Passage of the Day: Ephesians 4: 1 – 3 – As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
My Journal for Today: Yes, I know, you’re probably asking, “How many times do we have to keep digging into Paul’s exhortation about living the life of a true Christian.” And here we are today, once again looking at a seminal truth that Christians must grasp which springs from this passage. The truth is that the Christian life is more about attitude than actions.
Note in Eph. 4: 1 - 3 that not one action command or exhortation is registered. If you look at the fruit of the Spirit, listed by Paul in Gal. 5: 22 - 23, you will see that they are all attitudes - “…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” So, knowing that all Christians are grace-gifted with all of these Spirit-given fruit, we come to realize that God gives us a foundation of attitude and then we provide Him with the return of actions which reflect those attitudes. And our actions will always result from commitments which spring from the attitudes which precede them.
Right now, as I am, some of you may be thinking about Eph. 2: 8 – 10. I have that passage memorized in the NKJV, so I will type it in that version of Scripture here:
>>> SCRIPTURE: Eph. 2: 8-10 … 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
And relative to the point I made above about Christian attitudes preceding Christians action, you’ve probably already noted it in Paul’s statement of the truth about born-again Christians. We are saved first BY God’s grace THROUGH the believer’s faith UNTO God’s purpose/will for our lives – i.e., good works. It all starts with God’s grace; but our part begins with faith, a God imparted attitude fruit, which produces good works, the God-willed action fruit.
MacArthur in his Strength for Today, from which my observations have come during this study, teaches that “action-fruit,” such as PRAISE (see Heb. 13: 15) or GIVING (see Phil. 4: 17) are simply legalism unless they result from the maturing of His Spirit-implanted “attitude fruit” (again see, Gal. 5: 22 - 23). And we’ve simply got to recognize that this is truth. Many small-c “christians” miss the reality that righteous actions flow naturally – or should we say supernaturally – from righteous attitudes. Nominal “christians” are more into DOING christian-like things to demonstrate being “christian,” rather than LIVING in Christlikeness as God’s Spirit has given us the attitude fruit to be reshaped into the Savior’s image. And that is religion at the expense of relationship … a lifestyle of legalism rather one of worship.
As MacArthur points out, if we DO things based upon the dos and don’ts of legalism, we are attempting to generate external grace from ourselves rather than utilizing the internal grace available to the truly surrendered Christian. That is nothing short of “Phariseeism;” and we know how much Christ hated and railed against the Pharisees (read Matt: 23: 25 - 26), as He said, “Woe to you [the Pharisees]!” …and using the word picture of cleaning the outer cup without cleaning the inner cup, we see how much Jesus valued the inner man [i.e., attitudes] as opposed to the outer [i.e., actions].
>>> SCRIPTURE: Matt. 23: 25-26 ... "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”
I don’t know about you; but when I see Jesus in heaven, I truly desire to hear Him say, “Well done!,” … not “Woe to you!” And so, I will continue to pray for and seek those attitudes that lead me to the righteous actions which result from His grace and fruit being born in me. Oh, how I desire to be a reflection of John 15 … a FRUITFUL Christian where my actions are a reflection of Christ’s very essence in me. And I can just hope that others who are reading this now have voiced a resounding, “Amen and amen!”
My Prayer Today: O Lord, I seek Your grace to express Your fruit in what I do. Amen
Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
2010 – May 19 – Of Hidden Motives
Study from God’s Word… Many Proverbs listed in The Daily Bible in Chronological Order from Proverbs 6, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, ordered by topics by the Editor, including Self motivation, False Worship, Duplicity, Love and Concern, Faithfulness, Hatred and Compassion, Kindness and Mercy, Welcome, Pride and Humility, Selfishness, Jealousy, Envy and Greed … Passage for Reflection: Proverbs 16: 2 … NIV All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
My Journal for Today: If you read and meditate on today’s highlight verse, letting it be a self analysis of our own motives for doing what we do, one could become convicted pretty quickly. I sure am!
