In His Grip

Search me, O God, and know my heart;  Try me and know my anxious thoughts;  And see if there be any hurtful way in me,  And lead me in the everlasting way.   (Psalms 139:23-24 NASB) Create in me a clean heart, O God,  And renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your presence  And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation  And sustain me with a willing spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,  And sinners will be converted to You.   (Psalms 51:10-13 NASB) Examine me, O LORD, and try me;  Test my mind and my heart.  (Psalms 26:2 NASB) Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?  (2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB) (This is the first installment in the series 'Spiritual Tests' .)      For as long as I can remember, from the moment I wake up I begin my day praying Psalm 139:23-24 and

"Do not judge so that you will not be judged." (Jesus, Matthew 7:1 NASB) Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?  (2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB) Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  (1 John 4:1 NASB) But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.  (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 NASB) For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?   (1 Peter 4:17 NASB) "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."  (Jesus, John 7:24 NASB) To judge or not to judge? To test or not to test? Which is it?      'Judge not' from Matth