Does Character Count: Part One

Romans 5: 1- 4

Jesus dealt with a cast of characters as diverse as we. He provided for all the potential of peace with God in time and for eternity. In time He inspired hope and for eternity. He enabled the love of God to be shared.

It is through the most circuitous route that He leads us to build our character. The path is marked for us: 

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”  (Romans 5:1 – 4)  

Character traits were once the words used when persons were spoken of.  People were described as persons of character. Words such as, honesty, integrity, truthful, and dependable were used.

Gradually the operative word changed from character to personality. Charming, cool, funny, and outgoing became the vocabulary.

How can it be said that character doesn’t count in a world full of “oughts” and “shoulds?” Frequently in Scripture the expression “ought to” is used. It means what we “ought” to do is for our good and God’s glory. 

Every ought is
rooted in a value;
every value requires
a choice; every choice
defines a character.

Character isn’t something you have; it is something you are that inevitably shows itself in what you do.

As a child I learned the axiom: “Reputation is what people think you are. Character is what you know you are.”

Yet another: “Take care of your character and your reputation will take care of itself.”

And another: “Only you can damage your character.”

When people think of you, what type of character is envisioned? Take a hard introspective review and ask yourself what type of character you know yourself to be. If that character were revealed would it be an embarrassment to you? Now determine for the two images to be one. Do that in light of this.

“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Your Sure Refuge

“The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Psalm 9: 9 – 10

The Hebrew word translated “oppressed’ can be rendered “crushed.” It means to be cut off from any hope of deliverance.  It is distress amplified to mean despair. The idea is He is sufficient for your greatest need.

Has that ever described you? There are many forms of oppression; both from man and from Satan oppression comes to us. In all its forms, a refuge is provided by the Lord Jehovah. 

Fortresses and certain cities were refuges in Old Testament times. You could enter them and enjoy their protection. So it is with the Lord. Concede you are going to have trouble. It is equally certain that when you do you can go to the Lord seeking and receiving His guidance as a refuge.

We can find refuge in seeking God, in knowing His name. To know His name is equivalent here to learning God’s character as made known by His acts.

To know the Name of God is to know him according to his historical conduct. When we face difficult times, we must resist self-pity, trusting that God knows what’s best for us and can use even our hard experiences for good.

To know the Name of God in Old Testament times meant to believe in God’s Word and trusting His promises. In Old Testament days those who “knew the name of God” were credited with righteousness. They were saved by grace through faith in the coming Lord.

How precious we can say, “I know the ‘unknowable’ name of YHWH.” His name is Jesus. He is truly a gracious God, full of loving-kindness and goodness. His record shows it.

Do you believe your God is almighty? If so, you can know He will shepherd you and provide all my needs. He is my peace even in the darkest day of despair. I will rest my case with Him. On Christ the solid rock I stand even if all other ground is sinking sand.

When difficult times come, and they will, you can rely on this promise. Don’t act like this promise is true, act because it is true.

Frame these truths and hang them on the hall of your mind, pass by them frequently, and reflect on them. He is your strong and mighty refuge. When cut off from all hope, don’t despair, He is there. The word despair means to quit, to give up. Don’t, simply put your trust in Him. Don’t camp in the desert of despair.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3: 5)

A Pattern for Renewal: Part Two

Romans 1: 14 – 17

We, like Paul, can never repay our Lord for what He has done for us; but we, like him, should be willing to pay a little interest on the debt by faithfulness. The expression “ready” (Romans 1: 15) actually means “eager.”

“So” expresses the same intensity as the same word in John 3;16, “For God so loved…”

Paul was fervently eager to preach the Gospel and change society.

He was mocked for preaching the Gospel in Athens.

He was mobbed for preaching it in Jerusalem.

He was now ready to be martyred for preaching it in Rome.

What Paul was to preach was “the Gospel,” the good news, not man’s views.

It takes time to get ready. Paul had to spend time alone in the Arabian desert with the Lord to get “ready.” No Christian should be reluctant to be trained to share the good news. Resolve to follow him in getting ready.

He had a spirit of resolution, “I am not ashamed….”  Vss. 16.17

It took bold faith not to be ashamed of the Gospel in Imperial Rome.

Paul had previously faced the wicked city of Corinth “in fear, and in much trembling” (I Cor. 2:3). There he saw what the power of the Gospel could achieve. Now with eager boldness he was ready to face Rome, a city that worshiped power, with a greater power, the power of the Gospel.

