BUT YOU SEE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE ON THIS LOW LEVEL OF LIVING TRY TO TORMENT PEOPLE THAT ARE UP HERE TRYING TO SERVE GOD AND WALK IN EXCELLENCE AND WALK IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, SO WHEN THEY BOTHER US, WE HAVE GOT TO STAY WHERE WE’RE AT AND NOT COME DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL. IF WE STAY WHERE WE’RE AT, THEN GOD’S JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL IN OUR LIFE AND WE WILL REAP A REWARD. THAT’S WHY THE BIBLE SAYS YOU’RE BLESSED IF YOU’RE PERSECUTED – NOT JUST YOU’RE BLESSED IF YOU’RE PERSECUTED, BUT YOU’RE BLESSED WHEN YOU’RE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE, AND THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE SAYS: YOU ARE SO BLESSED THAT YOU ARE TO BE ENVIED.
(Joyce) WHAT IS AN ATTITUDE? IT’S VERY SIMPLE. IT’S OUR THOUGHT LIFE TURNED INSIDE OUT. TODAY WE WANT TO GET SOME RESOURCES INTO YOUR HANDS THAT I BELIEVE WILL REALLY HELP YOU IN THIS AREA; IT’S OVER SIX HOURS OF TEACHING ON CDs ABOUT “ATTITUDES OF THE MIND” — THE WAY WE THINK AND HOW THOSE THOUGHTS TURNED INSIDE OUT BECOME ATTITUDES IN OUR LIFE, HOW GOOD ONES CAN AFFECT US IN A GOOD WAY AND BAD ONES AFFECT US IN A BAD WAY. AND THEN AS A BONUS WE WANT TO SEND YOU A BOOK BY JOHN MAXWELL CALLED “ATTITUDE 101.” IF YOU HAVE NOT MADE THE DECISION YET TO MAKE JESUS CHRIST THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE, TO RECEIVE HIM AS YOUR SAVIOR, THEN I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU STAY WITH US BECAUSE I’M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.
(announcer) “ATTITUDES OF THE MIND” A 6-PART SERIES BY JOYCE MEYER. LIFE IS GOOD BUT IT CAN BE A WHOLE LOT BETTER AND THIS SERIES CAN HELP. DISCOVER THE POWER OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, HOW TO BE CONTENT, HUMBLE AND THANKFUL. REQUEST YOUR COPY OF “ATTITUDES OF THE MIND” AND WHEN YOU DO, YOU’LL ALSO RECEIVE JOHN MAXWELL’S BOOK “ATTITUDE 101″ AS A FREE BONUS GIFT. THIS OFFER IS AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME FOR A DONATION OF ONLY $35 OR MORE. REQUEST “ATTITUDES OF THE MIND” AND WE’LL ALSO INCLUDE “ATTITUDE 101″ BY JOHN MAXWELL. CALL TOLL FREE: 1-800-727-9673 OR VISIT US ONLINE AT JOYCEMEYER.ORG. DO IT TODAY.
YOU ARE TO BE ENVIED. WHAT KIND OF STATEMENT IS THAT? HAPPY ARE YOU IF YOU SUFFER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE. YOU ARE TO BE ENVIED. DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU CAN BE HAPPY EVEN IF YOU’RE SUFFERING AS LONG AS YOU’RE SUFFERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE? IF YOU GO ON TO READ THAT SCRIPTURE, IT JUST SAYS MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON’T SUFFER AS A CRIMINAL OR A CROOK OR SOMEBODY THAT’S DOING THE WRONG THING, BUT IF YOU’RE SUFFERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE, YOU KNOW THAT GOD IS JUST AND THAT IF YOU’RE DOING THE RIGHT THING, EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE BEING PERSECUTED FOR IT, YOU KNOW THAT IN THE END, YOU WILL WIN AND THAT WHEN YOU SOW RIGHT SEEDS, YOU WILL REAP A HARVEST. (applause)
I HAD SOMETHING HAPPEN TO ME ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. I HAD ACTUALLY GONE IN MAY TO SEE A FRIEND OF MINE IN MINNESOTA AND PREACHED AT HER AND HER HUSBAND’S CHURCH WHILE I WAS THERE. IT WAS HER 50th BIRTHDAY AND I WANTED TO SURPRISE HER. THEY HAVE A LITTLE, WHAT THEY CALL A PROPHET’S QUARTER IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF THEIR HOME THAT I STAY IN WHEN I’M THERE. THE SECOND NIGHT THAT I WAS THERE, ABOUT THREE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING, I SUDDENLY WOKE UP.
