Person

Truthfulness is communicating by life and word that which is genuine and accurate. There is power in truth, because it is the very essence of God and the means by which He carries out His work in the world.

Self-control is the inward strength to bring all physical appetites under the control of the Holy Spirit. Self-control is essential for any believer who wants to excel in the Christian life and receive honor from the Lord.

Responsibility is knowing and doing what God and others are expecting of me. An important aspect of responsibility is being personally accountable for our thoughts, words, actions, attitudes, and motives.

Genuine love is the most important character quality. Every other quality must be motivated by it, or the quality will be empty and of no benefit.

Generosity is demonstrating the nature of God by wisely reinvesting the resources that He has entrusted to us. Generosity breaks the bondage of greed and overcomes the love of money.

Meekness is yielding our rights to God so He can demonstrate His peace and power through our lives. We learn meekness by coming to Christ with the recognition of our own weaknesses and being united with Him by belief in His finished work on the cross.

You were not designed to live with the weight of unconfessed sin. If you try to hide your sin and refuse to confess it and repent, you will eventually come to ruin and to shame. . . . As soon as you are aware of your sin, repent. The load of sin will disappear and you can prosper again.

Humility is recognizing and acknowledging my total dependence upon the Lord and seeking His will for every decision. God appeals to all of us to take the initiative to humble ourselves. If we fail to do this, He will humble us through circumstances, opposition, infirmities, or weaknesses.

The gifts mentioned in Romans 12:4–8 are seven motivational spiritual gifts. Each Christian receives one at the time of salvation, and it is the tool through which God works in him or her to see needs and to do something to meet them. These gifts equip believers to take a vital role in the Church.

Your name represents you, your life, and who you are. It speaks of the work you do and how you do it. Your name embodies your reputation. Having a good name requires honorable motives and priorities. It also involves living with a clear conscience by taking responsibility for your actions and making restitution when you have offended someone or done something wrong.

Birthmarks, disabilities, perceived blemishes, “defects,” or abnormalities cause us to ask searching questions. Why would a loving, all-powerful Creator God allow imperfections to exist?

When we experience abuse from others, our natural response is to strike back. Pride prompts us to return hurt for hurt and insult for insult. However, God instructs us to love our enemies.

Tithing is one way to worship God—to honor Him as your provider and to remind yourself that all of your resources belong to Him and are provided through His grace.

Whenever the news highlights the devastating impact of a hurricane, flood, or other natural disaster, a common question arises, one that also resurfaces whenever we confront tragedy or painful circumstances in our lives: Why does God let bad things happen?

Sin brings destruction into your life and relationships. A clear conscience prompts you to live honorably in order to avoid the painful consequences of sin and the humiliation of confessing wrongdoing, asking for forgiveness, and making restitution.

Losing a job is rarely seen as a good thing, especially since financial pressures can cause tremendous tensions in a marriage and family. When someone loses a job, he or she may have a tendency to blame people or circumstances or to despise God, but God promises to provide for all our needs through the riches of Christ. (See Philippians 4:19.) By seriously asking the question “Why did God let this happen?” we can begin to discern how God might bring good out of the situation. When someone loses his or her job, God may want to teach them the following: To learn to rely on the Lord for provision rather than on an employer. Scripture affirms that it is God “that giveth thee power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18), not an earthly employer. When God allows us to lose our earthly source of income, He is affirming our need to totally depend upon Him. To experience the fellowship of receiving “daily bread” rather than regular paychecks. The Lord taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11), not “give us this month our regular paycheck.” Nevertheless, we have a natural tendency to desire independence and […]

What is a Christian to do when faced with disappointment, disaster, and despair? Scripture teaches us that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Yet when we encounter difficulties, we often wonder, Why?

A teacher’s basic motivational drive is to discover and validate truth. Teachers are very sensitive to doctrinal integrity, they have great research skills, and they are sincere.

A server’s basic motivational drive is to demonstrate love by meeting practical needs. A server is diligent and willing to sacrifice his time and energy in order to complete a task.

A prophet’s basic motivational drive is to apply the Word of God to a situation so that sin is exposed and relationships are restored. Prophets might be considered the “trumpets” of the Body of Christ who sound the alarm in the face of sin and compromise.