VALUES TO BUILD ON…..

COMMITMENT

1. COMMITMENT Psalm 37:5“Commit your way to the Lord; trust

in him and he will do this…”” Matthew 19:16“Now a man came up to Jesus and

asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

COMMITMENT is a willingness to serve someone or a cause.

It involves your mental and physical loyalties to that person or purpose.

A commitment to Jesus Christ means that you are willing to trust him with your life and that you will consciously look to him for guidance and direction

Commitment to Jesus’ isn’t the same as belief in Jesus. The young man in Matthew 19:16-22 learned this lesson the hard way. Mentally, he agreed with everything Jesus said.

Yet when Jesus asked him to make one final commitment and join him, the young man backed down. In this case, the man’s wealth got in between himself and a total commitment to Jesus.

• We should examine ourselves regularly to see if anything is preventing a complete commitment to Jesus. And whenever we find something, we should do whatever is necessary to eliminate the obstacle and restore our commitment.

Psalm 37:5Psalm 37:5Commit your way to the Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and LORD; trust in Him, and

He will act,(HCSBHe will act,(HCSB))

2. CONCERN

1 Samuel 8:6“But when they said, Give us

a king to lead us, “ this displeases Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord.”

CONCERN is a feeling of anxiety about, or interest in, someone else.

Showing concern

indicates that you care enough about someone to have that person on your mind and to act on his or her behalf.

(1 SAMUEL 8:6-22)The Prophet Samuel showed concern for the Israelites whey they demanded a king.

He knew that a human king would not be in their best interests, and he had warned them of the consequences they could expect if God appointed a king for them.

Yet the people persisted. Eventually God told Samuel to go ahead with the anointing of a king, but Samuel’s genuine concern for the good of his nation stands as a model for the rest of us.

3. CONVICTION Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego’s

response to King Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to fell down & worship the image of gold he set up…

Daniel 3:16 “…we need not to defend ourselves

before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, o king ”

CONVICTION is a strong belief in or desire to uphold a moral standard.

Your personal convictions are the things you hold to be right or wrong. Consequently they mold your thoughts and actions.

Conviction may also refer to a deep sense of regret you feel after committing a sinful action.

We can feel “conviction” when we get out of fellowship with God.

Conviction is more than guilt, it is a feeling God places within us to lead us to repentance and put us back into a good relationship with him.

YOUNG MEN OF CONVICTION were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

When king Nebuchadnezzar built a large image of gold & commanded that everyone bow down & worship it, these three continued to stand tall.

Even though they were threatened with being thrown into a fiery furnace, they held to their CONVICTION that God would reward any decision made to honor him. Nebuchadnezzar was astonished to learn that they were absolutely right (Daniel 3)

4. DEDICATION 2 Corinthians 11:23 “Are they servants of Christ? (I am

out of my mind to talk like this) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.”

DEDICATION is a complete commitment to something or someone.

When you’re dedicated to something, your whole heart is in what you’re doing.

Dedication may also involve the setting apart of something or someone for a special purpose.

Paul stands out as best example who dedicated his life to living for God after his dramatic conversion to Christianity (Acts 9)

Paul’s dedication was proven by his willingness to travel and spread the Good News about Jesus, tolerate suffering from others, go to prison, and even face death on a regular basis.

(2 Corinthians 11:23-33)

5. FAITH

Genesis 12:1 “The Lord had said to Abram,

“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you”

FAITH is the act of believing the things that God has revealed about himself and acting on those beliefs.

“Faith is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead” (Hebrews 11:1)

People who are righteous are to live by Faith (Romans 1:17)

Abraham stands out as one of the best example of Faith. He left his comfortable home to go to an unknown place where God promised to lead him (Gen. 12, 13); he believed that God could give him a son, even in his old age (Gen.15;1-6; 17:15-22; 21;1-3); and he was willing to offer that son back to God (Gen.22:1-19)

6. HOLINESS

Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in

view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship”

HOLINESS refers to the condition of something or someone that is set apart as sacred, consecrated, or dedicated.

