Attitude # 1
Today I just felt impressed to minister on the subject of our thought life. Not so much in the area of changing our thoughts from evil or ungodly things, but more in the area of having a proper mental attitude. Paul said in (1ST THESSALONIANS 5:23), “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I) Often we hear messages on how to believe God’s Word and how to believe with the heart.
A) These things are very important and they must be taught. But very little is said on our mental attitude.
1) Turn with to ROM 12:1-2.
(a) Our mind or the soulish part of man plays a very important part in the Christian’s life.
(b) In (V 2) Paul says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
(i) There is a transformation that takes place as we renew our mind.
(ii) Part of that transformation is going to take place in our mind.
(iii) As our mind is renewed, we’re not going to be thinking the same.
(c) The Amp. Translation says this, (2) “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].”
(d) Many say that the mind is our intellect, but it’s more than that. It also controls our emotions, our will, and even our attitude.
B) Paul admonishes Titus about some things in the book of TITUS. I want you to turn there with me as we read chapter 2.
1) TITUS 2:1-15
(a) In these Vs Paul covers everybody: men, women, husbands, wives, children, and servants. (Employees)
(b) Basically, what Paul is teaching here is to live a holy life.
2) But look at V 10 (TITUS 2:10) again.
(a) The word “Adorn” means “To beautify, to decorate, to make attractive.”
(b) What Paul is saying is that if people will receive the instructions from these Vs and do them, they will BEAUTIFY, DECORATE, and MAKE THE GOSPEL ATTRACTIVE to the lost.
(i) We spend lots of time adorning our bodies. We wear nice clothes to look good. We comb our hair. We make ourselves look attractive.
(a) There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s good.
(ii) We adorn our cars by washing them, and that’s fine.
(iii) We adorn our homes to make them look attractive. All of that’s fine and good.
(c) BUT DO WE follow Paul’s instructions that will adorn the Gospel of Christ?
(i) Paul said, “That they may adorn the doctrine of God.” (TITUS 2:10).
(ii) Paul wants Christians to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ attractive to the world.
(iii) Not attractive in a phony sense. Not in show, or like Hollywood does.
(d) Paul wants us to make this Gospel attractive, but that will only happen by us living a life of victory.
(i) Too often, we see Christians looking sad, sometimes even beggarly. (They lack confidence in God and they become complacent).
(ii) No wonder the world isn’t interested in the things of God. They see Christians living in defeat.
(iii) If we start acting on the Word of God, we don’t have to live in defeat.
II) Turn to JOHN 14:23.
A) The God is living on the inside of you and He’ll make things better around you, if you let Him.
1) He will teach you how to get out of poverty. He will teach you how to get out of defeat and He will teach you how to enjoy the blessings of God, if you will let Him.
(a) The world doesn’t see any difference between them and us.
(b) We haven’t made the Gospel beautiful.
B) Back in (TITUS 2) Paul talks about several things that will adorn the Gospel. I’m not going to get into all those areas, but there is 1 thing that I want you to look at.
1) Turn back to TITUS 2:6.
(a) When Paul directed this to young men, I believe that God wants young men, old men, women, and children to be SOBER MINDED.
2) The words “Sober Minded” means many things.
(a) It can mean “to be of sound mind, to be in one’s right mind, to exercise self control, to put a moderate estimate upon one’s self, think of one’s self soberly and to curb one’s passions.”
(b) But there was another definition that I liked. It can also mean “HAVING OR INDICATING AN AWARENESS OF THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE.”
(i) Not only is Paul telling us to exercise self control, but he’s also telling us to have the PROPER MENTAL ATTITUDE.
(a) A right mental attitude is 1 of the things that adorns the Gospel.
(ii) YOUR ATTITUDE RESPONDS TO THINGS AS THEY ARE. We are to see things as they really are. Not as the world sees things, but as we are according to the Word of God.
(iii) God’s Word is the truth, everything that is contrary to the Word is a lie.
(iv) The Word says that you are the head, not the tail, you’re above only and not beneath, that you are blessed by Almighty God.
C) Failure to have a right mental attitude is another reason that the world hasn’t wanted to have anything to do with Christians.
1) Most CHRISTIANS have a NEGATIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE.
(a) The world doesn’t see any difference between us and them, except we go to church.
(b) When problems come, the people of the world don’t see any difference between Christians and non-Christians. They act the same. They get down and become negative.
2) But we as Christians don’t have to become overcome by problems. We can overcome the problem. We can have victory in life.
(a) The VICTORY IS ONLY GOING TO COME AS WE RENEW OUR MINDS and PUT ON that RIGHT MENTAL ATTITUDE.
(i) We have to have that right mental attitude ESPECIALLY in the midst of adversity and when we’re going through test and trials, lack and shortages.
(b) When we have the right mental attitude when we’re going through these things, the Gospel will look attractive to the world.
(i) Nobody wants to be around those that are negative.
(ii) They would much rather be around someone that is positive.
(iii) They will even ask you, “How can you be so full of joy when you’re facing so many problems?”
(iv) You can tell them that it’s because of the Lord Jesus Christ. And they will be attracted to the Gospel.
III) Now I’m not talking about Positive Thinking.
A) Positive thinking is not going to get you very far.
1) Positive thinking or a right mental attitude does not come by you just making a decision that you’re going to be positive today.
(a) It comes from some place much deeper.
2) As you read and study the Word of God, faith will begin to grow on the inside of you.
(a) The more time that you spend in the Word, the more faith you will have.
(b) As your faith begins to grow, YOU WILL KNOW that what God says in His Word is true and that is what WILL CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE.
B) If you see your attitude beginning to change and become negative, it’s because you’re not spending enough time meditating on the Word of God.
1) When you decide that you’re going to believe God’s Word and when you get it into your heart, your attitude has to change.
(a) People that are negative do not believe God’s Word.
(i) I’m not saying that you can’t share with someone what you’re going through, but if that’s all you dwell on you need to get back into the Word.
C) We have an example of someone in the Bible having a wrong attitude.
1) The children of Israel were always murmuring about the problems.
(a) Murmuring is complaining, it’s a form of negativism.
2) Look at what the book of Psalms says about it.
(a) PSA 106:21-27.
(i) Their negativism or bad attitude brought more problems.
IV) We have another story in the Bible of what faith in God and a right mental attitude brought to the children of God.
A) DAN 3:13-15.
1) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had some problems.
(a) With this type of bad news, many would have balled, and squalled, and complained about it.
(i) In this situation, it would have been easy to have a negative attitude.
(ii) But not Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
2) DAN 3:16-18.
(a) You don’t hear Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego begging for their lives or complaining about what is to take place.
(b) They didn’t break out into rage or passion against those that did worship the golden image, they did not insult them.
(i) They remained rather calm.
(ii) They had a right mental attitude, they knew that God would come through.
3) DAN 3:19-30.
(a) Because of their faith in God and having a right mental attitude Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of this fiery trial without even the smell of smoke on their clothes.
B) When we’ve been meditating on the Word of God, we’ll begin to develop a right mental attitude.
1) We’ll begin to expect God to move in our behalf every day. Then He will begin to work in our daily lives.
2) That’s what adorns the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Attitude # 1.doc
WOLCC Sun AM 6/18/95 from Jerry Savelle’s book “A Right Mental Attitude.” Pgs 9-22 & WOLCC Sunday, August 27, 2000.