Attitude Check

Years ago I had the privilege of being the principal of a Christian Academy and many times the students did not have a proper attitude. (I know it is hard to believe!) It was then I would say, "Attitude Check" which meant the student needed to change his attitude. I wanted them to understand how important our attitude is.

Attitude has a way of changing not only our behavior but our direction in life. Your attitude is the rudder of your soul. Allow me to quote Charles Swindoll. " The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes. "

Performance vs Position

I grew up in a church where was a lot of emphasis on 'externals': Where you could and could not go; what you could and could not wear. Everything centered around how you performed. God smiles when you are 'good' and He is angry when you do 'bad' things.

I came across a very enlightening Scripture verse that shed a lot of light on the subject. At Jesus' baptism, God the Father said, ...“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." [Mark 1:11] What I find amazing is this was BEFORE Jesus even performed His first miracle! He had not begun His ministry; no healing, no walking on water or feeding the multitudes.

So how could God be pleased with Him when He had not done anything yet? The answer is His relationship with His Father. And that is the same for us. God is pleased with us because of our relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, not what we do.

Why would God________?

At some point in our lives we all come to the place where we have questions but no answers. The question that has been asked for centuries goes something like this: "If God is good, why does He allow children to starve to death? If God is all-powerful, why doesn't He stop all the violence in our world? If God is loving, why doesn't He heal children suffering from cancer?"

Unfortunately, we do not have all the answers. If we did, we would be God. But people do deserve a rational answer. Many people are truly seeking answers for life's most difficult situations and we cannot give them simplistic answers. Jesus often answered questions with a question.

The next time someone asks you,"Why would a loving God allow death and suufering into a world He created? " Tell them that is the wrong question to ask. The bigger question we should ask is, "Why would a loving God come into a world He created to suffer and die to pay for my sin?"

God created a perfect world and He gave man a choice. And because man choose sin over obedience, we now live in a 'fallen world.' Jesus Christ came to redeem our fallen world.

To Use or To Be Used?

There is a temptation so subtle that many Christ-followers fail to recognize it. We live in a world that is consumer-driven and it can affect us. God has given us some wonderful promises in His Word but if we are not careful, we can we tempted to use God to for our purposes. Yes, God does want to meet our needs but He will not be manipulated. He is not our servant, WE are His servants.

God, who knows no limits, has chosen to limit Himself by working through frail humanity. We are His hands, feet, voice, and hands in this world. As such, He wants to YOU today for His glory. Throughout Scripture we see people who really grasped this truth. Isaiah: “Here am I. Send me!” Jesus speaking to Paul: Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Mary: “I am the Lord’s servant...May your word to me be fulfilled.”

To me, it is exciting to know that God wants to 'partner' with us in the work of His Kingdom. The question is: Do you want to use God or be Used by God?

Who Is On First?

One of the best comedy routines came from Abbott and Costello in the 1940's. Many remember the "Whose is on first" routine. Thousands of years before Abbott and Costello, that question was asked by the leader of the nation of Israel. Caleb asked that question in a different way and a different context but the question is still relevant today.

He asked "... choose today whom you will serve..." [Joshua 24:15]. In the context, he was asking the nation to choose between the "gods" of foreign nations and the true God Jehovah. He was asking them to make a choice that very today and it would be a turning point for the nation.

The same is true for the individual Christ-follower today. You may have chosen to given your life to Jesus Christ years ago but that choice has to be renewed each and every day. You face decisions every day, whether to yield to temptation or to choose Christ. Who is on first in your life?

How To Treat People - Lesson Five

Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts... [Not my personal account]

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare & serious disease.  Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.  The doctor explained the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save
her."  As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing
the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice,

"Will I start to die right away".  Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

(The above story is not from my personal experience.)

How To Treat People - Lesson Four

Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway.  Then he hid himself and watched to see if
anyone would remove the huge rock.  Some of the King's' wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by
and simply walked around it..  Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did
Anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of  vegetables.  Upon approaching the boulder, the
peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road.  After much pushing
and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had
been.

The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the
person who removed the boulder from the roadway.  The peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

How To Treat People - Part 3

Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and
sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient..  "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left..

When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table.  There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see,  he couldn't  have the sundae, because he had
to have enough left to leave her a tip.

How To Treat People - Part Two

Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.
Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally
unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a
knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A
special note was attached. It read:

"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my
clothes, but also my spirits.  Then you came along.  Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying
husband's' bedside just before he passed away.... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.."

Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole .

How To Treat People - Part One

Lesson # 1 about the way we treat people --
 First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student
and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"Surely this was some kind of joke.

I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name?I handed in my paper, leaving the last question Blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade."Absolutely, " said the professor.

"In your careers, you will meet many people.  All are significant.. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello.."

I've never forgotten that lesson... I also learned her name was Dorothy.

(The above story is not from my personal experience.)

Forgiveness

As you read God's Word you cannot help but notice that the key relational issue is forgiveness; wether God forgives you, you forgive others or others forgive you.The amazing thing about forgiveness is that we can readily indentify when someone sins, offends, or hurt us but we have a hard time realizing that we have done the same to others. Matthew 18:21

As a pastor, I have heard all my life how someone in the church has hurt me. I am sorry that happened but don't we get offended by co-workers, yet we show up for work every workday. We are often hurt in our relationship with friends and family but we do not disown them. (At least we shouldn't!)

When we face forgiving others, the key is to remember that God forgave YOU! He paid an awesome price to purchase your salvation. Allow me to share a verse that has helped me tremendously through my life. Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." [Emphasis added] God forgave you unconditionally, go and do the same.

