Character

Choose Character

• Pray
• Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering

1. Definitions – character

1. The sum of our traits that we are known by.

2. Reputation – How you are known
3. Faithfulness
4. Character is the total of what makes us up, or the “whole”. Integrity is the parts and pieces that make up the “whole” – We are going to talk about both. Many times the two are used interchangeably, but keep in mind the differences.

1. The milk of the Word vs. the meat of the Word

1. The milk is what Jesus or the Kingdom of God will do for you. – (Heb 5:12)

a) salvation

b) hope and comfort in troubled times

c) healing – physical, emotional

(all are benefits of Jesus’ work at The Cross or Atonement)

2. The meat of the Word is what you do for The Kingdom

1. Hebrews 5:12 (NIV)
   In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

a) baby food

2) James 2 : 8 (Mess) I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department." Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove

Show your faith – God expects it, from ourselves, show to family and friends benefit

1. an example - practical Christianity / meat of The Word
2. God does the supernatural – all miracles of past, present, and future – Jesus, conquering Love, re-establishing His Kingdom and making us part of it.
3. He expects us to do the natural (because of our faith – IN HIM) to show His Love to others – Shows Him to others (family, those around us) – perhaps we are the only God that person will see!

3) Character of God

a) Isaiah 11:5

5 Righteousness will be his belt
 and faithfulness the sash around his waist

note: faithfulness one of the deffs. Of character

2. 1 Thessalonians 5:24

The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

c) Deuteronomy 7:9

9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands

The Word says to “Be like Him” – 1 John 3:2

Kids want to be like their father – they naturally emulate their parents

We are made in His image, since He is of character and it is a trait that we all can and should develop, He expects us to be of character for our own good as well as everyone we come in contact with.

4) Characteristics Traits Of The Saints

a) Bible says anyone who is saved is a saint. – We ARE people of character

2. There are many character traits we can identify
   • Blameless
   • Bold
   • Faithful
   • Just
   • Godly
   • Humble
   • Attentive to Christ’s voice - John 10:3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
   • Prudent - Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart will be called prudent,
           And sweetness of the lips increases learning.
   • If we are saved The traits are in us – Romans 12:3 – up to us to develop them by exercising and using.

Abide In Christ

• Pray

• CD

Jesus’ instructions to the disciples – “upper room discourse” also en route to garden and arrest

John 15 (Amplified Bible)

 1 I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.

• “True Vine” – calls Himself True Vine, OT referred to Israel several times as “Vine” but it didn’t bear fruit over and over.
• Vinedresser as any farmer - must be competent

    2 Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.

• “In Me” = abide – have a relationship / depend on Me
• some branches don’t bear fruit
• fruit is outer evidence that people can benefit from. Evidence of inner change.
• Special attention from Vinedresser

3. You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].
   • Grow and nourished = fed by Word
   • The nature of God to feed children – take care of needs – manna earthly father feeds his children, family
   • Jesus assures the disciples, they are clean already, Jesus did not want the Eleven to conclude, as many people do, that the absence of fruit or the presence of difficulties indicates the absence of salvation. BUT – fruit is expected.

3. Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.

• “Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you”
• Jesus indicates He will take care of His “clean (saved) disciples
• Abide in as opposed to flee from

5. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

• Jesus spoke of some fruit and more fruit (v2) but now speaks of “much” fruit.
• Must stay connected – (how ?)
• Much fruit = unhindered fellowship with Him
• Whoever = any potential believer (John 3:16)

5. If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned.

• Literal
• Non abiding = non believers (broken off branch)

5. If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

• Must have fellowship and be connected

The Holy Spirit - The Most Neglected Member Of The Trinity

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. – NIV

• Certain Pharisees considered themselves to be better than other “non-religious” people.

(Apostle Paul said if there’s anything good in me it’s because of Jesus) so…

let’s be glad we’re saved but take others with us!

1. The Holy Spirit is the most neglected member of The Trinity
   1. Christians seek relationship with God (as they should)
   2. Christians seek relationship with Jesus (as they should)
   3. We pray to God in the name of Jesus (all these are Biblical)
   4. What do you think are the reasons for this? (Class discussion)
   5. easy for children of Israel to believe in God they saw Him (passed down knowledge)

they also had teachings handed down from Adam and Eve via Moses.

6. easy for us to believe in Jesus – He lived on earth (passed down knowledge)

(scripture)

2. God’s intentions toward us
   1. Why did God establish the earth and create man?(class discussion)
   2. relationship
   3. Fatherhood / mentor

Holy Spirit of OT

• Part of Godhead – God The Father, God The Son, God The Holy Spirit - Gen 1:1, 1:26 – Job 3:4
• God created man and gave him His Spirit – Gen2:7, 1 Cor. 6:19
• Spirit of God – Came to kings and prophets (wasn’t there all the time – only when God wanted to act specifically.)

