A WINNING ATTITUDE;The Choice Is Yours!

This morning as I awakened out of a much cherished sleep, I found myself saying “I am going to have a good day today. I am not going to be ‘down’ but ‘up’ in my outlook!” Thinking back on those early moments of consciousness, I realized that I had purposely decided to allow my attitude to determine the kind of day I would have, and not allow the kind of day I would have determine my attitude! I knew I had a lot of challenging things going on in my life and that I would have several opportunities to get discouraged. I had a couple of decisions to make that I was not looking forward to! Yet, before my feet hit the floor this morning I had already decided what kind of attitude I would have regardless of the challenges I would face. Well, even though I dealt with some of those challenges and others still remain, I had a good day. I was reminded today that I have control over my attitude even if I don’t have control over all the circumstances of my life. I understand that our attitude determines our approach to life just as my attitude this morning determined my approach to my day ahead!

Like the Apostle Paul, we must learn to have the proper attitude in life no matter what the circumstances or situation! Paul said in Philippians 4:11, “…I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Not only did Paul learn to have a proper attitude in good and bad times, he also learned to have a winning attitude in life. In Philippians 4:13 Paul said “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” A winning attitude allows us to see things we could never see otherwise! A winning attitude allows us to see opportunities when others only see obstacles! This reminds me of the story about two shoe salesmen looking for a market in a certain African village. The first shoe salesman, upon arrival to the African village observed that very few people were wearing shoes. He immediately wired a message back home to headquarters, ” Cancel order, no market here for shoes!” The second shoe salesman, upon arrival to the same African village also observed that very few people were wearing shoes. He immediately became excited and wired a message back home to headquarters, “Double the original order, great opportunity to sell shoes, only a few presently have shoes!”

Our attitude in life determines our performance! This reminds me of another story about a man who stopped to observe three men working on a building. He asked each one of them what they were doing. The first man, while frowning, groaning and cursing his labors replied, “I’m just piling these bricks on top of each other all day long and my back feels like it’s about to break.” The second man said, “I’m just building this wall so I can get paid. I’m just putting in my time.” The third man, whistling and full of joy replied, “I’m helping to build a great cathedral!” Our attitude determines our vision and joy in life. It is often the difference between promotion and demotion! Daniel, who was taken captive to Babylon and experienced tough times was known for his winning attitude (he had an excellent spirit)! Promotions don’t produce outstanding attitudes, but rather, outstanding attitudes produce promotions! See Daniel 6:1-3.

A person with a winning attitude, when confronted with difficult times will make the best of it, while getting the worst of it! Don’t allow a negative past experience sour your thinking and attitude. A bad attitude will not let you go up and  a good attitude won’t let you stay down! Proverbs 24:16. Your attitude will bring you a complaint, or it will bring you a compliment! Our attitude is a primary force that will determine whether we win or lose in life. attitudes can be seen without a word being spoken. Remember, God looks on the heart! 1 Samuel 16:7. Our attitudes reveal what we expect from life! We must understand that dreams, visions, jobs, promotions, relationships and opportunities are ruined by poor (losing) attitudes. Often people can’t figure out why they loss a job or didn’t get that promotion even though they had the ability or were better qualified than another. But know this, your ability can say “victory” but your attitude says “defeat!” People with a winning attitude attack the problems of life with their eyes on the benefits, not the barriers! See Psalm 103:1-5. The apostle Paul, said in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind [attitude] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Jesus definitely has a winning attitude! He also said in Ephesians 4:23, “And be renewed in the spirit[attitude] of your mind:” If you are feeling down and defeated in life, perhaps its time for a new attitude! A winning attitude is your choice. As for me, I am determined to have a winning attitude! I have decided to have my attitude determine what kind of day I will have and not allow what kind of day I have determine my attitude!

SENT; NOT SOLD!

Praise be to God! I’m sitting here in my living room pondering the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and the upcoming Easter Sunday celebration! Easter(the resurrection of Jesus Christ) represents victory and joy for those who believe! Yet I find myself also fighting feelings of defeat and discouragement because of some of the things that I am facing. When I focus on Jesus and the victory His life, death and resurrection has brought into my life, I am filled with faith, joy, peace, hope and love! When I began to focus on my problems, challenges or tough circumstances my feelings began to head down the path of sadness, discouragement, hopelessness and anger. I have learned over the years that it is essential to have a good, strong, healthy and godly attitude no matter what you are facing or how tough times may be.  My attitude is that I am “sent” and not “sold!” Please let me explain.

Most people have heard of Joseph in the Bible. You can read about the life of Joseph in Genesis 37:1 – 50:26. Joseph as a young man was given a dream from God. It was a dream that revealed Joseph’s destiny. It was a dream of exaltation! Yet Joseph found himself in many tests, trials and tribulations. It began when he shared his dream with his own family members. His brothers became jealous and put him in a pit with the initial intention to kill him. They decided to sell Joseph to the Midianites who took him to Egypt. The Midianites then sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard. Keep in mind now, Joseph has been sold twice since receiving his supernatural dream of exaltation! While under Potiphar’s rule Joseph prospered. In fact, the bible says the Lord was with Joseph and made all that he did to prosper! Even to the point that his master Potiphar recognized it and made him overseer over his house. The bible says that the LORD even blessed the Egyptian’s(Potiphar’s) house for Joseph’s sake!