The Greek word translated “power” is DUNAMIS meaning “God’s power.” DUNAMIS gives us our English words dynamo, dynamic, and dynamite. Note this change.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”  (1 Cor 6: 9 – 11). 

The expression “The just shall live by faith” (vs. 17) was the theme that started the Reformation. It was a revolutionary thought in that era. Man through creedal religion was trying to earn, merit, and deserve God’s favor. Despair and futility resulted.

There is all the difference in the world in man’s self-sought righteousness and God’s righteousness. The principals of destruction noted in this passage are followed in these verses.

Note the antidote. The good news is revealed “from faith to faith,” Faith comes from out of the heart and life of one believer who shares that faith and into the heart of one who by faith receives it. The word “revealed” means “to take off the veil.” That is what sharing the goods news is. It is an unveiling. Share it.

A Pattern for Destruction: Part One

ROMANS 1: 14 – 17

About 500 B.C. “The Greek Miracle” emerged. In the lovely city of Athens, the Greek culture was born. Their striking architecture was revolutionary. They raised knowledge of math to a new height. They became the first civilization to write history as such. They developed a new system of thought called logic.

Our American culture is indebted to Greek thought. They impacted the entire world.

The Greeks were the first to make their gods in their own image. Greek gods were like human beings. They said beauty is truth and truth is beauty. 

Romans 1:23 describes this process: “and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”

Man was made the center of the universe. Humanism was given a major boost. Our society is currently following their trend.

Societies that do this should expect the result. Romans 1:24 reveals the result: “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves…”

The term “God gave them up” means God took off all restraints.

God gave them up to depravity. Verse 18 notes the “wrath of God is revealed” against such persons. Romans 1: 21-23 chronicles the behavior resulting in being given up.

IMPUDENT – “They did not glorify God…”

INGRATES – “Neither were they thankful…”

IMPOSING – “They become futile in their thoughts…”

IRRATIONAL – “professing themselves to be wise…”

IDOLATERS – “They changed the glory of the incorruptible.”

God gave them up to “vile passions” (Vs. 26). That is, passions of dishonor.

Other societies that have become hardened in this attitude have experienced the “wrath of God.” It is said God gave such persons “over to a debased mind.” That means a person is incapable of making a correct moral judgment.

Verse 22 says, “Professing themselves to be wise they become fools.”

As verse 18 says we have “suppressed the truth with unrighteousness.” The truth has now become so unpopular in certain instances that it is thought to be wrong.

A second characteristic emerges in verse 32. It shows people seek agreement on sin. “You approve of my sin and I will applaud yours.” The ploy is not only to cover sin, but to get society to applaud it.

This classic example of a society’s degradation is a pattern from which America needs to learn. There are no exemptions. Only revival can change a culture. The people must change in order to change the culture. Are we listening?

Mom the Model 5/9/99

II Kings 4:22-26

JESUS CHRIST chose to make His earthly entrance through a family circle. The Biblical record of what happened to Joseph after Christ’s childhood is incomplete. Evidently Joseph died before Jesus reached the age when He set out on His earthly public ministry. There is interplay between mother and Son however. They had an exchange at the wedding of Cana of Galilee. Their ultimate regard for each other was revealed on Calvary. Even in His agony He provided for His mother Mary by instructing His disciple John to look after her. Thus is revealed the high regard with which He held the role of mother. We should also.

One day a year mom is showered with gifts, cards, and flowers. It’s her day. In reality she is entitled to be treated as the queen of the home every day.

Mothers are models whether they know it or not. They are observed by their children and mentor their offsprings by example as well as precept.

We can learn much from Bible moms. Can you imagine comments coming from these little Bible sons:

“Abraham, stop wandering around the countryside and get home in time for dinner.”

“Cain, get up off your brother. You are going to kill him if you keep that up.”

“David, I told you not to play with that sling in the house. Now put it down and practice your harp. We pay good money for those lessons.”

“Samson, get your hand out of that lion’s mouth. You don’t know where it has been.”

“Noah, no you can’t keep them. I told you I don’t want you to bring home any more stray animals.”

“James and John, stop that burping contest at the table. If you keep that up people will call you the sons of thunder.”

“Judas, have you been in my purse again?”

There is a beautiful Biblical example of a good mother. Things are not always good BUT God is always good. This mom’s life was interrupted by a tragedy no mom desires.

Let’s recapitulate the Old Testament story as recorded in II Kings 4. An elderly Shunammite woman asked the man of God, Elisha, to pray for her to have a child. By the grace of God she conceived. The blessing of late-blooming motherhood brought her unusual joy. She and her elderly husband had joined God in the creation of a life that had an eternal destiny.

