RESIST NEGATIVITY

Proverbs 10:11 “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.”

Negativity is human nature – actually it is human fallen nature. Do you know where the first negative complaint is found in the Bible? It is found in found in Genesis chapter 3 verse 12. “And the man said,’ the woman whom Thou gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.’” I can almost hear it – “Lord it’s your fault. If you hadn’t given me this woman – I wouldn’t be in this fix.”

Because of our fallen nature - negativity comes naturally. How many of you had to teach your children to be negative? We tend to believe in the worst. It is easy to talk ourselves out of something by using negativity. For example if you want to try something new, what do you start thinking? Well, I don’t know if it’s going to work – there’s not enough time – no one is going to like it. We tend to emphasize the negative.

Negativity reflects what is going on inside a person. If you want to know the condition of your heart, listen to what is coming out of your mouth. Negativity justifies itself. Just because something looks right to you that does not mean it is right. If you put on rose colored glasses everything will look rosy. If you put on dark glasses everything will look dark. What you see is a product of your eyes. All of us can have a distorted view of the world. It all depends on what you are looking through.

I have heard these statements so many times: “I have a right to be this way – look at what has happened to me.” “Nobody likes me. I have no friends.” “You always act this way. You’re never going to change.” Let me ask you a simple question: Is the glass half empty or half full? Are you looking at the problems or the possibilities? Which ever way you look at the glass you have not changed the level of it one bit. But your perspective of it has a tremendous impact on your thought processes and eventually your words.

Negativity chooses your friends for you. Negativity will draw negativity. You know the saying “Birds of a feather flock together. If you want to know the type of person you are just look at who is hanging around you. When negative people come together it creates a momentum of negativity. They feed off of one another. With each negative word that is spoken, the negative thoughts in our minds become justified to us and then turn into our words. It is a vicious cycle that tears down and destroys.

Positive thinking does not advocate a lack of reality. It is true that some situations are tough and sometimes bad things happen. However, negative thoughts and words will never improve your situation.

What is going on in your life? Are you living a life of negativity? Remember Jesus said, “I have come to give life – and not just life – but abundant life.” Don’t waist you time in negativity. Look toward the positive.

FROM FAITH TO FAITH

Romans 1:17 “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith."

Listen to some of the titles that have appeared in the tabloids: Cow Mattresses Help Cows Produce More Milk - Mom On Diet Of Only Chicken, Lays Huge Egg - World War II Bomber Found On The Moon - Women Gives Birth To Two-Year-Old Baby: Child Walks And Talks In Three Days - Adam And Eve’s Bones Found In Asia: Eve Was A Space Alien.

The sad thing is that many people believe this nonsense. Being gullible is certainly a word that can be used to describe many people. But gullible has also been used to describe Christians. Some people, who consider themselves to be logical or rational, believe that Christians are gullible for their faith in God. We believe in miracles and in an unseen God and (to them) that is evidence of our gullibility. However, there is nothing gullible about believing in the Lord.

The Bible teaches that faith is the key to everything for the Christian. By faith we come to Christ. By faith we live our Christian lives with joy and gladness. Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is the core of our Christian living.

A famous Baptist evangelist once told the story of an elderly lady who was very upset by all of her real and imaginary troubles. Out of frustration her family told her, "Grandma, we’ve done all we can do for you. You’ll just have to trust God for the rest." A look of despair spread over her face as she replied, "Oh, dear, has it come to that?" To tell the truth, it always comes to that. So we might as well begin with that. Let’s begin with faith and see just what happens.

Paul makes it clear in our scripture that God works in a powerful way with his word. In it we have righteousness revealed to us. In a lot of passages Paul points out the truth that everyone who believes in the message of the Gospel is saved from their sins. This shows us that Jesus Christ is the center point of our faith. When Paul writes that in the Gospel righteousness from God is revealed, he is really speaking of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. You see, Jesus Christ is the message of the Gospel. The Gospel centers in the person of Christ. It is all about his sinless life, the atonement of our sins, and the supernatural resurrection. He is the center of the Gospel, so he is the center of our faith.

