ATTITUDE!

Last week we began a five week series on Faith and we examined the definition 
of Faith and how forgiveness is a part of our faith as Christians. This morning, 
let us look at the second letter of Faith, the letter 'A', which stands for Attitude. 
Or as a dear friend of mine pronounces,  "ATDATUDEE"!

Attitude which can be found throughout God's word, for God works in mysterious 
ways to get our attention. If you don't believe this then look what happened to a 
man with an attitude, who went for a walk one day. 

Acts 9: 1-2,

"But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of 
the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the
synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the
Way, men or women, he might have them bound (Bound: to be 
brought) to Jerusalem. 

Sometimes God's children walk the walk, with an attitude of hatred, 
unforgiveness, and bitterness toward another They forget, 

1 Corinthians 12: 17-19,

"If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the
whole body were an ear where would be the sense of smell? But as
it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he
chose. If all were a single organ, where would the body be?" 

In the words of Albert Einstein, "God don't play dice." "God don't play dice" my 
brothers and sisters in Christ, for God has a plan. God knew you before you 
were conceived, God chose your color, where you were born, your gender for 
he had a marvelous plan for all of His children. The problem lies when a child 
of God develops an attitude. I believe that one's altitude is determined by their 
attitude. And there are some of God's children who develop an attitude that 
leaves them feeling mighty high, judgmental, and powerful over another. You 
know who they are. They're the ones who think that God calls them for advice. 

My brothers and sisters in Christ, sometimes God does call them in ways they 
never expected. God has a way of getting his children's attention when he feels 
the need.

Acts 9: 3-4,

"Now as Saul journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly
a light from heaven flashed around Saul. And Saul fell to the ground 
and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute 
me?"

In a child of God's shock and recovery they may reach out searching for an 
answer. 

Acts 9: 5-6,

"And Saul said, "Who are you, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am 
Jesus, whom you are persecuting but rise and enter the city, and 
you will be told what you are to do."

My brothers and sisters in Christ, at this very moment what is your attitude?
Is your attitude Matthew 22:37-39?

"And Jesus said to the Pharisee who was a lawyer, "You shall love
the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, and with all
your mind. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as
yourself."

Is your attitude Romans 12:3-5?

"For by the grace given to me I hid every one among you not to think
of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober
judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has
assigned him. For as in one body we have many members, and all
the members do not have the same function, so we, though many,
are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."

Is your attitude Proverbs 15:33?

"The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility
goes before honor."

Is your attitude 1 Corinthians 15:10-11?

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me 
was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, 
though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether 
then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed."

My brothers and sisters in Christ, life has taught me by trial...and by 
observation...and listening for wisdom, that 10% is struggle. 90% is attitude. 
Knowing not what is my purpose but trusting in God and His wisdom for where 
he wants me to serve him. Where God the Father wants me to serve him and 
through what vessel God wants me to be a servant of His, not by my, attitude.

Her name is Suzanne and she is in a job that she loves, but has a co-worker 
who is very angry, rude and insulting. One day the co-worker walked up to 
Suzanne's desk and threw some papers on it while glaring at Suzanne and 
proclaiming in a loud derogatory tone, "THE NEXT TIME YOU WANT TO MAKE 
SOME CHANGES,  CONSULT WITH ME FIRST!   SINCE WHEN DID GOD DIE 
AND PUT YOU IN CHARGE ANYWAY? Then the co-worker stared at Suzanne 
some more, before turning around and walking out, as Suzanne's door  
slammed and there was an ice cold silence.

Weeks went by with this similar behavior of the co-worker to Suzanne, and she 
sought guidance from God on how to love your enemy. She prayed to God for the 
right thing to do while wanting so badly to put the co-worker in their place. The 
last thing she wanted was to love, be friendly, or say hi to this co-worker as she 
had feelings unlike anything she had ever felt. 

