Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by James MacDonald (2015-06-18) from his book, Lord, Change My Attitude: Before It's Too Late (p. 136). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition. ( Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Have you ever taken a shower and started noticing that the drain is plugged up and the water won’t drain?   That can be a problem can’t it?   Well, James says, “Criticism plugs the flow of God’s blessings in our life.”   James quotes Oswald Chambers who made a brilliant observation: “Whenever you are in a critical temper, it is impossible to enter into communion with God.”   Have you noticed that? James goes on, “That’s a scary thought! Criticism makes us hard and vindictive and cruel. It leaves us with the flattering notion that we are superior persons. It is impossible to develop the characteristics of a saint and at the same time maintain a critical attitude. Criticism harms our relationship with God and others, and that will block the flow of Go

A thought by James MacDonald (2015-06-18) from his book, Lord, Change My Attitude: Before It's Too Late (p. 134). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition. ( Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Are you a critical person?   James says, “Ultimately, criticism inflates the self.”   And we know what God thinks about that, don’t we?   He doesn't like it. James says, “Oswald Chambers, the great devotional writer, wrote, ‘Beware of anything that puts you in the place of the superior person.’ Anything that makes you feel superior is not conducive to your spiritual life. That’s what criticism does: It takes the focus off me and my faults and highlights me as the one who knows. ‘I know; I see.’ Criticism elevates me as the highest and best. Criticism reduces the pain of being in the spotlight and gives me the fleshly satisfaction of running the spotlight. And in a sick sort of way it can feel good to put that kind of pressure on others. People find it

A thought by James MacDonald (2015-06-18) from his book, Lord, Change My Attitude: Before It's Too Late (p. 120). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition. ( Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) James tells the story that is a very good illustration of this thought.  “A farmer stood by the road one day and observed a large wagon filled with household goods moving toward him. Dust flew as the wagon pulled to a stop and the driver shouted, ‘We’re moving from Brownsville to Jonestown. How much farther is it?’   ‘About thirty miles,’ said the farmer. ‘And what kind of people shall we expect to find there?’ asked the traveler. ‘Well, what kind of people did you leave behind in Brownsville?’   ‘Oh, they were so negative and so cheerless, so deceptive and so ungrateful, just a godless bunch, all of them. That’s the main reason we are moving. What kind of people will we find in Jonestown?’   ‘The very same kind, I’m sorry to say,’ said the farmer.” He goe