" ATTITUDES "

Okay here we are another week has come and gone and it's time for us to get together once again to hear what the Lord has put on my heart. This week we are looking into " Attitudes." When facing a tough decision, don't let the negatives cause you to lose sight of the positives. Weigh both sides carefully. Don't allow potential difficulties blind you to God's power to help and his promise to guide. Effective living begins with a right attitude toward God. Before religious words come to your mouth, make sure they are from your heart. Let Respect, Humility, and Servant hood Characterize your attitude toward God and others. Lashing out is a sign of wrong attitudes. Do You remember Balaam and the donkey? Donkeys were all-purpose vehicles used for transportation, and usually highly dependable, which explains why Balaam became so angry when his donkey refused to move. Now, the donkey saved Balaam's life but made him look foolish in the process, so Balaam lashed out at the donkey. We sometimes strike out at blameless people who get in our way because we are embarrassed or our pride is hurt. Lashing out at others can be a sign that something is wrong with us. Now, don't allow your own hurt pride to lead you to hurt others. LAST POINT: Now I have a very good friend D. A. who once challenged a group of men, me included about outward obedience without a change of heart. (Matthew 5:20) " For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom Of Heaven." Hears the breakdown: The Pharisees' weakness was that they were content to obey the laws outwardly allowing God to change their hearts (or attitudes). They looked pious, but they were far from the Kingdom of God. judges our hearts as well as our deeds,for it is in the heart that our real allegiance lies. But just as concerned about your attitudes that people don't see rather than your actions that are seen by all. Now Jesus was saying that his listeners needed a different kind of righteousness altogether (Love & Obedience), not just a more intense version of the pharisees' righteousness (Legal Compliance). Our righteousness must (1) Come from what God does in us, not what we can do by ourselves, (2) be God - Centered, not Self - Centered, (3) be based on Reverence for God, not approval from people, and (4) go beyond keeping the law to living by the principles behind the law. Until Next Time... Jim,