Gabriel Guys: character

Monday, May 16, 2016

How Much Does Good Character Cost?

Hey, Gabriel Guys!

Good character. It is so rare today, isn't it? In fact, when electing public officials, we separate their character from their accomplishments. But is this logical?

Not at all. One's character can no more be separated from what one does than the root of a tree can be separated from its fruit. In other words, if the root of a tree is bad, the fruit of that tree will also be bad. Conversely, if the root of a tree is good, its fruit will also be good.

Character flows out of your root, which is your spirit, just as surely and predictably as fruit flows out of its root. So, what can you do to make sure your root is good so your fruit will also be good?

Photo Source: Lightstock 62571

Here are a few tips:

1) Make your relationship with Jesus Christ the top priority in your life. Let nothing interfere with it--not your schoolwork, your job, your family, or your friends. Jesus is our example. He put His relationship with the Father above His own family.

Once, when he was teaching, someone told him that His mother and brothers were standing outside and couldn't get in because of the crowd. Jesus replied, "My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God's word and obey it"(Luke 8: 21). According to this statement, would you qualify as a member of God's family?

2) Be faithful and consistent in prayer. As busy as Jesus was, He always made time to pray. Notice I said made time not found time. We always make time for what we really want to do.

Prayer is a major tool in helping you stay close to Jesus and a major weapon in fighting off the enemy. Do not neglect prayer. Start your day with it, end your day with it, and pray throughout the day. Prayer is simply talking to the Father, so keep a running conversation with Him.

3) Run from evil. There will be many times in your life when friends, classmates, or, sadly, even family members who do not know Jesus will entice you to do wrong. Resist their enticements firmly yet lovingly. Remember you are a soldier in Christ's Army, and you want to please your Commander-in-Chief above all else.

Remember also that Satan's goal is to keep you from your destiny. He will use every means possible to reach his goal. He will especially use those areas in which you are the most vulnerable. So be on guard!

Yes, good character costs a lot, but the rewards are so worth it. When you are tempted not to pay the price--and you will be tempted--remember this: How much did it cost for Jesus to save you?

When we think of the price He paid so that we could have eternal life, any price we pay for good character is minuscule in comparison.

YOUR TURN: What do you do to develop Godly character? Please share your insights in the comment box below. Thanks!

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To Become a Gabriel Guy, you need to qualify as follows:

You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life.If you don't know how to do this, click here.
You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
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Friday, March 25, 2016

Are You a Male or a Man?

Hey, Gabriel Guys!

WOW! What an awesome response to the launch of the Gabriel Guys Blog! Within less than a day from launch, we were already in five countries! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I'd like to welcome those of you from Austria, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and, of course, the USA! Please tell your friends about the Gabriel Guys, and please post a comment. We want to hear from you!

Today we're going to talk about a very critical issue in our day, no matter where you live in the world: the difference between a man and a male.

What? you may be thinking. Aren't they the same?

Not by a long shot.

You see, anyone born of the masculine gender can call himself a male. But not everyone born of the masculine gender can call himself a man.

Now, I'm not talking about natural human development. It's obvious that a baby boy, naturally speaking, is not yet a grown man.

I'm talking about spiritual, moral, psychological, and emotional development.

"Being born a male does not make one a man." ~ Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

When we consider these aspects, we will readily see that we have very few real men in the world. Perhaps that is one reason that our world is in such bad shape.

So, what is the difference between a male and a man? Let's take a look:

1-A male seeks to prove his power by his sexual prowess and his brute strength.
   A man seeks to prove his power by his spiritual and moral strength.

2-A male makes money his god.
   A man makes God his God.

3-A male puts his own needs above the needs of everyone else.
   A man puts the needs of his family, his friends, and his wife and children (if he is married)
   above his own.

4-A male will use women for his own satisfaction.
   A man will respect women and never hurt them in any way.

5-A male will flee from commitment, especially the commitment of marriage.
   A man will embrace commitment, especially the commitment of marriage.

Bottom line, nobility of character determines the difference between a male and a man. A male doesn't really care about developing a noble character; a man does.

A Gabriel Guy is a true man. He follows Jesus and models his own life after the life of Christ. A Gabriel Guy uses the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, as his weapon in combatting and overcoming evil.

So, if you want to know what a real man looks like, just look at Jesus.

Now, let's hear from you. What do you think are some other differences between a man and a male?

TWEETABLE:
"Being born a male does not make one a man." ~ Dr. MaryAnn Diorio (CLICK TO TWEET)
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