CORE VALUES Acts 2:42-47 OSCS (SW/MTS) MARSH U.S. NAVY (RET.) 1st Century Church Core Values… VS.42: Devotion VS.43: Reverence for God VS.44: Unity 1st Century Church Core Values… VS.45: Spirit of giving VS.46: Fellowship VS.47: Loved God and Loved each other What Purpose Do Core Values Serve? They are designed to help us shed noncompliant attitudes and behaviors They are standards to live by (24/7) They convict us What Purpose Do Core Values Serve? They motivate us to change for the better They help you to see purpose and meaning (self & others) They challenge us to be our best Military Service Core Values Christian Core Values Matthew 22:37-39 37 Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: Love your others as yourself. How Do We Love God? Acknowledge Him Have a relationship with Him Listen to Him Trust Him Be obedient (reverence) Honor Him in all you think, say and do Admit when you fail, repent, ask for forgiveness and then carry on smartly How Do We Love Others? Imitate our Savior Jesus Christ He had a loving spirit in all He said and did Deny yourself daily We were created to serve, not to be served Be transformed into the likeness of Christ By the Holy Spirit (submission) Forgive and ask for forgiveness When in doubt, refer back to core value #1 In a Nutshell A Military Member’s and a Christian’s Core Values Hold a person to a higher standard than others Requires one to deny themselves and be willing to lay down their life for others We Are at War… 11 Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks. 12 Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:11 – 12) The Threats Are Real Self Pride, bitterness, selfishness, jealousy, covetousness, greed, hatred, prejudices, unforgiveness, denial, etc… Society A love, desire or need for the things of this world Cultural pressures, laws, alliances, traditions & attitudes Satan The real enemy Christians are not immune to his attacks He has all fronts covered & he lives out his core values to kill, steal and destroy Recruiting an All Volunteer Service There is no greater calling than to be a faithful follower of Christ! There is no better time than now! There will be no POWs or MIAs when the war is over! What Will Your Discharge Papers Say? 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matt. 27:21-23) OR 21 ”His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matt. 25:21)