord Jesus Christ."(Col. 3:22-24 - Amplified)
Evaluative Criteria:
1. KNOWLEDGE OF AND FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD - Ask yourself how well do you know God and His will for your life? Are you seeking to please Him above everyone else, including yourself? Too many people are trying to do the will of God without knowing the mind of God. We can best serve the Lord when we know His attributes. Jesus said, "This is eternal life, that we may know You and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3)
2. SCRIPTURAL AWARENESS - How well are aware of what the word of God has to say about you, your responsibilities and your ministry? Too many people are guilty of trying to do the will of God without allowing the scripture to teach, correct, reprove and train them in righteousness. (2 Tim. 3:16,17)
3. PRAYER - Are you appying the principles of Phil. 4:-6-8 so that you are gaining a Christ-like perspective on what it is that the Lord wants you to be, do, say and accomplish. Without prayer we are simply trying without allowing the Lord to speak to us about His perfect planning, progress and perspective.
4. FULFILLMENT - Are you finding great satisfaction in what you are doing or is it becoming drudgery? Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work? (John 4:34) When we are really in the will of God then we will find it to be fulfilling, purposeful and satisfying.
5. MATURITY - If we are growing in all aspects into Christ then we will be active in speaking the truth in love. (Eph. 4:15) Many people are not maturing because they are not actively serving other people. Maturity does not happen in a vacuum.
6. GODLY COUNSEL - Plans fail for lack of counsel but with many godly advisors they succeed. (Prov. 15:22) People who are not willing to seek and listen to godly counselors will tend to isolate themselves from the wise advisors who can keep them aware of their blind spots.
7. TRUST - If we trust in the Lord with all our heart and do not rely on our own insight, but acknowledge Him in all our ways. Then He will direct our paths. (Prov. 3:5,6) Trusting means that we are relying on the Lord’s word, His purpose, His power and His HOly Spirit to direct us with every aspect of life. Be open to all ways that the Lord can use to direct you and do not just keep doing things in the ways that have been done in the past.
8. PLANNING - The plans of the diligent lead surely to profit just has the hasty lead surely to poverty. (Prov. 21:5) Ask the Lord to help you plan wisely so that you can utilize your time, resources and people in ways that maximize one’s contributions to the cause of Christ for eternity.
9. FRUIT - Jesus said, "You do not chose me, but I chose you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth much fruit and that your fruit should remain." (John 15:16) People who are not bearing qualitatitve or quantitative fruit need to reconsider what they are doing. The Lord wants us to be involved with the fields that are ripe for harvesting so we can bear 30,60 and 100 fold.
10. OBEDIENCE - When we serve the Lord wholeheartedly then we do not have to worry about pleasing ourselves or other people. The beauty aspect of serving the Lord with our heart, soul, strength and mind is that we are not subject to other people’s judgments because true evaluation comes from the Lord.
11. EXPERIENCE - "But solid food is for full grown men for those who senses and mental faculties are trained by practices to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law." (Heb 5:14) People who are experienced have a greater sense of what is best. Ask the Lord to help you listen and follow the advise of those who are more experienced than you are so you can benefit from their wisdom.
12. PRIORITIES - Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you." (Matt 6:33) Ask the Lord to help you evaluate how well you are seeking to advance His reign, rule and regenerating ministries. If we are not seeking to advance His kingdom and righteousness in greater quantity and quality than we are guilty of wrong priorities.
13. GOD’S GLORY, LOVE AND GREAT COMMISSION - Paul wrote, "Whatever you do in word or deed do all for the glory of God." (I Cor 10:31) If what we are doing is not motivated by God’s greater glory, love and great commission than we need to reconfigure and correct our motivations so that they align with God’s priority purposes for the whole earth.
14. EFFORT - Jesus said, "Keep on asking and it will be given to you, seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you." (Matt 7:7) Many times the reasons that people do not get what they want is the failure to persevere in their efforts to find God’s will and blessing for their lives.
15. SPIRITUAL GIFTS - Paul wrote, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Lord who works all of them in all men." (I Cor. 12:6) Ask the Lord to help you to find ways that you can best develop and utilize the gifts He has given to you. Many people are not growing in Christ and enjoying His blessings because they have not developed or discovered their chief spiritual gift.
16. UNITY - Paul wrote, "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col. 2:2,3) Without unity individuals will be limited in their ability to understand the greater will of God as they will be limited in their perspectives, perceptions and progress.
17. TRANSFORMATION - Paul wrote, "Do not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you can prove what the will of God, that which is good, acceptable and perfect."(Rom. 12:1,2) What is most effectively contributing to your greater maturity, transformation and sanctification? If you are not sensing a greater growth than you can tell that something needs to be altered in your lifestyle and practices.
18. PEACE - Isaiah wrote, "You will keep us in perfect peace as our minds are stayed on You because we trust in You."(Isa 26:3) When are person is not completing the will of God in a way that pleases the Lord He will convict a person and not give them His perfect peace of mind, heart and emotions. Allow the Lord to use these times of when you are not settled to move you to seek Him with all your heart and allow Him to show you how to alter your course.
19. EVANGELISM - Jesus said, "For even the Son of Man has come to seek and to save those which are lost."(Luke 19:10) We can realize that the will of God was best lived out through Jesus Christ’s desire to see those who are headed for hell saved from sin, judgment and eternal separation from God. Ask the Lord to help you find ways that you can be more effectively involved in bringing more people to saving faith in Christ.
20. WISDOM - James wrote, "If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God who gives to all men generously and it will not be withheld from him." (James 1:5) Many people are not carrying out the full will of God because they lack wisdom, insight and good judgment. By asking the Lord we can be assured that He will teach us more about Himself, His will and His way so we can gain greater perception into His plans for our life and ministries.
