The Importance of Attitude

Our attitude is a God-given looking glass into our hearts.  Attitude is an insightful tool, a gauge discerning Christians can utilise to discover whether we are walking in God's truth or according to the flesh.  We use thermostats to regulate the temperature of conditioned air, a thermometer to discern if meat is cooked through, and moisture gauges to measure the dampness of a room.  Our bodies are designed by God to function at an optimal temperature, and it is not difficult to discern if we are sick if we will submit to taking our temperature.  The instrument spells out the proof, whether we think or feel like we have a fever or not.  Yet when it comes to spiritual health, things are not so clear cut.  Many times in my own life I thought I was spiritually healthy and robust when I was suffering from the equivalent of walking pneumonia.  Examining my attitude and motives according to God's Word was the way that God drove home the reality that I was gravely ill from a spiritually vantage point.  The danger of not immediately seeking God to treat our spiritual sickness is we unwittingly open ourselves up for all manner of error.

A.W. Tozer wrote a most useful book called The Dwelling Place of God.  He introduces the subject in the following manner:  "These are the times that try men's souls. The Spirit has spoken expressly that in the latter times some should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. Those days are upon us and we cannot escape them; we must triumph in the midst of them, for such is the will of God concerning us. Strange as it may seem, the danger today is greater for the fervent Christian than for the lukewarm and the self-satisfied. The seeker after God's best things is eager to hear anyone who offers a way by which he can obtain them. He longs for some new experience, some elevated view of truth, some operation of the Spirit that will raise him above the dead level of religious mediocrity he sees all around him, and for this reason he is ready to give a sympathetic ear to the new and the wonderful in religion, particularly if it is presented by someone with an attractive personality and a reputation for superior godliness.  Now our Lord Jesus. that great Shepherd of the sheep, has not left His flock to the mercy of the wolves. He has given us the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit and natural powers of observation, and He expects us to avail ourselves of their help constantly. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good," said Paul (I Thess. 5:21) . "Beloved, believe not every spirit," wrote John, "but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1) . "Beware of false prophets," our Lord warned, "which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matt. 7:15). Then He added the word by which they may be tested, "Ye shall know them by their fruits."

Tozer suggests a series of useful questions intended to cause us to examine our attitude.  Instead of judging others, we are to make our own attitudes the focus of this examination, for ours is the only attitude we can do anything about.  Does this teaching or experience make Christ more indispensable?  How has this new doctrine or emphasis changed my attitude towards God or others?  Is it drawing me towards God or leading me away?  He writes, "Briefly stated the test is this: This new doctrine, this new religious habit, this new view of truth, this new spiritual experience has it affected my attitude toward and my relation to God, Christ, the Holy Scriptures, self, other Christians, the world and sin. By this sevenfold test we may prove everything religious and know beyond a doubt whether it is of God or not. By the fruit of the tree we know the kind of tree it is. So we have but to ask about any doctrine or experience, What is this doing to me? and we know immediately whether it is from above or from below."

One question that especially hit me as true is one concerning our view of others.  Again, quoting from Tozer's book:  "Our relation to and our attitude toward our fellow Christians is another accurate test of religious experience.  Sometimes an earnest Christian will, after some remarkable spiritual encounter, withdraw himself from his fellow believers and develop a spirit of faultfinding. He may be honestly convinced that his experience is superior, that he is now in an advanced state of grace, and that the hoi polloi in the church where he attends are but a mixed multitude and he alone a true son of Israel."  Man, that really hit home for me.  I remember going through seasons of spiritual growth when it seemed at every turn God revealed himself to me.  But due to my immaturity I suffered from a serious case of "plank-eye" syndrome for some time!  Once I was broken for my sin, I was able to see I had fallen into the trap of projecting my sins upon others.  I had issues submitting wholly to God and His rule, and therefore was unwilling to yield completely to authority He placed in my life.  When we begin to feel like Elijah - who thought he must be the only one still loyal to God - by His grace God will open our eyes to reveal that He has thousands who have never bowed the knee to Ba'al.  God corrects our misconceptions if we will listen to Him.

Attitude is huge.  We can be very right with our facts, but at the same time our attitude can be all wrong.  God is teaching me to examine my attitudes and motives in everything I do.  Am I afraid?  Why am I worrying about this or that?  Have I become envious or unsettled?  Am I hoping for praise from men or am I fully resting in obedience to God?  Am I experiencing the joy of the LORD despite trials of faith?  Am I glad to substitute anything for reliance upon Christ and His Word?  Praise the LORD that He gives us wisdom through the Holy Spirit to know if we are walking according to the Spirit or in the flesh.  God has given every man a conscience that agrees with His Law, and the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.  Attitude is a valuable tool to gauge where I am with my walk with Christ.  When I see the fruit of the Spirit evident as I walk in love according to God's grace, I can know I am heading on the right track!

God Gives!

While driving home after church this morning, I was thinking about how God is faithful to give us what we need.  He provides for all our needs, physical and spiritual.  He also gives us things we don't realise we need.  Sometimes we just need a hug!  How grateful I am for the love and acceptance from our loving Saviour.  Other times God even gives us things we don't want but we do need.  The Good Shepherd may lay His staff across our flanks to grab our attention.  He gives His beloved sleep, yet He also wakes us up when we have become drowsy and listless.

