A Heart for the Nations: The God-Fugitive. Jonah 1-2. The Week of October 1, 2017

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1 A Heart fr the Natins: The Gd-Fugitive Jnah 1-2 The Week f Octber 1, 2017 THIS WEEK S CORE PRACTICE Gd Space: Disciples that have received the gd news f Jesus Christ shuld actively pursue pprtunities t share it with thers. C. S. Lewis ( ) was a Fellw at Magdalen Cllege, Oxfrd and was als the greatest Christian thinker f the 20 th century. The fllwing is an excerpt frm his classic aplgetic wrk, Mere Christianity: It is easy t think that the Church has a lt f different bjects educatin, building, missins, hlding services. Just as it is easy t think the State has a lt f different bjects military, plitical, ecnmic, and what nt. But in a way things are much simpler than that. The State exists simply t prmte and t prtect rdinary happiness f human beings in this life. A husband and wife chatting ver a fire, a cuple f friends having a game f darts in a pub, a man reading a bk in his wn rm r digging in his wn garden that is what the state is there fr. And unless they are helping t increase and prlng and prtect such mments, all the laws, parliaments, armies, curts, plice, ecnmics, etc., are simply a waste f time. In the same way the Church exits fr nthing else but t draw men int Christ, t make them little Christs. If they are nt ding that, all cathedrals, clergy, missins, sermns, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste f time. Gd became man fr n ther purpse. It is even dubtful, yu knw, whether the whle universe was created fr any ther purpse. It says in the Bible that the whle universe was made fr Christ and that everything is t be gathered t Christ. It is ur hpe fr each Grwth Grup at Ludnville Cmmunity Church this year is a place where Gd Space is created, where men and wmen are drawn t Jesus Christ, and where they becme little Christs! This Week s Cmplementary Passage Ephesians 2:12-14 (ESV) 12 Remember that yu were at that time separated frm Christ, alienated frm the cmmnwealth f Israel and strangers t the cvenants f prmise, having n hpe and withut Gd in the wrld. 13 But nw in Christ Jesus yu wh nce were far ff have been brught near by the bld f Christ. 14 Fr he himself is ur peace, wh has made us bth ne and has brken dwn in his flesh the dividing wall f hstility. This Week s Text fr Study Jnah 1-2 (ESV) STEP ONE READING what the passage says (Read it at least three times) Jnah 1-2 (ESV) 1 Nw the wrd f the Lrd came t Jnah the sn f Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, g t Nineveh, that great city, and call ut against it, fr their evil has cme up befre me. 3 But Jnah rse t flee t Tarshish frm the presence f the Lrd. He went dwn t Jppa and fund a ship ging t Tarshish. S he paid the fare and went dwn int it, t g with them t Tarshish, away frm the presence f the Lrd. 4 But the Lrd hurled a great wind upn the sea, and there was a mighty tempest n the sea, s that the ship threatened t break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried ut t his gd. And they hurled the carg that was in the ship int the sea t lighten it fr them. But Jnah had gne dwn int the inner part f the ship and had lain dwn and was fast asleep. 6 S the captain came and said t him, What d yu mean, yu sleeper? Arise, call ut t yur gd! Perhaps the gd will give a thught t us, that we may nt perish. 7 And they said t ne anther, Cme, let us cast lts, that we may knw n whse accunt this evil has cme upn 1

2 us. S they cast lts, and the lt fell n Jnah. 8 Then they said t him, Tell us n whse accunt this evil has cme upn us. What is yur ccupatin? And where d yu cme frm? What is yur cuntry? And f what peple are yu? 9 And he said t them, I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lrd, the Gd f heaven, wh made the sea and the dry land. 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said t him, What is this that yu have dne! Fr the men knew that he was fleeing frm the presence f the Lrd, because he had tld them. 11 Then they said t him, What shall we d t yu, that the sea may quiet dwn fr us? Fr the sea grew mre and mre tempestuus. 