CHARACTER

No: PP13/971

Philippians 4:8 & 9

Phil 4:8 Finally, 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. Phil 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

They said…

Dr Bob Jones said… “Reputation is what men think you are;

Character is what God KNOWS you are.” Dr Donald Howard said… Character is that quality of life that stretches

for maturity in all areas”

Where it doesn’t exist you have

Quitters Crisis of leadership People who don’t turn up for work Inferior goods and services Lateness and sloppiness Excuses, not action Wrong compromises People not where they should be

Talent / Gifting V Character

Talent / gifting is always a solo it often flees character

Talent / gifting commands admiration

Character commands respect

Talent / gifting is a product of brainpower

Character is a product of heart-power

Talent/ gifting is often admired

Character should be followed and trusted

HOW DO YOU GET CHARACTER

Well.. it actually it takes church / follows of the way to do it:

Hear God Love God with all you heart – central Love God with all your personality Love God with all your body = habits and

actions

To move to character maturity

We need to:

Have the good right things of Philippians in our THOUGHTS – all action starts there

Have it in our CONVERSATION – you can tell what is important to people by what they talk about

Character says ‘these are my duties, there are obligations and I will fulfil them

When

Our minds are renewed when you Think about good things Put on the mind of Christ Are simple in your knowledge of evilThen with a renewed mind Habits change Actions become that of people with

Character

What is it?

It is the quality of your life It is ultimately sewn into every fibre of the mind and soul /

personality It is in your tastes It is in your desires It is in your affinity It is in the mind It is in your HABITS It is in your actions and more importantly your REACTIONS It is the innate quality which ultimately is sewn into every fibre

of the above list during physical, mental and spiritual maturation.

*

Character

is experience in every temptation, active in every thought, effectual in every attitude, present in every decision, behind every action.

:

We talk about: Good Character – God’s Value system Bad Character – decidedly contrary to God’s

value system Weak Character – easily swayed; blown about

by every wind of change No Character – usually weak, indecisive, having

no challenge or values

Character is

The sub-conscious of doing right. When you do right so long you do it sub-consciously, when the reflexes take over the doing of right and you by reflex do something that is right, then you have Character.

Martin Luther said…

The prosperity of a country depends not on the abundance of its revenue, nor on the strength of its fortifications, nor on the beauty of its public buildings but it consists of the number of its cultivated citizens, its people of character, here are to be found its true interests, its chief strengths and its real power!

We need

Character Integrity Purity The foundation for everything good is

Character

CHARACTER

Wears the best and last the longest Is moved BY affection and NOT FOR affection Keeps the palm down in giving and not the palm up in receiving Steers its own destiny Has truth as its goddess Pain as it friend Work as it kin Duty as it spouse Obstacles as its opportunities Gratitude towards ancestors – ‘I receive from those before’ Obligations towards posterity – ‘I will give to those who follow’ It prolongs your life after you have gone It uses tombstones as lecterns It uses the same material to build palaces that others use for rubbish No task is too trivial No trifle is ignored

Others V Character

While others say ‘I will’ Character says ‘I am’ While others say ‘I can’ Character says ‘I did’ While others may seek honour Character is its own honour and rewardEmerson said:“people of character are the conscience of the society

to which they belong.”

Without Character

Without character there is little sense of responsibility and no capability to manage liberty!

Adrian L Hawkes

Ref 454 / 519. 1985/88/89/

1 to 9

10. = 29th June 2006

Edited 24.12.13