All It Takes

Our Attitude Determines Our Altitude Bear Bryant the famous coach of Alabama said "If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride and never quit you'll be a winner. The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards." We can have great talents, and we may have great ability; but if our attitude stinks, then our potential is going to be diminished greatly. I like what Lou Holtz
said "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." Can you look back and realize what you have become rather than what you have accomplished? We all like a pat on the back for our accomplishments but have we stopped to see what we became in the process. Because of the setbacks and difficulties of last year what have you become?

Remember David when King Saul asked him how he could face a giant trained in the arts of war, David told him about the lion and the bear that God had helped him kill. When we look back at all the victories God has helped us win, our perspective changes. If we grow and develop, if we do not understand and mature, so that our view on the past and our perspective on it changes, then we will spend our life in discouragement. Be careful not to fall into the trap of poor old me for if you do you will no doubt become discouraged. Sometimes God allows trouble to come our way to make us stronger not weaker. I spend a lot of time with a man who had alcohol and drug problems for 40 years but 4 years ago he gave his heart to the Lord and he has not been the same since. Had it not been for his trouble he may have never seen the grace of God. We went to a Church function to see a Christmas play and as we were waiting there was a young man doing his best to keep everyone entertained; and doing a good job of it. He asked a question if there were anybody in the crowd that would like to say something about a past or even the present Christmas of something good that happened to them. As that man walked toward us I saw this man's hand go up and before I could blink an eye this is what I heard "This will be the fourth Christmas that I have been clean {free of drugs} and sober; for I wasted 40 years of my life with drugs and alcohol, and as he spoke the tears fell from his eyes; you could have heard a pin drop in that place. But God has greatly used him; God not only forgave him of his past but has taken all the wrongs of the past and is now using them for God's glory. So his trouble has made him become what he is today. When troubles come our way we can complain or we can trust that God is not allowing this to happen to us to hurt us but that we might become a better person because of it. We can work on our attitude and our altitude will change. We only have to read about the two men on crosses next to Jesus to see this. Both of these men were using insulting language and hurtful words.

Matthew 27:44
The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. {Were insulting him} But one of them had a change of attitude and everything changed about him. Luke 23:39
And one of the malefactors {thieves} which were hanged railed on him, {insulted Jesus} saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

Luke 23:40
But the other {thief} answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

Luke 23:41
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: {our punishment is fair} but this man hath done nothing amiss. Change of attitude and what did it get him? Luke 23:42
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Luke 23:43
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
I love it instead of all his trouble being a weight his trouble brought him to a place of heavenly blessings for he was promised that "To Day" things will be different. All it took was a change of attitude. So look at things a little different and see what happens in your life!