“in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18, NASB1995).

On an airplane, an “attitude” meter shows the blue sky above the line and brown below the line for the earth. As long as the pilot keeps the nose of the plane “above the line,” it is going up. Your attitude determines your altitude!1 An attitude is a fixed heading, a direction for a plane or any aircraft. Our attitude can be leading us out of the “flight plan” God has for our lives. If it is consistently “going down,” we are headed for disaster! Let’s look at some attitude adjustments from the scriptures to see God’s will for our attitude.

1. Israel had an “attitude” problem in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:9–10). 
   1. They tested the Lord – They demanded more than manna and fresh water. Their attitude was, “If you are really God, let’s see you do something.”
   2. They grumbled and complained – They were dissatisfied with their leadership and spoke openly against them.
   3. They rebelled in unbelief – They refused to go into the Promised Land when the spies returned and then tried to go in their own strength.
   4. The result was that they missed the will of God. His will was for them to be in the Promised Land within a few weeks, but instead, they circled a mountain for forty years in the wilderness until they all perished.
      Question: Israel expressed their frustration with Moses’ leadership, and God judged them. Discuss how important it is to maintain an attitude of respect for authority even when you disagree.
2. Paul’s attitude adjusters (1 Thess. 5:12–21):
   1. RESPECT: “honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work” (v. 12, NLT). Israel’s downfall was grumbling against Moses and Aaron. Follow your spiritual leadership, pray for them when they are missing the will of God, and maintain an attitude of respect. 
   2. SERVICE: “Take tender care of those who are weak” (v. 14). We should maintain an attitude of service. When we become too proud to help, too busy to serve, too important to notice others, our attitude has slipped into pride. Our goal should be to “Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.”
      Question: Piccadilly’s employees ask every person, “May I serve you?” Discuss what happens when we are looking to others to serve us rather than an attitude of service.
   3. FORGIVENESS: “See that no one pays back evil for evil” (v. 15). We must maintain an attitude of forgiveness. If I get my eyes on those who have wronged me, my “altitude meter” goes below the line. I must instantly forgive them so that I do not find myself outside the will of God.
   4. CHEERFULNESS: “Always be joyful.” (v. 16). Even in tough times, we must maintain an attitude of cheerfulness. Grumpy, moody attitudes are contagious. When flights are canceled, when the Interstate backs up, when it rains on vacations, when you lose your car keys, “Always be joyful.”
      Question: How easy is it to get a grumpy, moody attitude? What is the one thing that challenges your attitude of cheerfulness the most?
   5. COMMUNION: “Never stop praying.” (v. 17). We must maintain an attitude of communion. We know that we cannot consciously be in prayer at all times, but we can continually be in an attitude of fellowship with God. Speaking to God keeps you speaking well to men.
   6. GRATITUDE: “Be thankful in all circumstances” (v. 18). An attitude of gratitude means to express your appreciation to people and God for every small benefit and blessing. An attitude of entitlement and dissatisfaction with what others are doing to help you cuts off your source of blessing. Israel wanted the food they had in Egypt (where they were full of diseases) but not the “food of angels” God provided that kept them in perfect health!
      Question: Go around the table and share one person you have taken for granted and need to have an attitude of gratitude toward.

Application Point: If you have not read Life 01, now would be a great time to learn more about who Jesus is and what He did for you. Many men have been exposed to, and even participated in, immoral practices and need a time of cleansing. The Freedom Encounter is a great place to receive healing and deliverance from your past. Ask your B-Group Leader about attending at the end of this semester. Do you have another man with whom you are accountable? If not, would you like one, or is that a future step for you?

Leader: Take a few minutes and lead your group in a new commitment to practice the will of God for their life. Challenge them to have an accountability partner that they can trust to encourage them through their challenges.