God and Jesus are holy, because they are pure, loving, and without sin.

But it is also possible for common objects or people to become holy (set apart) as they used for God’s purposes.

Christians are called to be holy because they should willingly set themselves apart from the world for use by God.

In Romans 12:1, Paul asks us to let our bodies be holy to God. He wants us to imagine ourselves as sacrifices being offered on an altar to God. But as we are to be living sacrifices. Our challenge is to live each day and make every decision as if it were the very thing God would want us to do.

7. JOYFULNESS

Acts 16:16-34 “ 25 About midnight Paul and

Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them”

JOYFULNESS is an intense feeling of good.

In the Bible, it usually is associated with God’s triumph over evil.

A joyful person feels right about his relationships to God, to himself, and to others.

Joy is not quite the same as happiness, because happiness often depends on outside events. Joyfulness, on the other hand, is an inner gladness that can exist no matter what happens.

One example of joy is found in Acts 16:16-34 where Paul and Silas were in prison unfairly. They had been stripped, beaten, and placed in stocks. They had nothing to be happy about, yet they were joyful. They prayed and sang hymns throughout the night. And when an earthquake hit that could have set everyone free, they refused to run.

Instead, they stayed put and comforted the jailer. At that point the man became a Christian and immediately began to experience the joy that Paul and Silas knew.

8. OBEDIENCE

Jonah 1:1-2“1The Word of the Lord

came to Jonah son of Amittai.2Go to the great city of Nineveh….”

OBEDIENCE is doing what you’re instructed to do. It is an ingredient of our faith because it shows we are convinced that God can teach and protect us-no matter what circumstances he might want us to encounter.

Jonah learned about Obedience the hard way. When God gave him a job to do, he sailed the other direction as quickly as possible. But Jonah soon learned that no matter how bad he thought it might be to obey God, disobedience was even worse.

9. PEACEFULNESS

Matthew 14:22, 23 “22Immediately Jesus made the disciples

get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd . 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.”

PEACEFULNESS is the sense of feeling at rest even though you may be experiencing some rather turbulent situations.

When the Bible refers to peace, the definition is more than being free from war or disorder.

The biblical concept of peacefulness is one of wholeness or completeness.

“Peace to you” as a greeting could be a wish for health, prosperity, friends, a loyal family, peace of mind, or more.

Yet even when these positive elements of life aren’t apparent, peacefulness is the assurance that God hasn’t deserted you and that everything is still ok.

One of the Bible’s best stories about Peacefulness is Peter’s attempt to walk on the water (Matthew 14:22-23). Jesus is absent and the disciples are allowing outer circumstances to affect their inner peace of mind. When Jesus appeared, Peter learned the importance of keeping his eyes fixed on him.

When Peter started to look at the outside influences, he began to sink. But he and the other disciples witnessed a dramatic demonstration. They learned that the One who can bring peace to a troubled sea can do the same for troubled people.

10. PRAISE

Judges 5:1 “On that day Deborah and

Barak son of Abinoam sang this song….”

PRAISE includes words or actions that give honor to someone.

Those words and actions show the deep feelings and thoughts of the person offering the praise

We occasionally “praise” someone for physical skills or good looks, but God is the only One who truly deserves our praise.

In the Old Testament, praise often involved singing, dancing, “glad shouts”, sacrifices, or gifts of thanksgiving in the Temple or Tabernacle.

Deborah was an Old Testament judge who knew the importance of praise. After God selected a woman named Jael to eliminate a vicious enemy of the Israelites (Judges 4), Deborah used a song to offer lengthy and specific praise to God for the victory (Judges 5).

11. PRAYERFULNESS

Proverbs 15:8“The Lord detests the sacrifice

of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.”

PRAYERFULNESS is the regular participation in prayer (which is simply communication with God).

It includes much more than asking God for things you want.

Prayer includes PRAISING God, GIVING THANKS for his blessings, CONFESSING your sins, ASKING him for HELP, and PRAYING for other people.