One day the child was working in the field with his father and was overcome with a headache. He was taken to his loving mother. She like all mothers had to serve as a living hospital. Great grief struck later in the day when the child unexpectedly died. Having waited late in life to have the child made the loss even more grievous.

Seeking consolation the sorrowing mother asked her husband if she could visit the man of God, Elisha. The answer of her husband was in effect, “Why, it isn’t time for church?” She knew one’s religious life not to be confined to special days but rather was a lifestyle.

When Elisha saw her chariot coming, he sent his servant, Gehazi, to greet her with three specific questions: “Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?” She answered, “It is well.”

How is it with you?

I. HOW IS IT WITH YOU AS A PERSON?

“Is it well with you?”

Only when things are right with you can they be right in all areas of your life.

Her only child was dead and this is her answer.

Her initial response was appropriate. When the child died, she was overwhelmed with pungent sorrow. I am glad this is noted in the Scripture. Christians have feelings also. When trials come it is only natural we should feel them. Sorrow comes to all. We need to learn from her how to respond. Her’s was not: DESPONDENT SORROW, REBELLIOUS SORROW, MURMURING SORROW, BUT SUBMISSIVE, AND SANCTIFYING SORROW.

She didn’t brood over her bereavement, nor nurse her grief. She didn’t indulge in the luxury of sorrow.

She turned to the Lord by seeking counsel from the man of God.

Our trials like hers are intended to achieve three ends:

1. To reveal the true character of the person.

2. To demonstrate the true nature of God.

3. To show what purpose the trial is designed to serve.

It is in our adversities we have the greatest opportunity to bear our most effective witness.

II. IS IT WELL WITH YOU AS A PARTNER?

“Is it well with your husband?”

The word “partner” implies being a part of the whole. In any partnership it is possible for there to be a breakdown in the fulfilling of the role by one or both partners. What is to be done in a marriage when there is a breakdown in a marriage by your partner? Faithfully fulfill your role regardless of the conduct of your partner. You are not responsible for your partner’s faithfulness — you are responsible for faithfully fulfilling your own role. She was cooperative. She asked her husband.

Assess your role. How are you doing? What changes need to be made? When will you begin making these changes?

Measure yourself by the standard of Proverbs 31: 10, 11 & 25 – 31.

III. HOW IS IT WITH YOU AS A PARENT?

“Is it well with the child?”

The role of parent is one of the most responsible in all of life. The office of mother is of inestimable importance.

One mother belatedly realizing the importance of the role of mother said:
“If I had my child to raise all over again,
I’d finger point less and finger paint more.
I’d do less correcting, and more connecting.
I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch my eyes more.
I’d care to know less, and know to care more.
I’d do more hugging and less tugging.
I’d teach less about love of power,
And more about the power of love.”

The Father of our country, George Washington, said, “The greatest teacher I ever had was my mother.”

Abraham Lincoln noted, “No man is poor when he has a godly mother.”

Andrew Jackson astutely noted, “The memory of my mother and her teachings were the only capital I had to start life with, and on that capital I have made my way.”

Sir Winston Churchill commented, “If we want to change our nation, begin by enlisting the mothers.”

For more than half a century the Statue of Liberty has enlightened New York Harbor as a symbol of freedom. When the sculptor, Bartholdi, looked for a model, he chose his own mother. Many children are looking for a model and mom is the one chosen.

In Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian the same word “Madre” signifies mother, as well as a mold for casting. German and Danish establish the fact the word for mother is matrix, mold.

Mom can be a much more effective mold than environment or heredity. Harry and Ada Mae Day lived remotely in a four room adobe house. They were far from any school. About the only person they saw all week was the mail man. Ada Mae saved and subscribe to newspapers. Using them she home schooled their daughter Sandra. Soon her capacity outgrew her mother’s teaching capacity. They sent her to boarding school. She excelled academically and later graduated from Stanford. She, Sandra Day O’Conner became the first female Supreme Court Jurist. Her mother modeled excellence for her and helped mold her.

Ada Mae knew the principle of the proverb: “Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established” (Proverb 24:3)

In our complex society we have a great diversity of mothers.

There are “potential mothers.” I use this term to refer to every unmarried female. Your regard for the dignity of your own sexuality is to be commended. You honor your God by obeying His word and maintaining your virginity until marriage. In spite of the popular misnomer, it can be done. After giving a lecture on sexual abstinence until marriage in a public school, one lovely teen emotionally, privately said to the speaker, “I didn’t know it was OK not to have sex. I thought if you were normal, you had to. I am so relieved to know you don’t have to.” That is how misinformed our youth are as a result of the entertainment media painting on a canvas intended for the brush of God’s Word.

