Year of the Bible Week 45

Character is destiny. -Heraclitus

IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR CHARACTER.  IT ACTUALLY IS SLAVERY.

Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect. Romans 12:2 GNT

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon….The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego. Daniel 1:3-4;7

 

DANIEL MEANS “GOD IS MY JUDGE”

 

BELTESHAZZAR MEANS “LADY, PROTECT THE KING”

 

HANANIAH MEANS “YAHWEH HAS BEEN GRACIOUS”

 

SHADRACH MEANS “I AM FEARFUL OF GOD”

 

MISHAEL MEANS “WHO CAN COMPARE TO MY GOD? NO ONE!”

 

MESHACH MEANS “I AM DESPISED, CONTEMPTIBLE, & HUMILIATED”

 

AZARIAH MEANS “YAHWEH HAS HELPED”

 

ABEDNEGO MEANS “THE SERVANT OF NEBO”

 

GODLY CHARACTER

 

God's divine power has given us everything we need to live a truly religious life through our knowledge of the one who called us to share in his own glory and goodness. In this way he has given us the very great and precious gifts he promised, so that by means of these gifts you may escape from the destructive lust that is in the world, and may come to share the divine nature. For this very reason do your best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge; to your knowledge add self-control; to your self-control add endurance; to your endurance add godliness; to your godliness add Christian affection; and to your Christian affection add love. 2 Peter 1:3-7

TRUE HONESTY CREATES TRUE GROWTH.

HONEST QUESTIONS FOR GROWTH:

• GOODNESS – ARE THE PEOPLE I HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH BETTER BECAUSE OF ME?

 

• KNOWLEDGE – IS MY PASSION TO DO GOOD SHOWING PEOPLE THE POWER OF JESUS OR THE POWER OF ME?

 

• SELF-CONTROL – DO I REACT EMOTIONALLY IN THE MOMENT, OR DO I PRAYERFULLY COMPOSE MYSELF?

 

• ENDURANCE – AM I TRULY CONTENT WITH THE PACE OF GOD?

 

• GODLINESS – DO I NEED A TITLE FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT I AM A CHRISTIAN, OR DOES MY EVERYDAY LIFESTYLE REFLECT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS?

 

• CHRISTIAN AFFECTION – DO I CELEBRATE AND CHAMPION SUCCESS IN OTHERS?

 

• LOVE – DO I FOCUS MORE ON SOMEONE’S POTENTIAL OR THEIR FLAWS?

 

These are the qualities you need, and if you have them in abundance, they will make you active and effective in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if you do not have them, you are so shortsighted that you cannot see and have forgotten that you have been purified from your past sins. 2 Peter 1:8-9 GNT

 

TAKE HOME

HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOU ARE ALIGNING YOURSELF WITH GOD’S CHARACTER?

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalms 119:105

1. READ THE WORD OF GOD.

Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Psalms 119:98

2. MEDITATE ON THE WORD OF GOD.

Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws. Psalms 119:99

3. OBEY THE WORD OF GOD.

I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments. I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word. Psalms 119:100-101