Holy Spirit of NT

• The seed of God (re-establishing lost Kingdom) could NOT come through sinful man.
• Scripture records account of god coming to earth by way of the Holy Spirit -

• John prob. only person who has actually (through spiritual eyes) seen the Godhead
  • Luke 3:22 – Holt Spirit “like a dove” doesn’t mean He is one. He is a distinct person. strong as an ox

ran like the wind – that doesn’t mean they are an ox or the wind

Has mind Rom 8:27, a will and emotions -1 Cor 12:11, He speaks - Heb3:7

Jesus said to disciples before he departed – John 14:14-18

Then He says in chapt.16:7 – 8 – He said believe me.

True Wisdom

• Praise

• Prayer

• Pastor Dan

A. text:

Prov. 4:7

The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and

interpretation). – Amplified Bible

Wisdom = applied knowledge , shrewdness, skill (in war), ethical and spiritual prudence

Greek word khokma (kokma)

1. In the text, what kind of knowledge, or what is referred to as wisdom?

Story of Matthew and Kenyan boy

(Matthew part of mission team. 2 weeks Nairobi, Kenya)

1) Boy lived in slum his whole life

• Boy lived in slum in city
• Slum population about 725,000
• Area about 1 ½ x 3 mi. (by contrast, Greater DM about 300,000)
• Boy 17 yrs old
1. Matthew asked him if he could have one thing in life – what would it be?
   • Did not ask for car, money etc.
   • Boy Wanted wisdom
   • God honored boys prayer – it lined up with His will

3. Matthew – a man of God and one who anyone would say is a man of true wisdom – an assistant pastor in our church and Pastor Dan’s # 1 advisor (besides his wife)
   • Brought him from Perry, Ia. to D.M. to Chicago to London and then to Kenya to stand before that young man and speak wisdom into his life.
   • Think of what The God Of The Universe is able to do!

4. God’s primary way of blessing ANYONE is with wisdom!

• If you apply the knowledge you have, seek more knowledge (which is wise), are shrewd and prudent, then you can figure out how to make more money or figure out how to do the things you need to accomplish to be obedient (to God, that’s what He requires in the first place).
• If obedience is what God requires, He will equip you for it – where God guides, He provides.
• This is how a Loving Father blesses His Children’s obedience. (do you bless your kid’s disobedience?)
  1. I don’t always – I tend to take it for granted

• King David impressed on Solomon at an early age to have a relationship with God, to honor Him and to be obedient. David (a man after God’s own heart) also let Solomon know that God blesses most of the time by speaking WISDOM to us. That’s why Solomon Prayed and asked God for WISDOM.

1 Kings 3

7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."

Prov. 4:7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
       Though it cost all you have, get understanding. - NIV

4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding – KJV

• Proverbs 4:3-9 Message Bible (synonyms – discuss/study)

3-9 When I was a boy at my father's knee,
    the pride and joy of my mother,
He would sit me down and drill me:
   "Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live!
Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding!
   Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch!
Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life;
   love her—she keeps her eye on you.
Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom!
   Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!
Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won't regret it;
   never let her go—she'll make your life glorious.
She'll garland your life with grace,
   she'll festoon your days with beauty."

1 Corinthians 3:18-20

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

Amplified version -

18 Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise. 19For this world's wisdom is foolishness (absurdity and stupidity) with God, for it is written, He lays hold of the wise in their [own] craftiness;

    20And again, The Lord knows the thoughts and reasonings of the [humanly] wise and recognizes how futile they are.

• Brother-in-law one of smartest people I know
• Great guy
• Knows many obscure facts
• Does not know God
• God says his knowledge is useless!
•  Does not have TRUE WISDOM

1. How do I get true wisdom?

1. MUST be born again – (Rom. 10:9)

2. Acknowledge God in all your ways - (Prov. 3:6)

3. Worship in truth – (John 4:23)

4. Fear of Lord – (Prov. 1:7)

5. Pray and ask for it – be obedient make sure Jesus is Lord over every phase of your life. THAT IS TRUE WISDOM – (John 1:9)

The Basis For What We Believe

Text:, Col 2:13-15, Rom 5:19

Colossians – Freedom from the law, to expose false teaching religious and self-righteousness through ritual

Romans – Explains Christianity

These two verses sum up what God has done for mankind as He re-established His Kingdom.

A.

Col 2:13 new living Translation

You were dead because of your sins and because you’re sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins.

1. Dead because of sinful nature – Sinful nature is in mankind because of disobedience by Adam to God.

Gen 3:1 – 7

·         This passage explains why bad thing happen to good people – why bad thing happen in the world

·         You MUST under stand this for anything to make sense

2.    Cut away

a.     circumcision – a ritual God commanded Moses to perform on his people ( his charges ) or oversee it done, in the wilderness.

No law from Adam till Moses

b.    The idea being a setting themselves apart in a way that they will not forget, that

They remember the act of obedience (and disobedience).  – note that obedience is required as He re-establishes His Kingdom.

c.    The ownership was transferred for a time to Satan,  (who had been kicked out of heaven) – God had to do this because this because He is perfect. The Word says – Pslm 138:2 He magnified thy Word above all thy name.  God is a God of perfection. He always does what He says He is going to do – God is CHRACTER

He ALWAYS holds Himself to standards of:

·         Legality

·         Faithfulness – He always does what He says He will do – NEVER forces anything on anybody

3. Made you alive with Christ

a. Made you and I equals – co-laborers – equals – joint heirs

Rom 8:17  -  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.

