Fresh Air 2

19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

One of the things that’s messed up in our culture these days is our attitudes. rioting, intimidation at politicians homes,

End Time Attitudes

Paul wrote to Timothy about end times and the attitudes and philosophies that will occur in the end times. There will be many wrong attitudes.

2 Timothy 3:1–3 NIV84

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,

Look at these uns.

Ungrateful

Our culture is totally self focused. Most people are focused on what we want to the point that we forget to even see what we already have much less be thankful for what we have.

ILL - Iphone Xs is out.... mine is a piece of junk… right? It’s lighter etc, Anyone remember when you ran with a portable CD player… had to run real smooth so it would not skip.

The better off that we are getting the worse off we are. We have choice anxiety - 40 different restaurants to choose from.

Unholy

We are making choices that pollute our hearts. When you compromise. When you allow Compromise into your life, it will destroy you spiritually, torture mentally, and rob you of any joy that you had.

When we compromise, we carry around guilt and shame of the things that only you know about.

Compromising holiness is an attitude that destroys. Only Jesus can fix it. He forgives but he also cleanses you. You can have Jesus fix that today. Unholiness is an attitude that has to be repented from and forgiven.

Unloving

Do you know what love is?

Greek word for God’s Love - Agape which means unconditional love… a completely unselfish love.

Showing love is when you intentionally choose to do something caring or helpful.. regardless of the cost to yourself.

Paul says here that in the last days people will not be moved by love for one another. (sex trafficking, abortion, elder abuse, a complete disregard for life.

People will not love others, but will become selfish looking out for themselves. We live in an un-loving time. This attitude poisons out lives. This is a condition of your heart that will suck the life out of you.

Unforgiving

Unforgiveness is probably the most dangerous attitude of all. Unforgiving people walk around carrying bitterness… they always seem to be angry at someone. This also sucks the life out of you.

You probably know someone that hates the holidays because members of their family don’t get along... go to 2 Christmases because of unforgiveness. divorce / sisters can’t stand to be around each other...

Here we are laying claim to the grace of God and we are unforgiving. You can’t lay claim to the Grace and forgiveness of God and still be unwilling to release others in your life.

Forgive it and move on. Don’t keep trying to discuss it and figure out whose right or wrong. Stop blaming and forgive. Especially for Followers of Jesus.

Your problem is not other people, it’s the devil and your corporation with him. He is trying to destroy your life.

All of these are End Time Attitudes.

God wants you to have an incredible, abundant life. He wants you to be blessed, to be happy, for you to have a great life. They question is How?

The first step was to fall in love with Jesus, but the next most important thing is the decisions you make about the conditions of your heart.

You have more to do with this than you realize.

John 10:10 NIV84

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

He brings a breath of fresh air.

How do we do this? How to we live an abundant life?

Good Medicine

What we all need is a Breath of Fresh Air… especially in our attitudes. We will call it Good Medicine.

Some of you are sick or you know people who are sick… who are in the doldrums.

Proverbs 17:22 NIV84

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Nehemiah 8:10 NIV84

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

My goal is for you to experience a Breath of Fresh Air that puts the wind back into your sails . Then for you to be a Breath of Fresh Air to the people around you.

Most of us feel we can’t do anything about it. I gave you 4 “uns” and now I am going to give you 4 steps to take.

Simply - Your attitude determines your altitude.

1. Make the choice every day.

You have to choose your attitude every day, not just every now and then. It’s a choice. You cannot trust your feelings, you have to determine to make the choice even when you don’t want to have a good attitude.

Your attitudes will not take care of itself.

Life is 10% what happens to you & 90% how I react to it.

Remember, it’s not a feeling, it’s a choice. when bad stuff happens to me, I don’t want to react right, I get mad just like you… We have to choose.

Hebrews 12:1 NIV84

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Some people think controlling their attitude is out of their hands. That’s not true, it’s your choice. You can choose.

At the beginning of each day… YOU decide you are going to find the positives.

ILL - Readers Digest - A senior Citizen was moving into the nursing home said this. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how I arrange the furniture, it depends on how I arranged it in my mind.

You have to pray.

Some people pray...

Dear Lord. So far I am doing alright today. I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or self indulgent. I have not whined, cursed, or eaten sweets. However, I am going to get out of bed in a few minutes, and I will need a lot more help after that. Amen.

Seriously, this verse would be a great prayer to pray every day.

Psalm 19:14 NIV84

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

thoughts, feelings, words - please you Lord

2. Develop a high appreciation for life.

How? People who have a high appreciation of life… know that God wis going to work it out for the good. So nothing gets them down. It’s an attitude that God can do anything,

Paul’s attitude. He was always in trouble - beaten, rejected...

2 Corinthians 6:10 NIV84

10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Now that’s a good attitude. Don’t you like to hang around people like that.

A lot of stuff we worry about, we just need to “faget about it”

Be grateful. If it’s raining, but thankful. If it’s beautiful outside, be thankful. Be thankful in every situation.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT

18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

3. Find something positive in everything.

story of the two kids… presents and manure

We just have to retrain our brains.

Philippians 4:8 NIV84

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Find something positive beginning with people. People can irritate you or they can entertain you. They are either a problem to avoid or a person to be loved.

We have a choice...

4. Turn everything over to God.

Here is the truth. Trouble is coming your way. Every day you can easily find an excuse to have a bad attitude.

The mistake isn’t having a problem, it’s what you do with it from this point on.

Jesus on his worst day, said, Father into your hands I commend my spirit.

One of the reasons so many of us are not happy is that we are trying to handle things on our own.

Philippians 4:6–7 NIV84

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It can’t be God’s problem and your problem at the same time.

Some of you need to pray that right now. We will pray with you at the end of the service.

1 Peter 5:7 NIV84

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Step #2

One last verse...

Philippians 2:5–11 NIV84

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Step #2 Choose a Christ-like attitude.

Pray for God to make you like Jesus.

The Gospel is that we are transformed into his likeness.

Altar Call

You may not have realized that you have a choice… Life or Death

You can’t do any of these 4 steps

Make the choice every day

Develop a high appreciation for life

Find something positive in everything

Turn everything over to God

...unless the Lord changes your heart. He begins a vibrant and living relationship with God.

If you prayed to receive Jesus, raise hands… check your connection card.

If yuo chose to follow Jesus today, you need sign up to get Baptized. Join a group

Benediction

Numbers 6:24–26 NIV84

24 “ ‘ “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’

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