10 Tests for Doing Spiritual Inventoryby Steve Cornellwww.thinkpoint.wordpress.comAnything meaningful and important is worth evaluating. Businesses do inventory and hire consultants to better market themselves, schools give tests, those who care about their health get regular check-ups and when we value our relationships, we frequently evaluate them. Spiritual check-ups are also important to those who strongly desire to live for God.An example of someone inviting God to do intense evaluation of his life is found in Psalm 139:23-24: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."This is not a request for a superficial encounter with God. It is a way of saying, "My life is open before you God. I don't want to hide anything. Search my heart and my thoughts."Another example of the deep, searching work of God in our lives is found in Hebrews 4:12-13: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."Here the word of God and the sight of God work as one. They perceptively uncover the deepest parts of the human being. The thoughts and attitudes are evaluated before God's all-seeing eye through His word. It is important to let God's Word do the work God ordained for it to accomplish (Cf. II Timothy 3:15-17). When doing spiritual inventory, I suggest a 10 point test covering important areas of our lives:1.    The test of anger: What makes you mad? What gets under your skin?2.    The test of humor: What makes you laugh? What is really funny to you?3.    The test of music: What makes you sing? What is your favorite music?4.    The test of anxiety: What worries you? What are you afraid of?5.    The test of money: How important is it to you? What do you do with it?6.    The test of value: What is most important to you?7.    The test of influence: What difference are you making in others? 8.    The test of companionship: Who do you prefer to hang out with?9.    The test of speech: What do you like to talk about?10.  The test of time: What do you give your time to? How do you use your time?Our final evaluation:II Corinthians 5:9-10"So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."The passage from Hebrews 4:13 teaches that "we must give an account" before God. When we appear before Christ in this final evaluation the focus will not be on our eternal destiny. Only those who belong to Christ will stand before Christ's judgment seat. The focus will be on our service to Christ. Our works will be proven to be of good or bad quality. (Cf. I Corinthians 3:11-15 "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.")Audio message:"Doing Spiritual Inventory"Download Sermon (8.69 mb)