1. A positive healthy attitude is not natural, it is a choice. Your attitude grows out of:
a. The attitudes of your parents.
b. The attitudes of your teenage close friends.
c. Your heroes or role models.
d. Your adjustment to your immaterial and physical appetite.
WRONG CHOICES ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDES
? You prayed for God’s help but did not get sweeter.
? You asked God to take away your negative spirit.
? You promised to do better every time you blow a relationship.
? You think you can be sweet anytime you turn it on.
2. You are not born with a naturally healthy attitude, it is developed. If you don’t have a positive attitude it is because you have never chosen to develop a healthy attitude.
3. You don’t have the power to control you moods – depression or crotchety or angry – if you never made a choice to have a positive attitude. You cannot manage what you don’t have.
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-- meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8-9).
4. A positive teacher/mentor will give you focus. Miss Logan, 7th grade teacher. “When she had a positive attitude toward me, I developed a positive attitude toward myself.”
a. Believing in yourself is a foundation for success.
b. You must know who you are, and whose you are (discipleship). You must know what you want in life (purpose) and make a choice to get it.
5. Your attitude is contagious.
a. Two kinds of people: polluters and purifiers.
b. Being positive with others makes them positive with you.
6. Your attitude is a choice.
a. No one can make you happy.
b. Who doesn’t want to feel better? Cranky Lucy.
7. How to translate a bad attitude into a better attitude.
a. Believe you can improve.
b. See yourself as you want to be.
c. Think, speak, and act like the person you want to become.
d. Develop a gratitude attitude. To some the car is too dirty or old, so you thank God for a car. “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” (Phil. 4:6).
e. Decide to be happy before the event. It’s not what happens to you, it’s what happens in you.
“Things turn out the best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.” ~John Wooden
8. Today counts.
a. Like anything in life, your attitude will not take care of itself.
b. Your attitude needs daily management and adjustment.
c. Look for the positive in everything.
d. Take negative reversals in stride.
9. RAM: the key to good attitudes.
REJECT:
a. Reject influence from a negative person.
b. Reject negative ideas from any source.
c. Reject complaints and complaining people.
ADD:
a. Add people into your thinking who you want to become like.
b. Add actions (talking, action, and dressing) like you want to become.
c. Add value (blessings) to other people.
MANAGE:
a. Manage everything by looking for the positive.
b. Manage all situations, both good and bad by answers and solutions.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
Video presentations of the PBC are available online at trbc.org/pbc
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