(contributed by: Wong YS)We are about to start a new small group study material in our cell meetings. It is Bill Hybel's Character: Reclaiming Six Endangered Qualities.
Brothers and sisters, let come together to "discover how firmly God is committed to forming noble qualities within you and the power to do something about it ... in 6 Sessions"
Bill said in his introduction " ..each of the character traits.. are endangered.. close to being ..extinct.."
So, it is critical that we come together and learn to grow these characters before it is too late!
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I will now dive straight into the first character: Courage
Talking about courage, I think it is not surprise that the following images come into our mind: Soldier, Adventurer.
But how about Christian, you and I ? Isn't God ask us to be strong and be of good courage? (Joshua 1:9) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Tim 1:7) ?
Bill said in his introduction " ..each of the character traits.. are endangered.. close to being ..extinct.."
So, it is critical that we come together and learn to grow these characters before it is too late!
-------------------------------------------
I will now dive straight into the first character: Courage
Talking about courage, I think it is not surprise that the following images come into our mind: Soldier, Adventurer.
But how about Christian, you and I ? Isn't God ask us to be strong and be of good courage? (Joshua 1:9) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Tim 1:7) ?
In the "big picture section", the author says “anytime I hear about someone demonstrating courage..something happen inside of me.. I want to be a person of courage!”
I don't know about you but I could fully and wholeheartedly identify with that feeling!
As I am getting older and realizing more and more the brevity of life, my priorities changed and the urge to be more courageous and “take risk for God” grow stronger and stronger.
As we walk through this earthly lives, may God enable us to resolve as Esther resolved “And if I perish, I perish” ( Esther 4:16b) and to proclaim as Job proclaimed “ naked I came.. naked I go..blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21)
Over to you..
I don't know about you but I could fully and wholeheartedly identify with that feeling!
As I am getting older and realizing more and more the brevity of life, my priorities changed and the urge to be more courageous and “take risk for God” grow stronger and stronger.
As we walk through this earthly lives, may God enable us to resolve as Esther resolved “And if I perish, I perish” ( Esther 4:16b) and to proclaim as Job proclaimed “ naked I came.. naked I go..blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21)
Over to you..
2 Timothy 1:
7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day
