“AIM” SPELLED BACKWARDS By Rayola Kelley

The Bible instructs us to examine ourselves in different ways. Examination is not about judging self, but seeing if we are lining up to our purpose in this world as a saint, our calling in His kingdom, and whether our fruits are in compliance to the Vinedresser of our souls. This examination is crucial in the sense it allows us to see where we are in our walk before the Lord.

Many people are assuming they are “okay” when it comes to their life BEFORE God. However, they rarely get down to their life WITH God. I remember the Lord asking me a couple of questions. “What have you done FOR me Me, and what have done WITH Me? In my mind I was doing my religious thing for Him, but I was not doing anything with Him as far as establishing a relationship with Him. We believers pretty much start out judging matters when it comes to our life before God based on what we are doing for Him. We are involved with this and that program at church, this activity where missions are concerned, and that deed where we are somewhat laboring among the Body, whether it is working in the office, cleaning the church, helping with Sunday School, and etc. The list can go on and on as to what we can do for the Lord when it comes to church activities.

It is easy to judge others as to where we think they are with the Lord, but we often see no need to examine ourselves. We do not start out to do wrong, so how can something be wrong? But we are told our ways may seem clean or pure to us, but God is weighing the spirit behind it. We also see our ways as being acceptable, or religious enough, but our ways lead to death and destruction (Proverbs 14:12; 16:2-3, 25).

Notice it comes down to our ways and not our deeds. “Way” has to do with the entrance by which we enter a matter. In other words, the spirit in which we start from. “Way” has to do with the path we tread. We often determine the way in which we walk instead of allowing the Spirit to adjust us to the ways of God’s Word and righteousness. Since we determine the width of our way through some personal reforming of our ways or conforming to our ideas as to what is acceptable, we believe we are on the narrow path without realizing we are still walking on the broad way because we are still doing it our way (Matthew 6:33; 7:13-14).

Let us consider what needs to be examined. Psalm 26:2-3, “Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For my lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.” When it comes to God examining us, He does it by testing that which is influencing the spirit behind the attitudes of the heart. When it comes to following Jesus, it is all about lining our attitude up to the character, ways, and works of God. For example, “the Beatitudes” are about having the right heart attitude towards a matter. If we are going to do it God’s way, we must take on His attitude towards a subject and wait upon Him until He directs us by the Spirit as to how to address it in the manner that will end in our edification and His glory.

Notice how the author in Psalm 26:3 stated, “and I have walked in thy truth.” Some of the greatest victory comes by way of liberty in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth about the Truth, Jesus Christ. It is His truth that sets us free to discover our life, potential, and fullness of our calling in Him (John 8:31-36; 14:6; 16:13; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

We are to examine to see if we are in the true faith to make sure our understanding of our Christian walk does not prove to be reprobate in the end because we do not possess the real Jesus Christ. We all know we must not walk according to our own understanding, but we are to walk by faith towards the One we can’t see in order to please Him. Jesus’ main concern was, would He find true faith when He came back. Paul talked about our faith being shipwrecked, and Jude spoke about the fact that we must contend for the faith that was first delivered to the saints. The truth is, without mixing faith in any equation when it comes to God and walking out the Christian life in Spirit and truth, we will end up in unbelief towards all matters concerning the unseen realm that does not make sense to us. Real faith always begins where our understanding ceases and we choose to walk according to the light of God’s Word. Remember faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 3:3-7; Luke 18:8; John 4:23-24; Romans 10:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 13:5; 1 Timothy 1:19; Hebrews 3:19-4:2; 11:6; Jude 3).

In communion, we are told to examine ourselves to see if we are worthy to take communion. In other words, if there is any offence between us and another brother and sister in the Lord, we are to first go and make amends with them before we offer our gifts to the Lord and take communion. We need to realize that there can be no communion without there being an agreement in spirit, and the Holy Spirit must be present to bring that agreement (Matthew 5:23-25;1 Corinthians 11:27-31; Ephesians 4:1-3).

In Acts 2:9-10 Peter was challenging the people and elders to examine the good deed done upon the miraculous healing of the impotent man. He was calling for the examination because first they would have to acknowledge it was indeed a wondrous work of God. At that point the healing would be a witness, and what would it testify of? That by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom they had crucified, whom God raised up from the dead that this man now stands whole before them. “Whole” in the text was not just pointing to a physical healing, but spiritual wholeness. In this examination we are to make sure that the witness upholds the proper reality of God and brings Him glory.

The reason we need to examine matters is because we need make sure we have a relationship with God that manifests itself in possessing the authority of Jesus and the power of His Spirit. We must have the purity of heart to ultimately see God in a matter, and to ensure we have the right relationship with the brethren to confirm our witness is true before others and that it is void of hypocrisy (Matthew 5:8).

A visiting pastor who was challenging one of the local congregations spoke of the church lacking any real “aim” in their walk with the Lord. It was obvious that my friend who heard it and shared it with me was greatly impacted by the message because she not only could repeat the essence of it, but her understanding of the Christian walk was being enlarged to see that perhaps in all of our doing as Christians we are missing our real calling by failing to carry out the commission that the Lord entrusted to us (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18).

We have been given a commission, but how many are carrying out the two-fold commission to preach the Gospel and make followers (disciples) of Christ, and how many are doing their own thing in the name of some “doctrine,” or “ministry?” The Bible is clear that we are clay vessels that stand insignificant in the scheme of things, but what we do carry, which is the life of Jesus and the message of the cross, are priceless. We carry the life of Jesus to impart it to others through discipleship and ministry and the message of the Gospel so the seed of life can be planted in hearts (Romans 1:16; 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 4:5-9).