12 He said t them, Pick me up and hurl me int the sea; then the sea will quiet dwn fr yu, fr I knw it is because f me that this great tempest has cme upn yu. 13 Nevertheless, the men rwed hard t get back t dry land, but they culd nt, fr the sea grew mre and mre tempestuus against them. 14 Therefre they called ut t the Lrd, O Lrd, let us nt perish fr this man's life, and lay nt n us inncent bld, fr yu, O Lrd, have dne as it pleased yu. 15 S they picked up Jnah and hurled him int the sea, and the sea ceased frm its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lrd exceedingly, and they ffered a sacrifice t the Lrd and made vws. 17 And the Lrd appinted a great fish t swallw up Jnah. And Jnah was in the belly f the fish three days and three nights. 1 Then Jnah prayed t the Lrd his Gd frm the belly f the fish, 2 saying, I called ut t the Lrd, ut f my distress, and he answered me; ut f the belly f Shel I cried, and yu heard my vice. 3 Fr yu cast me int the deep, int the heart f the seas, and the fld surrunded me; all yur waves and yur billws passed ver me. 4 Then I said, I am driven away frm yur sight; yet I shall again lk upn yur hly temple. 5 The waters clsed in ver me t take my life; the deep surrunded me; weeds were wrapped abut my head 6 at the rts f the muntains. I went dwn t the land whse bars clsed upn me frever; yet yu brught up my life frm the pit, O Lrd my Gd. 7 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lrd, and my prayer came t yu, int yur hly temple. 8 Thse wh pay regard t vain idls frsake their hpe f steadfast lve. 9 But I with the vice f thanksgiving will sacrifice t yu; what I have vwed I will pay. Salvatin belngs t the Lrd! 10 And the Lrd spke t the fish, and it vmited Jnah ut upn the dry land. STEP TWO - OBSERVING hw the passage mves Return t the passage and Mark key wrds, phrases and mvements: Circle all f the wrds in these passages that speak f the Triune Gd (Father, Sn, Hly Spirit, etc.). Underline the significant verbs/actin wrds in these passages. In Jnah 1:1, underline the phrase: the wrd f the Lrd. In Jnah 1:2, underline the phrase: Arise, g t Nineveh. In Jnah 1:3, underline the phrase: But Jnah rse t flee t Tarshish. In Jnah 1:3 (2X) and 1:10, underline the phrase: the presence f the Lrd. Highlight Jnah 1:9. 2

3 Highlight Jnah 1: Highlight Jnah 2:2. Highlight Jnah 2:6b-9. STEP THREE - Ask the five W questins and the ne H questin: 1. Wh is speaking? Wh is this abut? Wh are the main characters? And, t whm is it speaking? 2. What is the subject f the passage? What des the passage say abut the subject? 3. When d r will the events ccur? When did smething happen t a particular persn, peple, r natin? 4. Where did r will this happen? 5. Why is smething said r mentined? Why wuld r will this happen? Why at this time? Why this persn? 6. Hw will it happen? Hw is it t be dne? Hw is it illustrated? STEP FOUR UNDERSTANDING what the passage means This cmmentary is intended t enhance yur wn study f the text. Jnah 1-2 (ESV) 1:1-2:10 - The bk f the prphet Jnah falls int tw main divisins, each intrduced by the sentence, Nw the wrd f the Lrd came t Jnah. The first divisin cmprises tw sectins: the call, flight, and judgment f Jnah (Ch. 1), and the thanksgiving psalm (Ch. 2). Jnah 1 - This passage depicts Jnah s disbedient respnse t the cmmissin as a prphet t g t Nineveh, but des nt tell us Jnah s reasn fr fleeing frm Gd (which is nt revealed until 4:2). Here we witness Jnah s interactin with the Gentile sailrs, which invlves a theme prminent in the bk s secnd divisin-the Lrd s mercy t Gentiles. Despite Jnah s disbedience and hypcrisy, the sailrs d nt despise Jnah s Gd, but see the clear hand f the Gd f Israel and respnd in wrship. In cntrast with Jnah, the Gentile sailrs are careful t avid persnal sin befre Gd (v. 14). The prphet f Gd is judged, but the Gentiles are spared, an event that freshadws the respnse and sparing f the Ninevites in the bk s secnd divisin. 1:1 - Nw the wrd f the Lrd came t Jnah. With sme variatins, wrding like this is used sme 112 times in the Old Testament t describe the giving f a divine message t a prphet. Jnah the sn f Amittai. The recipient f the Lrd s revelatin is Jnah ( dve ), the sn f Amittai ( lyal r faithful ). This designatin identifies the prphet as the histrical character f 2 Kin. 14:25, wh prclaimed that Jerbam II ( B.C.) wuld recver territry frm the Syrians t the nrth. Cntrast Jnah s message t Jerbam s kingdm with the wrds f Ams and Hsea, wh prphesied during the perid f Israel s spiritual decline in the latter part f the same century. 