The word of God(the bible) goes on to say that “Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.” In other words, Joseph had a good, strong, healthy and godly attitude! Even in the midst of very difficult times Joseph maintained a good and godly attitude. Ok-doh! Things are looking up! I know his present life may not reflect his dream, but it beats being killed or trapped in a pit. What happens next? Potiphar’s wife begins to lust after him and try to get Joseph to have sex with her! Joseph refused to do such a thing. As I said, Joseph had a good(moral) attitude. Not only did he have a good attitude, he had a godly attitude! How do I know? Because Joseph said to Potiphar’s wife, “how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? When Potiphar’s wife saw that Joseph would not have sex with her, she falsely accused him of sexual assault! Naturally, Potiphar was very “ticked-off” about this and had Joseph thrown into prison! Oh-Boy! It looks like another setback in the quest to fulfill the dream. It looks like Joseph’s destiny is lost forever.

Even in the face of another disappointment and hardship, Joseph maintained a good and godly attitude! While Joseph was in prison he prospered(as much as one can prosper in prison!). The bible says “the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” It goes on to say that the keeper of the prison put all the prisoners under Joseph authority and that basically Joseph became the director of the prison. WOW! Joseph really had a good and godly attitude. Most of us would have been so bitter because we were falsely accused that we would have started prison riots! Perhaps we would have allowed ourselves to become so despondent that we just sat in the corner of the prison and died, or just walked around in a zombie-like state. Anyway, Joseph kept a good and godly attitude!

The word of God then tells us that both the butler and baker of the king of Egypt fell out of favor with the king and were cast into prison. Both men dreamed a dream in the same night and were sitting around looking depressed when Joseph notice them. Joseph ended up interpreting their dreams and the outcome was just as Joseph had said. In fact, the butler was restored to his position. Joseph had asked him(the butler) to remember him when he was restored and to make mention of him to Pharoah so that Pharoah would deliver him out of prison. No matter what we face, if we maintain a good and godly attitude, God is still able to use us and give us supernatural revelation!  Well, two years later Pharoah dreamed a dream that greatly troubled him because he nor any of his magicians and wise men could give him the interpretation. Finally, the butler remembered Joseph who two years earlier had interpreted his dream and told Pharoah. Sometimes, it looks like people and even God has forgotten you. God has not forgotten you! God’s timing is perfect! We often don”t think so, but when our change comes we then see the wisdom of God’s timing.

Joseph interpreted Pharoah’s dream and saved Egypt and other nations from a seven-year famine. Pharoah was so impressed with Joseph’s wisdom and relationship with God that he promoted Joseph to second in command over all of Egypt! Of course, Pharoah being number one. Even his family, the same brothers who sold him into slavery had to come to Joseph to get provision that they might survive the famine! Atlas, the dream had come to pass. Joseph was in an exalted position and could have had his brothers killed, put in prison, or just refuse to give them provision to survive the famine. But Joseph maintained a good and godly attitude! Joseph forgave his brothers who had sold him twice into slavery! What was Joseph’s attitude? Joseph’s attitude was that he was “sent” and not ” sold!” This is what the bible says about Joseph’s attitude towards his brothers in Genesis 45:4-8, “And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life…And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth,and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharoah, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”  So again,  Joseph’s attitude was ” I am sent and not sold!”

Even Psalm 105:17 says “He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:”  I’m not trying to imply that Joseph never had a down moment. I know Joseph had to deal with disappointment after disappointment, betrayal after betrayal,hardship after hardship. But he fought for and maintained a good and godly attitude! To be “sold” is to be of the mindset that you’re powerless under your circumstances. It is to feel as though you have no control of your life and your dreams and visions will never come to pass! Joseph did not and could not deny he was experiencing tough times (the pit, sold twice into slavery, accused of sexual assault, and put in prison). Yet, Joseph’s attitude looked beyond his troubles to his dream! His focus was what God put in his heart. Joseph kept on believing the best when things were at their worst! Joseph never allowed satan to convince him that God was not with him. Joseph believed he was sent by God! When you have a “sent” attitude, no matter what situation you find yourself in, no matter how long you have been in that circumstance, you keep believing God is with you, favors you, and will prosper you. You believe God will always provide for you!

As  Christians, God has sent us into the world to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! God calls us into the various occupations in life that we as believers would be the salt of the earth and the light of the world! As we pursue our dreams, visions,and  occupations, righteousness and godliness, let us be reminded to maintain a good and godly attitude! Even though we like Joseph, may face tough times and situations, let us not become bitter, discouraged or quit! Jesus himself said he was sent by God. Yes, even the Son of God experienced hard times and mean people but he kept a good and godly attitude. He  was crucified on the cross by sinful man, but God raised Him from the dead to give us victory over sin and death! Jesus was indeed crucified by men, but himself said ” I lay down my life!. “In other words, my circumstances may say I am “sold” under the burden of the cross, but in truth, I am “sent” by God to bring abundant life to all who put their trust in me. So as you look forward, even to the Easter Celebration and beyond, let your attitude be ” I am sent and not sold! ”