Matt’s Matters: A Covid 19 Christmas

             The Apostle John said in Revelation 6:8 NLT “I looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green. Its rider was named Death, and his companion was the Grave. These two were given authority over one-fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword and famine and disease and wild animals.”

As a pastor, a question that I have received from several people over the past several months of this global pandemic is this. “Matt, do you think that the Coronavirus is a judgment from God?” In order to properly answer that question, a careful understanding of Scripture is required. Throughout Scripture, God warns over and over again that any country that sins against God by rejecting Him or by being unfaithful to Him will be judged regardless of whether there are righteous believers among them or not (Lev. 26:14-16; Ezek. 14:12-13; Rev. 6:1-8). These few righteous will ultimately be saved, but they may still experience some suffering on behalf of the majority.

Therefore, my simple answer is yes. I do believe that God has allowed our world to experience the Coronavirus as a means to wake us up before something worse happens. In fact, this is the very reason why the judgments of the book of Revelation take place, to get people to repent (Rev. 9:20-21; 16:9-11).

It is important to note that at times in Scripture even God’s holy people experienced suffering from God’s judgment upon non-believers (Ex. 8:16-19; 7:17-25; 8:5-15; Acts 14:22; Rev. 1:9). Thus, if you are a devoted Christ follower who has or is suffering with Covid 19, I am not at all saying that this is God’s judgment on you. No, not at all!

On the other hand, God does allow His people to experience suffering in order to test, refine, and purify them in their walk with Him (2 Cor. 12:6-10; Heb. 12:5-6). God also allows us to experience suffering in order to enable us to know Him better as God in the flesh, Jesus Christ suffered greatly for us (Job 42:5; Phil. 3:10).

Knowing these things, how should we live this Christmas as the pandemic rages on? There are three principles that should guide our lives during this time.

First, don't test the Lord. This is the whole idea, "Don't you believe that God can keep you safe from the Coronavirus?" Absolutely, but I am not going to go play around with it either! This is the whole adage, if you play with fire, eventually you are going to get burned. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, one of his attacks was very similar to this. "The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command His angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test" (Luke 4:9-12).

The Baker New Testament Commentary explained these verses like this. “Daily life all around us affords abundant illustrations of false confidence, similar to that which the devil urged Jesus to exercise. A person will earnestly beseech the Lord to bestow upon him the blessing of health; however, he neglects to observe the rules of health. Or, he will ask God to save his soul; however, he neglects to use the means of grace, such as the study of Scripture, church attendance, the sacraments, living a life for the benefit of others to the glory of God. Again, someone will plead with the Lord for the spiritual as well as physical welfare of his children, but he himself neglects to bring them up in the way of the Lord. A church member, admonished because at a circus he had eagerly rushed into a corrupt side show, defended himself by saying, “I cannot deny that I went there, but while I was there I was constantly praying, ‘Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity’” (Ps. 119:37 KJV). “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” is the answer to all of this.”

By this point in time, it is very hard to deny the reality of the Covid 19 virus. It is real; and a lot of people have died from it; however, praise God most don’t. Yet just because most people don’t die from it is not a very wise reason to live as though it does not exist! So what are you saying Matt? I think that taking some precautions is not a bad thing: washing your hands frequently, if you are sick, stay home. Don’t look down upon others if they want to wear a mask, etc. Otherwise, you are just encouraging others to test the Lord, which Scripture commands against.

The second principle that should guide us through the global pandemic this Christmas season is to remember God’s promises, don’t be fearful. Over and over again, the Bible commands us to not be fearful of anyone or anything other than the Lord. Healing is part of the very nature of God, and in His grace, He offers it to those who fear Him: “To you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings…” (Mal. 4:2 NKJV). 

Pastor John Piper shared the following personal testimony. John said, “I recall being told on December 21, 2005, that I had prostate cancer. For the next several weeks, all the talk was about odds. Odds with waiting to see. Odds with medications. Odds with homeopathic procedures. Odds with radical surgery. My wife, Noël, and I took these numbers seriously. But in the evening, we would smile at each other and think, Our hope is not in the odds. Our hope is in God. We did not mean, “It is 100% certain God will heal me, while doctors can only give me odds.” The Rock we are talking about is better than that. Yes, better than healing.