1:2 - G t Nineveh. The Lrd s svereignty ver all the natins is implicit in the cmmand t Jnah. He is the Judge f all the earth (Gen. 18:25). The last capital f the Assyrian Empire, Nineveh was lcated n the east side f the Tigris River directly ppsite the mdern city f Msul in nrthern Iraq. The site has been extensively excavated and basts a lng and rich histry. 3

4 Call ut against it. Jnah understd that his prnuncement f the Lrd s judgment n the feared and hated Assyrian Empire was reversible. He knew that his message ffered the pprtunity fr repentance. Their evil has cme up befre me. In the later prphecy f Nahum (seventh century B.C.), the Assyrian capital f Nineveh is the fcus f divine wrath and is depicted as the embdiment f evil and cruelty (Nah. 3:1-7). The Assyrian war machine was guilty f hrrendus atrcities; in 612 B.C. that empire wuld itself fall victim t a cruel destryer. 1:3 - Tarshish. Precise identificatin f this Tarshish is difficult, thugh it is ften identified with the mining prt f Tartessus in suthern Spain. Smetimes, hwever, the term designates distant Mediterranean castlands in general. Frm the presence f the Lrd. Because Gd is present even in the uttermst parts f the sea (Ps. 139:9), escape was impssible. 1:4 - The Lrd hurled a great wind upn the sea. Jnah s Gd is the Creatr and Lrd f the sea (Gen. 1:10, 21; Ex. 14:21; Mark 4:41). 1:7 - Let us cast lts. The casting f lts was a cmmn frm f divinatin in the ancient wrld, a device used t discver the will f the gds. This methd f discerning the will f the true Gd was nt frbidden in ancient Israel, fr the Lrd ruled even ver lts (Num. 26:55; Jsh. 18:6-10; Neh. 10:34; Prv. 16:33; Acts 1:24-26). 1:9 - I am a Hebrew. Jnah identifies himself in ethnic terms. The term Hebrew was used by Israelites t identify themselves t freigners (Gen. 40:15; Ex. 1:19; 3:18; 10:3). I fear the Lrd. Jnah als identifies himself in religius terms. The Lrd his Gd is nt just a persnal, family, r natinal deity. He is the supreme and svereign Gd, the Creatr f land and sea. The Gd f heaven. An ld title (Gen. 24:3, 7) als cmmnly used in the Persian perid after the Exile (2 Chr. 36:23; Ezra 1:2; Neh. 1:4, 5; 2:4). 1:17 - The Lrd appinted. The same Hebrew wrd als ccurs in 4:6-8; each instance indicates a startling example f Gd s svereignty ver the natural wrld. A great fish. The species f whale r fish that swallwed Jnah cannt be identified with certainty. Suggestins have included the sperm whale r a large shark. The fish was Gd s instrument t rescue Jnah frm the depths f the sea ( the belly f Shel, 2:2). Three days and three nights. Jesus referred t the Bk f Jnah in rder t cmmunicate truths regarding His wn message and missin (Matt. 12:38-41; 16:4; Luke 11:29-32). He speaks f the sign f the prphet Jnah nt nly with reference t the three days and three nights that Jnah was in the fish (Matt. 12:39, 40), but als with regard t the efficacy f Jnah s preaching. Withut benefit f a miraculus sign, the Ninevites recgnized Jnah s message as ne with divine authrity, and they respnded in repentance. Jnah 2 - Jnah s respnse t Gd s judgment is framed in the frm f a thanksgiving psalm (v. 9). The cry f the prphet fcuses n the desperate character f his situatin by using terms typical in petic descriptins f death r nearness t death. In his plight he lks t the Lrd s hly temple, the physical tken f the Lrd s saving presence with His peple. The psalm is a mving testimny t the heart f Israel s faith and t the heart f the prphet, but he still had much t learn. His visin f Gd s mercy was still narrw. 2:1 - Jnah prayed. Cnsistent with Old Testament narrative style, the Jnah stry is interrupted with a pem (vv. 2 9), a psalm f thanksgiving and celebratin fr the Lrd s deliverance and mercy. The literary structure is typical f a thanksgiving psalm: (a) petitin fr deliverance (2:2); (b) review f crisis (2:3-6); (c) review f deliverance (2:6, 7); and (d) praise fr deliverance (2:8, 9). 