Comments on: Building A Character House http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/ reb•e•lu•tion (reb’el lu shen) n. a teenage rebellion against low expectations Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:48:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: benjamin http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-1169331 benjamin Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:44:40 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-1169331 hey alex!hey brett....i'm writting to you because i have some problems with my character...i know how to build my character but it is to hard.....i am very weak...i give up too quickly temptations...i know that is bad...but i cannot refrain...please pray for me....and will give me some advice please on how I could resist temptations....thanks a lot.. Faithfully benjamin hey alex!hey brett….i’m writting to you because i have some problems with my character…i know how to build my character but it is to hard…..i am very weak…i give up too quickly temptations…i know that is bad…but i cannot refrain…please pray for me….and will give me some advice please on how I could resist temptations….thanks a lot..

Faithfully
benjamin

]]> By: David http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-876926 David Thu, 28 Jul 2011 22:35:09 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-876926 "Thoughts for Young Men" has been our Wednesday evening study in youth group for the past two years. It is an incredible book, I would recommend it to anyone. When we read the section that reads “Habits are like stones rolling downhill, the further they roll, the faster and more uncontrollable is their course." for the first time it jumped out at me. My mind immediately went back to our trip to the Warren Dunes the year before. At the dunes we discovered that the principal: things that roll down hills go faster and become more uncontrolled applies to my friend Ryan and I as well. When we were on top of a particularly tall and steep dune Ryan decided that it would be fun to run down it. So, he took off at a dead sprint and he didn't get too far down the hill before his body was moving faster than his legs and he did a face plant, rolled down the hill for a little way got back up in mid-roll started sprinting again, and repeated that process several times. Thankfully he didn't get hurt but he was finding sand everywhere for the next month. When I went down I didn't want to fall, but I didn't want to be outdone either. So I took off running and soon found myself exerting every ounce of strength in my body to slow myself down. The result was a far slower acceleration, but an increase in speed none the less. We each made it down easily enough but on the trip back up we found it much more difficult to keep moving. We each took several breaks, and our legs were burning all the way up. We discovered a few laws that apply to both physics and sin nature that day. 1: If you push something downhill (or encourage sin nature) it will increase in speed, spiral out of control, crash, and burn. 2: If you give no resistance when going down a hill you will increase in speed, spiral out of control, crash, and burn. 3: It takes lots energy and time to make something go uphill, and it is a slow and painful process. Most of us would probably say that actively feeding the sin nature is about the best way there is to ensure an early death, but the second option mentioned is just as dangerous if not more dangerous. It is the attitude of complacency, not striving to become more like God and honor Him. The reason I believe complacency is more dangerous than active rebellion to God is, complacency doesn't care. Someone actively rebelling may be quicker to hit rock bottom and have nothing. When God presents himself they accept him out of a true humility knowing that they have nothing, absolutely nothing, to offer. Complacency says "I'm a pretty good person. I don't need God, I'm fine where I am." and may not realize that it's moving away from God at an alarming rate. Unlike running down a dune sin nature doesn't level off at the end, it can always sink lower. But no matter how low you sink God can still reach in and pull you back out. It is impossible to stop yourself when running downhill, and this time I'm not talking about a literal hill. The hill I'm referring to is the pull that sin nature exerts on each of us. At some point you have to do hard things. The only way to stop is to come to God in humility, recognizing how atrocious and detestable your sin is. Once you stop it isn't enough to stay where you are, that's just another form of moving backwards. You have to keep pushing uphill. God will walk with you to encourage and help you the whole way. With Him it's a hard climb, without him it would be impossible. So, I continue the challenge that encompasses the purpose of this site's ministry: Do Hard Things. As J. C. Ryle put it at a later point in his book "...resolve at once, by God's help, to break off every known sin, however small. Look within, each one of you. Examine your own hearts. Do you see there any habit or custom which you know to be wrong in the sight of God? If you do, delay not a moment in attacking it. Resolve at once to lay it aside." “Thoughts for Young Men” has been our Wednesday evening study in youth group for the past two years. It is an incredible book, I would recommend it to anyone. When we read the section that reads “Habits are like stones rolling downhill, the further they roll, the faster and more uncontrollable is their course.” for the first time it jumped out at me. My mind immediately went back to our trip to the Warren Dunes the year before. At the dunes we discovered that the principal: things that roll down hills go faster and become more uncontrolled applies to my friend Ryan and I as well. When we were on top of a particularly tall and steep dune Ryan decided that it would be fun to run down it. So, he took off at a dead sprint and he didn’t get too far down the hill before his body was moving faster than his legs and he did a face plant, rolled down the hill for a little way got back up in mid-roll started sprinting again, and repeated that process several times. Thankfully he didn’t get hurt but he was finding sand everywhere for the next month.