Even before the phone call from the doctor telling me I had cancer, God had already reminded me in a remarkable way about the Rock under my feet. After my usual annual exam, the urologist had looked at me and said, “I’d like to do a biopsy.” Really? I thought. “When?” “Right now, if you have the time.” “I’ll make time.” While he was going to get the machine, and while I was changing into the typical unflattering blue gown, there was time for me to ponder what was happening.

So he thinks I may have cancer. As my future in this world began to change before my eyes, God brought to my mind something I had read recently in the Bible. Here is what He said to me in that urologist’s office as I waited for the biopsy that would confirm that I had cancer. “John Piper, this is not wrath. Live or die, you will be with Me.” That’s my paraphrase. Here’s what he actually said: “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him” (1 Thess. 5:9–10). Awake or asleep—that is, live or die—I will be alive with God. That is very different from playing the odds with cancer—or with the coronavirus. This is the firm Rock under my feet.” 

When you have Jesus as the Rock under your feet you have nothing to fear. “But now, this is what the Lord says—He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isa. 43:1-3a).

Thus, I want to encourage you as a faithful follower of Christ to continue to live your life. Don’t allow this virus to stop you from living. For example, my family recently took a trip to Washington D.C. and several places between here and there. We called ahead, and took the necessary precautions, yet we were not going to allow a virus to prevent us from living.

Likewise, I want to encourage you to continue to make the most of the opportunities that God places before you. So, continue to love and serve others. Just be wise about it. An illustration of this comes from our recent Community Thanksgiving Dinner. We as a church delivered meals to people who had the Coronavirus at that time. They knew that we were coming. We placed things by their door. And let them know via a text or phone call that it was there, and left. Therefore, the person delivering was not exposed, and yet God’s love was shared. 

The third principle to guide us through the global pandemic this Christmas season is to be faithful to the Lord. This goes right back to where we started. Yes, I believe from Scripture that God has allowed our world to experience this pandemic in order to bring judgment upon the world, calling non-believers to repent, and that God is using it to purify His people, drawing us nearer to Him. The question is though, will we remain faithful to Him?

 Studies have shown that pretty much across the country, church attendance is down by at least one third, and many places more than that. Yes, many churches either have gone online, or offer online church services as a possibility. No doubt for some, that is the best option. Yet are you truly connected in that? For some the answer is yes. They do virtual meetings, and communicate frequently by one means or another. Even in that, we need to be willing to open up and share our burdens with others and to help carry their burdens as well.

However, for most, online only creates a consumer mentality Christianity where it is all about what I can receive rather than what I can give. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Likewise, it sets us up to not really be involved with the Bride of Christ, aka, the church. Therefore, “Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near” (Heb. 10:25).

The more a person walks away from the church the more they begin to live like the world. Unfortunately, we know from a careful examination of Scripture that just prior to Jesus’s second coming, there will be a great falling away of God’s people (Luke 18:8; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-3; 4:3-4; Rev. 11:7-11). However, may we remain faithful. “Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Return to Me,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty” (Zech. 1:3). So may we do as Exodus 23:25 states. “Worship the LORD your God, and His blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.”

Thus, may these principles guide us this Christmas and all our days. So may we live wisely, not foolishly testing the Lord. May we not fear the Coronavirus or anything/anyone. And may we remain faithful to the Lord

Merry Christmas!

Matt

Attitude—The Difference Maker #10: Changing Times

 “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God” (Matt. 3:8 NLT).

No doubt, this past year has been one of the most challenging years we have ever faced. The Coronavirus pandemic, shut downs, economic upheaval of many businesses, protests and riots etc., have made many people long for a new year—minus the struggles. For my family personally, 2021 will bring about many changes with the expectant arrival of our third child in late February. Yet as much as we like the idea of change, typically the only ones who truly want it are wet babies.

Therefore, most people tend to resist change. When we resist change, our attitudes are naturally affected. And more importantly than that, God calls all of us to change as we daily turn from our sinful desires to follow Him. Yet change is not easy for there are several reasons why we resist change.

  First, we resist it because we fear having personal loss. I remember when I was a kid, the factory that my dad worked at shut down, which meant that my dad, along with about 600 people were out of a job, not to mention the affect that it had on all of their families. For us, it meant that I would have to move. I had never moved before and so was fearful of it. I was fearful about leaving behind my friends and having to downsize my possessions that I held dear.

Another reason we tend to resist change is because of our fear of the unknown. One writer said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself—and possibly the bogeyman.” Ironically, it’s the “bogeyman” who often causes us to resist change. It’s what we don’t know that makes us afraid.

People often cling to what they know, even if they are not satisfied with it. Fear holds us back, yet the only way to overcome the fear is to do the thing that we fear.

Third, people resist change because the timing could be wrong. One of John Maxwell’s 21 irrefutable laws of leadership states, “When to lead is as important as what to do and where to go.” Thus, it is a wise thing to carefully consider timing for change.

Fourth, people resist change because it feels awkward. Change is often going to require you to step outside of your comfort zone. Likewise, most people don’t like to rock the boat. Yet sometimes it takes rocking the boat to get it unstuck.

And fifth, people resist change because of tradition. Many people cling to tradition. The assumption is that if something is tradition, it must be a better way. But that’s not necessarily so. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day by saying, “...you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition” (Matt. 15:6 NKJV). As was quoted at the beginning of this article, we are all called to change—it’s called repentance. And if you think that you don’t regularly need to repent, it shows what you need to repent of—pride.

Therefore, how can we move forward in the direction that God would have for us—even if we don’t like change? The keys to dealing with change successfully are having a good attitude toward it and being prepared to meet it. So the following four things can assist you. 

First, ask God for help. Throughout the Bible we can find numerous examples of God transforming people in mighty ways, and He does the same thing today. He gives courage to the fearful, strength to the weak, success in the place of failure, comfort to the hurting, joy in place of sadness, life to the dead and dying, and thus, hope to the hopeless. When a Samaritan woman came to Jesus, He took her past reputation that had caused her shame and used it to produce joy and dignity. So ask Him for help with the changes that you need to go through.

Second, to help overcome the struggle with change, realize that change is unavoidable. If you doubt that simply look in the mirror. :) We all experience it whether we like it or not. And the simple fact of the matter is that things will always be changing. So the sooner that a person can learn to accept that fact the easier that the change will be.

Third, to help overcome the struggle with change, make the commitment to change. The simple fact of the matter is that much of life is hard, but we make the choice to go through the struggles that we know are worthwhile. As someone once said, “Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard. Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Choose your hard. Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard. Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard.  Life will always have things that are hard. But we can choose our hard. Pick wisely.”

So as you consider how to make the changes needed to improve and grow, it is important to measure the cost of change compared to the cost of status quo. Change equals growth. And change equals grief.

Lastly, a simple understanding of the Gospel message can help us to deal with change. One writer explained it like this: “When we believe the gospel, we accept the truth that we need to change. We know we are broken people whom God is making new through Christ. Not only us as individuals, but we believe that God is going to make all things new. There is also a cosmic change coming.
God not only wants to change your status—from non-Christian to Christian—but also to change you. He wants to make you like His Son Jesus” (Erik Raymond, Change is Good). This is exactly what Romans 8:29 teaches. “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

I wonder if you’ve thought about your Christian lives through the lenses of change. Are you aware of this change? Are you resistant to it? What are you doing to pursue it? As we seek to pursue the transformation that God has for us, it naturally changes our attitudes for the better!

In His service,

Matt

(Portions from John Maxwell, The Difference Maker)

Elder’s Corner: Is Patriotism Still Alive?

I was reading an article from Reader's Digest last month about Alexander Scammell. He was an American Revolution soldier who was writing a friend of his to explain why the war against the crown must be pursued. Here is the body of the letter: “My friend, tyranny and oppression wield their iron rod over our country; they begin to shake the very foundation of our constitution. Whilst the voice of our forefathers' blood cries to us from the ground, to define the rights, the liberty, and the territory which they so dearly purchased by their crimson gore and treasure. . . .Every man of true honor and virtue will rather contend for the honor of first spilling his blood in so glorious a cause…yours Alexr. Scammell.”  A few years later, at the Battle of Yorktown, Scammell did indeed spill his blood for the cause he held so dear. This dear country has had a myriad of soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice, in the years since our initial freedom, for the liberties which we sometimes (too often) take for granted.