I Can't Get No Satisfaction

If you were to stop the 'average' person on the streets and ask them, "What do you want from life? What do you want for your children, grandchildren?" The majority of people would reply that they want to be happy and their family to be happy. But how do we find happiness? Most people seek happiness in things this world can supply: Drugs, sex, entertainment, obtaining wealth,etc.

But as the Rolling Stones sang  years ago, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction." They were right. We cannot find satisfaction [happiness] by our efforts. Listen to the lyrics of that song; "I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction 'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try I can't get no, I can't get no." It is sad that people try and try and try to catch the fluttering butterfly of happiness.

But we were created to find fulfillment [happiness] in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The Shorter Westminster Catechism tells us "Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever."  [Underline Mine.] St. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee." 


We must come to the realization that God is the source of life, happiness, and fulfillment.

http://youtu.be/AXBAp7FEamg

Do you feel that?

The Bible tells us that as Christ-followers we have citizenship in two totally different worlds. {Philippians 3:20} These two worlds have different world views and goals. The two worlds are diametrically opposed to each other. "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people... {Ephesians 2:19}

What amazes me that Christians are trying their best to fit in and be comfortable while in this world. When they DO try to live the Christian life; they are shocked that this world "pushes back," they feel a resistance. We should not be shocked because the Word tells us to expect it. As a matter of fact, opposition is one of the litmus tests of our lifestyle.

"“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” {John16:33}

{In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,..." [underline mine]

 Have you ever felt like you were swimming upstream? Felt life is hard? Good! That probably means you are living a life that is contrary to this world! Jesus told His disciples that they would be hated because the 'world' hated Him.

Contrasts

Even a casual reader to the Bible should notice how many times it uses contrasts: rich man/ beggar, house with a solid foundation / house built on the sand, wise man / foolish man and the list could go on and on. But I am deeply concerned with a contrast that the Bible states should be evident to everyone but it is not.

That contrast is between the lifestyle of the Christ-follower and those who do not know Christ. It is a sad commentary but it is hard to tell the difference! Allow to quote George Barna's research on America's spirituality, "For example, among those who believe they are Christians, just one-fifth say they live in a way that makes them completely dependent on God. A similar proportion of Christians claim that the single most important decision they have ever made was to invite Jesus Christ to forgive them and become their savior. And just one-sixth of Christians say they are totally committed to engaging in personal spiritual development."

The culture we live in expects a person who says they have committed their life to Christ to be different and rightly so. Romans 12:2 "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think..." Most Americans call themselves spiritual people and Christians. Yet, why is spiritual transformation so rare and fleeting? People are not looking for conformity but transformation. 2 Corithians 5:17 "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

For more information see: George Barna

Where IS Home?

As a citizen of two worlds, I am keenly aware of the conflict between this world and the Kingdom of God. Each has its own value system and philosophy. This week that tension has become very personal.

As I have mentioned in other posts, my wife and I plan to retire soon. We have found a house that we both love and it is only .4 mile from our grandchildren! We have been trying to close on the house since October 2011. I will not go into all the details but to say the least, it has been a frustrating two months!

But then the title of this blog came to mind and I remembered; this is not my home (house). If things work and we do get this house- fine! If things do not work out; that is fine as well. I am at peace. It is reassuring to know that God is in control.

Knowing God

This morning I was reading in John 16 and something caught my eye. In verses 1-3 I read, "All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me." 

Two things stuck out to me: 1} anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God." The Jews that persecuted the early Christian church actually believed with all their heart they were serving God (Even though they broke the Commandment - Thou Shalt Not Kill.}

2} Jesus gives us the reason behind their actions; because they have not known the Father or me."  They were religious, they were educated but they did not have a true relationship with the Father or Jesus. We know from Church history that thousands have been killed in the name of God.

Some time later, these two things came together in the person of Saul of Tarsus. Saul [later called Paul] was on his way to Damascus to wreck havoc on the Christians, when he encountered Jesus Christ. Acts 9:4-5 "“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked."  

In Paul's own words he said that he had been jealous for God - He thought he was serving God but he did not know God, hence "Who are you, Lord?”

Application: Whenever we feel like God is leading us to do something (especially controversial things) we had better make sure that our actions are truly from God.

Citizen Of This World

There is no question that this year is a crucial one. As an election year, we will be bombarded with campaign ads, promises, and accusations, which is to be expected. Each candidate will try to convince us that they are the  best person for the job. As a citizen of this world, we should be informed and we should take part in the election process. But as a citizen of another world (heaven) I must realize that no man, no government can make the necessary changes that America needs.


While we are to respect and obey government, we cannot put our hope in it. As we make our decision as to whom we will cast our vote, remember that ultimately God is still in charge! That does not mean we should have a fatalistic attitude; that it does not matter who you vote for, but rather God can work through any person He chooses!


Daniel 2:21 "He [God] controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings."


Proverbs 21:1 "The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.


Isaiah 49:23 "... those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”

New Year Resolution?

It's that time again, making our New Year's resolution. To be honest, personally I have not had much success in the past keep "resolutions." How about you? I think I am safe to assume that losing weight would be the #1 resolution people will make this year.

That being said, I thought why do our resolutions seem to always fail? We usually say that we did not have the willpower but I think the problem goes even deeper than that. Take losing weight for example; could it be that our motive is not right? Are we trying to lose weight for appearance sake? Not good enough! Maybe it is for health reasons; as good as that motive is, it isn't good enough!

Is it possible that the reason our 'resolutions' fail is that we do see them as spiritual? 1 Cor. 6:20 "you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."  Speaking just for myself, being overweight does not bring glory to God. 1 Cor. 10:31 "When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God."

I am sure you get the point. The purpose of losing weight (and all we do) should be to glorify God. With that in mind, it makes our 'resolutions' to carry more weight. [No pun intended!}