When I went down I didn’t want to fall, but I didn’t want to be outdone either. So I took off running and soon found myself exerting every ounce of strength in my body to slow myself down. The result was a far slower acceleration, but an increase in speed none the less.

We each made it down easily enough but on the trip back up we found it much more difficult to keep moving. We each took several breaks, and our legs were burning all the way up. We discovered a few laws that apply to both physics and sin nature that day. 1: If you push something downhill (or encourage sin nature) it will increase in speed, spiral out of control, crash, and burn. 2: If you give no resistance when going down a hill you will increase in speed, spiral out of control, crash, and burn. 3: It takes lots energy and time to make something go uphill, and it is a slow and painful process.

Most of us would probably say that actively feeding the sin nature is about the best way there is to ensure an early death, but the second option mentioned is just as dangerous if not more dangerous. It is the attitude of complacency, not striving to become more like God and honor Him. The reason I believe complacency is more dangerous than active rebellion to God is, complacency doesn’t care. Someone actively rebelling may be quicker to hit rock bottom and have nothing. When God presents himself they accept him out of a true humility knowing that they have nothing, absolutely nothing, to offer. Complacency says “I’m a pretty good person. I don’t need God, I’m fine where I am.” and may not realize that it’s moving away from God at an alarming rate. Unlike running down a dune sin nature doesn’t level off at the end, it can always sink lower. But no matter how low you sink God can still reach in and pull you back out.

It is impossible to stop yourself when running downhill, and this time I’m not talking about a literal hill. The hill I’m referring to is the pull that sin nature exerts on each of us. At some point you have to do hard things. The only way to stop is to come to God in humility, recognizing how atrocious and detestable your sin is. Once you stop it isn’t enough to stay where you are, that’s just another form of moving backwards. You have to keep pushing uphill. God will walk with you to encourage and help you the whole way. With Him it’s a hard climb, without him it would be impossible.

So, I continue the challenge that encompasses the purpose of this site’s ministry: Do Hard Things. As J. C. Ryle put it at a later point in his book “…resolve at once, by God’s help, to break off every known sin, however small. Look within, each one of you. Examine your own hearts. Do you see there any habit or custom which you know to be wrong in the sight of God? If you do, delay not a moment in attacking it. Resolve at once to lay it aside.”

]]> By: The Rebelution « http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-678735 The Rebelution « Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:39:35 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-678735 [...] Rebelution is made up of three fundamental parts. We’ve talked about two of them:character and competence. The third one is collaboration. It’s not enough for us to beindividual [...] [...] Rebelution is made up of three fundamental parts. We’ve talked about two of them:character and competence. The third one is collaboration. It’s not enough for us to beindividual [...]

]]> By: Sara AK http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-653023 Sara AK Sun, 02 Jan 2011 08:32:46 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-653023 ): I love your writing skills but I'm not religious, is there any way to translate this same message into something not entirely about God and worship but about your own self character? I'm terribly sorry if I sound rude or anything, and I have absolutely nothing against people who follow religion, I personally just do not have one. I don't want to start any silly comment wars or anything I just want some answers if there are some. But I do respect everyone in the rebelution, you guys are really inspiring. ): I love your writing skills but I’m not religious, is there any way to translate this same message into something not entirely about God and worship but about your own self character?

I’m terribly sorry if I sound rude or anything, and I have absolutely nothing against people who follow religion, I personally just do not have one. I don’t want to start any silly comment wars or anything I just want some answers if there are some. But I do respect everyone in the rebelution, you guys are really inspiring.