The way that the righteousness of God is given to us is only through faith. That is why it is called Good News. If all we understand is that Christ is righteous and we are not, that is not Good News. The Bad News is when we don’t have faith in this truth. The righteousness of God is offered to us only if we exercise our faith to receive it. In fact, we are told that this righteousness comes to us by faith from first to last.

True faith is never a work we perform because we are somehow good and worthy. True faith means rejecting all of our works and trusting completely in Christ for everything. Faith is the only way we can live. Faith is not just something by which we enter into a right relationship with God. Faith is also what we live with every single day. It is not that we come to Christ by faith and then we live by good works. Remember, it is "from faith to faith."

CRISIS MANAGEMENT

2 Samuel 15:13 “A messenger came and told David, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom."

Horatio G. Spafford, a successful Chicago lawyer, lost most of his wealth in the financial crisis of 1873. He sent his wife and four daughters on a trip to France, but on their way, their ship was struck by another, and sank. Of 225 passengers, only 87 of them survived. Mrs. Spafford was among the survivors, but the four daughters perished. As soon as she reached land, she telegraphed to her husband: "Saved alone. Children lost. What shall I do?"

Spafford left for France to join his wife and return her to Chicago. In the depth of this bereavement, he wrote his only hymn: It is Well with My Soul. Perhaps the words of the first stanza will take on new meaning for you, as you ponder them:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrow like sea billow roll;
Whatever my lot,
Thou hast taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well with my soul."

In the midst of the greatest crisis of his life, Horatio Spafford was able to rise above the power of his pain. How do people live through a crisis? Most of us will not go through situations like that of Spafford, but when we go through personal turmoil, how do we get through the problems of life?

The most painful crises are those of a personal nature. Picture the scene for a moment that is found in our scripture, a messenger enters the palace throne room and brings urgent news of dire proportions. As the messenger speaks the words stab at David’s heart like a knife. David hears that the nation of Israel has turned against him but the worst part is the cause. Absalom, David’s own son, was leading a rebellion to overthrow him and seize the throne. It has become clear that Absalom has the goal of killing David to take over the kingdom.

What a heartbreaking moment for David. This situation is soaked in personal turmoil and literally tears at the fabric of David’s own family. This national crisis flows with personal heartbreak. You may even know, to a degree, the pain that David was feeling. A crisis can come at you through your workplace, your home or even as you just mind your own business. Crisis is not a respecter of persons nor is it fair when it comes.

Crises are a fact of life and we all have to deal with them. Your problems may not be to the extent that David had to deal with but the reality is that when you go through them, you don’t go through them alone. Too often we try to hold our emotions in when we experience the difficulties of a crisis. We rely on our own strength to get us through and we put up a brave face. The reality is that there are times when the emotions simply must come out. Like David, there will be times when the tears have to flow.

When trials face you; that is the time to seek God’s presence and provision even more earnestly than ever before. If you are facing a time of crisis take some time to seek God and find his strength and support for your life in a fresh way.

CONCEAL OR CONFESS

Proverbs 28:13 “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

The Apostle John proclaims an undeniable truth, in 1 John 1:8, 10, when he says, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us…If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

It is true that we Christians will sin. No matter how diligently we devote ourselves to practicing righteousness and striving to perfect holiness in our lives, we are - from time to time - going to miss the mark and sin. From time to time, we are going to disobey God’s commandments and sin. Anyone who should deny this, says John, is just deceiving themselves and they make God a liar.

The Word of God basically tells us that we have two options in responding to sin in our lives. We find those two options in our scripture. Wise old Solomon says that our two options are ‘concealing’ and ‘confessing’. The concealing option is when we choose not to acknowledge our transgression or sin to God and we go about our life as if nothing happened. The confessing option is when we choose to acknowledge our transgression or sin to God, ask for forgiveness and seek the grace needed to change. Solomon says that those who choose the concealment option “will not prosper.” Those who choose the confession option “will find compassion.”

