(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
3 comments:
The book of II timothy is Paul's last word to his son in the faith, Timothy. Paul was near his death ( 4:6), a prisoner deserted by many (1:15).
What should move us here is Paul's boldness, perseverance and confident in God's power and in the worthiness to suffer for the gospel of Christ. He passionately exhorted Timothy to follow his example.
Christian is not supposed to be a coward or to be fearful, but to be bold and to be courageous because that is the mark of the spirit that was given to us. I.e, the spirit of power, love and self control. (v7)
The God who called us and gave us this spirit and gift is also the same powerful God who gave the gospel of our saviour Jesus Christ who abolished death and gave us eternal life.
Knowing all this, we should therefore believed , convinced, be bold and confident , not ashamed of the gospel nor fear to suffer for it.(v12)
Our boldness and courage is build on God's power and ability to preserve our life and the gospel. (v12)
We gave some imaginary money to our cell members and asked them to invest as much as they wished on any of the six endangered characters: courage, discipline, confidence, patience,endurance and contentment. (i.e they were to use the money to purchase what they lacked or wished to have)
A total of RM 70 millions were invested. The top two characters drawing most money are Contentment Rm 22 millions and Courage Rm 15 millions.
One member invested all his fortune on Contentment alone while another spend rm 5 millions on Courage.
Although this was just an ice breaker game we played, but I think God will surely be blessed if our hearts are truly desiring these characters.
Listed below are some of the notable remarks from our last Friday's cell discussion. Those in brackets are my additional remarks.
1) As the title of our study is 'reclaiming' the six endangered qualities. It is critical for us to remind ourselves that these characters are originally ours. ( Yes these qualities are legally ours: God had given v7 or deposited v 14 to us. There are the fruit of the holy spirit. There are either not properly developed or we have lost them along the way. It's only right that we develop them or re possess them!)
2) Sadly we are very much conditioned to be coward by our own culture and upbringing. Many parent will stop their children for speaking up against injustice or helping in an accident scene. Many of us were even intimidated by teachers and not allowed to speak up.
(Not to mention the not so friendly and not so professional encounters we may have with police, government authorities etc. It will be an uphill battle for us to overcome all these fears . But praise God we shall overcome because of the 'new' spirit of power, love and sound mind given to us. V7 )
3) Some members literally quote to themselves 2tim 1:7 when going through fearful or anxious circumstances.
(We need to preach the word of God to our souls, be reminded of the fact that God is sovereign over all circumstances, He will never forsake us and all things will. work for good if we are doing His will.
Truly when all the things of God are rightly considered, we should be as bold as lion. Like Paul, he was not fearful during uncertainties or opposition because he knew His God, believed and convinced of His ability)
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