Do you focus on the negative things in your life or the positive?

1. WELCOMETO THEWELCOMETO THE
JACKSON ST. CHURCHOFCHRISTJACKSON ST. CHURCHOFCHRIST
We are so glad you are hereWe are so glad you are here

2. (Phil 4:8)
Finally, brethren,
whatever things are true,
whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report,
if there is any virtue and
if there is anything praiseworthy;
meditate on these things.

3. •

4. FOCUSING
ON THE
NEGATIVE

5. INTRODUCTION
•Friend and “Just a Closer Walk With
Thee”
•Familiarity breeds contempt
•There is so much good in the worst of
us,
And so much bad in the best of us,
That it hardly behooves any of us
To talk about the rest of us.
•All relationships have problems but
we need to focus on the positive.
Focusing on the negative destroys
relationships.

6. I. WE SHOULD NOT FOCUS
ON THE NEGATIVE WITH
OUR CHILDREN
• (Eph 6:4) And you, fathers, do not
provoke your children to wrath, but
bring them up in the training and
admonition of the Lord.
• (Col 3:21) Fathers, do not provoke
your children, lest they become
discouraged.

7. II. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH OUR MATE
• (Col 3:18-19) Wives, submit to
your own husbands, as is fitting in
the Lord. {19} Husbands, love your
wives and do not be bitter toward
them.

8. II. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH OUR MATE
• (Eph 5:25-33) Husbands, love your
wives, just as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself for her, …
{28} So husbands ought to love their
own wives as their own bodies; he
who loves his wife loves himself. ….
{33} Nevertheless let each one of
you in particular so love his own
wife as himself, and let the wife see
that she respects her husband.

9. III. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH OUR NEIGHBOR
• (Prov 11:12) He who is devoid of
wisdom despises his neighbor, But
a man of understanding holds his
peace.
• (Prov 21:10) The soul of the
wicked desires evil; His neighbor
finds no favor in his eyes.

10. IV. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH OUR COUNTRY
• (Prov 14:34) Righteousness
exalts a nation, But sin is a
reproach to any people.
• Those who are so negative about
our country should be required to
spend a year in another country!

11. V. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH THE CHURCH
• (Eph 4:29-32) Let no corrupt word
proceed out of your mouth, but what is
good for necessary edification, that it
may impart grace to the hearers. {30}
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
by whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption. {31} Let all bitterness,
wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking
be put away from you, with all malice.
{32} And be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
just as God in Christ forgave you.

12. V. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH THE CHURCH
• (James 4:11) Do not speak evil of one
another, brethren. He who speaks evil
of a brother and judges his brother,
speaks evil of the law and judges the
law.
• (James 5:9) Do not grumble against
one another, brethren, lest you be
condemned. Behold, the Judge is
standing at the door!

13. V. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH THE CHURCH
• (Rom 2:1-3) Therefore you are
inexcusable, O man, whoever you are
who judge, for in whatever you judge
another you condemn yourself; for you
who judge practice the same things. {2}
But we know that the judgment of God
is according to truth against those who
practice such things. {3} And do you
think this, O man, you who judge those
practicing such things, and doing the
same, that you will escape the
judgment of God?

14. V. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH THE CHURCH
• (Rom 14:1-4) Receive one who is weak
in the faith, but not to disputes over
doubtful things. {2} For one believes he
may eat all things, but he who is weak
eats only vegetables. {3} Let not him who
eats despise him who does not eat, and
let not him who does not eat judge him
who eats; for God has received him. {4}
Who are you to judge another's servant?
To his own master he stands or falls.
Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God
is able to make him stand.

15. V. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH THE CHURCH
• (Rom 14:10-13) But why do you judge your
brother? Or why do you show contempt for
your brother? For we shall all stand before
the judgment seat of Christ. For it is
written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every
knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue
shall confess to God.“ So then each of us
shall give account of himself to God.
Therefore let us not judge one another
anymore, but rather resolve this, not to
put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in
our brother's way.

16. VI. WE SHOULD NOT
FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
WITH OUR GOD
• (Psa 103:2) Bless the LORD, O my
soul, And forget not all His benefits:
• Even our relationship with God can be
destroyed if we focus on the negative
with Him.
– Death of loved ones - God called
them home?
– Cosmic killjoy - doesn't want us to
have any fun?
– Our suffering - why does God allow
it?

17. CONCLUSION
• (1 Pet 4:8-9) And above all things have
fervent love for one another, for "love will
cover a multitude of sins." {9} Be
hospitable to one another without
grumbling.
• (Mat 7:1-2) "Judge not, that you be not
judged. {2} "For with what judgment you
judge, you will be judged; and with the
measure you use, it will be measured
back to you.
• (Luke 6:37) "Judge not, and you shall not
be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not
be condemned. Forgive, and you will be
forgiven.

18. • HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT
BEING JUDGED BY GOD IN THE
SAME WAY YOU HAVE JUDGED
OTHERS?
• DO YOU WANT GOD TO FOCUS
ON THE NEGATIVE IN YOUR
LIFE?