Romans 5:3-4 (NIV)
We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
“Character,” in Greek, dokimé, meaning approved through testing, genuine.
Paul makes it clear: no hard times, no good character. Suffering is the cost of character.
Proverbs 31:10 (NIV)
A wife of noble character who can find?
“Noble character.” In Hebrew, chayil, meaning strength, efficiency, wealth, like an army–valiant and powerful. Other Bible translations say excellent (ESV), virtuous (NKJV), capable (GNT), of worth (YLT).
Perhaps the best description of this noble character comes later in the chapter:
Proverbs 31:12
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
Bringing good, every day. Doing no harm, every day. A noble goal, indeed.
“The virtue of a man ought to be measured,
not by his extra-ordinary exertions,
but by his everyday conduct.”
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
The character of a man [or woman] is evident in the little things.
Luke 16:10 (ESV)
One who is faithful in a very little
is also faithful in much.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963
The content of your character. How’s that look?
Romans 3:23 (NIV)
All have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God.
Let us judge by grace, not race.
Coming soon: Blind Eyes Opened: The Truth about Sex Trafficking in America. This Christian movie will be shown one night only, January 23 (unfortunately, not in a theater near me). Even if you can’t see the movie, you can support the cause:
From the Blind Eyes Opened Campaign Guide:
“One of the key objectives of BLIND EYES OPENED is to offer hope that things can change. In addition to educating and raising awareness, the movie explains that the transformational power of Jesus Christ, in the hands of His church, is the solution to ending sex trafficking in America. Through Christ, His Church, and each one of us, there is Hope.”
Let us pray:
Lord God, use this movie to launch awareness not just of the evils of trafficking, but also of the power of transformation–for both victims and perpetrators. Send a powerful wave of change over this exploitation of women, girls and boys. May waters of truth flood the deep world of sex-trafficking, addiction, abortion and pornography. May those caught up in this dark space see the light of hope and run to the shelter of God’s power, in Jesus’ name.
Lord Jesus Christ,
have mercy on me.
The Jesus Prayer–seven short words, prayerfully repeated by Christians for more than two thousand years–proves big faith is built on simple words.
The first half of the Jesus Prayer focuses on God.
The second half focuses on me:
Have mercy on me.
In these few words, I confess that I’m a sinner. I acknowledge that I’m lost. I admit that I need to be saved. I understand that I can’t do this for myself.
1 John 1:9 (NIV)
If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just and The
will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.
Confession–it’s good for the soul.
Let’s focus on the first part of the Jesus Prayer,
Lord Jesus Christ:
Lord
He is Master, I am servant.
Jesus
He is my Savior.
Acts 4:12 (NIV)
Salvation is found in no one else,for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Christ
He is the Messiah.
Matthew 16:16
You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
The whole of God’s plan and Scripture, wrapped in three short words. There are no greater words of worship.
Our Russian pilgrim from yesterday’s post found the key to continuous prayer. He happened on a wise man who taught him The Jesus Prayer. His mentor advised him to first say it 3,000 times a day, then 6,000 times, and eventually 12,000 times a day.
Thousands seems over the top. But anytime you lack words, give these a go:
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me
or the slightly longer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)
Pray without ceasing.
Do you?
There’s a little book, “The Way of the Pilgrim” (available on the internet and in print). It was first printed in Kazan (in Russia) in 1884. It is the story of peasant pilgrim making his way through the Ukraine, Russia and Siberia. Our pilgrim is on a quest to learn how to pray continuously.
We should all be on a quest to learn to pray continuously; a trek to Siberia is not required.
