Attitude...

Today I'm going to talk about "attitude".

Paul tells us that our “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus,” he tells we are to have an attitude that is: selfless, humble, and one of service. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Paul goes on to say that each of us should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). In other words, the attitude a Christian should reflect, is one that focuses on the needs and interests of others. Without question that does not come naturally to us. When Christ came into the world, He established a whole new attitude to relationships with others.

Paul speaks more about this Christlike attitude in his letter to the church in Ephesus: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). 

Satan’s oldest lie was promising Adam and Eve that if they followed his advice, “you shall be as gods.” (Genesis 3:5 KJV)

However each time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and the people around us, we’re only demonstrating that we want to be a god. But we must understand that as creatures, we will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want us to try to become gods. Instead He wants us to become like Him, taking on His values, His attitudes, and His character. We are meant to “be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (vv. 23-24).

Finally, we must always keep in mind that God’s ultimate goal for His children is not our comfort, but the transformation of our minds into the attitude of godliness. He wants us to grow spiritually, to become like Christ. This doesn’t mean losing our personalities or becoming mindless robots. Christlikeness is all about transforming our minds. How we think about other people, about our circumstances, or about situations we may find ourselves in, that's how we know whether our minds have truly been renewed.    

What is our attitude like when we go through difficult times or have to deal with difficult people? Romans 12:2 tells us: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will”

It is God’s will, that we develop the kind of mindset described in the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:1-12. We are to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit; which is the work His presence within accomplishes: love – joy – peace- patience – kindness – goodness – faithfulness, (Galatians 5:22-23). A believer cannot exhibit some of these but not others. This does not represent seven different fruits. It is one fruit.

The Lord taught me that it starts with – Love. Follow the list of the fruit of the Spirit; the order is important! We cannot have faithfulness without having goodness; we cannot have goodness without having kindness; we cannot have kindness without having patience; we cannot have patience without having peace; we cannot have peace without first having - Love.

                Until us, as Christ followers allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds, we will never be able to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. It is only when we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit that we will have the right mindset and the right attitude in all things. Until or unless we behave in accordance with the Spirit, we will continue to display and practice the natural desires of the flesh. The Spirit is opposed to the flesh (human nature) for they are incompatible to each other. They are continually resisting and in conflict with each other, so that we are not free but are prevented from doing what we desire to do.

We are to be guided and led by the Holy Spirit. Now the practices of the flesh are clear and obvious: they are immorality, impurity, indecency, Idolatry, sorcery, animosity, bitterness, conflict, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions, disagreements, cliques, groups with peculiar opinions, heresies, envy, drunkenness, and carousing (according to Galatians 5: 19-21 after a careful evaluation of what each word means).

                 It is my prayer that as Christ followers we will put on the mind of Christ, by the renewing of our minds and have a good and Godly attitude in our daily life. In all circumstances, in all situations and with all people! As these two verses state:

 Ephesians 4:24: And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, in true righteousness and holiness. Colossians 3:14: And above all these [put on] love and enfold yourselves with the bond of perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony].