“Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A ‘you can do it’ when things are tough.” Richard M. DeVos
“The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Forward Thinkers today we enter into the ninth month of the year and in the bible the number nine means birthing, final, and closure and today as you are reading this Forward Thinking article you get to start new season of your life journey. This new journey is filled with new possibilities and opportunities that should have you filled with a new level of excitement.
Forward Thinkers during this new season of optimism you can relaunch, redo, and revive your delayed dreams. Langston Hughes once asked what happens to a dream deferred does it dry up like a raisin in the sun. Forward Thinkers thank God this season you will dream again with great optimism and bring your dried up dreams back to life.
Deuteronomy 30 The Message Bible (MSG)
30 1-5 Here’s what will happen. While you’re out among the nations where GOD has dispersed you and the blessings and curses come in just the way I have set them before you, and you and your children take them seriously and come back to GOD, your God, and obey him with your whole heart and soul according to everything that I command you today, GOD, your God, will restore everything you lost; he’ll have compassion on you; he’ll come back and pick up the pieces from all the places where you were scattered. No matter how far away you end up, GOD, your God, will get you out of there and bring you back to the land your ancestors once possessed. It will be yours again. He will give you a good life and make you more numerous than your ancestors.
6-7 GOD, your God, will cut away the thick calluses on your heart and your children’s hearts, freeing you to love GOD, your God, with your whole heart and soul and live, really live. GOD, your God, will put all these curses on your enemies who hated you and were out to get you.
8-9 And you will make a new start, listening obediently to GOD, keeping all his commandments that I’m commanding you today. GOD, your God, will outdo himself in making things go well for you: you’ll have babies, get calves, grow crops, and enjoy an all-around good life. Yes, GOD will start enjoying you again, making things go well for you just as he enjoyed doing it for your ancestors.
Forward Thinkers optimism means hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something. Forward Thinkers remember Satan will try to use past failures to rob you of your confidence and steal your hope.
Optimism is a mental attitude. The bible says so as a man thinks so is he. Forward Thinkers this season we must have an attitude that declares, I Think I Can and I Think We Can. Forward Thinkers this must be the attitude of every believer this season.
Optimism is the opposite of pessimism. An optimism person sees the glass as ½ full whereas a pessimism person complains about the glass being ½ empty. Forward Thinkers the enemy desires you to see the dark side of everything.
Forward Thinkers another definition of optimism is to expect the most favorable outcome to be your final outcome. Forward Thinkers there are two sides to the ‘what if’ scenario. A pessimist says what if I fail but we optimists say what if I win, what if we win, and what if it works for us.
Winston Churchill says, “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
Forward Thinkers I love this time of the year because optimism, confidence, and hope are always high. Students have a fresh start in school and both parents and students can believe this year will be the best year of their life.
The biggest sport in America is football and football season starts this month and every team can dream and believe this will be their year to become champions.
Forward Thinkers think about it millions of fans from little league to high school to college to the NFL are all hyped and excited about the possibilities and potential of the new season.
One of the greatest joys of the new season is the fact your career record doesn’t matter and everybody gets to start fresh at 0-0. Forward Thinkers remember in 2014 the Denver Broncos lost badly to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl and the next year Seattle lost to the New England Patriots but last year Denver beat New England to advance back to the Super Bowl where they defeated the Carolina Panthers. My point of sharing that Super Bowl history lesson is to encourage you that the past can’t determine your victory this season and what defeated you last season won’t be able to defeat you this season.
2 Corinthians 5:17New International Version (NIV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!
Forward Thinkers praise God for a new beginning. The word of God promises us a new start if we stay connected to Jesus. This season of optimism it’s time to put old things behind you.
Philippians 3:13-14 The Message Bible (MSG)
12-14 I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running and I’m not turning back.
Forward Thinkers the optimism of a new season is birthed from reconnecting to God. Our opening text Deuteronomy chapter 30 begins with a condition to entering into God’s promise of a new start and reconnecting with the Word of God and THEN that will result in positive results for your life.
I. Restore your Fortunes—this season I’m taking it all back
II. Reposition your Status—this season my status is winning
III. Redefine your Future—this season will shift my life into another place of greatness
IV. Rejuvenate your Spirit—this season I’m ready to do whatever it takes to get all God has for me
Pastor E. A. Deckard is the Senior Pastor/Founder of the Green House International Church located, in both Houston, Texas, and the Woodlands, Texas. Pastor Deckard is also the Co-Founder of the No More Bloodshed Movement. To contact Pastor Deckard for speaking engagements contact him at pr.ghic@gmail.com, follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Periscope @ Pastor E A Deckard or the church website www.ghic.net