## Choose to Change: Attitude

## Romans 12:1-2

The scenario is played out time and again in hospitals and doctor's offices around the country. The conversation is like this.

Doctor: I am sorry, but the cancer has spread beyond what we can treat effectively.

Patient: How long do I have?

Doctor: Well, attitude is everything.

Can you imagine that? With all of the technological advances, new medications, and varied treatments it still comes down to attitudes. William James said, "Perhaps the greatest discovery of this century is that if you can change your attitude, you can change your life."

That is the basis of Christianity. A life that is changed. Paul said, "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature..." There has been a great change in the life of one whom has placed their faith in Christ.

- Positional = Justification
- Progressive = Sanctification
- Permanent = Glorification

1. The positional change occurs the moment we trust in Jesus Christ.

(1 JOHN 3:14) "WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE, BECAUSE WE LOVE THE BRETHREN. HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER ABIDETH IN DEATH."

a. The technical term is 'Justification'.

b. This speaks of our standing before God.

c. That change is completed the moment we trust Christ.

2. There is also a permanent change that awaits every believer.

(1 COR 15:50-52) "NOW THIS I SAY, BRETHREN, THAT FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD; NEITHER DOTH CORRUPTION INHERIT INCORRUPTION. {51} BEHOLD, I SHOW YOU A MYSTERY; WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP, BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED, {52} IN A MOMENT, IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMP: FOR THE TRUMPET SHALL SOUND, AND THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED."

a. This speaks of the time when we will exchange our old bodies for new bodies.

b. This is a future event and will be our glorification.

3. Between these two is where we live right now.

a. We call it sanctification.

b. It is the progressive growth of each believer as they become more like Christ.

c. It begins when we are saved and continues until we die or are raptured.

(ROM 8:29) "FOR WHOM HE DID FOREKNOW, HE ALSO DID PREDESTINATE TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN."

d. Note that v29 is preceded by v28.

e. How are we conformed to His image?

f. By the working of all things.

4. We are not robots...God has given us a free will to choose to love and serve Him.

a. It is our choice as to whether we will cooperate with God in His process of sanctification.

b. The potter applies pressure and the clay must be yielded in order to be molded into a vessel fit for the master's use.

c. The determining factor is attitude.

d. Attitude is our mental and emotional responses to the circumstances of life.

e. Often we cannot change our circum- stances, but we can change our attitudes.

Five basic principles about attitudes.

1. Our attitudes are chosen.

a. We can choose to look at any situation positively or negatively.

b. Note the illustration of the two farmers. One was a pessimist and the other was an optimist.

- When the sun was shining, the optimist would say, "Wonderful sunshine," but the pessimist would respond, "Yeah, but I'm afraid it's going to scorch the crops."
- When it rained, the optimist would say, "Fine rain," but the pessimist would respond, "Yeah, but I'm afraid we're going to have a flood."
- One day the optimist said to the pessimist, "Have you seen my new bird dog? He's the best money can buy." The pessimist said, "You mean that little mutt I saw penned up behind your house? He don't look like much to me."
- The optimist said, "Well, how about going hunting with me tomorrow?" The pessimist agreed. They went and shot some ducks. The ducks landed in the pond. The optimist ordered his dog to go get the ducks.
- The dog obediently responded, but instead of swimming in the water, the dog walked on top of the water, retrieved the ducks, and then walked back on top of the water.
- The optimist now turned confidently to his pessimist friend, hoping that this would have impressed him. The determined pessimist replied, "Hmmmm... can't swim, can he?"'

c. Some people are confirmed pessimists!

1) They make a deliberate decision to have a negative mental and emotional response to every circumstance.

2) Yet other people can look at the same circumstances and choose a positive outlook.

3) Paul is a good example of one who chose to have a positive attitude, regardless of his circumstances.

4) Paul was in prison awaiting his possible execution when he wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord, always."