I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED TO ME LIKE AN AUDIBLE VOICE. I GUESS THE REASON WHY I THINK THIS IS SO UNUSUAL IS BECAUSE I HADN’T BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS SUBJECT, I HADN’T BEEN PREACHING ON THIS SUBJECT, I HADN’T BEEN STUDYING THIS SUBJECT, BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT THREE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING I WOKE UP AND I HEAR WHAT SOUNDS LIKE AN AUDIBLE VOICE AND THIS IS WHAT I HEARD: IF GOD IS REAL, THEN GOD IS JUST. THAT WAS IT. IF GOD IS REAL, THEN GOD IS JUST. YOU KNOW WHY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT? – AND IT ACTUALLY HAS ALREADY BROUGHT COMFORT TO ME IN SEVERAL SITUATIONS – BECAUSE JUSTICE MEANS THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG IS ULTIMATELY MADE RIGHT. IN OTHER WORDS, IF GOD IS JUST AND YOU’RE SERVING GOD AND SOMEBODY IS MISTREATING YOU AND YOU STILL DO WHAT GOD’S TELLING YOU TO DO, THEN SOONER OR LATER GOD WILL DEAL WITH THEM AND BLESS YOU. (applause)
PSALM 96:1 SAYS: SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG; SING TO THE LORD, ALL THE EARTH! LOOK AT PSALM 98:1: O SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG, FOR HE HAS DONE MARVELOUS THINGS. YOU KNOW WHAT I HONESTLY BELIEVE? I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BEFORE I DECIDED TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT BUT I REALLY DO BELIEVE THIS: I BELIEVE IN EVERY SITUATION, EVEN THINGS THAT WE WILL CALL TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, I BELIEVE IF YOU REALLY LOOK FOR IT – IF YOU REALLY COULD TAKE APART THE WHOLE SITUATION AND LAY OUT EVERY SINGLE THING – I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS MORE GOOD THINGS THAN BAD THINGS BUT WE CONCENTRATE ON AND MEDITATE ON AND TALK ABOUT THE BAD THINGS, AND WE BLOW THEM SO FAR OUT OF PROPORTION AND IT BLINDS US TO THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR LIVES. EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING GOING ON IN THEIR LIFE THAT THEY DON’T LIKE.
YOU ARE NOT THE ODD GUY OUT AND NEITHER AM I. I GAVE YOU MY LIST OF 5-6 THINGS THAT HAPPENED TODAY THAT I DIDN’T LIKE, BUT THERE ARE DOZENS OF PEOPLE SITTING IN HERE THAT MY DAY WAS A PICNIC COMPARED TO YOURS! YOU MAYBE HAD A HORRENDOUS TIME TRYING TO GET HERE OR MAYBE YOU HAD SOME REAL SERIOUS THINGS HAPPEN TO YOU. EVERYBODY JUST WANTS TO BE HAPPY. IN THE WORLD, HAPPINESS IS BASED ON WHAT’S HAPPENING TO US BUT THANK GOD, IN THE KINGDOM OUR JOY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE BASED ON WHAT IS HAPPENING. THAT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST BENEFITS OF BEING A CHRISTIAN. WE CAN BE HAPPY WHEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES AREN’T HAPPY BECAUSE “HAPPY” LIVES IN US. AMEN? (Amen!) (applause)
“WELL, IT’S HARD.” YOU KNOW WHAT? IT IS HARD, BUT IT’S A CHOICE. (Yes it is!) ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GOD GIVES US IS WISDOM, SO I ASK YOU, IF YOU’RE GOING TO OPERATE IN WISDOM, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, DOES IT REALLY HELP THE PROBLEM TO BE DEPRESSED ABOUT IT? IT DOESN’T MAKE IT ANY BETTER SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO AHEAD AND ENJOY YOUR DAY. I CAN TELL YOU, AN UNBELIEVER – SOMEBODY FUNCTIONING IN THE WORLD – DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT; THAT DOES NOT MAKE ONE BIT OF SENSE TO THEM. IN 1 PETER 3:14 – WE’RE NOT GOING TO TURN THERE BUT IT SAYS: HAPPY ARE YOU IF YOU SUFFER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE.
