AttitudeAttitudeDealing With the Realities of Life Dealing With the Realities of Life

AttitudAttitudee

a mental position with regard to a fact or state <a helpful attitude> b : a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state.

a negative or hostile state of mind b : a cool, cocky, defiant, or arrogant manner

--Merriam Webster

An Attitude of Hope and An Attitude of Hope and FaithFaith

John 16:33 (NLT) John 16:33 (NLT) I have told I have told you all this so that you may you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the because I have overcome the worldworld.Matthew 6:34 (TMSG) Matthew 6:34 (TMSG) Give Give your entire attention to what God your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the hard things come up when the time comes.time comes.  

Charles Swindoll said: “The longer I live, the Charles Swindoll said: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string that we have, and that is our the one string that we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.”charge of our attitudes.”

Attitude is a Dailey ChoiceAttitude is a Dailey Choice

““We who lived in concentration We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms—to choose one’s human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”way.”--Viktor Frankl--Viktor Frankl, , Man’s Search for Man’s Search for MeaningMeaning

Attitude is the Power Attitude is the Power to Choose our Response to Choose our Response

Attitude is the Power Attitude is the Power to Choose our Response to Choose our Response

Philippians 2:4 (NASB) Philippians 2:4 (NASB) do do not not merelymerely look out for your own look out for your own personal interests, but also for the personal interests, but also for the interests of others.interests of others. 

Romans 12:21 (NASB) Romans 12:21 (NASB) Do not be Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.with good.

Years ago a young African American Years ago a young African American boy was growing up in Cleveland, in a boy was growing up in Cleveland, in a home which he later described as home which he later described as “materially poor but spiritually rich.”“materially poor but spiritually rich.” One day a famous athlete, Charlie One day a famous athlete, Charlie Paddock, came to his school to speak Paddock, came to his school to speak to the students. At the time Paddock to the students. At the time Paddock was considered “the fastest human was considered “the fastest human being alive.” He told the children, being alive.” He told the children, “What do you want to be? You name “What do you want to be? You name it and then believe that God will help it and then believe that God will help you be it.” That little boy decided that you be it.” That little boy decided that he too wanted to be the fastest he too wanted to be the fastest human being on earth.human being on earth. The boy went to his track coach The boy went to his track coach and told him of his new dream. His and told him of his new dream. His coach told him, “It’s great to have a coach told him, “It’s great to have a dream, but to attain your dream you dream, but to attain your dream you must build a ladder to it. must build a ladder to it.

Attitude, Overcoming AdversityAttitude, Overcoming Adversity

Here is the ladder to your Here is the ladder to your dreams. The first rung is dreams. The first rung is determinationdetermination! And the ! And the second rung is second rung is dedicationdedication! The ! The third rung is third rung is disciplinediscipline! And ! And the fourth rung isthe fourth rung is Over a period of years he built Over a period of years he built that ladder and went on to win that ladder and went on to win four gold medals in the 1936 four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He won the Berlin Olympics. He won the 100 meter dash and broke the 100 meter dash and broke the Olympic and world records for Olympic and world records for the 200 meter. His broad jump the 200 meter. His broad jump record lasted for twenty-four record lasted for twenty-four years. Who was this man? Jesse years. Who was this man? Jesse Owens.Owens.

attitude!”attitude!”

The late Dr. Wernher Von Braun The late Dr. Wernher Von Braun once was asked what it would take once was asked what it would take for man to reach the moon, and he for man to reach the moon, and he replied, “The will to do it.” This replied, “The will to do it.” This answer holds good in nearly every answer holds good in nearly every field of human endeavor. In field of human endeavor. In medicine, determination and medicine, determination and persistence have paid off in persistence have paid off in spectacular breakthroughs in spectacular breakthroughs in conquering diseases. In conquering diseases. In transportation the dream of transportation the dream of traveling around the world in a traveling around the world in a matter of hours has become a matter of hours has become a reality because the will to do so reality because the will to do so was strong. “The will to do it!” How was strong. “The will to do it!” How vitally important this attitude is in vitally important this attitude is in Christianity! If you really want to do Christianity! If you really want to do God’s will, you can, but you must God’s will, you can, but you must the will to do it. This is true in so the will to do it. This is true in so many areas of our lives.many areas of our lives.

Attitude, Regarding the Attitude, Regarding the Impossible, the Will to do itImpossible, the Will to do it

Attitude, Regarding the Attitude, Regarding the Impossible, the Will to do itImpossible, the Will to do it

Matthew 17:20 (NASB) Matthew 17:20 (NASB) . . . truly I . . . truly I say to you, if you have faith the size say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. will be impossible to you. 

Philippians 4:12 - 13 (NIV) Philippians 4:12 - 13 (NIV) 1212I I know what it is to be in need, and know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being have learned the secret of being content in any and every content in any and every situation, whether well fed or situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  in want.  1313I can do everything I can do everything through him who gives me through him who gives me strength.strength.

What was the secret to What was the secret to contentment that the Apostle contentment that the Apostle Paul discovered . . .Paul discovered . . .

AttitudeAttitudeII can can dodo

everything through everything through Him who gives me Him who gives me

strength.strength.

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