Joy Through Godly Values

Fear can be defined as believing that what hasn't happened will happen. That hasn't happened yet will happen. Would you agree with that? Fear can be defined as something as as believing in what hasn't happened yet will happen. Well, let me give you a definition of faith. Faith can be defined as believing in what hap what hasn't happened yet will happen. Let me say it again. Faith can be defined as believing in what hasn't happened yet will happen. Anybody notice anything? They're both the same in that definition. [01:04:38] (39 seconds)  #FaithVsFear

Now, you can broaden that definition. Right? But my point is this, essentially, both fear and faith is believing what hasn't happened yet will happen. So the question is, which do you choose? Shouldn't we choose faith? We choose faith, and that means faith that whatever wherever God leads us, that is the best place that I need to be. I can go my own way, but I wanna be exactly where God wants me to be in the center of his will. [01:05:16] (36 seconds)  #FollowGodsWill

And we forget the people that are involved, and we awesome a lot of times we'll even forget our own families in the process, won't we? We put them to the side. We might be doing stuff for our kids and forget their kids in the process. We may be doing stuff for God but forget a relationship with God in the process. We may be doing stuff that are all good things but forget the people that are involved. [00:52:35] (23 seconds)  #CharacterOverImage

Something's gone through a fire, and when the fire finally burns out, it's still standing. It is proven. It's been tested and it's still standing. Guys, when we go through the fire of heartache, troubles, maybe a sickness, maybe it's pain, maybe it's you know, we feel like people are against us or whatever, what will stand when it's all over with? Will we still have character? You know, character is what? Who you are when no one else is looking. Amen. Who we truly are on the inside. [00:57:51] (33 seconds)  #JoyThroughCompassion

But the bottom line is just because they have a voice, just because they have a platform doesn't mean that they have they're a person of good good quality of character. And we're drawn after those things, but they're superficial. Remember what God said? God looks at the heart, not just the appearance, the outside appearance. Right? It's really what's what's on the inside, our character. Are we a person of godly character? So let me ask you a question. Is your private life consistent with your public image? [01:02:05] (32 seconds)  #StepByStepFaith

And men, we need to be doing that most of all. We need to be pouring into young men. We have a problem in our society of men who are not stepping up to the plate and it's even worse, we as Christian men, we definitely need to stepping up to the plate. Being godly leaders in our homes, being godly leaders even in the workplace, even on the sports fields and all that. We need to be godly leaders. The world and our churches, our families, they need that. That's the way God designed us. That's way God desires is for us to step up to the plate and be leaders. [00:47:05] (32 seconds)  #LeadByExample

I'm not saying we're perfect, we can't be perfect, no one's perfect, but are we striving? When we mess up, do we admit and own up to our mistakes, asking for forgiveness? Do we do what is necessary to right the wrong the best we can? Men must we must man up. We must be men of character, men of integrity, and view in the view of not only our children, in the view of our wives, but even within the faith family, but when we're out in the world, we need to be seen as godly men of character. [01:03:44] (36 seconds)  #RestoreYourJoy

As we said before, true ministry will most most of the time be inconvenient and will always cost you something. And so, do we have courage to step up and step out? Do we have courage to do what we think we can't do? Do we have courage to speak up and even when it may mean that we're rejected, we're persecuted, or we're put down, or it may mean our demise. I shared this morning about a guy in Limestone County. He was HR, I believe, in the public school system, and he saw corruption going on. He blew the whistle, and because of his faithfulness and courage to step out and do what was right, I don't know if he's a Christian. [01:07:03] (50 seconds)  #CompassionInAction