I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING, IF YOU WANT TO BE VALUABLE ON YOUR JOB, THEN GO WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE EVERY DAY. BE A LOW MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE. WHEN WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT GETTING RID OF SOMEBODY OR MAYBE WE HAVE TO CUT BACK IN A DEPARTMENT OR SOMETHING, DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT? WHO IS HIGH MAINTENANCE THAT GIVES US TROUBLE ALL THE TIME? WE DON’T EVEN NECESSARILY TALK ABOUT WHO IS THE MOST GIFTED OR THE MOST TALENTED; WE TALK ABOUT WHO IS HIGH MAINTENANCE, WHO IS LOW MAINTENANCE, WHO GETS TO WORK ON TIME, WHO DOESN’T GIVE ANY TROUBLE, WHO HAS A GOOD ATTITUDE. YOUR ATTITUDE CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND OR YOUR WORST ENEMY. IF YOU HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE, YOU’RE HAPPY. IF YOU HAVE A BAD ATTITUDE, YOU’RE NOT HAPPY. THERE IS NO PERSON WITH A BAD ATTITUDE THAT IS ENJOYING THEIR LIFE. (Amen!)
YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR ATTITUDE IS? IT’S YOUR THOUGHT LIFE TURNED INSIDE OUT. I MADE THAT UP. (laughing) JOYCE MEYER SAID: (applause) YOUR ATTITUDE IS YOUR THOUGHT LIFE TURNED INSIDE OUT. IT REALLY IS, BECAUSE WHAT WE THINK SECRETLY IN OUR HEART DOES COME OUT OF US IN WORDS OR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS OR ATTITUDES. IF YOU COULD SING ONE OF THE FOUR FOLLOWING SONGS TO DESCRIBE YOUR ATTITUDE, WHICH SONG WOULD YOU SING? “MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY,” “RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD,” “I’LL DO IT MY WAY,” OR “OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING”? I WILL SING THESE FOUR SONGS FOR YOU. (laughing) NO, I WON’T. NOT REALLY. (laughing)
WE READ IN THE BIBLE THAT WE ARE TO SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG AND I THINK THAT’S AN INTERESTING SCRIPTURE. WE USUALLY PRESENT THAT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF JUST LET A SONG COME OUT OF YOUR HEART THAT YOU’VE NEVER LEARNED, JUST ONE THAT YOU’RE MAKING UP TO HONOR GOD. IT CERTAINLY DOES MEAN THAT BUT I THINK SOME PEOPLE HAVE SUNG THE SAME OLD SAD SONG SO LONG THAT THEY JUST NEED TO SING A NEW SONG. MAYBE YOU’VE BEEN SINGING “MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY” AND YOU NEED TO START SINGING “OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.” OR MAYBE YOU’VE BEEN SINGING “I’LL DO IT MY WAY” AND YOU NEED TO SING “OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.”
(Leonard) I WOULD AGREE. MY MOTHER INSTILLED IN ME GOING TO CHURCH AND TITHING. IN FACT, SHE MADE ME TITHE WITH MY FIRST JOB. AND I WON’T SAY I DID IT KICKING AND SCREAMING BECAUSE IT WASN’T THAT DRAMATIC BUT I DID IT AND IT’S ONE OF THE BEST GIFTS SHE EVER GAVE ME, WAS THAT INSTILLING TITHING.
