Having a Positive Outlook
Inventor Thomas Edison refused to be bitter, even when fire destroyed his life’s work. His response to disaster boils down to one word— attitude. Having the right attitude makes all the difference in the world.
The Christian life is difficult sometimes, isn't it? God asks us to leave behind our selfishness and devote ourselves to Jesus Christ in the service of others. This journey has a clear beginning and an even clearer end, but its path is littered with dangerous obstructions and precarious curves. Thankfully, its destination provides lasting, eternal rewards.
Chances are you have experienced the difficulty of losing your way on the journey. We've all been tempted to stray, to step away from the fundamentals of authentic Christian living toward the more immediate fulfilments we desire for ourselves. But God calls us to a life devoted to studying the Scriptures, to prayer, and most important, to knowing Christ Himself.
Let these resources remind you that the goal isn't just reaching our heavenly destination but walking closely with Jesus as we get there.
Inventor Thomas Edison refused to be bitter, even when fire destroyed his life’s work. His response to disaster boils down to one word— attitude. Having the right attitude makes all the difference in the world.
“Familiarity breeds contempt” is an old cliché because it’s nearly always true. However, before contempt, familiarity breeds complacency—a ho-hum attitude that is satisfied with the status quo. If we’re not careful, complacency will then breed cynicism, which is a kissing cousin of contempt.
Since heaven will be our ultimate destination, we need to spend less time complaining about our struggles and trials on earth, where we temporarily live, and more time learning as much as possible about heaven, where we will live forever.
Of all the bad habits we could address, few are more prevalent yet more acceptable than lying. As painful as it may be to hear it, ours is a nation of liars. The majority of North Americans find it hard to get through a week without lying.
In our image-conscious society, there is an enormous emphasis placed on appearing to be someone you’re not. Playing such a role is not just inauthentic; it also encourages us to keep others at a distance.
There are times when defending one’s rights is essential; to do less would result in chaos. However, we are not addressing those issues in this message, but rather the sin of standing in stubborn defiance against and questioning any and all authority that has the right to confront, correct, or instruct us.
The word “addiction” typically makes us think of alcohol, cigarettes, or illegal drugs. But in this message, Chuck Swindoll will describe another kind of addiction…that’s far more subtle, yet just as enslaving. In fact, you might be an addict and not even know it!
Though often overlooked in our comfortable society, laziness is a dangerous sin…with the potential to cripple us spiritually. Chuck Swindoll calls us to begin actively pursuing right living…rather than indulging in slothfulness.
Sometimes we’d like to know the future, but God created us to live one moment at a time. And He gives us the light we need for each step we take—it’s when we go ahead of God we flounder.
In our shame-prone culture, parents, bosses, teachers, and many pastors consciously or subconsciously urge people to connect their significance to what they produce. How much better to respect and honour others—even when they fail to measure up to expectations, or “blow it” big time!