Since I have been a Christian, I have seen much evangelizing. I have heard of methods, about meetings where great numbers came forward to say the “sinner’s prayer” and the wondrous hallelujahs and tears that follow. However, what I have failed to see is discipling those souls to ensure the right fruits are coming forth. In other words, cultivating the seeds planted to ensure the life of Jesus comes forth to produce lasting fruits unto eternal life.

I have led many to Christ, but I always did so with great trepidation because I knew that without proper discipleship the seed could go to the wayside leaving the poor soul more vulnerable than before to the works of the devil. I would always give them a Bible, instruct them to read it and to keep in touch, and prayed they found a church body that would take them under their wing and nurture them, but I knew that unless they gained a hunger and thirst for the Lord and His Word, they would most likely fall to the wayside (Matthew 5:6; 6:33; 13:3-9).

This brings me back to the fact that many in the church may be running here and there, but how much of such activities are failing to hit the target because they are not even aiming at what the Bible has established as being each believer’s main goal? The visiting pastor defined “AIM” this way. “A” is for accurate “I” for intimacy, and “M” for ministry.

What has to be accurate for believers is their understanding of God, His Word, and redemption? Without accuracy, you can’t hit the mark. As Christians, we must have an accurate Biblical foundation, or how can we expect to have any real intimacy with God? Our type of worship will depend on our attitude and understanding about God, our service will come down to who God is in our life and if we do not have intimacy with our Lord, how will we know the will of the Father in order to please Him in our worship of Him, service to Him, and ministry to others?

The problem is that since the church lacks “aim,” they are without real direction and as a result anything with the slightest religious tone goes regardless of Spirit and truth, and everything from priorities, agendas, and callings are being turned backwards. For many it is about “Ministry” and not seeking, knowing, and loving God with everything in them so they can be effective in ministry. For some it is about establishing some type of example, name, or worldly mark in the name of Jesus. His name is being used, but He is not being lifted up and He alone is the only One who can draw men to His redemption. Keep in mind the Father draws man to Christ through the Spirit who convicts of sin and reveals the need for Christ’s salvation and intervention, but Christ lifted up draws man to His redemption as He invites them to come. That is why Paul stated that he did not want to know anything among the Corinthians except Christ and Him crucified. They were taking a detour by emphasizing who was baptizing who, and when it comes to the church there are endless detours from baptism, to eschatology, eternal security, types of reformation, and etc., but such matters are missing the real mark when it comes to eternity (John 6:44; 7:37-39; 12:32; 16:7-11; 1 Corinthians 2:2).

Some emphasize worldly families and inheritance instead of a heavenly family that are heirs to an eternal inheritance. They are more concerned about keeping the peace with the family instead of peace with God. In some cases, family is the idol and its presentation to others the image that must be worshipped, and the traditions are the altars that must be kept burning as a means to maintain them at all times. Yet, what did Jesus establish about our earthly families in such scriptures as Matthew 10:32-40, 12:46-50, and Luke 9:57-62?

The fruit is that much of the church is “MIA,” aim spelled backwards which means MISSING IN ACTION. There is much activity going on but no move of God’s Spirit. There are religious traditions being upheld with the strictest observances, but no life or substance to them. There are declarations but no authority or fruits. There is a great battle for souls and truth, but few soldiers that will stand by faith, withstand with truth, and continue to stand on His promises; a great harvest field but few laborers, and a great work to be done, but no faith to walk it out, no vision to see beyond this world or inspiration to press forward to the prize of our high calling (Proverbs 29:18; John 4:34-35; Matthew 9:37-38; Ephesians 6:10-13; Philippians 3:7-14; 2 Timothy 2:3-4).

When I was in the military at the end of the Vietnam conflict, I was aware of soldiers missing in action. It was sorrowful because there was an awareness that it was not their choice. Whether captured, rotting behind some wire, on the run, hiding, or dead they had been on a mission and were in one way or the other paying the ultimate cost beyond their control for their loyalty, but the problem is that for believers to be missing in action it is a choice.

Is it because we have lost sight of our commission, failed to examine our lives before the Lord in light of His Spirit and truth? Or is it because we have lost heart for the lost and a conviction to see those coming into Jesus’ fold to stand, overcome, and finish the course? Perhaps the saying that what was tolerated in the last generation is now being embraced and practiced in this generation can be applied here. Are we failing to disciple others because we do not know what it means to stand, overcome, and finish the course due to not being properly discipled ourselves?

The good news is that maybe those in the church have failed to disciple, but the Holy Spirit is still there to reveal great truths to us that will transform the mind, and Jesus is ever ready to lead us into the disciplined life through His Word, by His example, and teachings ever lining us up in our walk and way in which we should go. This is how I have been discipled. I have chosen to follow Him by believing and obeying His Word. I have decided to line up by stepping over my selfish will and worldly preferences. I have sought the higher, more excellent path by asking the Lord for His perspective in a matter, and He has always been faithful to lead me. I have done all I can do to make sure my “aim” towards knowing, loving, and serving my Lord hits the target in order to avoid standing before Him, looking into His face filled with disappointment, and into His eyes filled with shame and know it was all because I had been “missing in action” when it came to my Lord’s commission and my high calling.