Tag: attitude

August 8, 2025

August 8th, 2025

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Jeremiah 28-30

Highlight Verse:

“And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.””
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You could call this, “Lessons for the Exile Life.”

You might say, “But I’m not in exile.”

Good for you.

But most of us have at least something they aren’t satisfied with in their living situation.

Maybe your job is less than ideal, or your employer has values that don’t line up that well with your values. (That would be me).

Maybe your house or apartment is too small, old, hot or cold.

Maybe you wish you could move back to an area where you know more people.

You long for the “good life” where things go your way.

Israel wanted to be back in their own country.

Jeremiah told them to settle in and make the best of the situation.

Blessing those around them would bless them.

The same is true for us.

Even if we aren’t where we want to be, we need to take a positive attitude and help those around us.

If you have kept a positive attitude through a bad situation, how did your attitude help?
What does that look like in your situation today?
July 10, 2025

July 10th, 2025

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 2 Corinthians 6

Highlight Verse:

“We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse always reminds me of the bumper sticker that reads “But did you die?”

When it comes to lengths one takes for the sake of the Gospel, Paul’s answer to that question would be “yes.”

He was all-in.

He gave it all for the sake of the Gospel.

No compromise.

And it can certainly be argued that there has never been a more effective missionary.

I don’t advocate working so hard for the Gospel that you are always exhausted.

Nor should you put yourself in unnecessarily dangerous situations.

But I do recommend following God’s call on your life wholeheartedly and without compromise.

If that brings days of exhaustion and moments of risk,

I believe God will honor and reward that commitment with effective ministry outcomes.

Your life will bear fruit in direct correlation to your level of commitment.

What spiritual fruit have you seen from times of sacrificial commitment?
What can we do to increase our level of commitment?
July 8, 2025

July 8th, 2025
Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 44-45

Highlight Verse:

“When the palace manager caught up with the men, he spoke to them as he had been instructed.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭44‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Did you notice that Joseph had a right-hand man?

This man, known only as the palace manager, was a key player in Joseph’s method of bringing his brothers to a place of utter humility.

While his name is unknown, his character shines through.

He carries out Joseph’s directions to the letter, even reacting to the brothers’ responses like Joseph would have wanted.

To Joseph, this man was a huge blessing.

While it would be cool to have someone like that working for me, it is more important to me that I be someone like that.

The palace manager serves as a good example of a servant heart.

How great would it be to be that good of a servant to God?
- I want to be so close to God that I know instinctively how He would want me to react to those He wants to reach.
- I want my words and actions to be remembered even if my name is forgotten.
- I want my Master’s will to be done!
How do you think we can become like that servant?
What can you and I do to start along that path?
June 24, 2025

June 24th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 41

Highlight Verse:

““It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭41‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Joseph was in jail for who knows how long.

They had to clean him up before he could appear before Pharoah.

The cupbearer forgot about him for two full years.

Joseph had every reason to cop an attitude.

And he did have an attitude – of humility.

I believe that was all part of God’s plan setting up the survival of Israel.

Joseph’s words and wisdom put him right where God could best use him.

It turned out pretty nice for Joseph too.

If you have had a situation where you showed humility when you could have had a bad attitude, how did it turn out for you?
How do you know when to keep a humble attitude?
June 3, 2025

June 3rd, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 37

Highlight Verse:

“When they had been gone for some time, Jacob said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Get ready, and I will send you to them.” “I’m ready to go,” Joseph replied.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭37‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Joseph had his faults.

If he wasn’t downright arrogant, he certainly didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.

But for all his faults, he had one characteristic that served him well throughout his life.

He was willing to serve.

When his father asked him to go to his brothers, he didn’t hesitate.

If he was wiser in the ways of the world, especially when it came to jealous siblings, maybe he would have hesitated.

But he didn’t.

That willing attitude went a long way toward putting him in a position to save his people.

But that’s getting ahead of the story. More in coming weeks.

Has your willingness to serve ever served you?
Have you seen an unwilling attitude hurt those who held that attitude?

One simple example from my life:
When Covid hit, several of us technicians were asked if we would be willing to be reassigned. I volunteered.
I like to say I spent the next 8 months in the hospital (I worked in the print room).
After several months of Covid, layoffs came since they could no longer keep paying people for not working (people weren’t using their copiers so we weren’t needed to maintain them).
None of us who were willing to work different jobs were laid off.
May 7, 2025

May 7th, 2025

Wednesday – History

Reading – Ruth 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.””
‭‭Ruth‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We are saved by grace alone, not by works.

The idea of karma and “What goes around comes around” is misleading.

But let’s be honest, the good things we do often have good results.

Thankfulness to and love for God are far better reasons to do good.

But I don’t think it’s harmful to believe that when we are faithful, generous, and diligent, we are likely to reap some reward for that here on earth.

The reward may only be the satisfaction of knowing you did well.

Then again, sometimes we see a more tangible reward. Promotions, raises, respect, and even gifts are often rewarded to those who are faithful, generous, and diligent.

Ruth is a prime example of blessings received from faithfulness.

Those blessings should not be expected but they can be appreciated and gracefully accepted like in Ruth’s story.

Have you seen blessings as a result of faithfulness, generosity, or diligence?
How did you handle it?
August 11, 2024

August 11th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 3-4

Highlight Verse:

““Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter?”
‭‭Job‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The other day I was about to leave the garage at a local hospital when I saw a man on the ground in front of a wheel chair.

He had one leg.

His petite wife and young son were trying to help him get back in the chair but couldn’t. Another passerby and I helped and made sure he was okay.

After thanking us, he spent most of his time encouraging his distraught wife.

I liked his attitude.

He had recently lost a leg but he was focused on helping those around him.

I don’t like Job’s attitude.

Yes, I know that he just lost practically everything. His depression is certainly understandable. I likely would have had the same attitude.

But I have to wonder how different the conversation would have been if he had taken the attitude of the man with one leg and

focused on others first.

Have you suffered a significant loss?
What was your attitude through it? (No judgement here)
How did it change over time?
June 11, 2024

June 11th, 2024
Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 13-14

Highlight Verse:

“Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!””
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬
- One sees the bone soaking cold rain darkening their spirits while another sees the miracle of water bringing life to the land.
- One sees the endless uphill trudge while another sees a majestic mountain to conquer.
- One hears an annoying high-pitched wail while another hears the healthy lungs of a newborn seeking love and attention.
- The majority of the Israelites saw potential defeat while Joshua and Caleb saw a land flowing with milk and honey that the Lord wanted to give to them.
When you look at your problems and challenges, what do you see?

Tag: attitude

You could call this, “Lessons for the Exile Life.”

But most of us have at least something they aren’t satisfied with in their living situation.

Even if we aren’t where we want to be, we need to take a positive attitude and help those around us.

This verse always reminds me of the bumper sticker that reads “But did you die?”

He was all-in.

I believe God will honor and reward that commitment with effective ministry outcomes.

Did you notice that Joseph had a right-hand man?

He carries out Joseph’s directions to the letter, even reacting to the brothers’ responses like Joseph would have wanted.

How great would it be to be that good of a servant to God?

Joseph had every reason to cop an attitude.

And he did have an attitude – of humility.

Joseph’s words and wisdom put him right where God could best use him.

He was willing to serve.

That willing attitude went a long way toward putting him in a position to save his people.

But let’s be honest, the good things we do often have good results.

Thankfulness to and love for God are far better reasons to do good.

Those blessings should not be expected but they can be appreciated and gracefully accepted like in Ruth’s story.

He had one leg.

I liked his attitude.

focused on others first.

When you look at your problems and challenges, what do you see?