5) Paul was able to say, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am" (Phil. 4:11).

d. Everyone of us makes a choice when it comes to our attitude, we can choose not to live God's principles and enjoy His blessings or we can choose not to do so and we will not have the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

(GAL 5:22-23) "BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, GENTLE-NESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, {23} MEEKNESS, TEMPERANCE: AGAINST SUCH THERE IS NO LAW."

2. Our attitudes are influenced by input.

a. To a large extent, our attitudes are shaped by external influences:

1) what we read 2) what we see 3) who we listen to 4) what we think about.

b. That is why Paul wrote:

(PHIL 4:8) "FINALLY, BRETHREN, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE HONEST, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE JUST, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE PURE, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE LOVELY, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE OF GOOD REPORT; IF THERE BE ANY VIRTUE, AND IF THERE BE ANY PRAISE, THINK ON THESE THINGS."

c. Attitudes are not only influenced by what we read, see, hear, and think about, but also by our friends.

1) The Book of Proverbs is full of warnings about avoiding certain types of people.

2) David, also warns us to avoid relationships with the ungodly:

(PSA 1:1-2) "BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT WALKETH NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY, NOR STANDETH IN THE WAY OF SINNERS, NOR SITTETH IN THE SEAT OF THE SCORNFUL. {2} BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD; AND IN HIS LAW DOTH HE MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT."

3. Our attitudes affect our relationships.

a. All of us are involved in relationships that could stand improvement.

b. Relationships with our spouses, our children, our friends, our work associates, or our fellow church members.

c. The Bible teaches that a wrong attitude is the major source of relationship conflicts?

(JAMES 4:1) "FROM WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU? COME THEY NOT HENCE, EVEN OF YOUR LUSTS THAT WAR IN YOUR MEMBERS?"

d. The major source of conflicts is a selfish attitude.

1) Whenever two or more people get together who are determined to get their way, you are going to have conflict, whether it is in the home, at work, or in the church.

2) The solution to such conflict is again, found in our attitude. 3) Note: Ph. 2:4-7

4. Our attitudes are both the cause and the result of right behavior.

a. It is easy to see how right thinking produces right behavior.

(PROV 23:7A) "FOR AS HE THINKETH IN HIS HEART, SO IS HE..."

b. But it is also true that right actions also produce right attitudes.

1) Remember the story of Cain and Abel? Cain was despondent because his brother, Abel, had offered an acceptable sacrifice to God, whereas Cain's gift had been rejected.

2) What did God prescribe as a cure for Cain's depression? Note: Genesis 4:4-7:

3) God said that if Cain would do right, he would start to feel right.

4) Right actions produce right attitudes.

c. We live in a feeling-oriented society: "If it feels good, do it" (and the corollary, "If it doesn't feel good, don't do it!).

1) A husband or wife seeks a divorce because he or she "doesn't feel anything any longer."

2) People quit their jobs because they "don't feel fulfilled."

3) Christians quit going to church because they "don't feel the Spirit" in the services.

4) Yet, God's word to Cain was that the key to right feelings is right actions.

5. Our attitude determines our eternal destiny.

a. The most convincing argument for right attitudes is the effect they have on our eternity.

b. Remember the definition of an attitude - "our mental or emotional response to the circumstances of life."

c. While we all experience many varied circumstances in life, there is one common circumstance we all encounter: sin.

1) Sin is our failure to please God.

2) And the Bible says all of us are guilty of it.

3) What is our attitude toward that failure in our life?

4) Our attitude will affect where we spend eternity.

Some face that reality with an attitude of unbelief "There is no God, and there is no such thing as sin." Some face sin with an attitude of indifference "So what?" · Others face that reality with an attitude of pride - "I may not be perfect, but I'm better than most people." But there is only one attitude that pleases God: an attitude of repentance. That means agreeing with God that you have failed, and turning to Him for forgiveness.

(1 JOHN 1:9) "IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."