(Joyce) I THINK TAKING YOUR DAUGHTER TO A PLACE LIKE SOUTH AFRICA AND LETTING HER GO OUT ACTUALLY INTO THESE VILLAGES AND SEE THE DEPTH OF THE NEED… ONE OF THE THINGS I PRAY WHEN I GO AND SEE THESE KINDS OF THINGS, AND I GO ALL THE TIME — PRETTY SOON I’LL BE GOING TO INDIA, TO ETHIOPIA, AND SOME DIFFERENT PARTS OF AFRICA — AND ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS PRAY IS, “LORD, HELP ME NOT TO EVER FORGET WHAT I’VE SEEN HERE,” BECAUSE IT’S SO EASY TO COME BACK AND GET IN OUR OWN LITTLE LIFESTYLE AND JUST GO ON ABOUT OUR BUSINESS. THE TRUTH IS, WHICH IS ALMOST SHOCKING, WE CAN FEED A CHILD IN ASIA IN PARTICULAR AND PROBABLY IT’S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME IN AFRICA — FOR FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH, WE CAN FEED A CHILD, TEACH THEM HOW TO READ, WRITE, AND DO SIMPLE MATH, AND GIVE THEM A SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON EVERY DAY FOR FIVE DOLLARS. SO, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIFE. OUR TIME IS JUST ABOUT UP, LEONARD, BUT YOU CAME ALL THE WAY FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO SEE US AND I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY CONCLUDING COMMENTS THAT YOU’D LIKE TO MAKE OR ANYTHING THAT’S ON YOUR HEART.
(Leonard) I’D JUST LIKE TO SAY I WISH YOU WOULD DO MORE OF WHAT YOU’RE DOING WITH THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE I TOLD SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE WITH YOUR MINISTRY ON THAT TRIP, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THIS AVENUE. THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE STARVING CHILDREN, THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE THESE GREAT NEEDS BUT WHEN WE HAVE A MINISTRY THAT WE TRUST THAT WE KNOW THE FUNDS ARE GONNA GET THERE, I THINK PEOPLE WOULD SUPPORT IT. THEY SAID: IT’S ON THE WEBSITE. BUT I’VE GOT TO GO TO THE WEBSITE; I JUST TURN ON THE TV AND SEE YOU AND I KNOW IT’S ALL PRECIOUS TIME. YOU’RE TEACHING THE WORD AND THAT’S IMPORTANT. BUT I JUST THINK PEOPLE WOULD REALLY SUPPORT THESE MINISTRY OUTREACHES IF THEY SAW WHAT I SAW.
(Leonard) OH, SURE IT DOES. LIKE YOU JUST SAID, GOD COULD HAVE MET THOSE NEEDS ANY WAY BUT I NEED TO BE A PART OF IT AND ALL THE BELIEVERS DO.
(Joyce) I THINK IT’S GREAT THAT YOU TOOK YOUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER BECAUSE IF WE CAN TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO GIVE, IT’S ONE OF THE GREATEST BLESSINGS WE CAN GIVE THEM. ACTUALLY, BY THE TIME THIS IS ON TELEVISION, IT WILL BE OVER SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND SHARE IT TODAY BECAUSE I WON’T BE GIVING AWAY THE SECRET, SO TO SPEAK, BUT WHEN I WAS PRAYING THIS YEAR ABOUT MY GRANDCHILDREN, BECAUSE WE HAVE EIGHT AND ONE ON THE WAY RIGHT NOW, I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THEM FOR CHRISTMAS AND I FELT LIKE GOD TOLD ME TO GIVE THEM THE GIFT OF GIVING.