2:2 - I called ut... and he answered me. Using the petic device f parallelism, Jnah s psalm is intrduced in tw cuplets that tell f the prphet s prayer and the Lrd s answer. Jnah acknwledges that he was rescued ut f the belly f Shel (a watery grave in the depths f the sea). 2:3-6 - These verses cntain a vivid recllectin f the near-death crisis, its causes, and results. Jnah s plight was the Lrd s judgment n his disbedience. The brush with a watery grave is presented with graphic imagery: entanglement in seaweed, the silence f deep water, and waves swelling high abve the victim. 2:4 - I am driven away frm yur sight. Fr the prphet, the ultimate hrrr f death was separatin frm the presence f the Lrd (Ps. 88:4, 5, 10-12). 4

5 Yet I shall again lk upn yur hly temple. The Jerusalem temple was the earthly lcatin f the divine presence. Jnah lnged fr the cmmunin with Gd that the temple affrded. The prphet nw laments lsing the same divine presence that he earlier had sught t escape (1:3, 10). 2:6 - I went dwn. Jnah was at death s dr. His slw, silent descent thrugh the depths, like a jurney t the underwrld, had brught him t the gates f death (Ps. 9:13). Yu brught up my life frm the pit. Here pit is used t describe the realm f death (Jb 33:22, 24; Ps. 49:9; Is. 51:14). Despite the hpelessness f the circumstances, the repentant prphet is rescued frm the realm f the dead and restred t cmmunin with Gd. 2:7 - I remembered the Lrd. The cntext indicates that this prayer was answered; the imprtance and effectiveness f prayer are again emphasized, as in v. 2 (cf. Heb. 4:16). 2:8 - Thse wh pay regard t vain idls. Recalling the ineffectiveness f the sailrs prayers and f their gds (1:5), Jnah cndemns thse wh put their faith in idls. 2:9 - Salvatin belngs t the Lrd. Like Jshua befre him (Jsh. 24:14, 15), Jnah declares his lyalty t the Lrd and extls Him as the nly surce f salvatin and deliverance. In imparting salvatin t Jnah, the Lrd mved the prphet frm disbedience t repentance; in imparting salvatin t the Ninevites, He will mve them frm idlatry t faith (3:5 10); in imparting salvatin t the Gentiles nw He svereignly mves them t faith and repentance (Acts 11:17, 18). 2:10 - The Lrd spke... it vmited Jnah. Again creatin respnds bediently t the svereign cmmands f the Creatr (1:4, 15, 17). The fish, which might have been Gd s weapn f death, by grace became Gd s tl f deliverance. Resurce fr Cmmentary: The Refrmatin Study Bible fund at STEP FIVE SUMMARIZING the message A Heart fr the Natins The Gd-Fugitive Jnah 1-2 The prphet Jnah represented the Lrd in the nrthern kingdm f Israel during the reign f Jerbam II, B.C. The early years f Jnah s ministry were met with cnsiderable success. In fact, Jerbam II expanded the brders f Israel, just as Jnah had prphesied (cf. 2 Kings 14). Gd expanded Jnah s audience when He gave him an internatinal assignment t g and preach against Nineveh, the great capital city f the Assyrian Empire. Nineveh was lcated abut six hundred miles nrtheast f Israel, near the present-day city f Msul, Iraq. Nineveh was a large urban center, requiring a three-day jurney just t circumnavigate it. Other prphets were called t preach a wrd f judgment against the enemy natins f Israel while remaining in Israel, but Jnah s call was unique. He was sent t a natin with a ntrius reputatin that neither brdered Israel nr psed an immediate, existential threat. Jnah respnded t the call f Gd, nt by simply running in the ppsite directin, he truly thught he culd flee frm the presence f the Lrd (1:3, 10). He went dwn t the prt city f Jppa, paid his fare, and barded a ship fr Tarshish, as far away as he thught he culd get frm the Lrd s presence. Once n bard, he made peace with his disbedience and fell asleep. Gd, hwever, was nt pleased. He hurled a raging strm that threatened t break the ship apart. While each mariner was calling ut t his wn gd fr deliverance, the captain f the ship frantically cnfrnted Jnah, What d yu mean, yu sleeper? His ability t sleep in the middle f a mighty tempest revealed Jnah s distrted perspective. He mistakenly thught that he was in cntrl f his life. When the seamen cast lts t determine which passenger was culpable, Jnah had t embarrassingly cnfess that he was the sle liability (1:9). He was a fugitive frm Gd. As a result, he lst all credibility as a witness fr the Lrd, let alne as a prphet. As the mariners struggled t reach land, even after Jnah admitted his guilt, they revealed a level f cmpassin that Jnah did nt pssess. In his unstable state, he assumed that the nly remaining ptin was fr the crew t tss him int the sea. Jnah became a self-appinted castaway. Instantly, the sea became calm and just as quickly, the men n bard turned tward the Lrd. 5

