We have been disturbed by the trend toward destruction in society.  People think nothing of trashing their environment or the environment of others.  Those who work in customer service (restaurant workers, retailers, anything where we work with the general public) are rude, or don't care if they do a good job or not, cheat their employers and customers.  Employers cut corners, cheat their employees, mis-manage time and resources.  We don't take good care of our children.  We cuss around them and let them see all sort of trash on television and in movies.  We ignore our pets and put them in danger.  I could go on, but you get the idea.

So we started the Attitude of Excellence to address these problems.  We offer evaluations and correction to churches, corporations, groups, governments, etc., in an effort to apply God's excellent ways to daily life.  Below is an excerpt of a recent presentation given by Dr. Smith. 

Attitude - A position of the body or manner of carrying oneself.  A state of 
mind. A complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways.

 Excellence - The state, quality or condition of excelling.  Superiority. The quality of excelling; possessing good qualities in high degree.

 We serve a superior God.  He is superior to our needs.  

Questions:

What is your biggest personal problem right now?

What has God called you to do?

What is your core reality? That is, what do you really believe about yourself deep down if you were being absolutely honest with yourself?

To get what you've never had, you must do something you’ve never done.

o      Maybe you’ll have to wait as they did in Acts in the upper room.

o      Maybe you’ll have to fish again in the same place as they did in the gospels when Jesus told them to launch their nets.

o      Maybe you’ll have to bring your body into subject as instructed in I Corinthians 9:27

o      Maybe you’ll have to forgive – Matthew 6:12

o      Maybe you’ll have to think less about what you want and more about what God wants. Luke 12:31, John 5:30

o      Maybe you’ll have to leave fear and find courage. II Timothy 1:7

o      Pray more complain less

Isn’t it time to go all the way with God? Don’t you miss being close to or intimate with God?

I've got good news for you!

The time of the Lord’s favor is here and now. (Luke 4:17-19)

We are captives when we are tire and disillusioned, stagnant in our walk with the Lord and in our ministries.  When our calling seems dormant. When you’re wondering is that all there is? 

It’s time for a change in attitude and latitude.  It’s time to go higher!

1.     There is order in everything God has done, is doing, or will do:

        Creation                                                          Order

        Building the Ark                                                 Order

        Tribes of Israel/Law                                           Order

        Plan of salvation                                                Order

        Function of the Holy Spirit in the Church                Order

        New Jerusalem                                                  Order

 

2.     When we have disorder in our attitude, thoughts, lives, it is indicating a non-application of God.

3.     We’ve gotten so free in grace that we’ve thrown out everything else.  Not all things are expedient.

4.     And, we are wasting God’s gifts and resources.

 
5.     Attitude of Excellence is a personal revelation. 

6.     I Corinthians 6:19-20  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (Same context as “all things are lawful, but not all things are expedient”.)

Haggai

7.     Haggai   (Strong's  # 2292, Pronounced khag-gah'-ee); festive; Chaggai, a Heb. prophet:

- Called to Rebuild the Temple         
- Obedience to God’s Call
- New Temple’s Splendor
- Blessings Promised for Obedience
- Prophesy with Promise

 zer-oob-baw-bel'  to wax confused     sheh-al-tee-ale' I have asked God

yeh-ho-shoo'-ah Jehovah saved          yeh-ho-tsaw-dawk' Jehovah righted

8.    We live in luxurious houses while God’s house lies in ruins:

9.     We get fake nails, hair color, exercise, plastic surgery, liposuction, stomach staples, tanning, clothes, cosmetic dentistry, jewelry, tattoos

10. The inside lies in ruins

11.  It’s time to plug up the holes! But even better! It’s time for a brand new bag!

12. CONSIDER YOUR WAYS

13.  Plant/not enough harvest            Eat/still hungry       Drink/still thirsty

      Dressed up/still cold         Earn money/lose it faster than we earn it

14. God wants us to reap the same as we sowed. II Cor 9:6.  But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Or even be as the bird, not laboring yet blessed. Consider the lilies of the field.

15.   Now we are to go up to the mountains to get what is provided. (Ps 121)

16. Now I know we are living in the grace dispensation or administration, but God has not changed and what He liked or didn’t like before, He still likes or doesn’t like now. There’s just forgiveness now through Jesus Christ, but we still reap what we sow.  That’s a law.

17.    Haggai 1:14         Stirred up the spirit = Sparked the enthusiasm.

18. Can you remember to compare?  It must seem like nothing to you now. 

19. When you first get save and during personal revivals, you are so aware of the awesomeness of God and you begin to correct areas of your life and establish the evidence of righteousness.

20. When we begin to forget, the evidence of righteousness and the corrections made begin to fade. 

21. Many Christians want Jehovah saved without Jehovah righted.  They won’t ask the Lord and they are growing confused.

22. When we go back to where God is and get what He has provided, . . .

23. Take courage Jehovah saved son of Jehovah righted!

24.            God is going to do some shaking!!!!!!

25. He’s going to turn things upside down and empty the pockets and the treasures will come back.  The silver is His, the gold is His.  Everything we have is His.  We seem to forget that.  We don’t ask Him the questions.

26. EVERYTHING the people did and EVERYTHING the  people offered was defiled.

27.   Don’t you feel like that sometimes?  This is why people go around thinking God is mad at them and is withholding favor.

28. God wants thrones brought down.  II Corinthians 10:4-5. Casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. . . .

29. Attitude is predetermined.  We have the power to change ours.

I Corinthians 12: 31

But earnestly desire the best gifts.

And yet I show you a more excellent way.

To hear more of this dynamic message schedule Dr. Linda Smith at your next event!  Call 512/557-5746, write to Dr. Linda Smith, P.O. Box 708, San Marcos, TX 78667, or email - freethem@freethem.org