This got me thinking about a Christian's responsibility to vote, to support our countries' leaders, and to be in active support of our government. Let me share some scriptures: Titus 3:1 “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed.”  Romans 13:1 “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”  This passage continues talking about those who obey the authorities have no reason to fear, but those who are evil have a reason to fear because the laws were made to protect people and property. He concludes that it is a citizen's duty to pay taxes to whom due. Then in verse 8 a higher command is reinforced, one that Jesus himself not only taught but also lived out. “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” Can you imagine what would happen in government, in cities, in the country if we as a nation just obeyed that higher calling?

1 Peter 2: 13-17 “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”

Once again I marvel at how current, this book that God wrote to us, and how relevant it is in today's political situation. So I would urge you to do your duty and vote for the candidate that you believe most closely reflects God's will for our nation.

I would be remiss if I didn't also remind you of a quote from Abraham Lincoln “Stand with anyone who stands right, Stand with him as long as he is right, and depart from him when he goes wrong.” This quote reminds me of many other scriptures which demand that a Christian oppose a government that stands in opposition to the principles of God. See Acts 4:19; and Acts 5:29. When Peter was called in on the carpet for disregarding the “Council” he replied, as we should “We must obey God rather than men.”     

—Alan 

Attitude—The Difference Maker #9: Obstacles in the Path

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4 NLT).

I recently came across some humorous ways to know if you would have been better to stay in bed than to get up and face the day. You know it’s going to be a bad day when…

 

· You turn on the morning news and it’s showing you emergency routes out of town.

· The sun comes up in the west.

· Your boss tells you not to bother taking off your coat.

· You jump out of bed and you miss the floor.

· The bird singing outside your bedroom window is a vulture.

· You wake and your dentures are locked together.

· Your car’s horn gets stuck while you’re following a group of Hell’s Angels.

· You call to get your messages and are told it’s none of your business.

· Your tax return check bounces.

· You step on the scale and it says “tilt.”

· You call suicide prevention, and they put you on hold.

 Perhaps you have your own list as to when you know it is going to be a really bad day. Yet regardless, it is important to know that we should not be surprised when we experience obstacles in life. All who achieve worthwhile success in life will have to endure great trials; and these trials can make it challenging to keep a good attitude. To be more specific, there are five big attitude obstacles: discouragement, change, problems, fear, and failure. Each of these five are worth considering individually to better understand how you can make it through while maintaining the difference maker, a right attitude.

There are five keys that can help us to overcome discouragement. First, take you discouragement to the Lord. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all of our cares upon Him because He cares for us. A lady named Hannah in the Bible experienced a great amount of discouragement. Hannah had good reason to feel discouraged and bitter: She was unable to have children. She shared her husband with a woman who ridiculed her. Her loving husband could not solve her problem. Even the high priest misunderstood her motives. But instead of retaliating or giving up hope, Hannah prayed. She brought her problem honestly before God.

Each of us may face times of barrenness when nothing comes to life in our work, ministry, or relationships. It is difficult to pray in faith when we feel so ineffective. But, as Hannah discovered, prayer opens the way for God to work (portions from The Handbook of Application). Therefore, as the old hymn proclaims, we should never be discouraged as we take it to the Lord in prayer. Then we will recognize that we have a friend in Jesus who lifts us up out of the pit of despair.

God has the strength we need to face our challenges. When our resources are limited and insufficient, He is more than enough. Annie Johnson Flint wrote, “He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater, He sendeth more strength when the labors increase; To added afflictions He addeth His mercy, To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance, When our strength has failed ere the day is half done, When we reach the end of our hoarded resources Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision, Our God ever yearns His resources to share; Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing; The Father both thee and thy load will up bear. His love has no limits, His grace has no measure, His power no boundary known unto men; For out of His infinite riches in Jesus He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.”  We must simply ask of Him in prayer.

The second key to overcoming discouragement is to consider the big picture. Often when trials go our way they can make us forget to step back and see things from a bigger perspective. The trials that we struggle with in the moment tend to seem so insignificant after a short amount of time. This reveals the struggle of making mountains out of mole hills. Yet when we take a step back, we are better able to understand our obstacles, and in so doing, we are better able to see ways of getting past those discouraging times.

Author Helen Rice wrote, “And together we stand at life’s crossroads and view what we think is the end, but God has a much bigger vision and He tells us it’s only a bend. For the road goes on and is smoother, and the pause in the song is a rest. And the part that’s unsung and unfinished is the sweetest and richest and best. So rest and relax and grow stronger. Let go and let God share your load, your work is not finished or ended, you’ve just come to a bend in the road.”

