BUILDING A GODLY CHARACTER -PART 1
The world today is not yet a better place to live, not because it lacks beauty around but because of its inhabitants.
O.J Simpson said "the only thing that endures is character, Fame and Wealth-all that is illusion.
This means that character is durable in its composition and can withstand the storms of life.
When other things fail, try character.
Before you admire and rank a man on the basis of his charisma, skill and attractiveness, could you please wait for a minute and try his character.
Character from the Oxford dictionary can be defined as all the qualities and features that make a person different from others.
It could also be a quality that makes someone distinctive, especially somebody's qualities of mind and feeling.
It could also be an inherent complex attribute that determines a person's moral, ethical actions and reaction which distinguish him from another person.
From the above definitions we can establish that character is individualistic and peculiar.
It controls one's moral, action, reactions and conceptualization.
It strongly determines one behavior, we all have our peculiarities which makes us distinctive in nature; no two individuals are the same.
Those peculiarities constitute our individual characters.
Your character can only be godly or ungodly, there are no two ways about it.
It all depends on your choice, don't forget that you are where you are because of who you are.
Therefore, you are the architect of your personality and character.
Esther 1:10-22
On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas—
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to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at.
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But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.
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Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times
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and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.
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“According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”
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Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.
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For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’
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This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.
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“Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.
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Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”
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The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.
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He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.
From this passage we could see that King Ahasuerus invited Queen (Vashti) during a feast to show her beauty but the Queen refused.
The king invited the Queen for a singular purpose to show her beauty before his audience.
The woman was so beautiful that the king was so proud of her and her brags with her before his noble guests.
But he received the shock of his life when the woman vehemently refused.
The outrageous behaviour of the Queen was quite irreconcilable here because it happened in public, imagine that the king sent noble men to usher her in, yet her irrational character brought a disgrace to royalty.
Some people are so deceitful that they can be admirable and glorious in the public but dangerous in the private.
But the Queen exhibited her ungodly character in the public.
This agrees with the words of Robert Freeman "Character is not made in crisis-it is only exhibited".
It could be that her beauty took her to the throne, but only beauty couldn't sustain her.
Even in marriage, there are two major factors that matter:
God's Will and Character.
God may approve a marital relationship but character can damage it.
Vashti was rejected as queen, her royal position was given to another woman with godly character since her character did not allow her to sustain her elevated position.
Character is the key ingredient in any recipe for success, if you lack character, you lack identity, personality and integrity.
Character is indeed a virtue.
Abigail prevented David from committing murder, she saved her household from intended catastrophe and secured herself royalty because of her goodly character.
See 1sam 25:18-end.
In the case of Jezebel, she mislead her husband and brought unforgettable lamentation to her household.
Today a lot of people have brought downfall, sickness, sorrow, bitterness, famine, war and even death to themselves because of their character.
Some people lack identity, personality, integrity and leadership dexterity because they have ungodly character.
The crisis among the youths of recent is very alarming.
The character you portray speaks alot about you both in your presence and absence.
It could either make you or break you, the choice is all yours.
To be continued in the next post.
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Thanks alot.
Well said.
Your character would either make you or mar you.
Thank you for your contribution.
Upvotes and resteemed.
AW.
Luke 6:43 – For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
Friend, thoughts are things and character development begins with thoughts. A wise man said ’the greatest battle does not take place on the land, or on the sea,yo in the air, it takes place in the mind.’ To develop a godly character we must first furnish our minds with God’s Word on the subject. The psalmist says in Psalm 119:9 – ‘How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your Word.’ He also says ‘Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against you’. So the Word of God is the primary ingredient for building a godly character. The Bible contains instructions and guidance on godly living.
Jesus says, ‘search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me’. John 5:39. It is not enough to know that the Word of God contains God’s thoughts.’ We must find and search out what it actually says and how we ought to act it out. Jesus says ‘happy shall ye be when you do these things.’ After finding out what the Word says we need to then do it. It is not enough to know and find what God’s Word says, we have to act on it for it to materialise. God’s Word is not theory, it is practical. It is living and meant to be lived out to enjoy its true benefits.
The Word of God must be acted on consistently and not be used as a formula. Consistency is key to developing godly habits. We have to decide to act on it daily and not occasionally. Remember champions are not born they are made daily. Your routine defines you.
Use God’s words as the basis for forming your thoughts, then God’s Word become your words. If you continue in God’s Word, then you will develop godly actions, if you continue acting in a godly way you will end up with godly habits. When you become consistent with godly habits, you will have godly character. Your godly character then becomes your life’s testimony. Start developing godly character today by catching up with God’s way of thinking. Kick start the mind of Christ in you by renewing your mind with God’s Word on a daily basis.
This is a wonderful message. Before you admire and rank a man on the basis of his charisma, skill and attractiveness, could you please wait for a minute and try his character. Character from the Oxford dictionary can be defined as all the qualities and features that make a person different from others. It could also be an inherent complex attribute that determines a person's moral, ethical actions and reaction which distinguish him from another person. Some people are so deceitful that they can be admirable and glorious in the public but dangerous in the private. Character is the key ingredient in any recipe for success, if you lack character, you lack identity, personality and integrity. Some people lack identity, personality, integrity and leadership dexterity because they have ungodly character. The crisis among the youths of recent is very alarming. The character you portray speaks alot about you both in your presence and absence. It could either make you or break you, the choice is all yours. Thanks for sharing
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God help us all. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing. I have upvoted your post and resteem it to my followers. This is to support you on this community
Well said. I see a lot of beautiful people with horrible character and to me they become instantly ugly.
Beauty can only take you so far.
Exactly, thanks for your contribution ma
Awesome and thought provoking post!!
I look forward to the next one when you continue!!
Read Proverbs 11:22 - this verse speaks of character!!
You could use this verse in your next post.
Bear Hugs!! x0x0x
Thank you @papa-bear for your contribution, i have made the part 2 since.This is the link
https://steemit.com/steemchurch/@cherylsonty/building-a-godly-character-part-2