Gifting or Godly Character?

Last night as I was teaching in our bible study class on the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts we hit on a subject that is often overlooked, and that is CHARACTER! Character is the personality, features, and traits that form the individual nature of a person.  Your character is what proceeds or goes before you!  In today's society and church world we are often so enamored with the individual's gift, that we close our eyes to their morals, their lifestyle, their character!

We started to talk about the nine fruits of the spirit, which are:  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.  I began to share with them that it takes the Holy Spirit living on the inside of us to produce and live out the fruits of the spirit!  It is the unloveable people in our lives that show us how to Love! Sometimes it's in the midst of the bottom dropping out of our lives where we choose Joy instead of going into depression!  Kindness is developed when we make a choice to do good to those that despitefully use us!  These are the unseen things that produce Godly character.  When we get to the place that we desire Godly character above giftings, I believe we will see the power and Glory of God demonstrated all over the world!

Character is not something you can grab off the shelf in the store, take 5 quick steps, or microwave up!  Character is made!!!!! It is made by pressure, crushing, and is developed in the dark!  It is in the dark room of our lives, where noone is looking, that private Holiness is developed, and the fruit of the spirit becomes rippened!

We must come to a place where we realize that our ultimate goal is to become fruit bearers, and as bearers of fruit someone should be able to eat from our tree!  When we have a Godly life we will produce ripe fruit that is pleasing to the eye, good to the taste, and produces life!  It is the fruit of the spirit that puts God's character on display, and the gifts of the spirit that puts God's power on display. When we have them both operating in our lives at the same time then we will see the Glory of God on display!

I heard a wise man say, "Don't allow your gift to take you where your character can't keep you!"  I encourage you today to place emphasis on a life that produces character and matches your gifting.  

I pray that you enjoy this throwback from the Clark Sisters "Walk In The Spirit!"

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