If you can maintain that perspective, you can overcome discouragement and move beyond it. No one need be held captive to it.

Third, if you want to overcome discouragement spend time with successful people. This can be done through personal interactions, listening to them on the radio, TV, internet, or through reading their books. It has been said that you are the person that you will be five years from now with exception of the books that you read and the people that you associate with. The more time that you spend with people who are a little further down the road of life in an area that you would like to be successful in, the more you will naturally be able to follow in their footsteps.

The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about the value of associating with wise people and struggles associated with spending time with those who will not build you up. Proverbs 13:20 ^NCV says, “Spend time with the wise and you will become wise, but the friends of fools will suffer.”  Proverbs 27:17 ^NLT says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” So surround yourself with people who are going to lift you higher. Thus, “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray” (Pro. 12:26). 

 The fourth key to overcome discouragement is to speak life. The Bible says that the power of life and death are in the tongue (Pro. 18:21). If your best friend said the things you say to yourself, you would punch them in the face. The fact of the matter is that we tend to be our own worst critics.

Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones said, “Most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself” (Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure, p. 20). In other words, by speaking down to ourselves, we naturally drag ourselves down. Yet when we speak to ourselves and to others things that are meant to build us up and encourage us, we are better able to discover ways out of our despair. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

And lastly, the fifth key to overcome discouragement is to refuse to quit. One writer said, “Ninety percent of those who fail are not actually defeated. They simply quit.” Proverbs 24:16 ^GW says it like this, “A righteous person may fall seven times, but he gets up again. However, in a disaster wicked people fall.” Additionally, the Bible encourages us to remain on the course God has for us and in the end we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up (Gal. 6:9).

Thus, no doubt, sometimes it can be very challenging to maintain a positive attitude, especially in the face of discouragement. Yet discouragement does not need to weigh us down, as you were made to soar above it!

 In His service,

Matt

(Portions from John Maxwell, The Difference Maker)

Elder’s Corner: Is This It?

 

I've heard that question asked several times in the last six months. It is usually followed by more questions.  Do you think this (the COVID pandemic) is God's punishment for an unrepentant society? Do you think this is the end? Is God using this disease to get people's attention?  The answer is…I don’t know. Let me share some scriptures for you to ponder: Deuteronomy 28:1 – 6 “Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.”

God gave this promise of blessings to the Israelites if they would obey Him.

In verse 15 and following of the same chapter we can find this promise “But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.”

This and many other instances in the Bible indicate that our choices sometimes lead to calamity. I know that one entity is extremely happy that the pandemic has disrupted church functions (attendance is down, offerings are suffering, picnics have been canceled, brothers and sisters are fighting about wearing masks, where, or if services should be held). That person that is laughing and happy to cause such division is the devil.

So what should our response be? “Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too. After you have suffered a little while, our God, who is full of kindness through Christ, will give you His eternal glory. He personally will come and pick you up, and set you firmly in place, and make you stronger than ever” (1 Peter 5:8-10 TLB).

—Alan

 

Attitude—The Difference Maker #7: Your Greatest Asset

 

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8-9 NLT).

Chuck Swindoll said, “Attitude is more important than education, money, circumstances, failures, success, 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, or home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people 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.”

So how do you change your attitude to thereby transform your life for the better? There are five keys to do just that. First, you must take full responsibility for your attitude. While no doubt, one’s circumstances do have a bearing on life, the way we respond to it has even greater bearing on life. So as the old saying goes, if life hands you lemons, make lemonade out of it. Thus, choose to make the most out of life: win, lose, or draw.  As holocaust survivor Victor Frankl said in his book Man’s Search For Meaning: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Second, if you want to transform your life for the better then you need to take time to evaluate your present attitude. Socrates wisely said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” If that is true for life in general you can be sure that it is true regarding one’s attitude.

John Maxwell explained this process well when he said, “The key is to try to look at yourself objectively, to separate yourself from your attitude. Your goal isn’t to condemn yourself. It’s to see yourself clearly so that you can make positive changes to the way you think.

When do you feel most negative about yourself? This question can be asked in general, and on a daily basis. Right in line with this is examining your feelings towards others. Many times our feelings come into play long before we become consciously aware of them intellectually.

