Better Thinking
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Philippians 4:1-13
We are starting a new series today entitled Better over the next few weeks we will look at various parts of our lives that we can do better
Another pastor allowed me to borrow his graphics and a video that he made to introduce his series.
And although I am preaching a different series than he was, It still fits so Let’s watch this video real quick.
Video
Today we are looking at the aspect of our lives which I have called Better Thinking.
Look at this picture, what do you see?
Are you Optimistic or Pessimistic?
I want to have a better way of thinking.
I would like to think that I am a pessimist, but the truth is I’m probably half and half.
When it comes to God I tend to have faith, but there will still come some times that my faith is lacking, and I focus on the negative.
The truth is how we think will determine what we do, and who we are.
Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...
This is more than the power of positive thinking, but there is some truth to this!
As you think in your heart you will become.
If you tear yourself down, you will be come depressed and think you can’t do anything.
If you claim the promises of God internally, you will believe that you can do anything God wants you to do.
It is so important to be careful what we think.
In the Bible, there we are told of a time when the children of Israel have come out of Egypt, the great exodus, and they travelled through the wilderness and have come to their Promised Land.
The Land that God has promised them that He will give them.
When they arrive they send in a band of men to scope out the land and get an idea of what they need to do.
25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
God has promised them this land, and yet there were those who, although they could see the good, the bad outweighed the good.
But then there were two who saw the promise of God...
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
Caleb cries out… “We can do this! Let’s go and get that land!”
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
The men there are huge!
This is an impossible task!
We will be devoured if we try!
Ten men were pessimist, more than that they did not have faith.
And those ten influenced millions.
1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
Their faith in God was so small that they would rather have gone back into slavery.
4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
They were ready to revolt and head back to Egypt.
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
The leaders were so shocked they fell before the crowd, Joshua and Caleb were so heartbroken about the peoples lack of faith they rent their clothes.
Then they speak to the crowd.
7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
If we do right, God will bless us - have faith in God!
9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.
Joshua and Caleb called it like it is!
God has revealed His will to them.
He has told them that He has given them the Promised Land.
He has told them that He will fight for them.
This is God’s Will!!!
And not doing what God has told you to do is rebellion!
To act in fear, rather than in faith is rebellion.
What was the people’s reaction?
Look at the first part of verse 10...
10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
They were going to stone them!
But God steps in...
11 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
God said … “That’s it! I’m gonna kill them!”
God says, “What do I have to do for them to believe in me?”
“Show myself powerful, by sending plagues on their enemies and yet keep them from being hurt by them?…oh wait, I’ve already done that.”
“Part the Red Sea so they can walk on dry land…wait I’ve already done that too.”
“Provide heavenly manna for them to eat and water from a rock?…Wait I already did that too!”
“What do I have to do for them to believe me?”
“I’m done! I disinherit them! I’ll choose someone else…and they are going to be sooo much better than these!”
I remember a comedian saying to his son, “Don’t lie to me, I’ll kill you and make another one just like you.”
My dad said that to me once, and I thought…but didn’t say...”Why would you want another one just like me?”
But this is exactly what God is saying…only the next one is going to be better!
Thank goodness Moses steps in and asks God to preserve them.
So God tells the people…OK, because of your lack of faith you have to go wander the wilderness until everyone that is alive right now that doubted me is dead, then you’ll come back and take the land.
Ten men were glass half empty people…They lacked the faith to obey God…and they took the entire crowd to the grave with them.
Two men were better than optimist, they were full of faith.
They lived the next 40 years, and entered the Promised Land.
Faith is not dependent on the circumstances - your faith is your choice.
If you are still open to Philippians 4, let’s look at those verses again.
Paul is not in faith encouraging circumstances.
Paul in prison, writing the book of Philippians
And what does he say?
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
This is a man full of faith!
I’ve suffered shipwreck.
I’ve suffered beatings
I’ve been stoned
I’ve been attacked
I’ve had this thorn in the flesh that God won’t take away
And now I’m in prison, for the third time…I might add...