For example, why are you here, reading along with Bill Berry in this devotional? Is it to grow in Christ or so that you can check off – honestly – on Facebook that you liked what I had to say? Or another one; … why did you put your tithe in the offering plate last Sunday? Is it because you gladly want to give the first fruits of God’s providence back to the Lord for Him to use it for His glory; or is it because you wanted that person sitting next to you in church to see you putting the envelope in the plate? … I know, I’m meddling; but let me ask you one more. … You exercised five days last week [okay, I’m being optimistic], doing aerobic and toning exercises. Did you do it to maintain God’s temple, the body, as we’re charged in 1st Cor. 6: 19-20; or did you do it so that you can look good in a mirror and be able to wear a bathing suit with pride this summer?
Yes, motive is important, isn’t it? It’s certainly important in a murder trial; but it’s even more important when it comes why we do what we do daily – for God’s glory or for selfish pride. As Dr. Smith points out with such brutal honesty today, ”… in God’s eyes it’s not just WHAT we do that counts, but WHY!” And he goes on, prodding me to ask myself (or you, yourself), ”When was the last time I double-checked my motives for doing even the good things I do?”
OUCH!!! Well, Dr. Smith, … that one hurt!! I guess I need to ask myself, why I’m sitting here writing this today. Am I doing it to get to know my God more deeply and intimately and to share what I learn with others? Or am I doing it so that I can imagine you saying, “Look how disciplined that Bill Berry is!” I’d like to think that my motive is the former; but sometimes, I have to admit, especially when someone makes an affirming comment about my discipline, I revel in gleeful pride that my brother/sister in Christ has noticed and is affirming my work.
Like it says in 2nd Cor. 13: 5 [linked] we all need to examine ourselves in the faith periodically to determine our motives and to get ourselves back into surrender mode to the Holy Spirit’s work of reshaping our attitudes and actions into those which mirror our Savior, Jesus. And to that end I pray today. >>>
My Prayer for Today: Lord, keep me open to Your enlightening and enabling grace, convicting me and directing my motives to glorify You in all I think, say, and do. Amen
My Journal for Today: If you read and meditate on today’s highlight verse, letting it be a self analysis of our own motives for doing what we do, one could become convicted pretty quickly. I sure am!
For example, why are you here, reading along with Bill Berry in this devotional? Is it to grow in Christ or so that you can check off – honestly – on Facebook that you liked what I had to say? Or another one; … why did you put your tithe in the offering plate last Sunday? Is it because you gladly want to give the first fruits of God’s providence back to the Lord for Him to use it for His glory; or is it because you wanted that person sitting next to you in church to see you putting the envelope in the plate? … I know, I’m meddling; but let me ask you one more. … You exercised five days last week [okay, I’m being optimistic], doing aerobic and toning exercises. Did you do it to maintain God’s temple, the body, as we’re charged in 1st Cor. 6: 19-20; or did you do it so that you can look good in a mirror and be able to wear a bathing suit with pride this summer?
Yes, motive is important, isn’t it? It’s certainly important in a murder trial; but it’s even more important when it comes why we do what we do daily – for God’s glory or for selfish pride. As Dr. Smith points out with such brutal honesty today, ”… in God’s eyes it’s not just WHAT we do that counts, but WHY!” And he goes on, prodding me to ask myself (or you, yourself), ”When was the last time I double-checked my motives for doing even the good things I do?”
OUCH!!! Well, Dr. Smith, … that one hurt!! I guess I need to ask myself, why I’m sitting here writing this today. Am I doing it to get to know my God more deeply and intimately and to share what I learn with others? Or am I doing it so that I can imagine you saying, “Look how disciplined that Bill Berry is!” I’d like to think that my motive is the former; but sometimes, I have to admit, especially when someone makes an affirming comment about my discipline, I revel in gleeful pride that my brother/sister in Christ has noticed and is affirming my work.
Like it says in 2nd Cor. 13: 5 [linked] we all need to examine ourselves in the faith periodically to determine our motives and to get ourselves back into surrender mode to the Holy Spirit’s work of reshaping our attitudes and actions into those which mirror our Savior, Jesus. And to that end I pray today. >>>
My Prayer for Today: Lord, keep me open to Your enlightening and enabling grace, convicting me and directing my motives to glorify You in all I think, say, and do. Amen
Saturday, November 14, 2009
2009 – Day 317.Nov 14 – Good Attitude
Passage for Study: Acts 14: 1 - 20 … Linked for your study …
My Journal for Today: Wow! I could probably write a book (well, maybe small one) on the title of Chuck Swindoll’s devotional entry for today: Good Attitude. But I’ll try to keep things as brief as I can.
