What is your Temperature?

What is your Temperature ?

by Dr.Alex Tang

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of Darkness”, writes Charles Dickens in his novel, A Tale of Two Cities. The two cities, Dickens has in mind are Paris and London. We, Christians are also living in a Tale of Two Cities. The Bible refers to the two cities as Jerusalem and Babylon. We are part of an epic drama that involves our eternal souls.

We are fast approaching the new millenium, a time of great happenings, a time when our Lord may come again in glory. We are told to be alert to His Coming, be ready for His Coming. “What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ” (Mark13:37)

Wang Ming Tao, a famous Chinese Christian taught us to always check our life with a spiritual thermometer so that we will be spiritually healthy when the Lord comes.

[shade one of the five boxes for each row]

Healthy Spiritual Life						Unhealthy Spiritual Life
Fervent in prayer						Lethargic in prayer
Bible reading tasteful						Bible reading insipid
Fully trusting						Anxious and doubting
Loving God more than everything						Loving worldly things more than God
Resisting and hating sin						Compromising with sin
Giving God the glory in all things						Seeking self glory in everything
Fully at peace						Much worrying
Giving thanks in all						Much murmuring
Always happy and singing						Always sad and sighing
Peaceful and patient in trouble						Easily provoked to anger
Much consideration of others						Much consideration of self
Seeking God’s in all things						Seeking men’s pleasure in all things
Yearning for spiritual things in the heart						Coveting earthly things in the heart
Speaking words that edify others						Speaking words that criticise others
Happy to witness for Christ						No power to witness
Cheerful to give to God’s work						Stingy and unwilling to give
Rejoicing in other’s good success						Jealous of others’ good success
A helping hand to those in trouble						Nonchalant at other’s misfortune
Willing to forgive others						Not willing to forgive others
Character first						Clothing first
Happy to keep close to devout Christians						Happy in the company of worldly friends
Happy to hear faithful admonitions						Happy to hear words of flattery
Eagerly hoping for the Lord’s return						No thought of things touching on the Lord’s return

The shaded boxes gives a visual aid to the state of our spiritual life, our spiritual temperature. Are we on fire for the Lord and are we stone cold?

Are we spiritually healthy? Can we with confidence say, “ Come, Lord Jesus, Come”