There are those dear “would be mothers” who have not been involved in giving physical birth to a child. This may be true for any one of a variety of reasons. For whatever the reason, many of these have found fulfillment in modeling the virtues of godly womanhood. They too are to be praised.

There are “birth mothers.” These are young women who have become pregnant out of wedlock. They have come to the realization that they are not socially, emotionally, physically, or financially able to provide properly for their child. In love they elect to let their baby be adopted by loving parents who can better care for the infant. This is an act of great love on behalf of the birth mother.

By electing not to abort her child and to give it birth these young women have let a blessing grow out of a burden.

There are “traditional mothers.” A traditional mom is one who in marriage has joined with her husband in creating a life that has an eternal destiny.

Being a mother is one of life’s greatest blessings and biggest challenges. She is a living encyclopedia who is expected to know Hank Aaron’s batting average, how to tie a square knot, and where last Sunday’s comics are. She is expected to know where the sun goes at night, how jet propulsion works, the chief export of Zimbabwe, and where baby kittens come from.

She is a master mechanic who knows how to get a pants leg out of a bicycle chain and make an electric train back up without blowing a fuse. She can repair anything with Scotch tape and a paper clip.

She is a walking clinic in which splinters and loose teeth can be removed painlessly, an earache can be stopped in the middle of the night. AND she can cure chicken pox in time for the fourth grade picnic.

It is as a detective she fulfills her role best. She can find the missing mate to every pair of socks. When the flashlight, scissors, or comb disappears, she can find them before anyone confesses to the crime.

Mother’s are the wealthiest people in town. She is rich in pride when her teenager offers to mow the neighbor’s yard free when he is sick. She is rich with pride when her Little Leaguer insists on playing even with a sprained finger rather than let the team down. She is rich with pride as she watches her daughter tenderly tuck her doll into bed; she hopes her child will know the happiness of being a mother that she knows.

At birth a mother has placed in her hands a miniature human being who is a candidate for a personality. She, perhaps more than any other person, will imprint that young life with a system of values.

Mom’s even have their own glossary of terms in which they define from their perspective certain terms:

EAT: What children do between meals but rarely at meals.

EAR: Where children store dirt.

ENERGY: What children have too much of when there is nothing to do and none of when there is something to be done.

EXCUSE ME: A mother’s favorite expression allegedly used by children of previous generations.

CHINA: A mystical land allegedly populated by children who like left over vegetables.

CAR POOL: A system of transporting children usually assigned to a mom when the greatest distance is to be traveled with the most children who have had the most sugar.

One sign of national prosperity mentioned in scripture is, “Boys and girls playing in the streets”, Zechariah 8:5. We lack that. Threats of molesters and drug pushers make our streets unsafe. Make your home a place of play.

The process of training up a child in the way it should go must begin at birth. There is a tendency for the old sin nature to assert itself. “As soon as they are born,” says Psalm 58:3, “they “go astray, speaking lies.”

Teach your child “to choose the good and refuse the evil.” (Isaiah 7:l6). Train your child to look on both sides of a statement or issue by asking, “Where did this come from?” and “Where is this leading?” Does it have a Bible base and will it lead to results pleasing God?

Remove obstacles that might hinder your child. The first time one of our grandchildren came for a visit was memorable. I came home to find an antiseptic house. All decorative appointments were packed and anything not nailed down or weighing over l00 pounds was stored. Cabinet doors were secured with clever catches that would challenge a NASA scientist.

Remove improper TV, books, speech and habits.

Comfort your child. God wants you to set an example even He can follow. He said, “As one whom His mother comforteth, I will comfort you.” (Isaiah 66:13).

Every woman still engaged in mothering should rejoice to stop and ask of herself, “How is it with my child?”

For it to be right with the child, she must be able to give the right answer to the question, “How is it with you?”

She and her husband both need to ask, “How is it with my partner?”

How is it with your God? The answer to this question colors the responses to the others. Does your household know by profession and practice it is well between you and the Lord?

Not only do mothers need to answer this last question, husbands and children need to also.

As a child, you need to give your mother the assurance it is well with you and your Heavenly Father by making public your faith in Jesus Christ.

As a husband, you need to give your wife the confidence it is well between you two by making it right with your Heavenly Father.