Attitude is almost everything in the life of a Christian disciple; and our models from the text, repeated again today, certainly shine forth with flying Christian colors, exhibiting what Paul wrote about later in his life in Phil. 2: 5, … that Christians much choose and pursue the attitudes which are attributed to Christ.
Note I said “CHOOSE” our attitude; because we often confuse our feelings, which are flesh-driven reactions to circumstances, with our attitudes, which are heart-led responses to those same circumstances. Paul and Barnabas faced many trials and testing circumstances as they moved about, spreading the Gospel. In 2nd Cor. 11: 22-33, linked here, Paul outlines some of the trying circumstances he encountered in his missionary ventures; and yet, as we see in Scripture, when he encountered the so-called “thorn in the flesh,” [in 2nd Cor. 12], another of those challenges, Paul retained an attitude of surrender and dedicated followership to His Lord.
And that’s what we must do as well as we face the various trial which characterize our lives. I don’t often do this in my devotional journal entries, but today I feel compelled to quote exactly what Chuck Swindoll wrote for his entry today, because it is great teaching; and great teaching deserves repeating. Here’s what he wrote for today …
• ”We make a choice every waking moment of our lives. When we awaken in the morning, we choose the attitude that will ultimately guide our thoughts and actions through the day. I’m convinced our best attitudes emerge out of a clear understanding of our own identity, … a clear sense of our divine mission, … and a deep sense of God’s purpose for our lives. That sort of God-honoring attitude encourages us to press on, … to focus on the goal, … [and] to respond in remarkable ways to life’s most extreme circumstances.”
As another example, besides our text today, of this type of attitude, Swindoll quotes Victor Frankl, the famous Jewish Physician who survived incarceration in a concentration camp during WW2. Later, after the war, while describing the rare individual who reached out beyond the flesh and helped others, even giving up food, Frankl wrote, “The last of his freedoms (i.e., those who sacrificed) is to choose his own attitude in any given set of circumstances – to choose one’s own way.”
Yes, we CHOOSE our attitude; and it is only when our attitudes mirror the humble and meek attitude of Christ (see Matt. 11: 29) that we’re going to be able to rise above selfish desires and to incur pain when we are called upon to do what Christ commanded in Luke 9: 23, … to deny self, to take up our cross of circumstances, and to follow our Lord wherever He leads.
It is my prayer today that we can become more like Christ and choose to honor Him with our attitudes and actions … that we can live out the teaching of Christ Himself when He directed us to shine our lights (from our attitudes and actions) and to glorify our Father in Heaven [of course from Matt. 5: 16].
My Prayer for Today: Lord, … oh how I desire to have Your attitude, leading to my choices and reflecting Your light into this world. Amen
My Journal for Today: Wow! I could probably write a book (well, maybe small one) on the title of Chuck Swindoll’s devotional entry for today: Good Attitude. But I’ll try to keep things as brief as I can.
Attitude is almost everything in the life of a Christian disciple; and our models from the text, repeated again today, certainly shine forth with flying Christian colors, exhibiting what Paul wrote about later in his life in Phil. 2: 5, … that Christians much choose and pursue the attitudes which are attributed to Christ.
Note I said “CHOOSE” our attitude; because we often confuse our feelings, which are flesh-driven reactions to circumstances, with our attitudes, which are heart-led responses to those same circumstances. Paul and Barnabas faced many trials and testing circumstances as they moved about, spreading the Gospel. In 2nd Cor. 11: 22-33, linked here, Paul outlines some of the trying circumstances he encountered in his missionary ventures; and yet, as we see in Scripture, when he encountered the so-called “thorn in the flesh,” [in 2nd Cor. 12], another of those challenges, Paul retained an attitude of surrender and dedicated followership to His Lord.