The idea is that if we accept Christ as God into our hearts, then we have Life as He Has – eternal life with God – forever – Part of His Family

B.

Col 2:14 New Living Translation

He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross

1.     Cancelled the record – KJV says “blotted out the handwriting”. The idea is that the debt we owe is done away with.

Hebrew word for cancelled is interesting because one of it’s definitions is the canceling of a debt owed. That is exactly the meaning here because when we accept Christ, our accountability or debt that must be paid (God is a perfect God), for the sin inherent in man, by the work Christ did at the cross.

C.            Make a show of them openly

·         Crashed party  in hell – Christ Conquers Death – “more than conquerors in Christ”      

·         Matt 16:19

·         Rom 8:37

·         In ancient times returning king – parade spoils of war and leaders upon re-entry of palace or castle walls

·         Christ exposes the devil to us – makes fun of him – give us the keys to life and death

Calls us more than conquerors – of death

·         Tells us we are the head and not the tail

·         Tells us there is no condemnation

·         Makes provision for sins to be forgiven  - on and on

All of these things are because of Christ and only through Him

It is our job to stay in Him

·        Bible study

·        Prayer

·        Meditation – read Word - study

Infite Truth Of The Gospel

1.	the true or actual state of a matter: He tried to find out the truth.

2.	conformity with fact or reality; verity: the truth of a statement.

3.	a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like: mathematical truths.

4.	the state or character of being true.

5.	actuality or actual existence.

6.	an obvious or accepted fact; truism; platitude.

7.	honesty; integrity; truthfulness.

8.	(often initial capital letter) ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience: the basic truths of life.

9.	agreement with a standard or original.

10.	accuracy, as of position or adjustment.

11.	Archaic. fidelity or constancy.

—Idiom

12.	in truth, in reality; in fact; actually: In truth, moral decay hastened the decline of the Roman Empire.

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13.  Faith, in faith

alētheia

Pronunciation ä-lā'-thā-ä (Key)

outline of Biblical Usage

1) objectively

a) what is true in any matter under consideration

1) truly, in truth, according to truth

2) of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly

b) what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth

1) in the greatest latitude

2) the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention

c) the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians

2) subjectively

a) truth as a personal excellence

1) that candour of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit

John 4:23  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (aletheia).

1. Samaritan woman at well
2. Jesus’ introduction into His Ministry
3. He speaks to her in terms she understands – she knew Jewish law
4. speaks of her (our) responsibility – worship in TRUTH

from the heart, for real, genuine,  - Jesus said: you will love God with all heart, mind, soul and love your neighbor as yourself.

John 8:32 - And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free

• You will know what is real and good (the way that God thinks) - THAT will give you the license to do what God would do

John 14:6    ⁶Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth (aletheia), and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me

• Jesus calls Himself The Truth
• Consider: Moses asking God who he should say gave him instructions (burn Bush) God said my name is ” I Am” (implied all in all or everything)
• God describes Himself as what we would call “good Character traits”

1 John 4:8 (Amplified Bible)

⁸He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.

Describes self as “truth, Love – all things good”

Philippians 4:7-9 (King James Version)

  ⁸Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
 ⁹Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Meditate in dictionary = think to employ or engage your mind, renew

·        Many places Word (God) tells us to meditate on Word

·        Romans 12:1-2

 ¹I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  ²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

·        Joshua 1:8  This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good ^[a]success.

(meditation on Word said by God to be secret of success)

·        Psalms 1:2,4:4, 19:14, 39:3 and many, many others tell us to meditate on The Word in Old Testament and New

Solomon said when charged with building the house of God:

2 Chronicles 2:6    ⁶But who is able to build Him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain Him? Who am I to build Him a house, except as a place to burn incense in worship before Him?

           

·        Truth is infinite – man can’t contain or harness God (Truth) man can only know it the Truth  (God wants relationship with man)

 

2 Chronicles3:5-9   ⁵And the greater house (the Holy Place) he lined with cypress and overlaid it with fine gold and made palm trees and chains on it. ⁶And he adorned the house with precious stones for beauty; and the gold was gold of Parvaim. ⁷He lined the house (the Holy Place), its beams, thresholds, walls, and doors with gold, and engraved cherubim on the walls.   ⁸He made the Most Holy Place, its length equaling the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and its breadth twenty cubits; he overlaid it with 600 talents of fine gold. ⁹The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he lined the upper chambers with gold

·        Truth is precious – can’t be bought, we can try but our efforts are finite especially when

compared with God.

·        Truth is truth whether we believe it or not,

·       Jesus tells us to meditate on The Word. John1:1 tells us Jesus is the Word and God

·       God thru Paul tells us in Rom 12:1-2 to renew our minds or meditate on the Word

·       God thru Paul also tells us to think about all things good (God-Jesus-Word Of God)

It is apparent that Jesus speaks truth because He IS The Truth .He says to Meditate on the truths He speaks into our lives and meditate on the fact that He Is Tru