We need to understand that the concealment option is pure folly. The truth is that we can never conceal or hide our sin from God. In Jeremiah 2:22, we read "Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your iniquity is before me, declares the Lord God.” There simply isn’t any manner in which we can truly conceal our sin. The great consequence of concealing our transgressions or sin is that it creates a barrier between us and God. The separation that is created is not based upon God being angry as much as it is based upon the fact that a Holy God cannot casually fellowship with sin. If we sin and casually go about our lives, with an attitude of indifference, our relationship with God is damaged or broken. The sin that we have attempted to conceal produces a wall between us and God. We are not showing a true desire for closeness. Whereas, we may not show much of a desire for closeness, God does desire that bond. He built us in such a fashion that concealed sin would vex us. He gave us a conscience that can be burdened by guilt.

Whereas concealment brings a barrier between God and us, confessing and forsaking our transgressions maintains our fellowship with God. Whereas concealment brings guilt, confession brings the blessing of forgiveness or pardon.

Christians will sin or transgress God’s law from time to time. When we do, we are faced with two very different options. God wants us to maintain a healthy fellowship with him. He wants us to experience his peace and joy. Let us confess and forsake our transgressions. This is the path of growth and maturity which brings blessings now and an assurance for tomorrow.

LOOK AND LIVE

Numbers 21:9 “So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.”

British author Peter Mayle wrote about rich people in his book Acquired Tastes. He says they complain a lot and are rarely happy. The reason they complain so much is that, with their money, they figure they should get the best of everything…and so they become hyper-critical when the least little thing isn’t perfect. Those of us who aren’t "rolling in dough" don’t sweat the small inconveniences of life. But rich or poor, we all struggle with being satisfied and content with our lives.

If we’re truly committed to the Lord, we will accept his will and go where he leads us. If that means hardship in the wilderness, we face tomorrow with confidence that he will help us through every obstacle. Our lives may be challenging, but they have purpose and direction when we walk with the Lord. We find in our scripture that by rejecting God’s leadership and provision, the Israelites were opposing the very one who was sustaining them.

God’s chastening came swiftly, in the form of venomous snakes. God’s people had rejected the way of life and health, so they encountered suffering and death, the "wages of sin." Does this mean we should never complain to God? The book of Psalms is filled with complaints, and God is throughout Scripture described as full of patience and mercy. He wants us to be honest in our prayers.

So what happened here? This was not merely grumbling-it was open rebellion against God and Moses, their appointed leader. God wanted to give them, and us, an example of what can happen if we refuse to be people of praise. The people quickly turned from their grumbling. The snakes helped them see the logic of submitting to God and admitting their sin. Moses was pretty fed up with their attitude and tired of their complaining, yet he prayed in their behalf. He was willing to stand in the gap for his people. Moses prayed and God answered in an unexpected manner. Instead of simply removing the snakes and healing the people who’d been bitten, God instructed Moses to make a serpent of brass and place it on a pole where the people could see it. If those who had been bitten looked at this brass serpent, they would be instantly healed.

But why would Moses be told to make a model of a snake, the very creature that was causing the people to die? Because on the cross, Jesus became sin for us-our sins were put on him, and he suffered our punishment, taking our place. Moses didn’t place the bronze serpent in the Tabernacle, but displayed it publicly, and in the same way Jesus was publicly executed for our sins, in a way everyone could see. No one can look to Christ for us. We must individually respond to God’s provision. Just as the uplifted serpent was the only cure in the wilderness, so Jesus is our only remedy for sin. The sole salvation offered is what God graciously provides. It is a gift. If we reject it, we die.

A look brings life. Jesus declared in John’s Gospel, "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to Myself" (12:32). It was Moses’ business to set the bronze serpent on a pole; it is your business and mine to lift up the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that all may see it and live.

PROMISES TO KEEP

1 Kings 1:48 “'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.”

Here are the poignant words of Poet Robert Frost:

“The shouts of today are so loud that I do not hear the echoes of yesterday, nor do I listen to the faint whispers of tomorrow. All I really know is what is clamoring in my ear right here, right now. That makes me lose perspective. The shouts of today are so insistently loud that I do not hear the dwindling echoes of yesterday, nor do I listen to the faint and distant whispers of tomorrow. I forget what I have promised, just because I am trying to handle right now.