Prayerfulness gives you a proper perspective on life because it keeps you aware that you aren’t alone as you encounter the good and bad events of each day.

12. REPENTANCE

Paul referring to Onesimus – a runaway comes home…

Philemon 1:15,16“ So if you consider me partner,

welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me”

REPENTANCE is sorrow for one’s sin, and turning away from that sin to serve God and do right

Repentance involves:1. Admitting before God that you did something wrong2. Feeling sorrow for that wrongdoing and for any harm it caused3. Changing your behavior from wrong actions to right actions.

Whenever you turn away from sin, you turn back toward God.

13. REVERENCE

Revelations 4:9-11“….10the twenty-four elders fall

down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever….”

REVERENCE is a feeling of deep respect mixed with wonder, fear, and love.

Reverence is the idea behind the expression “fear of the Lord” that appears often in both the Old and New Testaments.

We should have a reverent attitude toward God and his holiness, power, and love.

Reverence is the attitude exhibited by the 24 elders in this passage, Revelation 4:9-11- Even in heaven, after being crowned for their good deeds, These people laid their crowns before the throne of Jesus in reverence. They discovered, as we should, that only God is worthy of any honor.

14. STEWARDSHIP

Malachi 3:8 “Bring the whole tithe into the

storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, “says the Lord Almighty, ”and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it”

STEWARDSHIP is the proper management of your life and possessions.

In the Bible a steward was a person who managed the household affairs of his wealthy employer.

We are responsible as God’s stewards to properly manage the things he has given us.

Malachi confronted God’s people with the fact that they weren’t giving God suitable offerings, he didn’t call them poor stewards, rather, he strongly stated that they were robbing God.

God challenges us to manage our possessions properly so we can see what he is willing to do for us. (Malachi 3:8-12)

15. THANKFULNESS

Ten healed of leprosy…

Luke 17:11-19“15One of them, when he saw he was

healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him…”

THANKFULNESS is the recognition of God as the one who creates all that is good and the expression of appreciation or all he has done.

Thankfulness should be a natural response for us. We too often take God’s many gifts for granted and forgot to tell him thanks.

When the lepers asked Jesus to heal their disease, he was glad to do so. But as they discovered their miraculous healing, only one of the ten went back to thank him. Jesus commended that person, but wondered aloud where the other nine were (Luke 17:11-19)

16. TRUST

2 Kings 6:8-23 “As the enemy came down

toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord….”

TRUST is an unwavering belief in someone or something, especially pertaining to standards such as truth, strength, or character.

To put your trust in God means to rely on him to get you through any situation – no matter how bad it seems and no matter how unable you are to cope with it on your own.

Elisha taught his servant a lesson about trusting God (2Kings 6:8-23). The two of them were surrounded by a special squad of men with horses and chariots whose orders were to capture the prophet. The servant was filled with fear, but Elisha trust in God. And God didn’t let Elisha down. The prophet prayed, and his servant was able to see that God was protecting the two of them with horses & chariots from his army. No harm came to Elisha or his servant.

17. WORSHIP

1 Corinthians 12:1-31 / chap.13 “….5there are different kinds of

service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

WORSHIP means to honor and adore someone who is worthy of such high honor

True-worship involves not only things we do but also our thoughts and feelings as we do them.

Only God fully deserves our worship, and we are to hold him in awe both publicly and privately.

VALUES TO BUILD ON…..

1. COMPASSION

Parable of the Good SamaritanLuke 10:25-37“25…what must I do to inherit eternal

life?...27Love the Lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul & with all your strength & with all your mind..AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF”

COMPASSION is a combination of love, care, and the desire to help.

Sometimes the word pity is used as a synonym for compassion.

True compassion goes beyond pity and includes a willingness to get involved in the problems of suffering people.

Jesus gave us a wonderful example of compassion in his parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

A severely beaten man was ignored by a priest and a Levite, who were both “religious” people who should have helped him. But later a Samaritan-someone who should have been a enemy-saw the man’s trouble and had compassion on him.

