SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1106

“Weigh In”

…you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; – Daniel 5:27

Belshazzar had head knowledge about God. He had seen how his father, Nebuchadnezzar had been humbled before Him.

And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven…And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored. – Daniel 5:22-23

Knowing about God and knowing God are entirely different things. Having head knowledge without a heart replete with the abiding presence of God is like being an empty shell of a Christian.

When weighed in the balance scales against Jesus such a hollow Christian will be found wanting – A mere counterfeit Christian devoid of the true character of Christ.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit; whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. – Proverbs 16:2; 1 John 2:6

As professing Christians we can do many right things but the wrong way. We can go through the motions in dutiful Sunday worship services with hearts and minds on the golf course or elsewhere.

‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; – Mark 7:6

We can proselytize in the work place but our own observed work ethic and worldly character testifies that we truly do not have the abiding presence of Christ in our hearts and we render our testimony null and void.

Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. – 1 Samuel 2:3

How substantive is your Christian character?  Does your character have depth that sustains you in all circumstances and contexts? Belshazzar was weighed in the scales and found deficient or wanting. How would your character hold up against God’s standard in the scales?

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ – Matthew 7:21-23

Let us pray: Lord, God I repent of the many character failings that I have had – the words spoken, thoughts I entertained, and my actions that were more of the flesh than led by your Spirit. Forgive me my transgressions through your great mercy and love. Fill me fresh and anew with your Holy Spirit and give me the power to live in this world as a solid Christian so that when weighed in the balance I will not be found wanting for the presence of Christ in my heart. I ask in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! – 1 Chronicles 16:11