Our attitude can make or break us. Let me elaborate :
There was once a shoe salesman who went to a village to sell some shoes. When he went there and saw everyone walking around barefoot, he called his HQ and said, “Cancel all orders. No point selling here as nobody is wearing shoes here.”
Another salesman was sent to same village to sell shoes and when he saw the same scenario where everyone is barefoot and not wearing shoes, he called his HQ and said, “Praise the Lord! Send extra stocks here as NO ONE is wearing shoes here!”
Same condition, same resources but different attitude.
What about you? What is your default view of things? Do you see opportunity or do you see failure? Do a simple test for yourself. List down all your positive attributes and list down all your negative attributes. If you list more positives, you have a positive outlook and vice versa.
My sales manager once told me, if you say it can be done, you are right. If you say it cannot be done, you are also right.
What you say to yourself will determine what action you take. Allow me to say this again, what you say to yourself will determine what action you take.
I suffered a heart attack 10 years ago. By God’s grace, my recovery was almost instant. During the time I suffered a heart attack, I know of another parishioner who suffered a heart attack around the same time and he went into shock and depression. I was informed almost a year went by and he is still not the same person he used to be.
I believe my recovery is due to how I look at things. God is in control. He runs my life and I surrender everything to Him. Therefore, when I will die is of no concern to me. I always believe when my time is up, it is up. I also believe that God put me here for a purpose and I will fulfil that purpose before He brings me home. So the fear of death has no power over me. Are you afraid to die? What you say to yourself will determine what action you take.
Our carnal mind is God’s greatest enemy. Do you realize that there are many things you know you need to do but if your mind is not convinced, you will not do it? Eg – Exercise, Eating moderately and healthy, studying instead of watching Astro/Netflix, reading the word of God instead of facebooking…..etc
The battle is in our MIND. Romans 8:7 says that the carnal mind is hostile to God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
We need to saturate our mind with the word of God. Immerse our mind in God’s word.
How? By reading the Word every day, by hearing the Word on CDs, MP3s every day.
On the way to work….during your lunch break……on the way back from work….when you are doing your house chores – ironing clothes, cleaning up your room, repairing stuff at home…..
Let me share a bit on how I overcame the battle of the mind when I was in financial difficulties about 20 years back – I prayed Isaiah 60 every single day. I prayed Psalm 91 especially the part when God says Because He clings to me in love, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he knows My Name. He shall call upon me and I shall answer him, I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.
I depended on God’s promises every day to keep my focus….to remain positive…..to persevere. And true to His promises, God delivered me and I stand before you a witness to God’s wonderful grace and mercy. I am what I am today because of His wonderful grace and I have what I have today, because of His wonderful grace and mercy.
I conclude with this verse from James 1 : 22-24 that says:
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in the mirror. For he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
Let us pray.
Father, we thank you for this time of hearing your word and also for the time where we will praise you and worship you with all our heart. Help us to strengthen our mind by filling our mind with your Word always so that like a lamp, your Word will guide our path and lead us to live our lives holy and acceptable to you. May we always know in our hearts that you are a faithful God who keeps your promises found in your Word. Fill us with your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name.