And that’s what we must do as well as we face the various trial which characterize our lives. I don’t often do this in my devotional journal entries, but today I feel compelled to quote exactly what Chuck Swindoll wrote for his entry today, because it is great teaching; and great teaching deserves repeating. Here’s what he wrote for today …
• ”We make a choice every waking moment of our lives. When we awaken in the morning, we choose the attitude that will ultimately guide our thoughts and actions through the day. I’m convinced our best attitudes emerge out of a clear understanding of our own identity, … a clear sense of our divine mission, … and a deep sense of God’s purpose for our lives. That sort of God-honoring attitude encourages us to press on, … to focus on the goal, … [and] to respond in remarkable ways to life’s most extreme circumstances.”
As another example, besides our text today, of this type of attitude, Swindoll quotes Victor Frankl, the famous Jewish Physician who survived incarceration in a concentration camp during WW2. Later, after the war, while describing the rare individual who reached out beyond the flesh and helped others, even giving up food, Frankl wrote, “The last of his freedoms (i.e., those who sacrificed) is to choose his own attitude in any given set of circumstances – to choose one’s own way.”
Yes, we CHOOSE our attitude; and it is only when our attitudes mirror the humble and meek attitude of Christ (see Matt. 11: 29) that we’re going to be able to rise above selfish desires and to incur pain when we are called upon to do what Christ commanded in Luke 9: 23, … to deny self, to take up our cross of circumstances, and to follow our Lord wherever He leads.
It is my prayer today that we can become more like Christ and choose to honor Him with our attitudes and actions … that we can live out the teaching of Christ Himself when He directed us to shine our lights (from our attitudes and actions) and to glorify our Father in Heaven [of course from Matt. 5: 16].
My Prayer for Today: Lord, … oh how I desire to have Your attitude, leading to my choices and reflecting Your light into this world. Amen
Monday, February 02, 2009
2009 - Day 33 - Walk By Faith
February 2, 2009 … Swindoll’s Topic for Today: Walk By Faith
Passage of the Day: Genesis 45: 9 – 13 … 9 “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. 10 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. 11 There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”’ 12 “And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.”
My Journal for Today: If you are reading here for the first time, you probably should go back at least one day and meditate on my journal entry for yesterday where I covered Swindoll’s point that one’s attitude leads to action. And for today that theme is carried over with an emphasis on the reality that one’s attitude will determine one’s faith … and visa versa. It is an equation. Attitude equals faith; and faith equals attitude. To quote a closing line from Swindoll today, “A faith-filled life means all the difference in how we view everything around us. It affects our attitudes toward people, toward location, toward situation, toward circumstances, [and] toward ourselves. Only then do our feet become swift to do what is right.”
And this returns me to a theme which was developed earlier in the study of Joseph, our hero, who was whom he became because of his vertical attitude, which was, in turn, determined because Joseph faithfully saw God in every where he was, … at any moment in time, … no matter where that might be. It was his faith that determined his attitude; and then it was his attitude which influenced his actions. In today’s scenario we see that Joseph rose above petty human vengeance and bitterness, being a shining example of Christ-like humility and forgiveness.
Joseph saw that God had brought him to this place with his brothers; and furthermore, he saw that it was God who had changed even the likes of Judah, who had been his most hateful brother. And so Joseph’s faith shaped his attitude; and his attitude shaped his mercy and generosity as he charged his brothers – IN FAITH – to go back, fully laden with provisions, and to bring their father, Israel, back to Joseph.
Swindoll makes the point that Joseph’s life illustrates several key points about faith and attitude.
· First, he writes, “When I’m able, by faith, to see God’s plan in my location, my attitude will be right.”
· Then, his says, “When I’m able, by faith, to sense God’s hand in my situation, my attitude will be right”
· And finally, Swindoll writes, “When I’m able, by faith, to accept both my location and situation as good, even when there’s been evil in the process, my attitude will be right.”
Okay, have you just done an attitude and faith inventory, as I have? I don’t know about you, but I’ve got some faith building and attitude adjusting to do in my life. Or a better way to see it would be to surrender and let God use His sanctifying grace to shape my attitude and faith for my life to come.
