A Healthy Attitude In The Church

A HEALTHY ATTITUDE IN THE CHURCH

EPH.4: 1-3

I. INTRODUCTION

TELEVISON, MAGAZINES, AND RADIO, ARE FILLED WITH ADVERTIZEMENTS ABOUT HEALTH THAT ARE DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO OUR MINDS IN AN EFFORT TO GET US TO LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES. WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO EXERCISE SO THAT WE CAN BE HEALTHY. BUT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ADVICE OFFERED BY THE PROFESSIONALS IF WE WANT TO GET OUR BODIES PHYSICALLY FIT. I HAVE A MEMBERSHIP TO THE HEALTH SPA, AND NO MATTER HOW GOOD THE EQUIPMENT AND TRAINERS MIGHT BE, IT’S UP TO ME TO USE THE EQUIPMENT IF I DESIRE TO BE HEALTHY. SO IT IS WITH THE CHURCH. GOD HAS PROVIDED EVERYTHING WE NEED TO BE SPIRITUALLY FIT, HOWEVER, IT IS UP TO US TO USE WHAT GOD HAS PROVIDED. NUTRITIONISTS RECOMMEND THAT WE EAT RIGHT IN ORDER TO REDUCE CHLOLESTEROL, PREVENT DIABETES, AND OTHER ILLNESSES. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GOD WANTS US TO EAT SPIRITUAL FOOD, THAT IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT SIN ILLNESSES. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT A LOT OF US LIKE TO EAT JUNK FOOD, AND THAT’S WHY WE HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH OUR HEALTH. CHURCHES ARE PERMEATED WITH FOLK WHO ARE EATING SPIRITUAL JUNK FOOD. GOSSIP, BACKBITTING, JEALOUSY, ENVY, STRIFE, AND THE LIST GOES ON. BUT, I JUST WANTED TO STOP BY AND TELL US THAT GOD WANTS US TO HAVE A HEALTHY ATTITUDE IN THE CHURCH.

II. TEXT

THE TEXTS CHALLENGE US TO WALK WORTHY OF OUR VOCATION. CHRISTIANITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DO ON SUNDAY, BUT EVERYDAY OF OUR LIVES. IT’S THE WAY THAT WE LIVE. MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF BEING CHRISTIANS AS LONG AS PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THEM. BUT WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT YOU DO WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING. WE MUST LIVE GOD-WORTHY LIVES.

IN ORDER TO WALK WORTHY OF OUR VOCATION, WE MUST DO IT WITH LOWLINESS AND MEEKNESS. LOWLINESS REQUIRES THAT WE BE HUMBLE. WE MUST NOT THINK OF OURSELVES AS BEING ALL OF THAT. ROMANS 12:3 TEACHES, “3FOR I SAY, THROUGH THE GRACE GIVEN UNTO ME, TO EVERY MAN THAT IS AMONG YOU, NOT TO THINK OF HIMSELF MORE HIGHLY THAN HE OUGHT TO THINK; BUT TO THINK SOBERLY.” PROVERBS 29:23 TEACHES, “A MAN’S PRIDE SHALL BRING HIM LOW: BUT HONOUR SHALL UPHOLD THE HUMBLE IN SPIRIT.” JAMES 4: 10 TEACHES, “HUMBLE YOURSELVES IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, AND HE SHALL LIFT YOU UP.” WE MUST BE HUMBLE.

MEEKNESS DOES NOT MEAN WEAKNESS, BUT POSSESSING A GENTLE SPIRIT. MEEKNESS DOES NOT RETALIATE AGAINST WRONGS THAT ARE DONE. MEEKNESS DOES NOT SEEK REVENGE. MEEKNESS SUBMITS TO THE WILL OF GOD. HOWEVER, MEEKNESS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE MUST LET FOLK WALK ALL OVER US, BUT DEAL WITH THEM IN A GODLY MANNER. TITUS 3:2 TEACHES, “TO SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN, TO BE NO BRAWLERS, BUT GENTLE, SHEWING ALL MEEKNESS UNTO ALL MEN.” MEEKNESS IS A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT THAT IS FOUND IN GALATIANS.

IF WE DESIRE A HEALTHY ATTITUDE IN THE CHURCH WE MUST BE LONGSUUFERING AND FOREBEARING OF OTHERS. WE MUST ACCEPT THE IDIOSYNCRASIES AND FAULTS, AND INFIRMITIES OF OTHERS. THAT’S WHAT IT MEANS TO SAY THAT GOD LOOKED BEYOND MY FAULTS AND SAW MY NEEDS. WE MUST BE PATIENT WITH OUR BROTHERS AND OUR SISTERS. 2 TIM. 2:24 TEACHES, “THE SERVANT OF THE LORD MUST NOT STRIVE; BUT BE GENTLE UNTO ALL MEN, APT TO TEACH, PATIENT.” 1 THESS. 5:14 ENCOURAGES US TO BE PATIENT TOWARD ALL MEN.

WE MUST DO THIS IN LOVE FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH. CHRISTIAN LOVE WILL ALLOW US TO PUT UP WITH EACH OTHER INSPITE OF OURSELVES. LOVE ENDURES ALL THINGS.

III. CONCLUSION

PATTY LABELL CAME OUT WITH A HIT SONG SEVERAL YEARS AGO PROCLAIMING THAT SHE HAD A NEW ATTITUDE. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE MUST ADOPT A NEW ATTITUDE IF WE ASPIRE TO PLEASE GOD.

AS I MEDITATED ON THESE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE, I DISCOVERED THAT IF WE WANT TO HAVE A HEALTHY ATTITUDE, WE MUST DO THREE THINGS: FIRST, SEEK TO BE UNITED. JESUS SAYS IN MARK 3:25, “AND IF A HOUSE BE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF, THAT HOUSE CANNOT STAND.” AS LONG AS WE BICKER AND FIGHT, WE WILL NEVER BE UNITED. TOGETHER WE STAND, AND DIVIDED WE FALL. SECOND, WE MUST STRIVE TO HAVE ALL THINGS IN COMMON AS IT PERTAINS TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. ACTS 2:44 TEACHES, “AND ALL THAT BELIEVED WERE TOGETHER, AND HAD ALL THINGS COMMON.” ACTS 2:46-47 TEACHES, “AND THEY, CONTINUING DAILY WITH ONE ACCORD IN THE TEMPLE, AND BREAKING BREAD FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, DID EAT THEIR MEAT WITH GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART, PRAISING GOD, AND HAVING FAVOUR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE. AND THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY SUCH AS SHOULD BE SAVED.” THIRD, WE MUST LOVE EACH OTHER. YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE WHAT I DO, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO LOVE ME. JOHN 13:34-35 SAYS, “A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE UNTO YOU, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YE ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 35BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.”