2. COOPERATION

Joshua 2:1 “ Then Joshua son of Nun secretly

sent two spies from Shittim.”Go, look over the land, “he said, “especially Jericho.” so they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there”

COOPERATION is the willingness to work with other people to accomplish a task.

God has given his people different gift and abilities and has instructed them to cooperate with each other to accomplish his work.

When Joshua sent spies into Jericho, they were at great risk if anyone discovered them. But God directed them to a woman named Rahab who realized that they served a powerful God. Rahab cooperated with the spies and helped them escape. As a result, she and her family escaped the otherwise total destruction of Jericho (Joshua 2:1-21;6:24,25)

3. FAIRNESS

Psalm 73:1 “Surely God is good to

Israel, to those who are pure in heart”

FAIRNESS is the ability to show honesty and impartiality.

In order to be fair, a person must get rid of all his or her personal prejudices and tendencies to be selfish.

Fairness is essential to a Christian life-style

While we are always supposed to practice fairness as individuals, we can’t really expect it from others all the time.

It is very hard to see things that don’t seem fair and yet continue to lead good Christian lives.

Sometimes we may even feel that God is unfair. The man who wrote Psalm 73 really struggled with the issue of fairness. He was trying very hard to be good, yet he saw wicked people who seemed to be wealthier & happier than he was. But at the end, he had worked out his questions about the apparent unfairness of God.

4. FELLOWSHIP

Hebrews 10:19-25 “ 24And let us consider how we

may sour one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together…..”

FELLOWSHIP is the interaction of two or more people who have similar interests or feelings.

Christians are able to experience fellowship in a special way, because their common interest in Jesus.

Fellowshipping is more than just a nice thing to do if you have the time

It is an essential element of Christian faith and worship.

Our challenge is to not give up meeting together as Christians.

We should continue to encourage each other and make sure we aren’t getting off track spiritually

Fellowship becomes even more important as the return of Jesus approaches, so we need to make serious efforts to get to church every week & become involved with the people there.

5.FORGIVENESS

Hosea’s reconciliation with his wife…

Hosea 2:1 “The Lord said to me, Go show

your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites…. ”

FORGIVENESS refers to blotting out sin and guilt.

Any request for forgiveness should be accompanied by a willingness to make up for the wrong.

Of course, there is no way we can make up to God for our sins, instead, Jesus died on the cross so that we can be forgiven for the things we do wrong. Because of what he has done for us, it is important that we learn to forgive each other.

It’s not always easy to forgive others. It certainly wasn’t easy for Jesus to die so God could forgive us. And sometimes it is similarly difficult for us to demonstrate forgiveness.

One person who forgave when it was hard was the Old Testament prophet, Hosea. His unfaithful wife, Gomer, left him. (2:2-5). Her action was symbolic of the Israelites who had left the true God to worship idols. Hosea’s forgiveness of and reconciliation with Gomer demonstrated God’s willingness to forgive his people (3:1-4)

6. FRIENDLINESS

Matthew 5:1 “Now when he saw the crowds, he

went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and 2 he began to teach them……”

FRIENDLINESS is a mutual feeling of affection between two people.

In addition to our human friendships, it is possible to be a friend of God. It is very important to be friendly to everyone, and we should never take any of our friendships lightly.

Christians have a different set of rules to follow as they try to develop friendships. Jesus knew that most people tend to love those who are nice to them and forget about everybody else. So in his Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), he astounded his listeners with some totally new concepts to think about.

7. HELPFULNESS

Israelites fought with the Amalekites.. Exodus 17:8-13 “12When Moses’ hands grew tired, they

took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up-one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset”

HELPFULNESS is service or assistance work hard to be helpful – as long as they get credit for what they do.

The quality of helpfulness sets aside personal attention in order to aid someone else in succeeding.

