Messages with tag - Character

Can believers truly find joy in the midst of adversity? Does the Bible spell out the mechanics of joy? As we continue to study this verse in Colossians, we learn that true joy is a process, a culmination of growth which is only fully realized when we reach spiritual maturity. Until then, our life is really sub-normal. Spiritual joy differs from the joy we think of coming from circumstances or our own personalities.

In this lesson, we learn the difference between Christ's sufferings on the cross and His afflictions. We learn that His afflictions, while not redemptive, did set a pattern of how we are to face adversity in our own lives. As we grow and apply learned doctrine and walk and abide in Him, spiritual joy results from the Holy Spirit producing character qualities above and beyond personality or circumstances, which is why believers can have joy in the midst of the adversities of life.

Hope is a process, developed, not given in total at salvation. Hope is a present reality based on a future promise, our assured destiny. Hope stands firm in adversity. Adversity is the building block of Christian character. How can there be joy in adversity? Confidence in God’s promises and His long-term plan produces a mentality of joy. Hope grows through revelation, the disclosure and unveiling of fuller knowledge through His Word. Fuller knowledge develops into an intimate relationship with God through an understanding of the all sufficiency of His attributes. Discover the joy in the certainty of His promises and the motivation to stand firm no matter what circumstances deliver.

"Bless you." "Have a blessed day." Are these just airy greetings with little meaning? When we think of blessing and its synonym, happiness, we think of money in the bank, a big salary, vitality, and brilliant relationships. Proverbs tells us that God is offering us wisdom, which is worth more than all of these things and leads to true happiness. Nothing we wish for can hold a candle to wisdom. When we attain wisdom, we are promised enduring joy, long life, and recognition. The book of Proverbs explains the conditions God has attached to gaining His wisdom. Listen to this message to learn nine ways to help develop wisdom in your life and the ability to enjoy the exciting blessings that come with it.

Are you still stuck in diapers in the spiritual nursery? Or are you zooming through spiritual childhood and reaching adulthood in your Christian life? Listen to this lesson to learn that the new believers in Thessalonica were grabbing hold of the Word of God and making great strides in their spiritual lives within an amazingly short time. Measure yourself on your mastery of three valuable virtues that Paul uses to show the stages of spiritual growth. Revisit the spiritual skills that should become second nature in your life when you reach maturity.