After taking the time to consider your feelings, examine your thoughts.  The human mind has a tremendous amount of power in our lives. That which holds our attention determines our actions. Because of that, where we are today is the result of the dominating thoughts in our minds.

The Bible says that as a person thinks in their hearts so are they (Pro. 23:7). Thus, a person is the sum of their thoughts. This is why the Bible teaches that we need to focus our thoughts on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8). Therefore, a key to changing your attitude is to change the things that you focus your time thinking about.

John Maxwell said, “Most of the great work in this world was done by men and women who didn’t believe that what they were doing was impossible. Talent is certainly beneficial, but only the right attitude can release it to reach its potential.”

Third, if you want to transform your life for the better then you need to desire to change. The desire to change is critical in every area of life. If the druggy or the alcoholic does not sincerely desire to change, they won’t. And that idea is true for every single one of us in the areas that we need to change. Fred Smith observed, “You are the way you are because that’s the way you want to be. If you really wanted to be any different, you would be in the process of changing right now.”  

Fourth, if you want to transform your life for the better then you need to take time to develop good habits. Much of what we do every day comes from the habits that we form. Over time these habits shape our lives, yet they began with a simple action that was repeated until it became second nature to us. Psychiatrist William Glasser said, “If you want to change attitudes, start with a change of behavior. In other words, begin to act the part, as well as you can, of the person you would rather be, the person you most want to become. Gradually, the old, fearful person will fade away.”

Lastly, if you want to transform your life for the better then you need to learn to manage your attitude daily. While it is vitally important to make good decisions throughout life, let’s face it, sometimes we don’t. Good, bad, or indifferent, that’s life. Yet the way that we respond to it can make a significant difference. Thus, we need to learn to be able to manage the poor choices and/or failures that we make. So we can make the decision to have a great attitude, however, if we don’t make plans to manage the decisions that we make on a daily basis, then we are likely to end up not where we are desiring.

Proverbs 24:16 says, “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.” Thus, learning to manage one’s attitude and the decisions we make is a process of getting up whenever we fall. This will require God’s help, and often times His help comes through others that He places in our lives.  Therefore, as a part of learning to manage your attitude on a daily basis, is the necessity for outside help - someone to help pick you up when you fail. And that is true of every area of life, including one’s attitude.

“If you take responsibility for your attitude—recognizing that it can change how you live, managing it every day, and cultivating and developing positive thoughts and habits—then you can make attitude your greatest asset. It can become the difference maker in your life, opening doors and helping you overcome great obstacles.” 

 In His service,

Matt

(Portions from John Maxwell, The Difference Maker)

Attitude—The Difference Maker #6: The Winner’s Edge

“But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him His faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden” (Gen. 39:21 NLT).

While attitude has its limitations, attitude is often the difference maker. It is often the difference between winning and losing in the various areas of our lives. Denis Waitley said, “The winner’s edge is not a gifted birth, a high IQ, or in talent. The winner’s edge is all in the attitude, not aptitude. Attitude is the criterion for success” (The Winner’s Edge).

There are three differences attitude does make that I would like to draw you attention to. First, your attitude makes a difference in your approach to life. The happiest people in life don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just try to make the best of everything.

If athletes have a poor attitude going into a game, odds are they are not going to do very well. Similarly, if a student has a poor attitude going into a test, their test scores are apt to show it. And if a person gets a serious medical condition

Second, your attitude makes a difference in your relationships. The simple fact of the matter is that a person’s negative attitude can have a way of dragging others down with them. Let’s face it, if a person constantly has a negative attitude, do you really enjoy being around that person for extended periods of time? Thus, a constant negative attitude has a way of pushing others away while a positive attitude can attract them.

And third, your attitude makes a difference in how you face challenges. Joseph was a man who experienced numerous hardships in life that were not his fault. As a prisoner and slave, Joseph could have seen his situation as hopeless. Instead, he did his best with each small task given him. His diligence and positive attitude were soon noticed by the jail warden, who promoted him to prison administrator.

Are you facing a seemingly hopeless predicament? At work, at home, or at school, follow Joseph’s example by taking each small task and doing your best. Remember how God turned Joseph’s situation around. He will see your efforts and can reverse even overwhelming odds (portions from the Handbook of Bible Application).  For attitude is the winner’s edge!

In His service,

Matt