One very helpful person was a man named Hur. He’s not one of the “big names” of the Bible, but his example of helpfulness is still a model we should imitate (Exo.17:8-13). If Hur & Aaron hadn’t been around to patiently hold up Moses’ hands, think how the battle could have had disastrous results.

8. HONESTY

Nathan rebukes David…

2 Samuel 11, 12 “11This is what the Lord says: Out of

your own household I am going to bring calamity on you…… ”

HONESTY includes both truthfulness in your speech and consistency in your conduct.

It is possible to technically speak truthful words, yet by your actions deceive others.

But if you exhibit honesty, neither your words nor actions will mislead anyone. Sometimes it is sais “the truth hurts” . But inconvenience is never reason enough to avoid the truth.

One example of harsh truth that needed telling was Nathan’s bold confrontation with King David (2 Samuel 11,12). After David slept with Bath-sheba and made her pregnant, he arranged to have her husband Uriah killed in battle.

And even though David thought no one knew about his sins, God knew. God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David with the cold, hard truth. Because of Nathan’s honesty, David quickly repented and restored his relationship with God.

9. KINDNESS

John 19:38 “ Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked

Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. ”

KINDNESS combines a sympathetic attitude with the willingness to be helpful whenever possible.

Kindness begins with consideration for others and is demonstrated when specific needs arise.

One specific act of kindness was performed by a man named Joseph of Arimathea (Jn. 19:38-42). Joseph was one of the few Jewish religious leaders who believed in Jesus. And after Jesus was

crucified, Joseph volunteered to take care of his body. He helped prepare the body for burial and then placed it in his own tomb. Joseph’s kindness sets him apart from most of the other skeptical religious leaders of his time.

10. LOVING

1 John 4:7 “ Dear friends, let us love one

another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ”

LOVING is more than just a feeling of being attracted to or happy with someone.

Love includes choosing to be kind and helpful to others even though you may not exactly feel like it. It also involves doing for other people what you would like to have done to you.

Love is the greatest love of all.

In 1 John 4:7,8,20,21, we discover that God is love and that he is the source of all love. As we begin to take on God’s characteristics, we become more loving. Love comes through as we develop other moral qualities: forgiveness, compassion, thankfulness, and so forth.

11. LOYALTY

Ruth 1:16 “Ruth replied, Don’t urge me to

leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”

LOYALTY is strong devotion to a person or ideal.

It’s easy to exhibit loyalty when things are going well. But true loyalty is a willingness to stand by your friends and your beliefs when no one else seems ready to do so.

A classic example of loyalty is Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi. After Naomi’s husband & two sons died, it looked like she would be left alone in the world. But Ruth expressed loyalty to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16).

Ruth’s loyalty was rewarded as she returned to Naomi’s homeland, found a husband, & eventually became the great-grandmother of king David.

12. RESPECTFULNESS

David spares Saul’s life…1 Samuel 26:9 “David said to Abishai…Who can lay

a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord himself will strike him…But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed…”

RESPECTFULNESS is an attitude of high regard for someone

An inner attitude of respect must then be displayed through outer actions.

It’s not all that hard to say that we respect parents, teachers, God, etc., but if our actions don’t support our words, our respectfulness is probably not genuine.

David was a person who demonstrated respectfulness, his respect to God and his respect for God’s people

(1 Sam.26:7-25)

After King Saul disobeyed God, David discovered that he was to replace Saul as king. And even though Saul was trying to kill David, David refused to harm Saul in any way. Because of David’s level of respect, he could not bring himself to harm “God’s anointed”

13. UNSELFISHNESS

Widows offering…Mark 12:41-44 “41….Many rich people threw in large

amounts. 42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins…43…Jesus said, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.”

UNSELFISHNESS means more than just generosity

It also means that you aren’t excessively caught up in your own concerns at the expense of other people.

It is wrong to live as if you are the holy one whose feelings matter.

Mark 12:41-44 illustrates unselfishness.. - A poor widow made an offering of

two small copper coins worth less than a penny. But Jesus pointed out the significance of such a gift to his disciples. He knew that this was all she had to give, & consequently was a completely unselfish gift worth much more than large amounts of money given from the excess of others.