WHAT HE PUT IN MY HEART TO DO WAS TO GIVE EACH ONE OF THEM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY BUT TELL THEM THEY COULDN’T KEEP ANY OF IT FOR THEMSELVES; THAT THEY HAD TO GIVE IT ALL AWAY. “NOW YOU’LL HAVE YOUR OWN GIFTS BUT THIS YOU HAVE TO GIVE AWAY.” THEY’RE ALL THE WAY FROM 4 1/2 TO 18 WITH ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES. ONE OF MY GRANDDAUGHTERS IS REALLY FEISTY AND WANTS TO KNOW WHY TO EVERYTHING, SO WE’RE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT SHE’S GOING TO SAY. BUT I FELT ONE OF THE BEST GIFTS I COULD GIVE THEM WOULD BE TO TEACH THEM EARLY TO BE A GIVER BECAUSE IF WE’RE NOT GIVERS, THEN I THINK WE’RE MISSING A LOT OF THE PURPOSE FOR LIFE. I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY THAT WHEN YOU GIVE, YOU’RE MORE LIKE GOD THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME IN YOUR LIFE.
SO THEN AFTER WE HAD THE CONVERSATION, I WAS A LITTLE BIT AGGRAVATED AND I SAID: I JUST WISH THAT THIS STUFF DIDN’T HAVE TO HAPPEN. I JUST WISH WE COULD TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS AND NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. THE PARTICULAR CHILD THAT I WAS TALKING TO MADE A GREAT STATEMENT: YOU KNOW WHAT, MOM? FORGET IT! THIS IS JUST LIFE. (laughing) YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT’S THE TRUTH! YOU CANNOT HAVE PERFECT RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE. YOU CAN’T ALWAYS SIT DOWN AND HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN A CERTAIN WAY GO THAT WAY. THE GOOD NEWS WAS WE WORKED THROUGH IT AND EVERYBODY WAS PEACEFUL WHEN WE LEFT STARBUCKS.
THAT’S BETTER THAN STAYING MAD FOR THREE WEEKS, WHICH IS WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE 30 YEARS AGO. SO THANK GOD, I’M NOT WHERE I NEED TO BE, BUT I’M NOT WHERE I USED TO BE. (cheering) AMEN? (applause) YOU KNOW, LIFE HAPPENS TO US. THE THINGS THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT TODAY THAT HAPPENED TO ME, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WAS? LIFE. I DON’T EVEN KNOW THAT IT WAS PER SE “THE DEVIL.” (laughing) YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS “THE DEVIL.” “THE DEVIL” IS AFTER ME. “THE DEVIL” IS ON MY BACK. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOU’RE BREATHING, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE VERY FEW DAYS WHERE EVERYTHING GOES THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO GO. I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES THAT WE CAN HAVE AS A BELIEVER IS TO GET THROUGH THIS LIFE CALLING OURSELVES A CHRISTIAN AND MAINTAIN A GOOD ATTITUDE. AMEN? (applause)
A DAILY ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT MAY BE NEEDED. JOHN MAXWELL SAID: YOU ARE ONLY AN ATTITUDE AWAY FROM SUCCESS. IT’S YOUR ATTITUDE THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE, NOT YOUR APTITUDE. YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR ALTITUDE OR HOW HIGH YOU WILL GO IN LIFE. WE HAVE OVER 500 PEOPLE WORKING FOR US AND WE HAVE – TO THE PRAISE AND THE GLORY OF GOD – EIGHT FOREIGN OFFICES IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I MUCH PREFER TO WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO IS LESS TALENTED AND HAS A GOOD ATTITUDE THAN SOMEBODY WHO IS VERY TALENTED AND HAS A BAD ATTITUDE. AMEN? (applause)
I’M GOING TO KEEP MY STINKIN’ JOB OR I WILL LOSE IT BECAUSE OF MY BAD ATTITUDE AND THEN I WILL EITHER BE ON WELFARE OR I WILL BE ON SOCIAL SECURITY OR I WILL GET A WORSE JOB THAN THE ONE I HAD BEFORE. GO TO EPHESIANS 4:23. JUST ATTITUDE – AND YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE. IT’S A CHOICE. EVERYBODY SAY: I CAN CHANGE MY ATTITUDE IF I WANT TO. (I can change my attitude if I want to.) NOW TURN TO THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU AND SAY: AND YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE IF YOU WANT TO. (And you can change your attitude if you want to.) EVERYBODY WATCHING BY TELEVISION RIGHT THERE IN YOUR HOME, I DON’T CARE HOW EARLY IT IS, YOU SAY OUT LOUD: I CAN CHANGE MY ATTITUDE IF I WANT TO. (I can change my attitude if I want to.) NOW WHEN YOU WATCH THIS ON TELEVISION, YOU’LL HAVE TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN. (laughing) EPHESIANS 4:23 TELLS US THAT WE ARE TO BE CONSTANTLY RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR MINDS, AND THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE SAYS: HAVING A FRESH MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL ATTITUDE.
