The Power Of Attitude

Intro: Following Jesus means that we change. We're transformed into looking like Jesus - being more like Him in our ABC's - Attitudes, Behavior and Character.

Today’s message will be on Attitudes. So what is a Attitude? Well Webster defines attitude as: A manner of acting, feeling, or thinking that shows one’s disposition, opinion, etc..

Now we need to understand one thing, Our attitudes may be socially acceptable and good, or they may send very strong warnings to every- one around and that we reject what others think or want.

As Christians the attitudes which we display towards their fellow man will have a great bearing on our relationship to God. Next to knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, nothing is more important than having a good positive attitude. Your attitude can do several things:

They can make or break you, heal or hurt you, make you friends or make you enemies, make you happy or make you miserable, make you success or make you a failure.

In fact some people think that the whole world stinks. Here an example: A cranky grandpa laid down to take a nap. To have a little fun, his grandson put some limburger cheese on his mustache, right under his nose.

Grandpa awoke with a snort, staggered out of the bedroom and shouted, "This room stinks!" On through the house he went, shouting louder, "This whole house stinks!" He charged out on the porch and shouted as loud as he could, "The whole world stinks!" The truth is, it was grandpa who stunk. The problem was right under his own nose.

95 times out of 100, when we begin to feel that things in life stink, the problem is not with the world or with others, but with ourselves. The problem is that our attitude has become negative. Change your negative attitudes to positive ones, and you can change your world.

Reading: Micah 6:8 - He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Prayer………………

Title: The Power of Attitude

Someone had rightly said that attitude not aptitude determines ones altitude in life. This message applies to all of us, because we all have attitudes; sometimes they’re good, sometimes they’re not so good, and other times they’re just plain our right nasty.

In tonight’s message were going to be revealing 3 facts about your attitude...

1. Fact #1; Your Attitude – Reveals The Real You.

How important is your attitude? Well your attitude is more important than: facts - circumstances – or what others say - it’s more important than your past - your education and your money. Your attitude is more important than anything else.

Understand this that your attitude is much deeper than just a few thoughts you might think or not think. Your attitude comes out of the core of your being. Your attitude represents your disposition, your outlook, your very character.

The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7 - For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you. Folks Jesus himself even said, Your attitudes always become actions or reactions.

Let’s visualize it this way... The attitudes inside you are like a jack-in-the box. Have you ever played with one of them? You turn the little handle (all around the mulberry..) and the when you least expect it - he pops out. Now that’s a vivid picture of our attitude, when we least expect it, they will pop out and cause other people to like or even dis-like us.

You see, much Louder than the words you speak is your attitude that keeps telling people what you are really like.

Personally I find this truth that my attitude reveals the real me - to be quite sobering. I like to say, like many others do, when I do or say something that obviously wasn’t the right thing, "I didn’t mean it, but where did that come from," – well truth be told, it came from inside.

When I have a negative, nasty, critical attitude that’s the real me and when you have one that’s the real you. Now understand this we don’t have an attitude just because we had a bad day, we allowed it due to not having self control from the Holy spirit.

So fact #1, your attitude reveals the real you.

Fact #2 Your Attitude Determines The Success And Failure of Every Relationship In Your Life

Matthew 6:33 says - But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

What a difference your attitude makes! Your attitude affects every relationship in your life. And sometimes relationships will never get started in the first place -- because many times your attitude has built up walls... making it difficult for people to be around you.