But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.  (Luke 23:49)

I am finally getting back to a blog I started several weeks ago.  Below you will find ten final areas of knowing you are standing at a distance from your Lord as expressed in the scripture.  I hope these observations are helpful to you as you encounter a distance in your life and/or in others you love and work with.  Prayerfully take the time to look up the scriptures listed and ask the Holy Spirit to check your heart.

1. “Being” has become more important to you than “doing.”  (II Corinthians 4:13,14,18; James 2:14,17,24)
2. You’re not sowing into the lives of others or investing in anyone else’s spiritual growth (Matthew 28: 19,20; I Corinthians
   10: 32,33; II Corinthians 3:4-6; Philippians 2: 1-5; I Thessalonians 5:14,15; II Peter 1:5-10)
3. You have not heard His voice speaking to you since, well…you can’t remember when (John 10:3-16; Romans 10:17)
4. Your free time is filled with nothingness, non-productivity and a loss of focus or it’s filled with all the stuff of this
   world without eternal perspective (Proverbs 16:3; I Corinthians 10:31; James 1:27; I John 2:15-17)
5. Most of your thoughts  are self-centered, filled with what God has not done or are simply unholy and ungodly – failing to thank Him for what He has done (Proverbs 3: 5-8; Proverbs 21:2; Romans 12:1-3; 14:7,8; Philippians 2:3,4; Colossians 2:6,7; Hebrews 3:1; 12:28; I Peter 1:15,16)
6. You’re questioning the very power and the sovereignty of God (Romans 1:16; I Corinthians 1:18; II Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews
   2:3,4; 4:15; I John 4:4)
7. Your faith has decreased for prayer to be answered (Mark 9:23; John 14:12-14; Ephesians 3:20; James 5:16)
8. Your tongue is less guarded in its use of words and expressions (Proverbs 10:20,31; 13:3; 15:1,23; 18:21; 22:11; James 1:26; 3:9,10; 4:11)
9. Your money is more yours than His; you have forgotten how or have quit giving Him your first fruits (Proverbs 10:22;
   11:24,25; 13:22; 18:16; 22:9; 28:22,27; II Corinthians 9:6-11; I Timothy 6:6-10)
10. You begin to justify borderline sinful character traits (due to the direct influence of unbelievers or “liberated” believers)
    because, in your mind, God doesn’t really care about miniscule details and neither does He sweat the small stuff (Proverbs
    10: 9; 11:3; I Corinthians 5:9-11; 6:9-11, 18-20; 8:9-13; 15:33;  I Timothy 5:1,2; Titus 2:11,12; II Peter 2; I John 3:6-10)

Luke 24:31 – Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.  Open your eyes so you can recognize Him.  V.38 – Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?   v. 45– Then he opened their minds so they
could understand the Scriptures.

II Timothy 4:7 – I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.

II Corinthians 13:5 – Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?  And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

Grace to you!