And he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say, Rejoice.”
What can we do to think better?
What can we do, Like Paul to live a better though life?
First we can...
I. Seek God’s Perspective and Power
I. Seek God’s Perspective and Power
If we are going to have a better thinking it must start with thinking like God thinks.
If you want to think better you need to use God as your model.
Paul starts off and says, this starts with...
A. Standing Fast in the Lord
A. Standing Fast in the Lord
Paul was encouraging the Christians in Philipi to do what he has done…Stand fast in the Lord.
1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
To Stand fast means to persevere…don’t move!
But there is more to it than that!
He says stand fast in the Lord.
See what He has done and stand fast in your faith that He will help you!
Yes Paul was shipwrecked, but God delivered them.
Yes Paul was stoned and left for dead…if not did die…and God revived him and healed him.
Yes Paul was cast in prison, but he’s been released before…God can and will do it again!
Persevere in what you know about God!
The power to think better comes from the Lord.
But Better Thinking also includes
B. Uniting in the Lord
B. Uniting in the Lord
2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
Paul speaks directly to two women in the church who are fighting with each other.
“Stop fighting,” Paul is saying.
He calls on the rest of the church to come along side and help them be united.
Disagreements happen!
But don’t let it hinder what God wants to do in His church.
Forgive and move forward!
Again the phrase is used “in the Lord”…we will only be able to do this when we see that this is God’s Will…and it will only be able to be done by God’s power.
Stop thinking divisive thoughts and unify our church in the Lord!
And then thirdly we need to realize that ...
C. All Is Possible in the Lord
C. All Is Possible in the Lord
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Don’t ever get to the place where this phrase becomes a cliché in your life.
It may seem impossible, what God is asking you to do…but you need to replace the lie with the truth…I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
The power is the Lord’s!
We are not dependent upon our own strength.
If it were…This church in Philipi would have closed it’s doors.
If it were dependent upon them…the children of Israel would have failed when they took the Promised Land.
If it were dependent upon us…this church here in Mayville would have shuddered it’s doors years ago!
No, it is God’s strength that we rely upon...
So to have better thinking you are going to have to first of all Seek God’s Perspective and Power.
II. Give Thanks and Share the Wins
II. Give Thanks and Share the Wins
The power is the Lord’s, so when we have a victory…remember who’s victory it is and …
A. Pray
A. Pray
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
The word careful means, “To care, be anxious, troubled, to take thought”
Don’t be anxious about anything!
but instead…pray.
In every situation pray…and ...
bring your requests to God
bring your concerns to God
bring your anxieties to God
bring your worries to God
And while you pray…remember what He has already done and be thankful.
This was the problem with the ten Israelite spies who had no faith.
They were not mindful of what God had already done…they were not thankful for what God had brought them through.
Be thankful…and bring your concerns to God…the one who has the power to do anything about it!
I think there is another aspect of this that we can see here…that of sharing the wins.
B. Testify
B. Testify
We need to rehearse what we have learned with the others around us.
There is an aspect of this in verse 9
9 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.
Those things you have seen, and heard, and received…do those things!
Speak of those things which you have seen heard and received.
Don’t keep it for yourself but share it, rehearse it, encourage each other with it.
15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness And thy salvation all the day; For I know not the numbers thereof.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
We are encouraged to edify one another in the church.
We can do this by showing forth the things that God has done in our lives.
Faith encourages faith.
Fear encourages fear.
When there is a victory…share it!
This will help not just you (and it will), but all those who hear your testimony!
If we want to have Better Thinking we need to
Seek God’s Perspective and Power
We can do this by standing fast in the Lord.
and Uniting with each other in the Lord.
And realizing that all things are possible in the Lord.
We need to...
Give Thanks and Share the Wins
Pray - bring your concerns and fears to God…and be thankful for what he has done in the past.
Testify - Tell others what God is doing…this will help those who are experiencing anxiety right now to trust in God.
III. Feed Your Thoughts the Truth
III. Feed Your Thoughts the Truth
8 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.
