#5 THE SKELETON AT THE FEAST... WILL YOU GO AWAY? TAKING OWNERSHIP OF OUR ATTITUDES
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
WE ARE NOT HUMAN BEINGS HAVING A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS HAVING A HUMAN EXPERIENCE. PEOPLE SHOULD COME TO THE TRUTH THAT OUR NATION AND OUR CHILDREN
ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS AND WILL SPEND ETERNITY WITH OR
WITHOUT GOD. MAY WE RAISE OUR CHILDREN WITH THE PROPER
PRIORITIES. LIVE WITH ETERNITIES VALUES IN VIEW FOR THERE IS
TOO MUCH TO GAIN TO LOSE.
YOUR ATTITUDES ARE THE FOUNDATION STONES OF REAL DAILY LIVING...
Matthew 7:26 (KJV) And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 7:26 (MSG) "But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. 27 When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."
WISDOM MAY BE FOUND AT THE CORNER OF ADVERSITY AVENUE and DETERMINATION DRIVE...
Life maybe 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you handle what happens to you.
IF YOU CAN NOT ALTER THE PROBLEMS YOU FACE, YOU MUST ALTER THE WAY YOU HANDLE YOUR PROBLEMS...
I have three items before me... WE ARE DISCUSSING HEAT/PRESSURE.
1. I have a hard-boiled egg. 2. I have a stick of butter. 3. I have a large tea bag.
Then we discuss what heat does to these three items. 1. Hardens, 2 melts, 3. Brings out the taste....
FEW PEOPLE LEARN THE REAL LESSON OF ADVERSITY: I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD THAT WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING. I HAVE FOUND THE REALITY THAT WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH QUIT...
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
WHEN THINGS GROW ROUGH... IT IS IN THIS RUBBING THAT GOD BRINGS OUT THE SHINE.
THERE IS ONE WAY TO EVALUATE YOUR LEVEL OF FAITH...
THAT IS REAL: WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN ADVERSITY COMES? ANY CANDLE CAN BURN IF THERE IS NO WIND OR RAIN. AFFLICTION, TRIALS AND PROBLEMS BECOME GOD GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO LET THE LIGHT SHINE...
Proverbs 24:10 (KJV) If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
Proverbs 24:10 (NIV) If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!
Proverbs 24:10 (MSG) If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place.
PROBLEMS, HARDSHIPS, TRIALS, TEMPTATION WILL ABSOLUTELY REVEAL YOUR REAL ATTITUDES... ALTITUDES?
HOW MUCH DISCOURAGEMENT AND PROBLEMS DOES LIFE REQUIRE TO DISCOURAGE YOU AND GET YOU DOWN...
WHAT BRINGS YOU TO THE PLACE OF THROWING IN THE TOWEL?
Do not tell me how you handle your emotions and words when everything is going good? Tell me what you do doing ADVERSITY? We learn so much from our blessings and when everything goes good! But if we really desire to see the real person: DON'T TELL ME WHAT MAKES YOU TICK? Show me what TICKS YOU OFF and what you say and do when things are not going well?
AS DR. PHIL SAYS: YOUR PAST BEHAVIOR CAN BE A PREDICTOR OF YOUR FUTURE BEHAVIOR?
CRUCIBLE: A SEVERE TEST...
A SITUATION THAT FORCES PEOPLE TO CHANGE AND MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS...
PERHAPS ONE OF THE GREATEST TEACHING TOOLS IS THE CRUCIBLE...
A CRUCIBLE IS A POT IN WHICH THINGS ARE HEATED TO VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES...
A VERY DIFFICULT TEST OR CHALLENGE...
We may learn many things from the way we handle ADVERSITY.
WHAT WOULD MAKE A PERSON CARRYING A TEASPOON OF PROBLEMS THINK THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CARRY A BUSHEL?
EACH PROBLEM IS THE ATTITUDE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AND TRAIN THE SPIRIT PERSON...
IT MAY BE LIKE CLIMBING A LADDER... TO REACH THE NEXT RUN YOU HAVE TO REACH HIGHER AND LET GO OF THE RUN BELOW YOU...
LET US COME TO GOD IN HONESTY OF HEART WE MUST SEARCH OUR HEARTS AND HOW OUR ACCOUNTIBILTY TO AN ETERNAL VALUE SYSTEM...
What is really important to you?
One line I often repeat is: KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING!
I can never define for you what is important for you. YOU MAKE THAT CHOICE DAILY!
YOU MUST TAKE OWNERSHIP OF WHERE YOU ARE... IT IS NOT JUST ENOUGH TO RESIST THE ENEMY... YOU MUST FIRST SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD... GOD IS AS CLOSE TO YOU AS YOUR ATTITUDES, WORDS AND BEHAVIOR WILL ALLOW.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Often we desire religious games that just keep us out of danger.This is not a religion --- THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP.
Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
BAD ATTITUDES WILL OFTEN EXPOSE POOR TIME MANAGEMENT teamed with little self-discipline...I WILL WAIT FOR A MORE CONVENIENT TIME... THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE AND NO PLANNING... QUE SERA, SERA... What will be will be...
Discipline your attitudes... correction, instruction, control that is gained by obeying and submitting to order/rules to be obeyed, rewarded for good, punished for bad
Discipline is not a little daub will do you...
Acts 24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
Real discipline must become a FOCUSED DAILY LIFESTYLE...
People never plan to fail, they fail to plan and thus their attitudes become a habitual trap of the
PEOPLE GET GOOD AT MAKING EXCUSES... THE TROUBLE WITH EXCUSES IS THAT YOU BELIIEVE THEM...
Within an excuse can be hidden accusations?
ESTABLISH YOUR PRIORITIES... I WILL DO THAT WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT...
YOUR MOOD IS DETERMINED BY YOUR ATTITUDES
Proverbs 22:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
WE MUST LEARN A LAW OF ATTITUDES WE MUST ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE: ALL ECUSES CEASE...
MAKING EXCUSES--- THE OFFERING OF EXCUSES IS A DANGEROUS CONTAGIOUS HABIT THAT WILL PASS ON LIKE THE PLAGUE...
Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
Few learn that their attitudes cause the nightmarish problems that become a death trap.
CHALLENGE ALL EXCUSES IN THE LIGHT OF ETERNITY.
PLAYING THE BLAME GAME... WE LOVE TO POINT FINGERS... IT IS THEIR FAULT...
TAKING OWNERSHIP --- BAD ATTITUDES ARE BIRTHED BY BLAMING OTHERS FOR YOUR MOODS, BEHAVIORS AND WORDS...
Exodus 32:21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? 22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
We get so good at blaming others that we sale ourselves on the program?
Exodus 32: 24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
AARON AVOIDED THE TRUTH OF HIS BEHAVIOR AND HIS BAD ATTITUDES...
Exodus 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
Few learn that their attitudes cause the nightmarish problems that become a death trap. In life it becomes easier to BLAME OTHER PEOPLE than to take ownership off lack of preparation, failure, and poor decisions.
LOOK AT WHAT KILLS GOOD ATTITUDES... I JUST KNOW SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN... GOSSIP, NEGATIVITY, PESSIMISM --- GLOOMY, DEFEATED... GRIM
AS A MAN THINKS, SO IS HE?
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Would you rather SHAKE YOUR HEAD THAN SHAKE HANDS?
You cannot honest pray a good prayer and be pessimistic!
Seems I can't watch the news at 6, I can't eat. if I watch the news at 10 I can't sleep?
Are we inclined to emphasize the worst? There is no hope of things getting any better?
HAVE YOU INHERITED THE TENDANECY TO BE A PESSIMIST?
The more you practice to MURMUR? BACKBITING? Gloom? THE BETTER YOU GET AT IT...
If you think the world is against you ---HONEY, IT IS!
I hate the sun, it will burn up the crops? I hate rain, it might flood? I hate summer it is hot? Winter is cold?
Did you hear about the man that taught his son to walk on water?
His neighbor complained loudly: COULDN'T YOU TEACH HIM TO SWIM?
BLESSED IS HE WHO SAYS IT CAN'T BE DONE, FOR HE WILL NEVER DO IT AND HE WILL COMPLAIN WHEN SOMEONE ELSE DOES IT.
OFTEN POOR ATTITUDES ARE BIRTH IN POOR COMMUNICATION SKILLS... BE HONEST --- WE ARE POOR LISTENERS...
James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
DID NOT GOD DESIGN US WITH TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH? May God is trying to teach us something... LISTEN MORE...
While we pause to allow others to speak, we seldom listen, we are just using the time to RELOAD THE GUN... Hear the body language? Hear the other person's heart. Listen to their opinion.
There are two powers living in each tongue... Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Speak those lovely, praise, truth words... RELEASE LIFE...
NEVER BE BOSSY! LEADERS WITH BAD ATTITUDES WILL REPRODUCE PEOPLE WITH BAD ATTITUDES?
CONCLUSION: Do you ever look in a mirror? I am not talking about a mirror to see your hair? WHAT KIND OF ATTITUDES ARE YOU KNOWN TO REFLECT? What kind of aura comes from your heart?Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
AM I TRAPPED IN CONCRETE BECAUSE I AM SO NEGATIVE IN MY ATTITUDES? What do others think about me? Do I reflect Jesus? Do I allow others with bad attitudes dictate my attitudes? Am I always reacting to life? Or will I quit reacting and start ACTING BY FAITH? After honest reflection do I see some bad attitudes that I need to correct? Will I develop a plan and strategy to change? Can I change? Do I want to change? When will I change? We are all facing some huge problems that with the right attitudes will become great opportunities.
WILL YOU BE HONEST, WE MUST MAKE SOME ON THE COURSE ADJUSTMENTS... Be honest? Ask another for a word about how you need to change some attitudes? YOU CAN MAKE A BETTER TOMORROW.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
