One of our biggest struggles with money and finances is our own mentality. We all have a M.O.R.E mentality that involves Maintain, Options, Reluctance and being Entitled. However, what if we could realize that God wants you to have a M.O.R.E mentality but in a way that will change the way you view finances for the rest of your life.

I think most people think happiness is something that the few lucky actually find. People will even say I wish I could be happy like them. So the question becomes, Is happiness dependent on whatever life throws our way or do we have a say in the matter? We can find peace amongst chaos, contentment despite limitations, and joy even in our lowest moments. It all comes down to the Perspective Principle.

This message is designed to help us take advantage of the few areas that we as parents can control. There are truly so few things in parent that we can control and change the outcome of, however there are a few. I cant make my kids grow up and love God but I can let them see my relationship with God and hopefully they will desire to have one as well. We need to trust God with our children and understand they are a gift from him. With all the uncertainties of life, parenting is overwhelming and too many times we bring added stress and anxiety in to our lives.

Early on as Christians, we base everything on the big stuff and changing what we do to make bigger changes in our lives. However, as we get older as a follower, we realize that changing not only the small things but even more changing how we think is one of the most powerful things we can do to change. A ton of people are overwhelmed and they would instantly go to multiple reasons of schedule, busyness, etc., but, ultimately, so much of our overwhelmed feelings start with our thought process.

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus talks about how distractions and busyness in our lives create four

states of our hearts that, unless we fix our focus, threaten our ability to realize the promises of God. One of our greatest enemies isn’t all the bad things we are doing but actually too many good things that threaten to keep us truly ineffective for our calling or the plan God has for our lives.

We live in a society that celebrates whatever is “new” or “next”, the word same can have a negative connotation. Sameness can be seen as stagnant, stupid, or stubborn. Yet while change is celebrated, sameness can also make a huge difference in people’s lives. For example, successful marriages stand the test of time. Successful jobs are those that allow you to grow and progress within the same organization over time. There is great power is staying consistent with the power of same.

In this series, we have defined Gut Check as showing courage, character and determination when everything seems to go against you. Towards the end of Daniel’s life, God would remind him of a few things that encourage us for any upcoming Gut Check moments we may have.

Gut Check moments that test our courage, character, and determination can happen at any time. The only way to have the power to come through those moments is when we are connected to God who is the source of our power. We can remain close to God by viewing every moment, no matter how mundane, as a gift from God. If we drift away or focus on what we can attain, we will waste away and find ourselves drained.

So many people face problems or situations that can really mess with their faith. However, it may be possible that these fires actually can build our faith, allow us to test our obedience to God and even make a huge impact in the lives of those around us. Nobody wants to go through a fire, but sometimes we need to. What do you do when you are in the middle of a fire? What if there is one thing that we all can do that would make all the difference as you go through the fire. This morning, we’ll be talking about the most important thing you need when things aren’t going your way.

We all face pressure in life. The problem is this pressure can continue to weigh us down. Not many have faced the constant pressure of unbearable circumstances like Daniel. However, Daniel responds in a way that serves as a reminder of each of us when we are under pressure.