And the Bible has a very serious character challenge for you today.

There's a list of Christian character traits actually 27 by my count 27 character traits in

Romans 12 verse 9 through the rest of the chapter and I mean it's hard to find another list

like this in the New Testament where there's this many one after another very

serious very challenging callings upon a Christian's life. But this is I think what being like Jesus

really means. It really means these types of things. We won't get over all of it tonight.

We're going to get as far as we can can we'll probably do it in two weeks instead of

one but what I encourage you is this as we're doing this don't do it just

passively like it's educational rather do this like it's training like it's a challenge for you

personally and this is how I've been studying it and it has genuinely affected my life

and it's been a huge blessing to me I've just been rejoicing over the impact it's been having.

But really evaluate yourself, let your guard down. This is not for you to have to feel embarrassed

in front of anybody else or anything like that. It's just about you saying, Jesus, I want to always be on the potter's

wheel, being shaped, being changed, being molded by the potter. And so let your guard down.

This is for Christ. Be open, evaluate yourself, and see how you can grow through this.

Because some people will hear these things and they think of it as a test, as we read through these character qualities, I either pass or fail. I have that, I don't have that, I have that, I don't have that.

And so there's a lot of motive to try to convince yourself that you're okay in all the areas.

But instead of seeing it as a test,

if you see it as a calling,

then you're not asking yes or no,

do I have it or not, you're asking,

how well am I doing here?

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