DEVOTIONS THAT CREATE CHARACTER

Jeremy Pace

 

            “The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.” –Thomas B. Macaulay

            “Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.” –Jesus of Nazareth

            Flesh. It is that lower nature of human beings, the vessel, seat, and vehicle of all our sinful desires. And it is infinitely weak. For the most part, if we were honest with ourselves, every human being understands this. No one understands it better than God, who “knows out frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 1-3:14).

            It is vital for me to understand this about myself. Understand that who my flesh is and who I am meant to be are two completely different beings. I know “those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:8), and that “the flesh lust against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Gal. 15:17). When I do realize this it scares me, because at times I feel like my spirit is asleep, like it never sees temptation coming in time to set up a defense. I feel so weak against my own greatest enemy- myself. My spirit is willing, but my own weakness gives it.

            Elbert Hubbard said “Many a man’s reputation would not know his character if they met on the street.” Matching the life I live in secret and the life I allow my friends to see shows the great lack of character I truly have. He works so hard for everyone to see the façade and no one can catch a glimmer of the real Jeremy Byrum Pace, the hater, the liar, the murderer, the rapist, the thief, the blasphemer, the hypocrite, the self-absorbed, self-hating wretch.

            Yet… for the grace of God!

            “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God!” (Rom. 5:1, 2)

            John Eldritch says that “The glory of God is man fully alive.” God’s working with us is truly wondrous, how He can stop the war between humanity and Himself, and give us a new start and summon us to His holy throne. I have to be confident of God’s glory in me. He has given me a new heart, a good heart. Why then is there no character in my own life? For the answer we have to study the next two verses.

            “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations”. Okay, stop right there. The root of this word is “pressure”.  Tribulation is simply pressure. So “knowing that pressure produces perseverance” which is simply patience, endurance, never giving up. “and endurance character, and character, hope” (Rom. 5:3, 4). Interestingly, that word character in NKJV is translated experience in the original KJV. Its root is “test” like a scientific experiment. It implies trustiness, proof through trial. Character means acceptable, approved, and passed the test.  Helen Keller said that “character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” When pressures come, and they will in the form of pride, lust, and anger; when those pressures come, never give up! That is the test. You’re life is the experiment.

            This devour is on devotions in my life. Webster defines devotions as “extravagant respect or admiration for, an act of private worship, or being ardently dedicated and loyal to something.” So we could simply define devotions as “what I have a private extravagant admiration for”. Well, I love beautiful instrumental music pieces. I love sweeping epic storylines. I love my mom, my dad, and my sister. I love spending deep moments with my closest friends, dreaming heroic tales of myself, fiercely romantic stories, being a vessel of God’s love in my dear friend Carrie’s life, the gospel preached through popular culture, times I know that my own heart and God’s have touched each other… those are things I’m devoted to. Your devotions equal your character. But the question remains: What loyalties, pledges, objects of admiration build consistent integrity in me?

            Peter wrote in his second letter to the church to “give all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love”. There are 8 things listed here that we are to give all diligence (to be devoted) to. Faith, which is believing that God/Jesus is who he says he is.

Virtue, which is any particular moral excellence, and especially modesty or purity. Knowledge refers to moral wisdom, and a deep understanding of Christianity.

Self-Control means to master my desires and passion, especially my sensual appetites. Godliness is simply to have a reverence and respect for God.

Brotherly Kindness is cherishing my family in Christ.

And Love, agape, which literally means “a feast of love”.

            David asked in one of his psalms, the one that we marked as number 15, much of the same that I’ve been asking. “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” But them, he turns around and answers himself “He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart” which is to live a prosperous life by faith. “He does not backbite with his tongue” or gossip behind someone’s back. “Nor does evil to his neighbor (hurt them or shame them) Nor does he take up a reproach against a friend (offended by someone close). In whose eyes a vile person (despiser of God’s word) is despised, but he honors those who fear God (lifts up the wise).” He keeps promises even when it hurts (swears to his own hurt and does not change), he’s a steward of his money (doesn’t put out his money at usury), and he doesn’t use people (take a bride against the innocent).”

            Imagine how glad I was to discover that these devotions weren’t a lot of things that I wasn’t doing, but only a lot of things that I wasn’t doing enough. To be loyal to these things, to love them, to admire them in the secret places of my heart, and to follow them, that is what will make a man’s character flawless. Character is simply a test. My flesh is against me. It longs to destroy my holiness and integrity, it fights to displease God. My only hope is by the grace of God to never give up when my flesh puts the pressure on. Never stop believing, striving for purity, digging into the Word, mastering your desires, having faith, respecting God, cherishing my friends, keeping promises, honoring men and women of God, loving God, loving others… just to never give up.

            And I will pass the test of character.