My Christian Values

MY CHRISTIAN VALUES

Speaker: Bro. Thomas Owusu Antwi

Theme: True Christian values are not for church alone. They define who we are everywhere, under every pressure.

INTRODUCTION

Values are what we live by, the convictions that build our integrity. No matter the pressure, we do not compromise. We say: "I will hold onto my values."

Some hold onto their values only within the walls of the church, but outside those walls, character changes. A true believer holds these values regardless of where they are. Place a high value on your Christianity. Let it be who you are, not a costume you wear on Sundays.

Four values anchor this message: Love, Forgiveness, Communication, and Prayer.

1. LOVE

Christianity was birthed out of love.

1 Corinthians 13: If I speak in the language of angels and am without love, I am useless. Every gift, every eloquence, every prayer amounts to nothing without love.

The prayers people pray will amaze you, but the hatred in their heart for their neighbor will surprise you just as much.

Love is a doing word. Love is a verb.

- Show love to your sister, brother, or friend.

- When your brother is down, what do you show them? (S3 onua bi da fcm aa obi kas3 otwea, when a brother falls, someone will say something cutting instead of lifting him up.)

- When your life is falling apart, you may not find even one person to show you love. People judge exactly when they should be showing love.

- Many have left the house of God not because of doctrine, but because they were not shown love. We have made ourselves judges instead of showing love.

- When someone falls, say: "My brother, I love you."

- As for this person, say: "I know she is good. She is good. She is good."

A personal reflection: While leading youth ministry, I was approached about a lady showing unacceptable character. When I looked into it, I realized everyone around her was tearing her down instead of lifting her up.

A warning: Some people cannot love you when you are winning. The moment you are congratulated, it may not be long before the same hands turn against you. Some love is fake. Genuine love shows up in both someone's weak moments and their high moments.

2. FORGIVENESS

Why can't one forgive? Pain. Bitterness. (Hye hye aa 3hye wcc mo no, the burning that keeps burning within.)

Forgiveness does not show weakness, though some will call the one who forgives "weak." Often it's a third person who plants the seed of unforgiveness with their comments: (S3 de3 nipa no de ay3 woyi 3na wode aky3 no. Daabi 3ne no ntwe, meaning: "look at what that person did to you, and you're still holding onto them? No, you shouldn't associate with them.")

How long will we carry this mindset?

Psalm 133:1: How beautiful it is when we live together in unity.

We cannot walk in unity and harmony while unforgiveness lingers, and where there is no unity, the fire of God cannot fall. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were gathered in one place and one accord, that is when the fire came. A divided, bitter heart blocks the very presence we are asking God for.

3. COMMUNICATION

As a believer, you cannot separate yourself from the Word. Your words represent Him.

Even when a leader isn't physically present, a message sent in their name carries their authority and must reflect who they are. In the same way, your words represent Christ even when no one else who knows Him is watching.

May our words be good. Charisma may be pleasant, but when you open your mouth, what's really inside comes out. (Wokasa no ny3, the way you speak isn't right.) You cannot say just anything, anyhow. There are words that shouldn't come out of a mouth that has held an apostolic microphone. (Kasad3 de obi kc aburokyire, careless words can send someone away for good.)

Practical check: when an unfamiliar number calls and you snub them without knowing who it is, is that the character of Christ?

Pastors labor in prayer for the congregation, yet character can still fall short of the prayers being prayed over us. Let your speech match what is being prayed over your life.

4. PRAYER

God will provide. With eyes of faith, we see God. By faith, we believe God lives in us. Jesus is among us, and because we believe, we connect with Him in spirit.

Prayer is how we connect: spirit to spirit. We must tune into prayer and manage it as a priority.

A Muslim is not ashamed to pray publicly, wherever they are, yet believers are often ashamed to pray in tongues or be seen praying. A powerful Christian is a prayerful Christian.

May God help us hold onto the value of prayer.

CLOSING

Hold onto these values: Love, Forgiveness, Communication, and Prayer, regardless of pressure, regardless of who is watching. And God will turn us into something greater.