However, and this is important for us all to see; I can proactively and intentionally work to see life vertically in any or all of life, before relenting to my very human reactions of fearfulness or selfishness. I can internalize the truth of Romans 8: 28, which speaks volumes, and with power, about how we view where God has led us or placed us. I hope you KNOW that verse; and I don’t mean that you just have it memorized. I pray that God can help me internalize its truth; and to let this word from God, along with Prov. 3: 5 – 6, be the credo of my life’s attitude and faithfulness.
Before I was a Christian, I used to love the old Frank Sinatra song, My Way, because it seemed to espouse an attitude of SELF confidence and SELF control. However, I’ve come to see that my life needs to write a song entitled His Way, which is characterized by the attitudes of humility and surrender; … so that my life, as it unfolds, can be patterned after a man like Joseph, or even more aptly like that of Christ … and certainly not the likes of Frank Sinatra.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to see life, in faith, through Your will, from Your word; and then I pray to do life Your way rather than mine. Amen
Passage of the Day: Genesis 45: 9 – 13 … 9 “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. 10 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. 11 There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”’ 12 “And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.”
My Journal for Today: If you are reading here for the first time, you probably should go back at least one day and meditate on my journal entry for yesterday where I covered Swindoll’s point that one’s attitude leads to action. And for today that theme is carried over with an emphasis on the reality that one’s attitude will determine one’s faith … and visa versa. It is an equation. Attitude equals faith; and faith equals attitude. To quote a closing line from Swindoll today, “A faith-filled life means all the difference in how we view everything around us. It affects our attitudes toward people, toward location, toward situation, toward circumstances, [and] toward ourselves. Only then do our feet become swift to do what is right.”
And this returns me to a theme which was developed earlier in the study of Joseph, our hero, who was whom he became because of his vertical attitude, which was, in turn, determined because Joseph faithfully saw God in every where he was, … at any moment in time, … no matter where that might be. It was his faith that determined his attitude; and then it was his attitude which influenced his actions. In today’s scenario we see that Joseph rose above petty human vengeance and bitterness, being a shining example of Christ-like humility and forgiveness.
Joseph saw that God had brought him to this place with his brothers; and furthermore, he saw that it was God who had changed even the likes of Judah, who had been his most hateful brother. And so Joseph’s faith shaped his attitude; and his attitude shaped his mercy and generosity as he charged his brothers – IN FAITH – to go back, fully laden with provisions, and to bring their father, Israel, back to Joseph.
Swindoll makes the point that Joseph’s life illustrates several key points about faith and attitude.
· First, he writes, “When I’m able, by faith, to see God’s plan in my location, my attitude will be right.”
· Then, his says, “When I’m able, by faith, to sense God’s hand in my situation, my attitude will be right”
· And finally, Swindoll writes, “When I’m able, by faith, to accept both my location and situation as good, even when there’s been evil in the process, my attitude will be right.”
Okay, have you just done an attitude and faith inventory, as I have? I don’t know about you, but I’ve got some faith building and attitude adjusting to do in my life. Or a better way to see it would be to surrender and let God use His sanctifying grace to shape my attitude and faith for my life to come.
However, and this is important for us all to see; I can proactively and intentionally work to see life vertically in any or all of life, before relenting to my very human reactions of fearfulness or selfishness. I can internalize the truth of Romans 8: 28, which speaks volumes, and with power, about how we view where God has led us or placed us. I hope you KNOW that verse; and I don’t mean that you just have it memorized. I pray that God can help me internalize its truth; and to let this word from God, along with Prov. 3: 5 – 6, be the credo of my life’s attitude and faithfulness.
Before I was a Christian, I used to love the old Frank Sinatra song, My Way, because it seemed to espouse an attitude of SELF confidence and SELF control. However, I’ve come to see that my life needs to write a song entitled His Way, which is characterized by the attitudes of humility and surrender; … so that my life, as it unfolds, can be patterned after a man like Joseph, or even more aptly like that of Christ … and certainly not the likes of Frank Sinatra.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to see life, in faith, through Your will, from Your word; and then I pray to do life Your way rather than mine. Amen
Sunday, February 01, 2009
2009 - Day 32 - Attitude Adjustment
February, 2009 Topic: Joseph: A Man of Integrity & Forgiveness - Continued
We move into February and continue for a couple of weeks with Chuck Swindoll’s devotional exposition of the life of Joseph. If you’re reading and studying along with me in these journal entries, I hope you’re getting as much from this study as I am. But, we move on in Swindoll’s coverage in his devotional book, Great Days with the Great Lives.
