Friday, May 5, 2017

What Are You Thinking?

Philippians 4:4-9 (King James Version)
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

For my text today I would like to use the last part of Verse 8
“If there be any virtue, 
and if there be any praise, 
think on these things.”

                                                      


This message has been on my heart for quite some time.
I want to preface my thoughts this morning with the teaching of Solomon in 
Proverbs 23:7 where he says,
 For as he thinketh in his heart so is he…..”

As we think in the core of our being so are we.  The quality of our lives depends upon our thinking habits.  We are what we think!
Philippians 2:5 
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

To have the mind of Jesus calls for complete surrender to the will of God.  His mind is a pure, loving, compassionate, forgiving mind, with a passion of the lost souls of humanity.  Jesus is the will of God.  He was in unbroken, consuming fellowship with God the Father.  Think like Jesus and you’ll be like Jesus.  His will was to do the will of His Father.  He said in John 10:30  “I and my Father are one.”

Our thought life produces our behavior habits!

If we think doubt filled thoughts we will 
be unbelieving individuals with negative attitudes.  
If we think faith filled thoughts we will 
be faith filled people with positive attitudes.

Praise God for His Word! 
“Think” the Word of God!  
This type of praise and thinking will result in the JOY of the Lord.

A child of God who will let their mind dwell ....  
on who God is and who they are in Him 
and what He has made them 
and all that He has done 
                                 will thank their God and worship and praise Him.
(Key word "dwell"
...to live or continue in a given condition or state.....not 
just show up once in a great while.)

A heart filled with praise to God can not – at the same time – retain doubts, fears, criticism and anxieties.  The praise filled heart is filled with the JOY of the Lord and the JOY of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Positivity rejoices in the Lord always!



You can NOT truly worship and have a praise filled heart and at the same time harbor unclean or evil thoughts.  The praise filled mouth can not be busy magnifying the Lord and lifting up Jesus and at the same time speak negative, unbelieving words.

                                                     



Verse 4 of our text -  “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”   Our JOY comes from Him.  Our happiness comes from Him.  He is the one that makes it all happen.  

Hebrews 13:5  
“……..for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”


Verse 5 of our text gives us another positive attitude……
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
                (Moderation = forbearance, patience, gentleness....be evident to all.)

When you are experiencing negative situations, wrenching periods of difficulty in your life ....pressures, anxious times .... when you feel worried or defeated .... move closer to God.  The closer we move to Him, the better we can defeat these earthly situations.  
Start thinking and speaking words of life - positive words.  
Scripture teaches that if we obey the Gospel and "dwell" in Christ, when the trails come, God is already there and we will receive ...(Verse 7)  


 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, 
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.