How good God is to give us what we need, just at the right time!  My God supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ.

Never Forfeit

Upon arriving at the baseball field today after two weeks off due to rain, we were met by a member of the opposite side with bad news:  since the other team only had five players available, they had to forfeit the game.  We were all disappointed.  I suppose we would rather play and lose the game then prepare to play, drive out to the field only to be told there was no game.  A win's a win, but that kind of winning isn't much fun.

I thought about the five people on the other side who could have played the game but couldn't because they didn't have the support from their teammates.  I felt for them.  I'm sure they all wanted to play, even the people who were unavailable.  Who knows?  Had they been able to field a team - even of seven or eight - they could have won!  To forfeit is to give up without trying.  It's a waste because no effort has been exerted to win.

I started thinking about the spiritual implications of forfeiting (I have odd thought patterns, I guess).  Is it possible to be a Christian who forfeits?  Can we run up the white flag of surrender when the enemy assaults us even though we have absolute certainty of victory through Jesus Christ?  It's a poor analogy, but can you imagine having the best professional players to ever play baseball on your side against a mediocre group of weekend warriors who can't even run to first base without taking a smoke break?  It wouldn't be great competition, but it would be a blast to play with legends of the game.  It doesn't matter if your players are the best on paper, have an undefeated record, and you're playing against people who have never even played baseball before:  if you don't show up, you forfeit.  By not coming to the field, the team has given up.  When you forfeit, you can lose without a single pitch being thrown!

When it comes to victory against sin, despair, and fear, Jesus Christ has already claimed the victory.  But when Satan rages against us, when temptation overwhelms our minds and pressure to cave seems impossible to resist, we can choose as Christians to forfeit.  Why should we give up when Jesus has already defeated sin and death?  Should we wave the white flag because the opposition looks intimidating or we have made an error?  Never!  We win when we commit ourselves to be at Christ's disposal.  Hand Him the ball, and watch Him work.  Always surrender to Christ, but never forfeit.  Too much is at stake to give up.  Let's not waste the opportunities Christ provides to walk in victory!  Let's not deny Christ the victory He has won.

Seeking out a Resting Place

My family and I have been very busy lately since moving to a new house - new to us, that is.  We've made some improvements already with better lighting in most rooms, installed new spout on the kitchen sink, and systematically moving the dehumidifier through the rooms.  The handyman has come through and fixed up some things as well, like screen doors, bathroom taps, exhaust fans, and re-attached an air conditioning unit to the wall.  Laura still isn't able to park in the garage yet, but I hope to have that remedied within the next week.

As we are reading through the book of Numbers as a family, it has become clear it doesn't always sit well with God's people to go where He leads.  Perhaps you can relate!  During decades in the wilderness, God taught His people to rely upon Him for everything:  food, water, meat, protection, and direction.  He led them to places like Marah, a place where He made the bitter water sweet and made a covenant with them.  From Marah God led them to Elim, an oasis with water and beautiful palms.  But God didn't allow His people to stay there.  He moved them on!   After the tabernacle was built, the Spirit of the LORD rested upon it.  As long as the presence of God rested upon the tabernacle, the people would remain.  At the moment God's presence moved on, the people were called to pack up and leave according to their tribes in the prescribed manner.  Last night we read in Numbers 10:33, "So they departed from the mountain of the LORD on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them for the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them."

The idea of God seeking out a resting place for His people was an amazing thought.  Did you know that God seeks rest for His people?  In Him rest can be found, no matter where we are.  After the flood, Noah released a dove from the ark.  The first dove returned to him because "she found no rest for the sole of her foot."  After seven days the next dove Noah released returned with an olive branch in her beak, signalling the abatement of the waters from the earth.  He waited seven days and sent out another dove that never returned.  The first time a dove is mentioned in the New Testament was when the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove alighted upon Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.  John the Baptist was led to baptise people to reveal the Messiah to the world.  In the Gospel of John (a different John writing!), he explains this fact.  John 1:29-34 reads, "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' ³¹ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." ³² And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' ³⁴ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."  After Jesus came out of the water God spoke from heaven, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!"  When the Spirit in the form of a dove landed upon Jesus and rested upon Him, it was clear to all who would believe that Jesus is the Christ, God-made-flesh, the divine sacrifice, the promised Messiah, and Redeemer of lost sinners.

Do you know you will never know true rest until you know Christ as LORD and Saviour?  It is through the Holy Spirit resting and coming upon us that we know God and are empowered to serve Him.  The eyes of the LORD go to and fro throughout the whole earth, looking for people who are loyal to Him.  He seeks those who worship Him who worship Him in Spirit and in truth.  Jesus is the one who baptises with the Holy Spirit and fire.  Once we are through with wandering, murmuring, and complaining, tired of our best efforts to save ourselves, by God's grace our eyes can be opened to Jesus and we realise salvation is found only in Him.  Jesus invites all in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  The Spirit of God looks today to rest upon those who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and abide in Him.  Have you been washed?

No matter where you find yourself geographically, Jesus is your peace.  Through the Holy Spirit, we can rest in Him!  Follow Jesus wherever He leads.  God's thoughts toward us are good and not evil, to give us a future and a hope.  Jesus is this for us!