Highlights from Pastor Richard Schofield's Aug 4, Sunday message...
We need to plan our day around positive thoughts. It’s important how we think – how we entertain our thoughts. Our thoughts make us who we are, keep us on the right course, keep us out of trouble … if we listen to God’s Word, positiveness can be a great thing. It can build and strengthen everything about us!
Scriptural examples of being positive:
· David, even as a young boy, because he believed in God, knew God would be with him when we confronted Goliath who was defying the army of Israel. David kept a positive attitude in God, picked up 5 stones and went out in the name of the LORD, and killed the giant and cut off his head. (1 Samuel 17).
· Noah didn’t waver when God told him to build an ark. It hadn’t rained for ‘a long time.” God said it, I’ll do it!” It took him 120 years to build it, but he stayed positive and as a result his whole family was saved. “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord!” (Genesis 6)
· Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, but he stayed in tune with God and by staying positive he got to be leader under the king’s domain. With God’s wisdom in years of plenty he filled barns with grain and fed the people during the 7 years of famine and preserved God’s people. (Genesis 45:6)
A positive thought is like an “open door.” We need to hear positive thoughts from God, and tune out the world. Philippians 4:8 says, “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.”
We need to stay positive to live the “abundant life” that Pastor Jerry talked about last week. It is important what we hear and who and what we listen to (Isaiah 22:14). Negative thinking draws us away from God. When we concentrate on positive things happening and on what God is doing in the Church, God will be pleased with us.
We need to glorify God and pray for our nation and leadership that things will be done in a positive way. We need to see the good in people and encourage them. There is a little bit of good in the evilest person. We can encourage them in what is good and teach them God’s word and how they can have a better life. And always speak positive words when you are talking to people about our church brothers and sisters and leaders. Negativity accomplishes nothing.
Be positive towards God: *Invest your money in a positive way Think ahead!
*Be trustworthy so people can depend upon you.
*Attend church faithfully; when you see things that need to be done – do it!
*Come with a positive attitude - “What is God going to do today?”
* When you have questions, seek God and give Him time to answer.
*When faced with temptation stay focused on Jesus and the Cross, so they do not affect you
The abundant life flows from the presence of Jesus – to your life, your family, your workplace, because you abide in Jesus. We need to be “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2); No weapon formed against you will prosper because of the victory we have in Jesus! We need to pray for God’s protection upon our family.
(Pastor Rick’s shared how over the weekend how the blessing of God was upon them during an electrical storm. Lightening hit their electric fence, went through their barn & workshop yet did not cause a fire. “God’s grace was upon us!”)
Pastor Rick shared personal testimony of trusting God even when he was not serving God at the time.
- When he loosened a pipe in putting up a windmill, the pipe came down on his hand. He couldn’t get his hand out. In terrible pain he screamed, “God help me!” His hand just slid out!
- When faced with a grizzly bear and 3 cubs while hiking on a mountain with friends. He stayed positive and prayed that God would look after them and slept peacefully that night in the tent.
- At the age of 22 while working as a woodsman he was hit on the head by a falling tree and was unconscious for four days. It was said that he would never be the same. When he regained consciousness, he never doubted God but spoke positively, “I’m going home!” He shared how even his three-year-old daughter kept saying, “Daddy is in hospital, but he is coming home!”
There are times when things will get you down, but don’t stay down! Things may not work out the way you want them to work out – but GOD IS WORKING! Our ways are not His ways! His ways and thoughts are way above ours! (Isaiah 55:8-9) He knows everything about us! So, have faith! Believe God!
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