Christian Living

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Character and Values


We can be secure in the knowledge that our value and worth are not dependent upon who we are or what we think or say or do. It is based on who we are in Christ Jesus. Joyce Meyer

Whether you realize it or not, your character is shaped by your values. Society seeks to impose its set of values upon us, however these values are often contrary to God’s Word and our own best interests. The world makes promises that it simply cannot fulfill. It promises happiness, contentment, prosperity, and abundance. But genuine abundance is not a by-product of possessions or status; it is a by-product of your thoughts, your actions, and your relationship with God. The world’s promises are incomplete and deceptive; God’s promises are unfailing.

We live in a world that is filled with countless opportunities to make big-time mistakes. The world seems to cry, “Worship me with your time, your money, your energy, and your thoughts!” But God commands otherwise: He instructs you to worship Him and Him alone; everything else must be secondary.

Do you want to strengthen your character? If so, then you must build your life upon a value system that puts God first. If you’re a thoughtful believer, then those values are shaped by the Word of God.

Many times Christians do not think of evaluating the character of those that they choose to be in relationships with. They often think that to do so would be to be judgmental. Instead of looking to the kinds of character traits that God deems important, we look to external things that do not have much to do with how someone ultimately performs in relationships.

As you think of people to date and become close friends with, or to put yourself under spiritual direction with, think about those issues. Does your relationship with them help you to grow spiritually and get closer to a loving God? Does it help you to become more loving and relational? And does it help you to grow as the person God wants you to be?

We all need to know what it is that we are looking to confront and to avoid. If you are going to give your heart to people and trust them, you have to know what you are looking for. And remember that God wants you to be able to recognize character problems for two reasons. One is to confront each other with the truth so we can see our faults and overcome them; secondly, for our own protection and growth.

In addition to learning about the character of others, we must find out what it is about us that causes us to make such poor, hurtful choices. The truth is that it is not just a lack of knowledge. We usually make such choices out of our own weaknesses. If you find yourself dealing with the same issues time and time again; its time to re-evaluate the decisions you are making and more importantly; investigate what is causing you to make the choices that you do….Character and Value really do go hand in hand. ”Life is Better; when we get there together” God Loves you and so do I……..Pastor Tammy

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