VALUES TO BUILD ON…..

1. CONFIDENCE

King Darius issued a decree that whoever prays to any god would be thrown into a lion’s den…

Daniel chapter 6 “..when Daniel learned that the

decree has been published, he went home to his upstairs room… Three times a day he got down on his knees & prayed, giving thanks to God, just as he has done ”

CONFIDENCE is a feeling of security based on faith and trust.

From a spiritual perspective, Confidence is an unwavering belief that God can see you safely through any situation – no matter what.

Real confidence is based in God’s ability to take care of you. Paul showed true Christian confidence when he wrote… ”for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ..”

Daniel 6 – A group of people once tried to get Daniel in trouble by outlawing prayer. They knew Daniel’s confidence was with God and that he would probably continue his prayers three times a day. When he did,

…Daniel was thrown into a den of lions. Even there, his confidence in God was proven to be valid. God closed the mouths of the lions, and Daniel was not harmed in any way.

2. COURAGE

Esther 4:16”…..I will go to the king, even

though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

COURAGE is the ability and willingness to stand firm when confronted by danger, fear, or peer pressure.

The basis of courage is not usually physical strength, but rather mental or moral strength. Depending on the circumstances, it may be more courageous to endure temporary defeat or failure than to use force to eliminate it.

Esther is a profile of courage. She was a Jewish girl who had become Queen of Persia (though no one in authority knew she was Jewish). At that specific time in history, a wicked man named Haman was plotting to destroy all Jews. Esther was the one

… person who could effectively intercede for her people – though to do so would risk her own life.

Courageous Esther stood up for her people, convinced the king to spare them, and brought destruction on the evil Haman.

3. ENTHUSIASM

Acts 4:36“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus,

whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostle’s feet”

ENTHUSIASM is a feeling of excitement or enjoyment about what you are doing.

Enthusiasm can make a dull, boring chore go by much more quickly, while lack of enthusiasm can take the joy out of the most pleasant task

One enthusiastic biblical character was named Joseph, but he is better known by his nickname, Barnabas. His personal enthusiasm was evident by his willingness to share what he had with others. And his nickname meant “son of encouragement”. His enthusiasm was transferred to others in the form of encouragement (Acts 4:36,37)

4. FAITHFULNESS

Genesis 5:21-24“ 24 Enoch walked with God;

then he was no more, because God took him away. ”

FAITHFULNESS in one

sense, is a synonym of loyalty. (Loyalty – strong devotion to a person or ideal)

Faithfulness suggests being “full of faith”, so it is a measure of your relationship with God.

From a biblical perspective, it is possible to be loyal without being faithful.

One such model of faithfulness is Enoch (Gen.5:21-24). We don’t know much about Enoch, but in a long passage that records how a number of people “lived” and then

… “died, ” Enoch stands out because he “lived… in fellowship with God,” and the later, “he disappeared, for God took him! Because of Enoch’s faithfulness, he apparently didn’t have to experience death like almost everyone else does.

5. GENTLENESS

Isaiah 53:1“ 2 He grew up before him like

a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground….. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted yet he did not open his mouth….”

GENTLENESS refers to having a mild disposition instead of choosing to use force, violence, or anger

Gentleness doesn’t really mean you will let people take advantage of you or will offer yourself as a doormat for any forceful person to walk all over. But it doesn’t mean that you don’t insist that everything go just the way you want it to.

Isaiah 53 illustrates Jesus as a gentle person. He suffered every kind of abuse at the hands of sinful men, yet he didn’t argue with them or retaliate in any way. The hurt that Jesus felt was in no way justified, yet he endured it willingly for us. And obviously Jesus had the power to avoid the humiliation he suffered, but he chose not to use it.

6. GOODNESS

Ephesians 2:10“For we are God’s workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

GOODNESS is the

quality of being virtuous.

It is a state of favorable character, pure motives, and sincere actions.

