Perspective & Attitude
How does our list of concerns outside the church look? Let’s see, we have global warming, falling water tables, rising food prices, water and energy prices increasing, over population growth (you must have never driven through Montana), resource depletion, climate change, terrorism, disease, this crisis and that crisis.
I remember when I was little, the talk on the news was about the Apollo Landing or a Flying car in every garage. As a kid, as I’m sure you young people have heard us seniors say, we used to have to come in from our neighborhood play when the street lights came on.
I once heard a guy from a TV sitcom say, “People talk about the good old days all the time. I wish someone told me that I was living in the good old days when I was there.”
It seems to me that life is about perspective, attitude and freedom. Not freedom as in the Right to have freedom. I’m speaking of the freedom that peace gives you when you are grounded in a solid relationship with Christ. If you are grounded, then your perspective on all this chaos going on in the world changes for the better. If you’re grounded, your attitude is one of joy and peace. So, if you are grounded in Christ, you are free from the typical day’s worries and concerns that come up each day.
There are so many cultural changes going on in the world and our country. It’s hard to keep up with those changes. Many of these changes have brought some level of anger and distress to some people. Many of these changes bring on a bad experience and an attitude of “What’s next?” Many of the cultural changes bring on bitterness for the people in political office and the decisions we don’t agree with that affect our lives.
I have mentioned John MacArthur before. A man wiser than me, by far. I heard him say something that inspired this short message. He said, “Those politicians that Christians are learning to hate. Those politicians are the ones that Christ died for. Those politicians we would rather do without are our ministry. If you have a problem with them, consider changing your attitude about them. Pray for their salvation instead of finding reasons to identify the things they do wrong.” It’s easy to dislike people you don’t agree with. Our tendency is to dismiss them, ignore them and reject them. What if the Christians in your life did that to you before you were saved?
If thinking about those politicians in this way is not an awakening for some like it was for me, then you must be on the right track. But if some of you have taken a moment to rethink your attitude and perspective about our government, then that is a good thing and more of us can be on the right page. God has allowed those people to lead. In the book of Romans, it does not say anything about giving atitude about what we think and our opinion. What is written is done so as a directive. If you have a problem with a broken City Councilor, Mayor, Governor or President. Go tell God tonight in prayer that he made a mistake. Tell him everything He did wrong by allowing someone you disagree with into office. See how that works out for your good.
If your heart and relationship is right with God, these people in authority should not keep you awake at night. They should not make you fear the future. They are exactly where God wants them to be in his plan for our future. Don’t get in the way of that. Live with the peace and joy that God has for us. You’ll find that as your attitude changes, so will your perspective and your heart. Then the peace just keeps coming. And all that other stuff about the condition of the earth? That’s scriptural too. Spend some time in the book of Revelations. These are signs of the times so that we know, Christ is on his way. That my friends is good news indeed.
Romans 13:1-7
13 Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. 2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. 4 For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. 5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. 6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. 7 Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.
Pastor Michael