"How To Have A Winning Attitude!"
Part I
"[4] Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
[5] Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. [6] Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
[8] Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. [9] The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you." -Philippians 4:4-9
PRAYER...
INTRODUCTION:
ILLUSTRATION:
Two schoolteachers who hadn’t seen each other in several years met at a convention, & they began filling each other in on what had happened in their lives since the last time they had visited together.
One teacher said, "I got married two years ago." "Oh, that’s good," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," the first one said. "My husband is twice as old as I am." "Oh, that’s bad," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said, "because he is a millionaire several times over." "Oh, that’s good," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said, "because he turned out to be mean, & he won’t give me any money at all." "Oh, that’s bad," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said. "He did build us a half a million dollar house." "Oh, that’s good," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said. "It burned down last month." "Oh, that’s bad," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said. "He was in it when it burned down."
Can you say, "CONFUSING!!!"
Folks, isn’t it true that...
-We have the hardest time knowing what we want, don’t we?
-We all have the tendency to be unsettled and dissatisfied with life, and life’s situations in which we find ourselves(often)!
-And we tend to have a poor attitude in situations, when a good attitude would have paid off for us so much more!!!
Thus, the reason that I want to explore this thought with you all this morning...[to have a WINNING ATTITUDE!]
-Why?
-Because I believe that in more times than any of us would like to admit...we DO NOT have the kind of attitude that we are proud of.
-And I want to bring to light the need for us to have HEALTHY...GOOD...and even, WINNING ATTITUDES...all because it BECOMES us, and it MAGNIFIES Christ!!!
Who needs an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT this morning?!
Look at your neighbor and tell them, "You need an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT!!!"
Now, look up into Heaven, and say, "God! I need an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT!!!"
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ILLUSTRATION:
"The World" and "Human Philosophy" has its own way to promote this same need for a good attitude...
We say things like...
"Attitude is Everything"
"Mind over Matter"
"Think Positive"
"See the Goal, Be the Goal"
"Attitude is Contagious, is yours worth catching?"
All of these are quirky little attempts to get us to think about having a better attitude.
And, still and the same, we still struggle and grapple with having a good attitude.
-Proof positive that, once again, human philosophy cannot change you or make you a better person...
-That is the working of the Holy Spirit in you!
*Only God can change you and make you a better
person!!!
Human philosophy get us "burden bearers" laden down, all the more, with concern and responsibility to make ourselves better?
Then! We get in conflicts with each other, in order to VALIDATE our burdens?and to prove that we have the right to have a bad attitude!!!
-Have you been involved in these ?Bad Day Duels????
-You know how they go?
*Oh, you won?t believe the day I had at work?the boss really?
*Well, you should have seen you son?he did ?this and that??
*That is a shame, but then, I had this employee say this to me?
*Guess what?we got a call from the bank today and they?.but I fixed it!
*Let me tell you?I had?
-You have heard that kind of thing before?haven?t you?
-You have even been involved in that once or twice?admit it!
And, that is what ?human philosophy? and ?positive thinking? will get you?
-However?they may be going in the right direction?but they are taking the wrong boat!!!
-People trying to change from the outside?in?
-But God changes us from the inside?out!!!
Say??Lord! I want an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT?!
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NOW! Let?s take a think on God?s ?philosophy??
Let us grow from HIS guidance and teaching for a better way?and a WINNING ATTITUDE!
Look again at Philippians 4:4-9, ?[4] Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! [5] Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. [6] Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [8] Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. [9] The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.?
There are a few simple thoughts that I want to draw out of this famous passage for us today that I hope will bring you towards a better ATTITUDE within your life on a continual basis?
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The first thing that we must note and apply to our hearts as we move towards an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT is?
POINT ONE: The FOREMOST Attitude!
Philippians 4:4, ?Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!?
Within this short and simple text, we need to note a few things?
#1 - We must REJOICE!!!
This word ?rejoice? means to be ?full of cheer, calmly happy, or well off!?
-Is that something that you could say of yourself?
-Are you full of cheer, or well off?
A resounding presence that should come from us is that we a cheerful and joyous?
-And we will remember from a message several weeks ago??being happy? is temporary?but ?joy? only comes from God and is everlasting, not contingent upon what happens to us!
-I want the joy! I want to be able to rejoice!!!
#2 - We must REJOICE in the LORD!!!
We are to rejoice in THE LORD!
-Not in things?
-Not in circumstances?
-Not in people?
-Not in good fortune?
-Not in anything that this world may bring?
*Again, that leads to evidences of HAPPINESS and not True Joy!
*Echoing again the true need for joy, and not happiness?
Real Joy comes from the real joy giver!
-God?the eternal One!
*And wouldn?t His joy be eternal as well?! You bet!
-This world is temporary?and that is why it can only offer temporary happiness!
*Makes sense doesn?t it???
*You can only give what you have!
So then, our FOREMOST ATTITUDE is that we must REJOICE?
We must REJOICE in THE LORD?
And we must do that?
#3 - ALWAYS!!!
Now?here we come to where the rubber meets the road?
It is easy to rejoice in the Lord when you are in Church?with Church folks?and during Church activities?
But the STING comes when Paul wrote down this unforgiving word?ALWAYS?
-All the time?
-Every time?
-In all things?
-Through the good and the bad!!!
Yes! REJOICE in the LORD, ALWAYS!!!
How many are ready to say it??Lord! I do need an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT!?
The FOREMOST Attitude that should be always seen in us, and seeping from our being is that -- we are rejoicing people who always find joy and peace in the Lord, no matter what situation we are facing, and no matter how bad our day is going!
