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BIBLE READING: Proverbs 23.7 Do you see the glass half full or half empty? The glass holds the exact same amount of water yet our attitude determines our point of view toward making the decision. The answer to this familiar question is used to determine if a person has a positive or negative attitude. There is not a lot of science in this method but the point is our attitude is very important to how we respond to situations in life. Every day we have a choice concerning how we respond to the challenges of life. As Christians, seeking to follow Christ will keep us looking up and not down. Leroy Brownlow wrote in his book “Better than medicine”, that whether a man’s thoughts are positive or negative depends on what he believes or disbelieves. If you believe you are able to do a job, chances are you will. If you don’t believe you are able, you will most likely fail. Your outlook on life plays a big part in success or failure. Solomon said it another way: “As a man thinks in his he...

BIBLE READING: Psalms 51. 10-12 In Psalms 51, after David had sinned with Bathsheba and had her husband killed, David asked God to create in him a clean heart, to take away the guilt of his sin, and to restore the joy of salvation. By making bad choices, David had lost all joy of living. As Christians, we also are faced with many temptations and also will make some bad choices resulting in sin either private or public. In 1John 1:7-9, John tells us of this and that if we confess these sins the blood of Christ will wash those sins away. What a joy it is to know that our God is willing to wipe away sin in our life if we are willing to confess and repent of sin in our life. As adults, the joy of being a Christian can sometimes fade due to the cares of our everyday life. Asking God to restore that joy to our salvation is only a prayer away. Is it important to show the world your joy?

BIBLE READING: Philippians 4.4 If you watch TV or read social media you will see that there are thousands of things designed to make you happy. So it should be easy to find happiness, shouldn’t it? I think the fact is that nothing in this world will bring us happiness. We have to choose to be happy regardless of what is going on in our lives. Solomon said “There is nothing new under the sun and all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, 14). Using today’s language we might say, Solomon has been there and done that. Solomon wasn’t a doctor but he realized the mind had a big influence upon the body. In Proverbs 17:22 He presented two options: Live a happy life, and enjoy good health or live without happiness and risk a life of sickness. Sadly, although Solomon knew this because of his God given wisdom, he ended up ignoring his own advice. (Thought) Do we do this same thing a lot of times? About three thousand years later through science we are realizing that happiness is part of being hea...

BIBLE READING: John 15. 11 The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22- Happiness is good medicine, but sorrow is a disease. If we don’t constantly work on having a good attitude and think on good things (Philippians 4:8), instead of feeling happy and energetic, happiness is likely to get lost in our busy lives. Without happiness life can feel pretty empty and meaningless. Poor health will follow in a life without joy.  As Christians we have a big reason to be happy. Our savior Jesus, has given us a hope, through His willingness to die on the cross for our sins. He paid the debt we could not pay. How do you think He feels when we let the things of this world trump His ultimate gift of joy?  I think Paul was telling us in Philippians 4:7, as Christians if we focus on Jesus we will have a joy that is beyond the understanding of the world and that peace (joy) within our hearts will help us maintain that joyful attitude in our lives. It is healthy both spiritually and physically...

BIBLE READING: Acts 20.35          A teenage boy, Jack, is riding his aging bicycle down the road when he is pulled over by one of his friends, Tom.  Tom was sporting a new car.  As he exited the car he told Jack that it was a gift from his brother.  He continued to show all of the extras the car had and how plush the insides were. Jack was taken aback by the costly gift Tom's brother had given him.  For a moment he was speechless.  Even though he hadn’t said anything, Tom had a good idea what he was thinking.  Jack opened his mouth and said, "I wish I…."  Tom didn't even listen to what Jack actually said for he knew he was going to say he wished he had a brother like Tom.  However, what came out of Jack's mouth was a surprise.  Jack said, "I wish I could be a brother like that!" Jack has the right idea about gift giving.  As our text says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."  It is a higher...

BIBLE READING: Hebrews 6. 7-12 There is a short story that is told about a young paper boy. It’s said that an older man was on his way to work one morning and he heard this young voice calling out, “Morning Paper, Get Your Morning Paper.” It was a cold rainy day in November and as he looked up he saw this thinly clad young boy, shivering in a doorway, soaked to the skin. He had no shoes and watched as he would lift one foot and press it against his leg to get a little warmth and then the other one. Every few minutes he would call out “Morning Paper, Get Your Morning Paper.” Now the man was well protected by his coat and his umbrella and he stopped to buy the early edition. And he said to the paper boy, “This kind of weather is pretty hard on you, isn’t it?” Looking up with a smile, the youngster replied, “I don’t mind too much. The sun will shine again.” What a picture of a Christian life! Chilling winds of adversity and gray skies of a sinful environment can easily discoura...

BIBLE READING: Genesis 2. 15-17, 3. 1-6 V.6 – So when the woman saw that the tree was pleasing to the eyes … she took of its fruit. The story is told about a young child that was being cared for by a baby sitter while the mother worked in the office of her home. When the child saw this beautiful vase in the china cabinet, he wanted it. When the baby sitter refused to give it to him he began crying, screaming and kicking. When his mother heard him she came into the room to see what was going on. Picking up her precious little boy she said, “What do you want darling?” He pointed to the vase in the china cabinet, so his mother took it out and gave it to him and went back to work. Not long after that the child started screaming again and the mother came back and said, “Now what does my little darling want?” Between sobs the little boy says, “I want — I want,” and then he blurted out, “I want anything I’m not supposed to have!” The desire for what is off-limits is not confined ...