Character

The way we live our lives is very important. God expects His children to live changed lives. We are called to conduct ourselves differently than the worldly people around us. It is important that we personally live lives that reflect the life of Christ. This starts in our homes in the way we treat our wives, husbands and children. If as ministers of the Gospel we live one way at home and another in public our lives are a falsehood. God wants us to live according to the teaching of scripture.

Eph 4:17-24 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. NKJV

1. God Calls His children to live humbly and resist pride.

Mic 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? NKJV

2 Ch 32:26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah. NKJV

2 Ch 34:27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the Lord. NKJV

Isa 57:15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

"I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. NKJV

Jas 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." NKJV

1 Pe 5:5-7 5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. NKJV

Pr 8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. NKJV

Da 5:20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. NKJV

1 Ti 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. NKJV

1 Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. NKJV

Jer 7:8-11 8 "Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, 10 and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations'? 11 Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it," says the Lord. NKJV

2. God calls his children to live in sexual purity.

Lev 18:22-23 22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. 23 Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion. NKJV

Mt 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. NKJV

Ac 15:20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. NKJV

1 Co 6:9-10 9 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, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. NKJV

1 Co 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. NKJV

Eph 5:3-7 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them. NKJV

Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. NKJV

1 Ti 1:10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, NKJV

1 Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; NKJV

Heb 13:4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. NKJV

Jude 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. NKJV

3. God calls His children to tell the truth at all times.

Col 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, NKJV

1 Pe 3:10-11 10 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. NKJV

Ps 101:7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. NKJV

Prov 12:19-20 19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment. 20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. NKJV

Mal 1:14 "But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And makes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished—NKJV

1 Tim 1:9-11 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. NKJV

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. [he]… does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father. NKJV

Ps 119:29-30 29 Remove from me the way of lying, And grant me Your law graciously. 30 I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me. NKJV

Ps 119:163 I hate and abhor lying, But I love Your law. NKJV

Ps 52:3-4 3 You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah 4 You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue. NKJV

Ps 120:2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue. NKJV

Lev 19:35-36 35'You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume. 36 You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. NKJV

Prov 16:11 Honest weights and scales are the LORD's; All the weights in the bag are His work. NKJV

4. God calls His children to speak positively.

Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. NKJV

Ps 52:2 Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. NKJV

Mt 12:34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. NKJV

Eph 5:3-4 3…let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. NKJV

Col 3:8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. NKJV

Col 4:5-6 5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. NKJV

Jas 3:2-5 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. NKJV

Ps 37:30-31 30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. 31The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide. NKJV

Pr 10:31-32 31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, But the perverse tongue will be cut out. 32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse. NKJV

Pr 12:13 The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will come through trouble. NKJV

Pr 15:2-4 2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. 3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good. 4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit. NKJV

Col 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. NKJV

Ps 119:172 My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness. NKJV

Pr 10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked. NKJV

Ecc 10:12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; NKJV

5. God calls His children to be faithful, reliable, trustworthy and dependable.

Pr 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. NKJV

Mic 7:2 The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net. NKJV

Mt 25:21 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' NKJV

Lk 16:10-12 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? NKJV

1 Co 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. NKJV

1 Ti 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, NKJV

2 Ti 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. NKJV

1 Ti 1:18-19 18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, NKJV

Nu 12:7 …My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. NKJV

Ps 101:6-7 6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me. 7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. NKJV

Mt 24:45-51 45 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. NKJV

1 Co 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. NKJV

Nu 30:2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. NKJV

Ps 15:1-5 1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? 2 He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; 3 He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; 4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved. NKJV

Mt 21:28-32 28 "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' 29 He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him. NKJV

Jos 7:11-12 11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. NKJV

Mal 1:14 "But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished — …” NKJV

Tit 1:10-12 10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. NKJV

6. God call His children to be merciful and forgiving.

Mic 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? NKJV

Ps 37:23, 26 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. 26 He is ever merciful, and lends; NKJV

Ps 112:4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. NKJV

Mt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. NKJV

Lk 6:37-38 37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." NKJV

Eph 4:31-32 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. NKJV

Col 3:12-13 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. NKJV

1 Pe 3:8-9 8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. NKJV

7. God calls His children to cease from striving and become peacemakers.

Ps 34:14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. NKJV

Ps 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. NKJV

Ps 85:10 Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed. NKJV

Pr 15:18 A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention. NKJV

Pr 16:28 A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends. NKJV

Pr 29:22 An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression. NKJV

Ro 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, NKJV

Ro 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. NKJV

1 Co 3:3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? NKJV2

Ti 2:23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

God has called us to not live as slaves to sin but as obedient servants of God. Ro 6:16-23 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV

I want to first encourage you to live these principles in your personal life and to also preach them to Gods people.

Pastor Gary