CONSTANTLY, DAILY RENEWED. IN OTHER WORDS, I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP A WATCH ON OUR ATTITUDE EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY DAY OF OUR LIVES – EVERY SINGLE DAY – AND YOU ESPECIALLY HAVE TO WATCH YOUR ATTITUDE IF SOMETHING STARTS TO HAPPEN THAT YOU DON’T LIKE OR YOU DON’T WANT TO HAPPEN. IT’S NOT TOO DIFFICULT TO KEEP A GOOD ATTITUDE WHEN THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT, ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE DO HAVE A PROBLEM EVEN DOING THAT.
THE THING IS, LIFE IS JUST NOT PERFECT. I HAD A LITTLE ARGUMENT – WELL, I DON’T KNOW IF YOU’D CALL IT AN ARGUMENT, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A ROUGH CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF MY CHILDREN LAST WEEK. THEY ALL WORK FOR US, SO SOMETIMES THAT GETS TO BE A LITTLE TOUCHY BECAUSE YOU’RE MOM AND DAD, PLUS THE BOSS. WE HAD THIS LITTLE CONVERSATION THAT WASN’T REALLY ALL THAT COMFORTABLE AND I GOT KIND OF AGGRAVATED ABOUT IT BECAUSE I JUST REALLY WASN’T IN A HUMOR FOR IT THAT DAY. I JUST WANTED TO HAVE MY COFFEE AND HAVE EVERYTHING GO “NICE.” YOU LIKE THAT? IT’S LIKE: OKAY, I’M HERE AT STARBUCKS. I’VE GOT THE CAPPUCCINO. I JUST WANT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND I WANT IT TO BE NICE, BUT IT DIDN’T GO THAT WAY. (laughing) I HAD THIS NICE CONVERSATION PLANNED, THOUGHT I HAD IT ALL PLANNED OUT AND EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO GO JUST RIGHT, BUT IT WASN’T RECEIVED THE WAY I MEANT IT, AND: RRR-RRR-RRR-RRR. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT? (Amen!)
WHEN AN AIRPLANE HAS A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, IT CLIMBS; WHEN IT HAS A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, IT FALLS. THE SAME HOLDS TRUE WITH PEOPLE. THE ATTITUDE OF AN AIRPLANE CAN BE CHANGED BY THE PILOT MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT. IF HE LOOKS AT HIS INSTRUMENTS AND HE SEES THAT THE NOSE OF HIS PLANE IS BELOW THE HORIZON AND HE’S WANTING TO CLIMB, ALL HE HAS TO DO IS MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT. IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING IN YOUR LIFE, IT MAY VERY WELL AND PROBABLY IS THE RESULT OF PAST OR PRESENT BAD ATTITUDES.