]]> By: Tshilande Imraan http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-639904 Tshilande Imraan Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:53:44 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-639904 Thanks Alex and Brett,this is a very important issue to me and our church also,let me tell you a llittle bit, We are a church of about 50 minus people and God is doing amazing things,our pastor is 22 and the two senior are 28 and 32,we re in south africa and to be honest there's are lot of churches but hardly will you find sound biblical exposition of the bible. i have a problem here because majority of us at church are 25 and younger we are often rejected and go on unnoticed and we feel that we have the message we can tell others. Then my pastor took me to 1 timothy 4:12 and then spoke about character,and his concern was this 'lets commit ourselves into character building and integrity so that our age(which is an big issue around here)will not be a hindrance for them to listen to us,he also said because we are young ,young tends to play but if we commit to character then they will see the power behind your lives and hopefully Lord willing open their ears for you. so spot on guys Thanks Alex and Brett,this is a very important issue to me and our church also,let me tell you a llittle bit,
We are a church of about 50 minus people and God is doing amazing things,our pastor is 22 and the two senior are 28 and 32,we re in south africa and to be honest there’s are lot of churches but hardly will you find sound biblical exposition of the bible. i have a problem here because majority of us at church are 25 and younger we are often rejected and go on unnoticed and we feel that we have the message we can tell others.
Then my pastor took me to 1 timothy 4:12 and then spoke about character,and his concern was this ‘lets commit ourselves into character building and integrity so that our age(which is an big issue around here)will not be a hindrance for them to listen to us,he also said because we are young ,young tends to play but if we commit to character then they will see the power behind your lives and hopefully Lord willing open their ears for you.

so spot on guys

]]> By: Danielle http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-549564 Danielle Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:57:56 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-549564 I recently just started college and i'm still at home so i go to the same church. However, the teacher to my college class is not sinking in with me. I listen, but i learn, but i forget about the lesson during the week. Basically i'm not getting anything out of it. Therefore, i went back to the youth group. This last Sunday i felt a tugging in my heart like i didn't belong there. I talked to my sister about it and we both finally realized that in some way God is calling me to step it up in my college class. I've taken the easy road and went back to the youth group where i grow, just not with my peers. What i need to do is relate to other people my age and do something so that my class can grow. I really need help with this since i'm the type of person who sits in the back and absorbs the information instead of participating. I believe God is telling me to get out of my comfort zone and do something. This post seemes to confirm that. Thanks guys. Now i'm really nervous and scared. But thanks. I needed this. Pray for me my friends. This is probably going to be a really really hard thing for me. your fellow sister, Danielle I recently just started college and i’m still at home so i go to the same church. However, the teacher to my college class is not sinking in with me. I listen, but i learn, but i forget about the lesson during the week. Basically i’m not getting anything out of it. Therefore, i went back to the youth group. This last Sunday i felt a tugging in my heart like i didn’t belong there. I talked to my sister about it and we both finally realized that in some way God is calling me to step it up in my college class. I’ve taken the easy road and went back to the youth group where i grow, just not with my peers. What i need to do is relate to other people my age and do something so that my class can grow. I really need help with this since i’m the type of person who sits in the back and absorbs the information instead of participating. I believe God is telling me to get out of my comfort zone and do something. This post seemes to confirm that. Thanks guys. Now i’m really nervous and scared. But thanks. I needed this.
Pray for me my friends.
This is probably going to be a really really hard thing for me.
your fellow sister,
Danielle

]]> By: The Rebelution « Through My Eyes http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-522041 The Rebelution « Through My Eyes Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:55:09 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-522041 [...] Rebelution is made up of three fundamental parts. We’ve talked about two of them:character and competence. The third one is collaboration. It’s not enough for us to beindividual [...] [...] Rebelution is made up of three fundamental parts. We’ve talked about two of them:character and competence. The third one is collaboration. It’s not enough for us to beindividual [...]

]]> By: Molly W http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-502137 Molly W Sun, 23 Aug 2009 02:06:59 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-502137 Thanks for this post! I have to remember that. When I was younger, I went to a junior youth group at another church, and memorizing Bible verses was everything! Now that I've graduated from that, I don't memorize as much anymore. You have encouraged me to get back on track!!! Thanks! Thanks for this post!
I have to remember that.
When I was younger, I went to a junior youth group at another church, and memorizing Bible verses was everything!
Now that I’ve graduated from that, I don’t memorize as much anymore.
You have encouraged me to get back on track!!! Thanks!

]]> By: Morgan http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-470438 Morgan Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:39:19 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-470438 Wow, I never thought about character as much as I did after I read this. I think it's really admirable how you guys are so faithful and help others become faithful to God too. I'm going to keep this with me so I can always remeber to improve my character. Thanks for posting this. Wow, I never thought about character as much as I did after I read this. I think it’s really admirable how you guys are so faithful and help others become faithful to God too. I’m going to keep this with me so I can always remeber to improve my character. Thanks for posting this.

]]> By: Sarah Beth http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-407795 Sarah Beth Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:06:18 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2006/04/building-a-character-house/#comment-407795 I love that book. Great analogy also. I love that book. Great analogy also.

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