6 Gd then directed a giant fish t swallw Jnah. He was miraculusly kept alive inside sme kind f sea creature fr several days. Inside the belly f the fish, perhaps a great- tthed-whale, Jnah repented. He realized that inside the fish, Gd was nt nly judging him, but als mercifully preserving him. Cnscius that he shuld have been a dead man, he repented f his deliberate disbedience, self-righteusness, and gspel-negating natinalism. He admitted that his natinal pride had becme a frm f idlatry by which he justified his defiance f the Almighty (2:8). He praised Gd fr His steadfast lve and thanked the Lrd fr rescuing him. The Lrd then prmptly vmited him ut n dry grund. STEP SIX EXPLORING the passage thrugh discussin 1. Since this is the first gathering f yur Grwth Grup this fall, take sme time t get t knw ne anther. Just in case yu need sme, here are a few prmpts. Or, better yet, cme up with a cuple f yur wn! What is the mst memrable activity yu did with yur family as a child? Take a few minutes and find the fllwing items in yur wallet r purse: Smething that and share abut it. Yu ve had a lng time. Yu re prud f. Reveals a lt abut yu. Reminds yu f a fun time. Cncerns r wrries yu. When, if ever, did Gd becme mre than a wrd t yu, and hw did it happen? 2. D yu remember the first time yu heard the stry f Jnah? What d yu remember abut hearing this stry as a child? 3. Frederick Buechner suggests that we tend t tell the stries f the Bible t children while refusing t hear them as adults. What abut Jnah s stry is difficult fr peple t hear? What abut it is difficult fr yu? 4. The first purpse the bk f Jnah accmplished was t make clear Gd s lve the natins. Take a mment and remve the lve f Gd frm the abstract and set it int tday s wrld. What des it mean fr Gd t lve the natins? What des that say abut Gd s lve twards yur nn-christian neighbrs, c-wrkers, and ur pst-christian cmmunity? What des Gd s lve fr the Ninevites say abut Gd s lve tward the enemies f the United States? 5. The secnd purpse f the bk f Jnah is t challenge us. When did yu ever respnd t the Great Cmmissin (cf. Matthew 28:19-20) by fleeing t Tarshish? 6. What are the Tarshish s in yur wn life; the places yu flee t avid beying Gd s cmmand? 7. What is it in yur life right nw that Gd has called yu t d and trust Him with it that yu re running away frm? 6

7 STEP SEVEN APPLYING the passage t my life Our desire is nt t be merely hearers f the Wrd but ders. James 1:22 When yu apply Gd s Wrd, yu are thinking abut what Gd might be saying t yu thrugh the Scriptures. Applicatin invlves actin. Applicatin makes yur reading becme a reality in yur wn life. Make yur applicatins specific (State wh, what, & when). Yu are encuraged t use the S.P.E.C.K. methd t apply Gd s Wrd t yur life. Remember that each passage f Scripture may nt lend itself t answering all five f these questins. S Sins t cnfess and avid (Are there sinful actins, attitudes, r thughts that yu need t cnfess t Gd based upn yur study f these Scriptures?) P Prmises t claim (List Gd s prmises fr yu frm these Scriptures.) E Examples t fllw (What examples, fr right thinking r right actins, can yu take fr yu wn life frm these Scriptures?) C Cmmands t bey (List Gd s cmmands fr yu frm these Scriptures and seek t be bedient t them.) K Knwledge f Gd t apply (Gd s character is visible thrughut the Scriptures as an example t us. What attributes and/r attitudes des Gd display that yu can apply t yur wn life?) This Week s Memry Verse: Fr I knew that yu are a gracius Gd and merciful, slw t anger and abunding in steadfast lve, and relenting frm disaster. Jnah 4:2b THE MISSION OF LOUDONVILLE COMMUNITY CHURCH We are cmmitted t reaching and teaching peple t becme devted fllwers f Jesus Christ, cnnecting them t ne anther and sending them t serve their families, cmmunities and wrld. 10 CORE BELIEFS OF A DISCIPLE Authrity f the Bible 2 Timthy 3:16-17 We believe the Bible t be the inspired, the nly infallible, authritative Wrd f Gd. The Gdhead 2 Crinthians 13:14 We believe that there is ne Gd, eternally existent in three persns: Father, Sn and Hly Spirit. The Deity and Sinlessness f Christ Clssians 2:9 We believe in the deity f ur Lrd Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life. 7