-This is the foremost attitude that should be seen in you?and in me!
-Amen? Amen!
And Paul emphasizes it once again by saying, ??again, I will say, rejoice!?
So when you are told to rejoice, but you cannot understand why, or how, because of all that you are going through?
Paul, blirts out another answer to you??REJOICE! I said, rejoice!?
Whether you have attacks or personality clashes?persecution from the world?or even the threat of imminent death (which Paul was facing at this time)?the Christian is to maintain a spirit of joy in the Lord?
-Knowing that we are not exempt or immune to sorrow?
-But yet, knowing that God is all and is over all?He has a will!
*And to be in the will of God should be counted as our greatest joy ever!
-He allows everything to happen to you, and thwarts other things?
Jeremiah 29:11, ?For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ’plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.?
-If we truly believe this?it will be easier to trust God!
*And this should bring us inner peace and joy in every circumstance!
*God is in Control!!!
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Now?I do not have the time to give this text it?s full justice this morning?
So I will continue with my thoughts the next time we are together?
-Giving attention to the FUNCTION of our attitudes?and then the FOCUS of them?
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But now, I do want to give some thought to the PRACTICAL side of things and put?
PRACTICAL: FEET to our Attitudes!
The Bible makes it clear in Proverbs 23:7, ?For as he thinks within himself, so he is.?
-What a man thinks of in his heart is what determines who he is?not what he says and is able to spout off.
Proverbs 26:24-25 makes it clear to us when it says??He who hates disguises it with his lips, but he lays up deceit in his heart. [25] When he speaks graciously, do not believe him??
You see?your attitude determines who you are?and not your words?
And your attitude will bring about reality in your life.
You see, as we have come to realize that we need a change in our lives this morning?
We see the need for a better attitude in our lives, but how do we get there??
-Well, repeating the World?s Philosophy?s as I mentioned earlier, won?t get you there?
-Just trying to ?mind over matter? it won?t complete the task?
It is an inner man problem?
It is the heart of a man that determines the man?
It is the inner man that must have inner change!!!
-And that is God?s territory to change!!!
-And He can!
Our NEED! -Change!
Our NEED! -To be filled with the Fullness of God!!!
-And it is all accomplished according to the Power of God that worketh in us!
It is said that it is ?out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks?? Luke 6:45
But it can also be said that it is out of the abundance of the heart that the soul prospers?
-Because if your heart is bitter and calloused?
-Filled with anger and pain?
-The soul is poisoned and cannot let anything out but that?
BUT?with an ATTITUDE CHANGE?
A healed and healthy heart can find prosperity and peace.
Look at verse 9 for a moment of Philippians 4??The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.?
The God of all PEACE is also translated?PROSPERITY?
-Not only with a financial connotation, but also in and about all that concerns you!
BOTTOM LINE?
-People with bad attitudes go nowhere?
-People with good attitudes will find prosperity?
*I want PROSPERITY!
*Therefore, I must want a good attitude!!!
Say, ?Lord! I WANT an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT!?
AS WE CLOSE:
You may still be thinking, ?Just who are you to tell me to change my attitude??
Well, let the story of your life be the proof!
Some indicators of the NEED for an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT?
#1 - Look at your responses to problems and challenges?
How do you respond to life?
How do you respond to stubbing your toe?fighting with the boss?conflict and/or troubles that you face???
Psalm 16:6, tells us, ?The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places??
-In other words?your responses is your responsibility!
-What has happened is your responsibility!
ILLUSTRATION:
In flying, there is a gauge on a plane that gauges the airplanes? ?Attitude??
So that the ATTITUDE of the plane can be seen by the pilot..
-What does is reveal?
-It reveals the position of the aircraft in relation to the horizon?
How do we fly in relation to our ?horizon??the things that go on around us???
Do we need to make some adjustments??
TRUTH to remember??Our lives will fly according to the way our attitude in our heart is set.?
-So then, set your attitude on the Lord?and REJOICE! Always!!!
Another indicator in our lives that may reveal a need for an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT is?
#2 - The Story of our Lives?
They say that the best way to predict the future of someone is to see their history?because people tend to repeat their behaviors?
But, what does your life story tell?
How has your track record been?
Does it reveal to you the need for a better attitude in some situations???
The truth of the matter is this??Our life?s story is told according to the THEME that our lives have had!?
-The theme that has tempered our lives will be evident in the story of our lives throughout our history?
This is why we need a good and healthy THEME for life?.
Listen to?Psalm 45:1, ?My heart overflows with a good theme??
Who/what is the origin of our life?s theme?GOD!!! His Word!!!
Lastly, you can tell what your attitude is according to?
#3 - Your thinking or outlook on life?
What is your outlook?
How do you see things?
Does everything and everyone stink to you?
Are you excited to face your tomorrow or are you scared of it?
With God in the midst of our lives?we need not fear anything!
And each day should be a day of joy and happiness in the Lord!!!
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So, how do you like what you see?
Are you pleased with your attitude or disappointed?
Are you happy or sad?
-Do you need an attitude adjustment???
Something I did not mention, but will elaborate on the next time we engage in this message?
-This is also a part of your witness for Christ!
-Remember?you are Christ?s Ambassador!
-And we do not want to disable the Gospel with a stinky attitude?do we???
ALTAR CALL:
Salvation?
Change of Heart and Attitude?
God, come and get in the middle of my life?
Winning People have winning attitudes?and I want to be a winner!!!
SONG: Be Magnified