People committed to goodness try hard to eliminate sin from their lives.

True goodness is a spiritual condition not easy to attain. Jesus has said that no one is good except God alone (Luke 18:19)

The hard thing to learn is how to be good without expecting immediate rewards for your goodness. But as Christians, we have to believe that God will reward us eventually for the good things we do for others.

Paul has already told the Ephesians that people are created with the purpose of helping others (2:10). In Eph.6:5-8, he tells slaves about the importance of doing good even though no one seems to notice.

7. HUMILITY

Philippians 2:3“Do nothing out of selfish

ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

HUMILITY is the

voluntary lowering of yourself or the willingness to give up something that should rightfully be yours.

To be humble, you must eliminate pride and arrogance from your life.

The ultimate model of humility is Jesus’ willingness to leave heaven, his rightful home, and come on earth to die for sinful humans.

We are commanded to imitate His example (Philippians 2:5-8)

So humility is a characteristic we are not to take lightly, yet in Phil. 2:9-22, Jesus’ humility was noticed by God and rewarded

8. INITIATIVE

John 3:1“Now there was a man of the

Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God.…”

INITIATIVE is the readiness to take action without waiting around for someone else to act.

Initiative goes beyond observing and talking about those things into actually getting something accomplished.

Nicodemus showed initiative in approaching Jesus (Jn.3:1-21). As a Pharisee and religious leader, he had some questions about Jesus and his teaching. But instead of automatically condemning Jesus as many of the other Pharisees were

….doing, Nicodemus initiated a conversation. He went to Jesus at night, allowed Jesus to answer his questions, and eventually became a believer in him.

9. PATIENCE

2 Peter 3:9“The Lord is not slow in keeping his

promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, nut everyone to come to repentance”

PATIENCE is a lack of being hasty or

impetuous It is the ability to undergo

problems or opposition without complaining.

Patience involves calmness and steadfastness.

Patience is very important to all relationships because it allows us to hear and understand other people before we judge them prematurely.

10. PERSEVERANCE

Job 1:21 – Job said…“Naked I came from my mother’s

womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord is to be praised”

PERSEVERANCE is the ability to keep going even under pressure without becoming discouraged.

Perseverance cannot tale place without some kind of obstacle or persecution. We should prepare to deal with problems when they come rather than wait to see if they come.

Job is often remembered for his patience, but perseverance might be a more accurate description of Job’s character. His devotion to God lasted through the loss of his possessions, the loss of his children, and the loss of his health.

It wasn’t easy for Job to watch all these tragedies hit him for no reason, but he persevered. And because he did, God returned to him everything that had been taken away (Job 1, 2; 42:10-17)

11. PURPOSEFULNESS

Jeremiah 36:1“….this word came to Jeremiah

from the Lord: Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken concerning Israel….”

PURPOSEFULNESS is the determination to complete whatever you set out to do.

Your purpose should continually motivate you to action. When God gives someone a job to do, that person should feel a sense of purpose as he or she sets out to accomplish what God has instructed.

Jeremiah was a prophet with an intense sense of purpose. He was called to warn his people that God was going to allow them to go into captivity. Even though his work was destroyed (Jer.36:23), even though he was

….persecuted (38:6), and even though he was imprisoned (37:15-16), Jeremiah’s purposefulness kept him going throughout the whole ordeal.

12. RESOURCEFULNESS

Exodus 2;1“….she got a papyrus basket for

him and coated it with tar pitch. Then placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile….”

RESOURCEFULNESS is the ability to devise ways and means of getting a job accomplished.

A resourceful person takes every opportunity to make the most of his or her abilities, resources, and situations.

Some resourceful people even look forward to new challenges and problems so they can devise better ways to deal with them

Miriam was a resourceful person, and she must have gotten it from her parents. Instead of killing their son as ordered by Pharaoh, Moses’ parents came up with a resourceful plan to save his life. They floated him down the

… Nile in a basket, supervised

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?

Matt 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.