Have you ever used check points? Do you know what they are? Check points are a great little tool that help you stay on track and not deviate from the central focus. They help you stream line resources, supplies, and energy. Without some kind of check point system, you can quickly and easily get off track – and even make some pretty serious mistakes.
How Do Check Points Work and Who Uses Them?
Check points can be in various forms – and you can use whichever system works best for you. Could be a list, individual notes, calendar entries, tracking tools, charts, and more. The most commonly used and typical check point is probably the “to do” list. People have used it for many years. Devices have great options to convert your paper “to do” list into a digital tool. The key to successfully using these – is to actually use them!
Check points help in every area of life. In your career, relationships, personal responsibilities, medical health plan, and use of technology. But it’s not just you that can benefit from check points. The whole world uses them. Businesses, medical practices, educational programs, personal trainers, retail industry, agriculture, and hundreds of other disciplines used some kind of check points systems. From setting and pacing goals to ensuring program presentation and success, to hitting markers, to attaining sales predictions, to reaching for current and relevant concerns. Check points help all organizations and individuals stay on track. That’s why we are talking about these practical tools if you are going to reach goals and changes.
As a practical example, let’s say you are following a recipe – but you are also doubling it. You need to check back to the recipe for every single ingredient to ensure you are doubling accurately. This is a simple example of using check points. In this example, check points help you stay completely on track so you have an accurate – and tasty – representation of the food item you are making.
Even Freedom Has Check Points
So, it’s only reasonable that freedom has check points, too. Countries who enjoy freedom often have celebrations where people can remember their freedom. Yet, without check points, freedom can suffer and even fall off. Check points are critical to any endeavor worth pursuing. And truly – any endeavor people have figured out worth dying for is definitely worth protecting with check points. These systems often come through various sources like local, state, and federal government, free press, citizens speaking out in peaceful ways, organizations that help communities, document and policy reviews, etc. Without these checks and balances, our entire world could be in danger of losing various freedoms.
What About Spiritual Freedom?
Let’s look at freedom from a spiritual focus. The Bible talks often about freedom. It presents the possibility that every person on earth can be and should be free – but there are guidelines and check points to get everybody there. Spiritual check points are pretty important ideas that are difficult to measure in the physical world – yet they are eternally critical. Jesus valued freedom – yours and mine – so highly, that He died for it.
Being free from sin and death is more than physical freedom. In Christ, it’s a freedom in the unseen dimension and reaches deeper and broader than in the physical world. It penetrates eternity, is activated now, and is fully received when Jesus sets up His forever kingdom. And it will happen.
Freedom in Christ is secure when you trust Him for forgiveness and salvation. It crosses all racial, denominational, language, social, and any other barriers. Yet, there are critical check points you should adopt to ensure application of your freedom is pleasing to God and effectively expanding His kingdom in and through your life.
What Are Some Spiritual Check Point Topics?
Some check point topics of your freedom are “enemies, accuracy, surrender, and flexibility.”
The enemies of spiritual freedom are many. They threaten with judgment, create insecurity, and taunt with loneliness. These enemies cause division between believers. It doesn’t take long for them to plant seeds of discord and instability. God created you with purpose and uniqueness. He intends to engage your created beauty for His glory. God’s enemies don’t like that plan. So they relentlessly go after you! Have you unintentionally believed their lies? To disarm the power of these enemies, always go back to what Scriptures tells you.
Just like it’s easy to get off a recipe, it’s easy to get off living in God’s principles. Being accurate to Scripture is critical. Honestly? That’s your and my responsibility. God’s Word gives direction, balance, and conviction. Use check points through-out each day to measure your choices to God’s Word. That’s what makes the difference. Know the Word. Be in the Word. Digest it.
Surrender to God from your heart in everything you think, say, and do. You belong to Jesus now. “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God . . . “ (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23). Living sacrifice means you intentionally flesh out your choice to die to self and live for Jesus at all times. That’s your check point.
Christians around the world are vastly different from one another. Yet, they are unified through one Savior. His sweet Spirit lives inside each believing heart. Flexibility is needed to exercise your skill sets together with others’ skill sets. Jesus is flexible in welcoming all the differences He created. Are you flexible? Do you welcome others’ skill sets? That’s part of freedom, too. And it is a check point.
Check Points Application Points
You can engage spiritual check points in your exercise of freedom in Christ. In the following list, the first statement gives you the condition you need to aim for. The second statement tells you how to get there. The two together give you a very reasonable, spiritual check point that works – IF YOU DO IT!
- God’s everlasting love and presence holds you steady. Stay close to Christ.
- The guidance and fellowship of the Holy Spirit comforts you. Seek His wisdom and friendship.
- God does not show favoritism, so don’t you. Favor Jesus over all others. And then favor “all” others.
- Don’t get hung up on details of differences that don’t matter. Be open and flexible with new applications, skill sets, ideas, and approaches.
- Unity in Christ never contradicts or compromises the gospel. Take time to examine things and pray over them.
- Gratitude and sober judgement yield godly character and partnership. Practice both.
How can you engage check points in your life in the areas of enemies, accuracy to Scripture, surrender to God’s Spirit, and flexibility in the Body of Christ? How can you engage check points to aim for those things? What specific action points will you start to practice?
Article developed from Gal. 2:1-10.