We are given here a checklist, if you will, of what our thoughts ought to be...
A. True
A. True
Much of our fear is brought on by lies we have believed.
We need to Put off the lie, and Put on the truth!
Replace the lie with the truth.
This is the only way we can have Better Thinking.
This word true means that which is real.
There is no your truth and my truth…there is only reality.
Control your thoughts and cast out the lie…replace it with the truth.
“I can’t do that!” ---> “I can do all things through Christ”
“I’m ugly” ---> “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
To say anything else is to call God a liar, because He said it is true!
“I’m too old to do anything for God!” ---> “Psalm 92.12-14
12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; They shall be fat and flourishing;
Replace the lie with the truth.
B. Honest
B. Honest
This word “semnos” means more than just honesty or the truth…but it carries the meaning of being honorable, appropriate.
Are your thoughts honorable?
Are they appropriate?
If not change your thoughts!
C. Just
C. Just
The word here is dikaos.
that which is right, conformable to right, pertaining to right
Is the thought righteous…if not cast it out!
D. Pure
D. Pure
This word means Innocent, pure, and blameless.
Is your thought blameless, or pure?
If not cast it out!
E. Lovely
E. Lovely
This word speaks of things that are acceptable or pleasing.
The word is “prosphiles” pros- coming from and phileo - friend, dear. Dear to someone, beloved
Is the thought coming from a friendly and loving place?
If you think unacceptable thoughts you will become an unacceptable person.
The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that love thinketh no evil…literally means counting the bad.
Are your thoughts keeping a tally?
Cast it out!
F. Good Report
F. Good Report
the word is euphēmos - Well–spoken of, of good report, praiseworthy, laudable
The next couple of phrases, “if there be any virtue (laudable), if there be any praise (praiseworthy.” these are an explanation of what is meant by this word euphēmos, thoughts that are of Good Report.
And then Paul tells us of all these things…Things that are:
True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
of Good Report
Think on these things!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Do you want to be better?
Then you need to think better!
Stop being negative!
There are people that always see the negative…stop it!
Think better!
Have faith!
What are you looking for?
That is what you will find!
Have you ever bought a vehicle and all of a sudden you see them all over the road?
Why because that is what you have been thinking about…and now you are noticing it…it’s not that you just started a fad!
No what you look for…you will find.
What you think about…you will find.
I remember when I was a teacher I struggled with my class one year.
It seemed like they were just always being naughty and disruptive.
We had demerits in our school and so many demerits they would get suspended, and if they got up to a certain amount they would be expelled.
I felt like I was giving demerits right and left…just trying to make them do better…be better!
I loved these kids…but I didn’t know how to get them to see the importance of doing the right thing!
I attended an teacher in-service training that year, and the title of the session was, “Are You a Buzzard or an Eagle?”
The idea of the lesson was…Buzzards look for death, when they see something dying, they circle around it until it is weak enough to eat.
Eagles, all though they will eat dead things, they are known for soaring high above their living prey and swooping down to grab what they want to eat.
The application of the lesson was just what we are talking about here.
What you are looking for is what you are going to get.
It’s not that the negative isn’t there…it’s just not what you are looking for.
I came back to class determined to be an eagle…sure there were times when I had to eat the dead thing…demerits were still given out from time to time...
But my focus was on life -
In our school not only did we have demerits, but we also had merits.
Merits were little dollars that they could collect for doing good things, (like passing tests, being kind, quoting a scripture verse, etc.) and they could spend that money in the merit store.
I determined to watch and focus on giving out merits for the next couple of weeks.
The entire atmosphere and effectiveness of the classroom changed.
Just because I determined to have better thinking.
What about you?
Are you filing your mind with the good or the bad?
Are you looking for death, or life?
Are you seeking God’s Perspective and power or are you trying to do it on your own?
Are you feeding yourself truth, or the lies that Satan gives us?
Whatsoever is
true
honest
just
pure
lovely
of good report
THINK ON THESE THINGS!
Let’s Think better this week!
Because normal isn’t working!