30 Sep

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized

Over the last few weeks we began to discuss “6 Attitude Axioms”: 1.Our attitude determines our approach to life (Prov. 23:7). 2. Our attitude determines our relationship with people (Rom. 14:19). 3. Our attitude can be the difference between success and failure (Phil. 4:13). 4. Our attitude will determine how we approach our daily tasks (Ps. 118:24). 5. Attitude can give us an uncommonly positive perspective (James 1:2-4). 6. Religion makes for a bad attitude, but relationship makes for a good attitude (Luke 15:11-32). This week, let's continue...

23 Sep

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized

Over the course of my life, I’ve had some very “interesting” things happen to me. I’ve been bit by a shark, chased by an alligator, I’ve had two different people pull guns on me at two different times, I have been heavily persecuted and totally lied about, Anne and I went through a miscarriage, and almost 21 years ago I could barely walk and barely talk, and just about died. Of course, worst of all, my favorite college football team lost two national championships! In each and every one of those things, God delivered me out of them all (see Psalm 34:19)…and...

09 Sep

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized

A few years back I was about to preach at a church in East Tennessee. The Saturday night prior to this engagement I was out to dinner with my parents and lovely wife. When the waitress came and gave us our water, she spilled them all over my dad and me. Not just a little bit…it looked like we wet our pants! As you can imagine our waitress was mortified. She braced herself for the abuse she thought she was about to encounter. To her surprise we all laughed about it and truly encouraged her. We chose joy and a...

02 Sep

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized

Last week we began discussing 6 Attitude Axioms: 1) Our attitude determines our approach to life (Prov. 23:7) This week, let's continue: 2) Our attitude determines our relationship with people (Rom. 14:19). Not too long ago, the Stanford Research Institute published an interesting study that revealed the following: The money you make in any endeavor is determined by: 1. 12.5% product knowledge 2. 87.5% people knowledge If our entire future is tied to people, don’t you think we should learn to get along with them?!  One of the greatest ways to relate with people is to put yourself in their shoes.  When your teenage son comes home and...

27 Aug

Posted at 08:36h in Uncategorized

A while back, Anne and I were going to pick up our son, Johnathan. He was at his grandmother’s house and a serious storm was brewing. Therefore Anne and I decided to pick him up and take him home. As we were rapidly driving to his grandma’s house, the storm clouds began to look more and more ominous. It was then that Anne began to implore me to stay at John’s grandma’s house once we arrived! Now you know how guys are! I told Anne, “No problem, we can make it back in time to our house before the storm hits”...

29 Jul

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized

It’s easy to have a good attitude on vacation! It’s easy to have a good attitude when everybody in your life is doing what you want them to do (which happens once in about every 76 years)! It’s easy to have a good attitude when all your circumstances are favorable! It’s easy to have a good attitude when your college football team just won the national championship! It is entirely different when people and circumstances are against you and your favorite college football team just had its first losing season since 1988! The mighty apostle Paul had some pretty lousy things happen...

22 Jul

Posted at 08:07h in Uncategorized

Last week we continued to discuss "Why Should I?": 1. Why should I say "I can't" when the Bible says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me" (Phil 4:13!) 2. Why should I fear when God has not given me a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind (II Tim. 1:7)?! 3. Why should I be weak when the Lord is the strength of my life (Ps. 27:1, Eph 6:10)?! 4. Why should I lack when God supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19)?! 5. Why should I be in...

15 Jul

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized

The Bible tells us, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he” (Prov. 23:7).  How we see ourselves is of the utmost importance!  You don’t see things how they are…you see things how you are! You see, you behave according to self image.  You take risk according to self image.  You marry according to self image (that’s why I know I have a good self image…by looking at Anne!).  You succeed or fail according to self image.  If you succeed beyond self image you’ll begin to sabotage yourself until you retreat to what you think you deserve!  As you...