Administrative Reminder: Again all Scriptures quoted in my journal entries will be from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise referenced.
===================
February 1, 2009 … Swindoll’s Topic for Today: Attitude Adjustment
Passage of the Day: Genesis 45: 8 – 9 … [Joseph speaking to his brothers] 8 “So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father [Hebrew “ab,” meaning a respected head of a people or family] to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry.’ ”
My Journal for Today: Swindoll closes out his devotional today, entitled “Attitude Adjustment” with a one sentence sermon, inspired by the late preacher, John Henry Jowett. He writes: “Greatness is revealed mainly in our attitude.”
What a powerful statement of what Joseph represented for all believers in God’s word. Think about it! Here was a man who, based upon his life, could have displayed such attitudes as anger, bitterness, hatred, or vengeance. Yet, as Swindoll writes, he had chosen to become “… supportive, merciful, gracious, generous, and [totally] unselfish.” And about Whom does that remind you? Well, the capital “W” may give that riddle away.
Yes, Joseph, as I’ve said in past journal entries is a type of Christ in the Old Testament. And through the trials and testing of his life, Joseph was developed by God with attitudes very unlike most men; and, when you analyze his vertical outlook, he had become a man much like The Messiah for Whom looked toward, but Whom we can celebrate as our Risen Lord.
There is a New Testament scripture to which I’ve often referred in my discipleship and teaching in Phil. 2 (verse 5) which states clearly what the attitude of those claim Christ as Lord should be. It states, Let this mind [or attitude] be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ... I also think of Ephesians 4: 1-3, where Paul exhorts Christians, ... I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Can you see, as I do, that as Christians we are practically commanded to move toward worthiness as disciples of our Lord … to develop and maintain an attitude which is modeled by Christ. If we are Christians, that is, like Paul says, “prisoners of the Lord,” we are to be surrendered and have an attitude which honors our Lord and Savior, Jesus. But what are the attitude and value qualities to which we, like Joseph, should aspire and develop? In answer to that important discipleship question, I believe those are also found in the writings of Paul in Galatians 5: 22 – 23, i.e., the fruit of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (or meekness), AND self-control.
The wonderful thing about being a New Covenant believer is that we are given ALL of these qualities, the values of Christlikeness, when we are truly born-again as Christians. Joseph, I believe, also had the Holy Spirit guiding him in his life as a type of Christ whom we can read about in Scripture; but just like New Testament Christians, Joseph had to be in surrender to God’s Spirit to develop and exhibit the qualities we have read about in Genesis, where his life becomes a shining example of a Christ-like attitude.
I truly hope (and pray) that I can not only aspire to have an attitude like Christ, but to humbly walk in surrender to His Spirit, Who can/will allow the fruit of His very being to permeate my mind and heart and to help me develop an attitude which is like that of our Savior.
I pray that is the goal we all have in Christ.
My Prayer for Today: Help me, Lord, to have Your attitude as I make decisions and act in worthiness to Your Name. Amen
We move into February and continue for a couple of weeks with Chuck Swindoll’s devotional exposition of the life of Joseph. If you’re reading and studying along with me in these journal entries, I hope you’re getting as much from this study as I am. But, we move on in Swindoll’s coverage in his devotional book, Great Days with the Great Lives.
Administrative Reminder: Again all Scriptures quoted in my journal entries will be from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise referenced.
===================
February 1, 2009 … Swindoll’s Topic for Today: Attitude Adjustment
Passage of the Day: Genesis 45: 8 – 9 … [Joseph speaking to his brothers] 8 “So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father [Hebrew “ab,” meaning a respected head of a people or family] to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry.’ ”
My Journal for Today: Swindoll closes out his devotional today, entitled “Attitude Adjustment” with a one sentence sermon, inspired by the late preacher, John Henry Jowett. He writes: “Greatness is revealed mainly in our attitude.”
