New Attitudes for the New Year

It was early morning when dad came into my room and placed something on the dresser. As a junior high boy I was intrigued enough to get myself out of bed to investigate what he had left. Maybe it was money! Instead, what I discovered was a one word sticker attached to the mirror:

ATTITUDE

I must confess that I often despised that sticker! The adhesive was so strong that it stayed on the mirror as long as I had it. More important, the message of that word was a daily reminder to me to watch my attitude. It was a vivid check on my spirit that has stayed with me all of these years.

The Beatitudes 

In Matthew 5 we read our Lord’s first recorded sermon. Often called the Sermon on the Mount because of the geographical location where it was delivered, it is better understood by the spiritual emphasis that Christ introduced at the very beginning. 9 times He uses the word “blessed.” It was His blessing sermon!

All true blessing is rooted in the God of blessing. The first thing the Creator did for man and woman in the Garden was to bless them (Genesis 1:28), and the last thing Christ did for the disciples when He left them on the mountain was to bless them (Luke 24:51). It has always been God’s heart to bless mankind. Sin brought the curse but Jesus brings the blessing!

Each of the “blessed” promises given by Christ are connected to a biblical principle. Our shortcut society is always looking for a way to bypass the process and go straight to the product. Yet, the Lord plainly teaches that the blessed life is one that is characterized by specific attitudes toward God and man.

These 9 attitudes are often called beatitudes. They are attitudes which must be present if we are to live in God’s greatest blessing! For the next 10 days I would like to share with you a short series of videos on “New Attitudes for the New Year.” Zig Ziglar was famous for saying, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” This is more than a motivational principle; this is a guiding principle for those who follow Christ. Spiritual growth begins by thinking God’s thoughts, and God’s thoughts are revealed in the Word.

Perhaps you would like to place an “attitude” reminder where you will see it as you begin each day. Then watch for a new short video each day, January 1-10, 2025. Let’s look into the mirror of God’s Word. Then, let’s pray for God to help us to have the mind of Christ in every area of life this year.