Then one day the co-worker threw another tirade and walked out slamming 
Suzanne's office door. With trembling hands, feet, and anger stewing within her 
gut, Suzanne got up and walked out of her office. When Suzanne walked into the 
co-worker's office, the co-worker had a look of fear upon their face. Without 
hesitating, Suzanne firmly stated to her co-worker, "DO NOT EVER COME INTO 
MY OFFICE AGAIN AND TREAT ME LIKE I DON'T MATTER.... BECAUSE I DO 
MATTER"! Then Suzanne lowered her voice and told her co-worker,

"Listen to me, I don't want to have this professional relationship with
you. The way you are treating me is wrong but I want to make you a
promise. I will treat you as I deserve to be treated, with respect and 
kindness. You deserve that, as everybody does." Then Suzanne 
turned closing the door politely behind her as she walked out.

Daily Suzanne sat in her vehicle praying to God for strength, direction and asking 
herself What Would Bless Jesus? Then she would walk into work and as she saw 
her co-worker she would smile and say, "Good Morning, how are you today" while 
expecting nothing in return. Suzanne became ill and was admitted to the hospital. 
One evening Suzanne looked up from her hospital bed to see her co-worker at her 
doorway. She was stunned as she motioned come in. 

The co-worker said "I wanted to come and see you, for I heard of your illness. I 
brought you something and if you plant them in the spring, you will see what I 
picked out for you. You see, I believe you will be around in the spring and you will 
like what I have here for you. The co-worker stayed a little longer than left. It has 
now been ten years since Suzanne planted the gift and every spring she watches 
as beautiful red and white striped tulips break through the soil and blesses her life. 

My brothers and sisters in Christ, approach God for help with a proper attitude and 
God will help you. Once a child of God obeys what God commands, they shall be 
rewarded. Read God's word and you will find this to be true. David, Solomon, 
Esther, and Jesus' first disciples. Read God's word and you will also find those 
who relied on their own attitude and abilities and were humiliated. Cain, King 
Saul, the Pharisee's are among a few.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, it does not matter how intelligent I may be or, 
what talents and resources God has placed at my finger tips. If my attitude is 
wrong then my altitude is low and I am defeated before I even get started.

Repeat this after me, Philipians 4:13, 

"I can do all things in Jesus who strengthens me." 

The second letter of Faith is 'A' which stands for Attitude which can defeat you, if 
you permit hate and bitterness to engulf your life.

Acts 9: 7-9

"The men who were traveling with Saul stood speechless, hearing the 
voice but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes 
were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and 
brought him into Damascus. And for three days Saul was without sight, 
and neither ate nor drank." 

Attitude which can leave you hungry and thirsty until one makes the choice to 
listen to hear God's message for their life.

Acts 9: 17-19,

"So Anani'as (A disciple the Lord sent) departed and entered the house.
And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus
who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the "Holy Spirit."
And immediately something like scales fell from Saul's eyes and he
regained his sight. Then Saul rose and was baptized, and took food
and was strengthened."

My brothers and sisters in Christ, at this very moment your attitude can be like scales
that are so heavy they close your eyes and leave you blind, hungry, angry, irritable,
and thirsty. Wanting to lash out and be abusive unto another child of God until one 
day, like Saul, you see the light and long to be baptized in the blood of Jesus and to 
be fed the word of God. 

Be fed and tell the truth, Acts 9: 20-22:

"And in the synagogues immediately Saul proclaimed Jesus, saying,
"He is the son of God." And all who heard Saul were amazed, and
said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of whose who
called on his name? And he has came here for this purpose, to bring 
them bound before the chief priest." But Saul increased all the more 
in strength, and confounded (confounded: to confuse, defeat, overthrow)
the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ."

Last week we learned that the first letter of Faith stands for Forgiveness¹, and without 
forgiveness how can one have faith in their life? My brothers and sisters in Christ, if 
you live in the darkness unable to see the light of God because of an attitude, then 
how can one have faith in God through you? 

May we be in prayer, 

Father, the first part of a healthy attitude is to say and believe the words "I CAN DO", 
but to be truly healthy and to not be blind, requires an attitude. An attitude and a 
belief, Father, in the words, "IN JESUS WHO STRENGTHENS ME." Father, I know 
there are some who are blind, for they are weighed down with an attitude toward life 
and to themselves. May those who have an attitude, Father, at this very moment let 
it go and give it to you. Let it go and become your servant Father, and believe that on 
the road to Damascus, forgiveness occurred and an attitude was born...
of being a servant.

Amen


01/08/04 JWM       Back to Sermons

 [¹ Forgiveness: Sermon #1 in series ]