What a powerful statement of what Joseph represented for all believers in God’s word. Think about it! Here was a man who, based upon his life, could have displayed such attitudes as anger, bitterness, hatred, or vengeance. Yet, as Swindoll writes, he had chosen to become “… supportive, merciful, gracious, generous, and [totally] unselfish.” And about Whom does that remind you? Well, the capital “W” may give that riddle away.
Yes, Joseph, as I’ve said in past journal entries is a type of Christ in the Old Testament. And through the trials and testing of his life, Joseph was developed by God with attitudes very unlike most men; and, when you analyze his vertical outlook, he had become a man much like The Messiah for Whom looked toward, but Whom we can celebrate as our Risen Lord.
There is a New Testament scripture to which I’ve often referred in my discipleship and teaching in Phil. 2 (verse 5) which states clearly what the attitude of those claim Christ as Lord should be. It states, Let this mind [or attitude] be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ... I also think of Ephesians 4: 1-3, where Paul exhorts Christians, ... I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Can you see, as I do, that as Christians we are practically commanded to move toward worthiness as disciples of our Lord … to develop and maintain an attitude which is modeled by Christ. If we are Christians, that is, like Paul says, “prisoners of the Lord,” we are to be surrendered and have an attitude which honors our Lord and Savior, Jesus. But what are the attitude and value qualities to which we, like Joseph, should aspire and develop? In answer to that important discipleship question, I believe those are also found in the writings of Paul in Galatians 5: 22 – 23, i.e., the fruit of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (or meekness), AND self-control.
The wonderful thing about being a New Covenant believer is that we are given ALL of these qualities, the values of Christlikeness, when we are truly born-again as Christians. Joseph, I believe, also had the Holy Spirit guiding him in his life as a type of Christ whom we can read about in Scripture; but just like New Testament Christians, Joseph had to be in surrender to God’s Spirit to develop and exhibit the qualities we have read about in Genesis, where his life becomes a shining example of a Christ-like attitude.
I truly hope (and pray) that I can not only aspire to have an attitude like Christ, but to humbly walk in surrender to His Spirit, Who can/will allow the fruit of His very being to permeate my mind and heart and to help me develop an attitude which is like that of our Savior.
I pray that is the goal we all have in Christ.
My Prayer for Today: Help me, Lord, to have Your attitude as I make decisions and act in worthiness to Your Name. Amen
Friday, January 09, 2009
2009 - Day 9 - A Positive Attitude
January 9, 2009 … Swindoll’s Topic for Today: A Positive Attitude
Passage of the Day: Genesis 4: 4 - 19 Go to this hyperlink to read, study, and meditdate on this passage.
My Journal for Today: Norman Vincent Peale became a famous Christian author and speaker in the 1950s by writing a book entitled, The Power of Positive Thinking. Peale was the Joel Osteen of his day; and his positive thinking gospel became all the rage. Now, I’m not an advocate of the “word of faith” teachings which many so-called “Christian” thinkers and teachers put forth, from Peale to Osteen and others. However, in the life of Joseph and in this one passage, we see that having and exercising a positive outlook on life, coupled with a “surrender-mode” attitude in one’s relationship with God, can produce some remarkable outcomes.
What a positive attitude Joseph had, having been unjustly thrown into the slammer at the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife. And that’s in the context of having been thrown into a pit by his brothers and sold into Egyptian slavery. And still, when he was confronted by these two court officers, the butler and baker for the Pharaoh, what is Joseph’s first thought? Was it, “Hey guys, I know how you feel; life is a bummer, isn’t it?” No; almost reflexively Joseph notes these two men are down and out; and with positive gusto, he offers to help.
And as Charles Swindoll points out in his devotional entry for today, what Joseph does to help these men is solid evidence of a positive outlook on life. Because he offers to help these men interpret their dreams. Surely you know or remember what happened the last time Joseph attempted to interpret the dreams of others. It involved his brothers; and what happened? Yes, Joseph was thrown into, as Swindoll writes, “pit city” and sold down the river into Egypt as a slave. So, most of us, given such a history, would be quite fearful, negative, and guarded, being in prison with Joseph’s history, meeting these men who needed to have their dreams interpreted. But not Joseph; … he saw a need and with positive, almost reflexive responsiveness, he responded to help. That’s a God thing; and it was a God-driven choice … a positive choice … to exercise positive faith rather than negatively based fears.