8 The Sufficient Atnement f Christ 2 Crinthians 5:19-21 We believe in His vicarius and atning death thrugh His shed bld. The Resurrectin and Return f Christ Acts 1:3, 9-11 We believe in His bdily resurrectin, in His ascensin t the right hand f the Father, and in His persnal return in pwer and glry. Salvatin By Grace Ephesians 2:8-9 We believe that fr the salvatin f lst and sinful man, regeneratin by the Hly Spirit is abslutely essential and that a persn cmes int a right relatinship with Gd by His grace, thrugh faith in Jesus Christ. The Ministry f the Hly Spirit Jhn 14:16 We believe in the present ministry f the Hly Spirit by whse indwelling the Christian is enabled t live a gdly life. Unity in Christ Ephesians 2:14-17 We believe in the spiritual unity f all believers in ur Lrd Jesus Christ. Eternity Revelatin 21:22-27 We believe in the resurrectin f bth the saved and the lst; they that are saved unt the resurrectin f life and they that are lst unt the resurrectin f damnatin. Stewardship 1 Timthy 6:17-19 We believe that everything we have r wn belngs t Gd. 10 CORE PRACTICES OF A DISCIPLE Undiluted Wrship Matthew 22:37-40 Lving the Lrd Gd with all f ur physical, intellectual, emtinal and spiritual vigr and, my neighbr as myself. Cnstant Abiding Jhn 15:1-11 Abiding in Christ in rder t be faithful and bear fruit. Bible Study Hebrews 4:12 Reading the Bible t knw Gd, the truth, and t find directin fr daily life. Desperate Prayer Psalm 66:16-20 Praying t Gd t knw Him, laying requests befre Him and, finding directin fr daily life. Biblical Cmmunity Acts 2:44-47 Fellwshipping with ther Christians t accmplish Gd's purpses in my life, ther peple s lives and, in the wrld. Spiritual Gifts Rmans 12:4-6 Using my spiritual gifts t accmplish Gd s purpses. Ttal Frgiveness Ephesians 4:30 Practicing frgiving thers as Gd has frgiven me in Christ. 8

9 Tangible Cmpassin Matthew 25:31-46 Shwing cmpassin t thse in need and s minister t Jesus Himself. Generus Giving 2 Crinthians 8:7 Giving away my mney t fulfill Gd's purpses. Gd Space Ephesians 6:19-20 Increasing the quantity and quality f ur gspel cnversatins. 10 CORE VIRTUES OF A DISCIPLE Lve - a sincere affectin fr thers 1 Jhn 4:10-12 Lve is acting in smene else's interest n matter wh they may be, n matter hw yu feel, and n matter what it csts. Jy - a delight unaffected by circumstances Jhn 15:11 An inner delight in Gd that is sustained in spite f the changing seasns f life. Peace - an abiding sense f harmny Philippians 4:6-7 Relatinships are free frm frictin. Psitively, it describes harmnius relatins with thers in the church. Patience - a willingness t stick with things Prverbs 3:3-4 Being willing t live with a difficult situatin fr a lng time even if things are slw t change r never change. Kindness - a sense f cmpassin in the heart Jb 6:14 An inner dispsitin that puts thers at ease and ut f which kind actins flw. Gdness - a gdness that flws utwardly 1 Thess. 5:15 Chsing t d the right things in my relatinships with thers. Faithfulness - an unwavering lyalty Psalm 26:3 Being the kind f peple wh keep ur wrd t ne anther. Gentleness - an attitude f humility withut any entitlement Philippians 4:5 Gentleness is pwer and strength under Gd s cntrl. Self-Cntrl - an ability t direct yur energy wisely Titus 2:11-13 The strength t restrain ur desires, emtins, and actins has t cme frm within rather than frm sme utside surce. Humility a lack f self-awareness Philippians 2:3-4 Cnsidering thers abve myself, if I cnsider myself at all. Hpe a certainty f what is t cme Hebrews 6:19-20 Cping with the hardships f life and with death because f hpe in Christ. 9