Determining Your Altitude
Philippians 3:12-14
Last week God detoured me from my series of sermons about More Than Survivors, this week I return and wrap it up.
We want to raise our kids to do more than just get by… more than just struggle through. We want them to be successful… in education, in marriage, in business, in the spiritual realm.
So I said, in past weeks… Character is determined by choices
Choices are determined by values
Values are determined by attitude
Today I want to explain how
Attitudes are determined by FAITH
There is a saying among Positive Thinking gurus:
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.
We all know that attitude is important in determining how successful we are in life.
I could spend twenty minutes trying to make this point but I think you will understand it better in just 3 minutes if you watch this
Video of Nick Vujicic
Enough said about the importance of attitude… but I want to go one step farther than Nick did in that clip… but what I am going to say is what Nick believes and teaches.
Where does attitude come from?
Not from circumstances… not from life… not from others
Attitudes is determined by FAITH
Paul, another great motivational speaker of his time, spelled it out in Hebrews 11
He gives us the principle in v. 1 and gives his proof, his evidence in the rest of the chapter.
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
When I speak of attitude today, I am speaking of HOPE… that is the attitude of the over-comer.. that is the attitude of Nick, that was the attitude of Paul and that was the attitude of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11
That is the attitude we need to be successful
But where does HOPE come from?
Does it come from having stuff?
For some it does. They have hope because they believe their stuff will guarantee that they will never go through tuff times or if they do… that it will get them through.
But what happens when the stuff is gone? The hope goes too.
Does HOPE come from climbing the company ladder?
For some it does… they believe their position in the company or on the ladder guarantees their success and happiness
But what happens if the ladder breaks… the company downsizes, or is sold… or goes belly up
And you come crashing to the ground?
Those things can not be the source of our hope… because those things are transitory… not trustworthy.
Nick doesn’t have any hands to hold onto any stuff… but he has HOPE
He cannot climb a ladder… corporate or extension… but he has HOPE
Why?
Because his HOPE is built on something that he can never lose, that will never break, that will always be there… GOD!!!
He has hope that he has a God who is stronger than his weakness… and who can carry him through the things he cannot handle
He has no arms and no legs… and yet he can dive into a 10 foot deep pool… with no floatation device !!!!!!
He faced the bad times… some you can imagine… and some you can’t
He thought about taking his own life at age 8… and probably 1000 times since… but he goes on… because he has hope
He has an “I CAN” attitude… that lets him skateboard… swim… climb stairs… play music…
Where did he get that attitude… that HOPE???
He got it from his faith in God as the God through whom he can do all things.
He finds his attitude… his HOPE in verses like
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
He is able to get up every day… to face life without limbs… because he has faith in a God without limits.
DO YOU!!!
He has HOPE in a strong God who created all of the universe… who is stronger than the ocean… in fact he holds the oceans in His right hand
He has learned the secret of Jeremiah 17:7
"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.
We read it “blessed” but the blessed person is one who has a good attitude… because HE HAS HOPE
And his confidence and hope are IN THE LORD GOD
Did you hear that… let me say it again… LOUDER
"But blessed is the man who trusts IN THE LORD, whose confidence is IN HIM.
Parents… we often expose our children to new things… new challenges… new experiences because we want them to gain SELF confidence
We think that is our job and that we are being good parents when they become more and more SELF confident
But listen to me… (((lay the bible out and say)))
I challenge you to show me ONE verse in that bible that counsels us to have SELF confidence… to put our trust in our ability… our wisdom… our accomplishments… our anything
But this bible is filled…. Cover to cover with commands and promises to put our faith and trust and find our hope in HIM
The bible does not teach SELF confidence
It teaches GOD confidence
It does not teach us to lack confidence… it just teaches us to have our confidence in HIM
WHY???
Because you are not perfect… HE IS
Because you are not all-knowing… HE IS
Because you are not all-powerful… HE IS
Because you will fail in some cases… HE WILL NOT
We want to raise our children to be like Nick
Who overcomes life without limbs because he has HOPE without limits
We want our children to be like Abel who chose to live his life in a way that would be more pleasing to God than did his siblings or friends
We want our children to be over-comers who will choose to obey God even when it makes no sense and when it is hard.
We want our kids to be people of courage and commitment who will have the faith to hope in God even in situations that look hopeless.
How can we do that?
Should we teach them to develop self confidence?
NO… teach them to develop GOD confidence.
Listen to how Paul wraps up his motivational speech
32 How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.
He is just saying… there is nothing they cannot face… no challenge they cannot overcome… no limitation they cannot breakthrough… no battle they cannot win
IF THEY HAVE THEIR FAITH IN HIM… IN HIM…. IN GOD
If they have their faith in God…. They will have the right ATTITUDE
If they have the right attitude… They will have the right VALUES
The right values will cause they to make the right CHOICES
And making the right choices will mold in them the right CHARACTER
They--- WE---will be more than survivors… we will be OVERCOMERS… VICTORS… CONQUERERS… CHAMPIONS
If our faith… our confidence… our hope… is in HIM
Where is your confidence… your faith…. Your HOPE????