YOU SEE, WE THINK THAT EVERYTHING IS ALL ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US IN LIFE, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DEVIL AND WHAT HE DOES TO US, BUT I HOPE TO NOT ONLY SUGGEST TO YOU BUT TO PROVE TO YOU SCRIPTURALLY THIS WEEKEND THAT YOUR ATTITUDE AND MY ATTITUDE HAS MORE TO DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS TO US THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE THING IN OUR LIFE. IT’S NOT REALLY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I WAS A CHILD THAT CONTROLS MY LIFE; IT’S MY ATTITUDE TOWARD WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I WAS A CHILD THAT CONTROLS MY LIFE. (Amen!) (Come on!) (applause)
IT’S REALLY NOT ABOUT WHETHER MY BOSS TREATS ME RIGHT OR DOESN’T; IT’S ABOUT HOW MY ATTITUDE TOWARD HOW MY BOSS TREATS ME. IT’S ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I BELIEVE THAT MY GOD IS GREATER THAN MY BOSS AND THAT IF MY BOSS DOESN’T TREAT ME RIGHT, THEN GOD IN HIS GOOD TIME AND IN HIS GOOD WAY, IF I’M OBEDIENT TO HIM, WILL CHANGE MY BOSS, MOVE MY BOSS OUT, OR GET ME ANOTHER JOB WHERE I WILL BE TREATED THE WAY THAT I AM SUPPOSED TO BE TREATED. (applause) BUT IF I GET BITTER ABOUT MY BAD BOSS AND MY BAD JOB, THEN DO YOU KNOW WHAT I’M GOING TO DO?
I GOT AN AMEN OVER HERE. I’LL PREACH TO YOU. (laughing) I’M NOT SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO BEHAVE 100% RIGHT ALL THE TIME. WE’RE ALL GROWING. I AM JUST SAYING THAT WHAT WE DO IS IMPORTANT, HOW WE ACT IS IMPORTANT, HOW WE TALK IS IMPORTANT, THE ATTITUDES WE HAVE ARE IMPORTANT, AND – EVERY EYE ON ME, I’M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING – SOMEBODY IS WATCHING YOU ALL THE TIME. (applause) IT MAY BE SOMEBODY IN YOUR FAMILY, IT MAY BE YOUR CHILDREN, IT MAY BE YOUR SPOUSE, IT MAY BE YOUR PARENTS, SISTERS, BROTHERS, OR COUSINS, IT MAY BE YOUR IN-LAWS, IT MAY BE YOUR NEIGHBOR, IT MAY BE A COWORKER, BUT SOMEBODY IS WATCHING YOU ALL THE TIME, SO WE’RE GOING TO TEACH FOR A NICE LONG TIME ABOUT ATTITUDES, (laughing) BECAUSE A BAD ATTITUDE CAN RUIN YOUR LIFE. PHILIPPIANS 2:5 SAYS: LET THIS SAME ATTITUDE AND PURPOSE AND HUMBLE MIND BE IN YOU WHICH WAS IN CHRIST JESUS; [LET HIM BE YOUR EXAMPLE IN HUMILITY;]
THIS SCRIPTURE SEEMS TO BE TALKING IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE ATTITUDE OF HUMILITY, WHICH DOESN’T HAPPEN TO BE ONE OF THE FOUR THAT I’M GOING TO TEACH ON THIS WEEKEND, BUT I JUST WANT TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT FIRST LINE OF THAT SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS: LET THIS SAME ATTITUDE BE IN YOU WHICH WAS IN CHRIST JESUS. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS GET IN A SITUATION AND ASK MYSELF: WHAT KIND OF ATTITUDE WOULD JESUS HAVE IN THIS SITUATION? IT DOESN’T TAKE ME VERY LONG TO KNOW IF I’M ON TRACK OR OFF TRACK.
LET THIS SAME ATTITUDE BE IN YOU WHICH WAS IN CHRIST JESUS. AN AIRPLANE HAS AN INSTRUMENT CALLED THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR. IT SHOWS THE POSITION OF THE PLANE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE HORIZON. WHEN THE AIRPLANE IS CLIMBING, IT IS SAID TO HAVE A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE BECAUSE THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE IS POINTED ABOVE THE HORIZON. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IS FALLING OR DIVING, IT IS SAID TO HAVE A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE BECAUSE THE NOSE OF THE PLANE IS BELOW THE HORIZON. JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TALKING ABOUT IT, LET’S SAY THAT THE HORIZON REPRESENTS AVERAGE IN LIFE. SO WE MIGHT GO ON TO SAY THEN THAT IF OUR ATTITUDE IS UP, WE CAN EXPECT TO HAVE AN ABOVE AVERAGE LIFE AND IF OUR ATTITUDE IS DOWN, WE CAN EXPECT TO HAVE A BELOW AVERAGE LIFE.