Sometimes it takes a crisis to focus me on the commitments I have made; for the truth is that I have miles to go before I sleep, and promises to keep. And promises to keep.”

Beneath the apparent tranquility of the poet’s lines there lingers restiveness, because he knows he is nearing the end of his life, and there are things he has promised to do, but has not done. There are commitments he has made, but has not kept.

Haven’t we all made promises? Which promises do we keep and which ones do we set aside? Which promises are sacred, never to be broken, and which ones are ho-hum, if it’s convenient? I don’t know about you, but I find in my own life that the promises I make to other people I do my best to keep. I can only hope that I take the same approach to those promises I make to God.

In our scripture we find that King David was a weary warrior, just about at the end of his life. He did not have long to live, and he knew it. But David was about to find out that even at that stage of life, he still had work to do.

One of David’s sons, Adonijah, was ambitious, and wanted to become king. Never mind that his father David had not yet died. Never mind that it was by no means clear in this kingdom that the crown is passed from father to son; after all, David himself did not get it that way. And never mind, most of all, that David had not promised the throne to Adonijah, but to another son, Solomon. None of that mattered to this crafty and ambitious young man. He wanted to be king and he went about gathering support. The Kingdom of Israel was about to go into full-fledged crisis.

David had thought, early on, it would be easy to promise Solomon the throne and make it happen. But his life got complicated and he forgot about his promises. The shouts of today are so insistently loud that we do not hear the dwindling echoes of yesterday, nor do we listen to the faint and distant whispers of tomorrow. David forgot what he had promised, just because he was trying to handle right now. In the end, David was held accountable and kept his promise to Solomon.

God wants to grant us the desires of our hearts, if we keep the promises we have made to him. We may get sidetracked. The demands and distractions of the real world are a lot to handle and we may lose our way. We must maintain our spiritual focus and remember our commitments to live a life for God. If we are faithful over what we have been called to do, our life will be complete and we will see God’s blessings.

YOU ARE IMPORTANT

Isaiah 49:16 “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

It seems that there is one thing all humans need more than anything else; to know we are loved. Without love, we feel worthless and unimportant and useless. And humans need to feel useful and worthwhile. That is one reason we always tend to compare ourselves with other people. Sometimes we consider ourselves better than them, and sometimes we wish we were as good as they are. We base our level of importance on:

• Our appearance
• Our achievements
• Our being approved by others
• Our wealth or power

Do I look good enough? Have I done enough? What will others think of me? Am I important enough or powerful enough? And every one of these areas is based primarily upon one thing; where we rate ourselves in comparison to other people. We need to be loved; we need to be accepted; and we need to feel self-worth.

The problem with these four standards is that none of them are stable. They will all change depending on moment-to-moment circumstances. Appearances change with time. There will always be somebody who can do more than us and do it better than we can; how well others like you can change in the blink of an eye; and your affluence can change with one bad choice. The trouble with letting things like these dictate your self-worth is that your self-worth will always be changing and you will never know from one moment to the next where you stand.

Our real value is found in God’s perspective of us. Jesus cares for us so much that he said “And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Luke 12:7)

Just imagine; God thinks we are so valuable that he knows the number of hairs on our head. The deepest expression of love is attention. When you give somebody your attention you’re giving them your love. When you don’t pay attention to your husband or wife or kids you are actually being unloving. God is always paying attention to us. It may not seem like it to us because we really are not all that focused on him, but again, He is always focused on us.

When little children do something they want to be noticed for, such as riding a bike with no hands, they will always yell out, “Watch me, Daddy!” “Watch me, Mommy!”

Adults want to be noticed, too. And, just like children, we yell out, but we don’t necessarily do it with words. We act in such a way as to get other people’s attention, or we dress with the goal of capturing other people’s attention. But, what we are really doing is yelling, “Please watch me, somebody!” For our own well being, it is vital that we remember to stop depending on other people to feel worthy, and start depending on God.

God notices everything in your life, his eyes of love are constantly watching you, and he knows your value no matter what anyone else around you is saying about you. He knows the truth, they don’t. God has a plan and purpose for your life. He made you and he wants you no matter what.