A positive attitude (which I believe is a combination of humility and faith) does not create the power to help others. In others words, faith in action, as some would teach today, does not have power, in and of itself. No, rather, a positive attitude, with choices that act on that attitude, provide the platform to allow God to pour His enabling and empowering grace into the actions which are driven by the positive attitude. Joseph didn’t relent to the natural fears which most of us would have, given his past and present circumstances. Joseph rather becomes a model of being able to see needs and act because of his Godly attitude and his willingness to let God use him.
So, I’m confronted and convicted by this reading and study today. How about you? I have to ask myself, when I see others who are in need and I have a history to recognize their pain or suffering, would I balk and feel an avoidance response; or … would I be able to say, “I know how you feel, let me help!” ? I pray it would be the latter; don’t you? And I know that developing a positive attitude, a God-surrendered attitude (see Phil. 2: 5 and Romans 8: 31), is the foundation for such response.
My Prayer Today: Lord, develop in me a heart of Joseph … to see needs and respond in faith as You can use me to help meet the needs of others. Amen
Passage of the Day: Genesis 4: 4 - 19 Go to this hyperlink to read, study, and meditdate on this passage.
My Journal for Today: Norman Vincent Peale became a famous Christian author and speaker in the 1950s by writing a book entitled, The Power of Positive Thinking. Peale was the Joel Osteen of his day; and his positive thinking gospel became all the rage. Now, I’m not an advocate of the “word of faith” teachings which many so-called “Christian” thinkers and teachers put forth, from Peale to Osteen and others. However, in the life of Joseph and in this one passage, we see that having and exercising a positive outlook on life, coupled with a “surrender-mode” attitude in one’s relationship with God, can produce some remarkable outcomes.
What a positive attitude Joseph had, having been unjustly thrown into the slammer at the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife. And that’s in the context of having been thrown into a pit by his brothers and sold into Egyptian slavery. And still, when he was confronted by these two court officers, the butler and baker for the Pharaoh, what is Joseph’s first thought? Was it, “Hey guys, I know how you feel; life is a bummer, isn’t it?” No; almost reflexively Joseph notes these two men are down and out; and with positive gusto, he offers to help.
And as Charles Swindoll points out in his devotional entry for today, what Joseph does to help these men is solid evidence of a positive outlook on life. Because he offers to help these men interpret their dreams. Surely you know or remember what happened the last time Joseph attempted to interpret the dreams of others. It involved his brothers; and what happened? Yes, Joseph was thrown into, as Swindoll writes, “pit city” and sold down the river into Egypt as a slave. So, most of us, given such a history, would be quite fearful, negative, and guarded, being in prison with Joseph’s history, meeting these men who needed to have their dreams interpreted. But not Joseph; … he saw a need and with positive, almost reflexive responsiveness, he responded to help. That’s a God thing; and it was a God-driven choice … a positive choice … to exercise positive faith rather than negatively based fears.
A positive attitude (which I believe is a combination of humility and faith) does not create the power to help others. In others words, faith in action, as some would teach today, does not have power, in and of itself. No, rather, a positive attitude, with choices that act on that attitude, provide the platform to allow God to pour His enabling and empowering grace into the actions which are driven by the positive attitude. Joseph didn’t relent to the natural fears which most of us would have, given his past and present circumstances. Joseph rather becomes a model of being able to see needs and act because of his Godly attitude and his willingness to let God use him.
So, I’m confronted and convicted by this reading and study today. How about you? I have to ask myself, when I see others who are in need and I have a history to recognize their pain or suffering, would I balk and feel an avoidance response; or … would I be able to say, “I know how you feel, let me help!” ? I pray it would be the latter; don’t you? And I know that developing a positive attitude, a God-surrendered attitude (see Phil. 2: 5 and Romans 8: 31), is the foundation for such response.
My Prayer Today: Lord, develop in me a heart of Joseph … to see needs and respond in faith as You can use me to help meet the needs of others. Amen
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