06/12/16 What's In Your MIND?
Great Christians Series – Philippians 4:8-9
Intro: Ralph Waldo
Emerson: “life consists of what a man is thinking about all day.” John Locke:
The actions of men are the best interpreters of their thought. James Allen:
“You are today where your thoughts have brought you. You will be tomorrow where
your thoughts take you.” Of course the obvious question, where do you want to
be tomorrow? The mind is a terrible thing to waste, what’s in your mind. If
there was a window to your mind that open by accident what would be seen? Even
if it is only 5 minutes a day, if you are expose to negative it can suck you of
your joy. If you truly want to be a great Christian you must think great
thoughts! “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Colossians 3:2
Text: Philippians 4:8-9 (NASB) “Finally, brethren, whatever is
true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything
worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and
received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace
will be with you.”
Application: God commands us to “Think great thoughts.”
1. Great Christians Think: Vs. 8
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise,
dwell on these things.”
Since we are a product of our thought life, God
commands us to “Think great thoughts.”
“Who you are today is where your
thoughts have brought you. Who you’re going to be tomorrow is where your
thoughts will take you.” Ann Murray in 1983 wrote: “Little good news” Some of the
words of the song just asked - Just once wouldn’t it be nice to hear; Not much
to print today not much to be said, no bad news. We sure could use a little
good news today. God reminds us every day if we have an open mind and we are
plugged into His word, He gives us good news, are you reading that? Do you hear
the ever so gentle presence of the Holy Spirit filling your mind with Him? The
most important decision you make each day is what you allow to go into your
mind and what you do with what you think about. The key is to evaluate what you
are putting into your mind. Like Paul says in Colossians; “Set your mind on
things above, not on things on the earth.” Great Christian’s thing great
thoughts!
What Paul is saying, get your thoughts right and the emotions,
behaviors, and consequences of peace will follow. A spiritually trained mind
will align everything else to such a degree that emotional issues will begin to
be resolved and behavior will begin to fall into place. “The mind of sinful man
is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
(NIV) GREAT CHRISTIANS THINK GREAT THOUGHT!
2. Great Christians Practice: Vs. 9
“The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice
these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
“Let this mind be in you
which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5 when you practice these great
thoughts daily they become habits. Most of our thinking is undeniably habitual.
Most of our behavior is made up of habits, including many we aren’t aware of.
Most of us go to bed at a certain time each night. We get up in the morning at
a regular time, even if out of habit you hit the alarm clock or the snooze
every morning, we brush our teeth a couple times a day. We grab a cup of coffee
at a predictable hour; we get in a car and drive to work, usually the same
route every day. No one tells us to do all these things. We don’t even have to
remind ourselves of most of them because they’re habitual. We could very easily
talk about the food we eat or how much we exercise and what we put into our
bodies is going to determine the quality of life our bodies have. Paul is
simply saying that the mind works the same way. There’s a certain kind of
thinking that ought to be come habitual for us because it will lead to
godliness and peace.
You have all heard “No God!” “No Peace” A mind set upon
the world and the flesh is what leads to anxiety and worry, emptiness and
restlessness. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace
of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
A worldly mind never knows
peace—not true peace, not the peace of God. God will just never allow a worldly
mind to have peace, for it is the restlessness of the human soul that He uses
to reach men for salvation. When a person accepts Jesus Christ, his mind is
renewed by the Spirit of God. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
Once a person has been
converted to Christ and becomes a new man, there to focus on good things of life
and upon God. There to give their mind to positive thinking. The believer is
never to allow an immoral, fleshly, worldly, selfish, sinful or evil thought to
enter the mind. There is never to be a negative thought whatsoever in the mind
of the believer. Sinful and negative thoughts disrupt and destroy peace.
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is
any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on PRACTICE these
things.”
GREAT CHRISTIANS HAVE GREAT HABITS BECAUSE THEY PRACTICE!
3. Great
Christians are Aligned: Vs. 9
“The things you have learned and received and
heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Christians are aligned with the truth: “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus
said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then
you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32
(NIV)
There are several things that great Christians will align with; First
great Christians know God, I mean really know God. “Oh, the depth of the riches
of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His
paths beyond tracing out!” Great Christians are always thinking about God. This
is the creator of the universe; He’s got the whole world in His hand! Amen?
Secondly great Christians think great thoughts about themselves. What if you
thought about yourself as the object of the eternal God’s love, regardless of
whether you have your act together today? Interesting how God continues to use
different Bible Studies to align with what is important for Great Christians to
do. “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great
delight (Jump up and down) in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will
rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
Thirdly great Christians
think great thoughts about others. 1 Samuel tells us: “The LORD does not look
at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD
looks at the heart.” What do you think would happen to your relationships if
you began to see people as God sees them? Forth great Christians think great
thoughts about life. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his
life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good
is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very
self?” Luke 9:23-25 Fifth great Christians think great thoughts about the
future. Can you imagine living life without fear and anxiety, without worry
about what tomorrow will bring and stress about how to make everything work
out? You can live that way if you believe what God has promised in Jeremiah
29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.” Worry and anxiety are not great thoughts; faith in God’s promise is!
Sixth great Christians think great thoughts about the past. For a lot of
people, their past has crippled their future: “forgetting what lies behind and
reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize
of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The last thing great Christians
align with is; great Christians think great thoughts about challenges. Here at
Ocean View we all know where that leads us: “My brethren, count it all joy when
you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces
patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing.”
Conclusion: “What’s in your mind?”
The Command is to think/dwell on these things. Have you memorized any scripture
lately? Do you know all the words to your favorite song there playing on the
radio? Get some 3x5 cards and practice, read over and over. Listen to great
Christian music. “For who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct
Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.’ 1 Corinthians 2:16
What we think
will determine the course of our life; wrong thinking, negative emotions,
unwise behavior will create devastating consequences. The other side of this;
right thinking, positive emotions, wise behavior will create fruitful
consequences. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and
perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us
rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (HCSB)
In : Sermon
Tags: "great christians series" "book of philippeans"
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