Thoughts that are praiseworthy
Thoughts Inside My Head • Sermon • Submitted
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Thoughts that are lovely & praiseworthy
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Author/Pastor Craig Groeschel wrote this book, Winning the War in your Mind. At the very beginning of his book, he said this. “In recent years, an entire discipline of modern psychology has developed called cognitive behavioral therapy. This breakthrough teaching reveals that many problems, from eating disorders to relational challenges, addictions, and even some forms of depression and anxiety, are rooted in faulty and negative patterns of thinking. Treating those problems begins with changing that thinking.”[i] Here’s what really cool. God has already said that😊!
Today we’re concluding a series called “Thoughts Inside My Head.” If you change your thoughts, you’ll change your life! This series is based on Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Philippians is one of 66 writings in the Bible and every book in the Bible has a purpose. Paul has two purposes in mind as he writes his letter. Purpose #1. “To thank the Philippians for the gift they had sent him.” Paul’s in a Roman prison awaiting trial. Either he will be set free or condemned to die. Eventually Paul will be set free only to be rearrested maybe three years later. Prisoners were not guaranteed basic necessities. Whatever the Philippians gave him; it really helped him. Paul said this in Philippians 4:18. (Read 18-19) It’s exciting to meet someone’s tangible need. Our greatest need from God is forgiveness. That need is met through our complete trust in Jesus Christ. Here’s Purpose #2: “To strengthen these believers by showing them that true joy comes from Jesus Christ.”[ii] Philippians is Paul’s joy letter. Paul uses the words “joy or rejoicing” 16 times in four chapters.[iii] Joy is not happiness. Happiness comes from what happens to us, good circumstances, but joy comes directly from our trust in Jesus Christ. Paul said this in Philippians 3:1. (Read 1a) He takes joy much further in chapter 4, verse 4. (Read 4-8)
Paul just gave us eight “thought virtues.” Whatever is true & noble, right & pure, lovely & admirable, excellent & praiseworthy – this is the stuff we should think about. Craig Groeschel divides his book into four sections. Replace, Rewire, Reframe and Rejoice. If you want your life to be better, think new thoughts. How?
Three steps. Step #1 is Replace Satan’s lies with God’s truth. Even in prison Paul was thinking about thoughts that were true and noble. We should too because Satan lies. Don’t fall for his lies when it comes to who you are and what God has created you to be. Be like his son. How can anyone know what’s true? Jesus said this about himself in John 14:6. (Read) Truth is not a concept. Truth is a person.
Step #2 is Rewire your mind by capturing your thoughts. Paul said this in 2nd Corinthians 10:5. (Read) I get rogue thoughts every day. Thoughts that could lead me to do wrong – to be greedy, selfish or prideful.
Legend has it that Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon one time and after hismessage a woman walked up to him and said, “That was the best message I’ve ever heard.” And Spurgeon looked at her and said, “Satan has already told me that.” What did he mean? Satan wants anyone, in the case, Spurgeon himself, to get prideful. To think he or we are more than who we think we are. Spurgeon knew he had to be careful about pride. Sometimes thoughts pop into my head that are driven by pride. I have to capture them!
Other thoughts are impure. I love listening to 80’s rock. 93.3 the Bus. Rewind – 103.5. It bums me out that all my music is now deemed “The Oldies!” 80’s music is old. That’s so sad. One day I was driving my car toward Polaris and the following songs played on the radio. Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leopard. Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer. Love in an Elevator by Aerosmith. When Tone-Lok came on singing Funky Cold Medina I knew it was time to change the station. I love 80’s rock but it’s often filled with a ton of sexually driven content. Are you binge watching sexually driven content and then wondering, I wonder why my thoughts are so sensual? Our actions are often a result of what we think about. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you capture rogue impure, lust driven thoughts. Step #3: Reframe your circumstances into “may the Lord’s will be done.”
What do we mean by reframe? I read an article on Fast Company.com and the author defined “reframing” as “the ability to look at a situation or circumstance in a new way, giving it a more positive or insightful spin.”[iv] We see reframing all throughout Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Paul just said this “…whatever is lovely, admirable[v], excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Let me provide one example of each. Here’s an example of lovely.
I could not believe my eyes when I looked out my bedroom window this past Wednesday morning and saw several inches of fresh, fluffy snow. Looking out my window, I said out loud, “are you kidding me.” Thirty minutes later I got ready and left my house and went to the Giant Eagle Parking lot in Westerville. My morning routine consists of eating a light breakfast, reading God’s Word using a You Version Bible Reading Plan. The plan I am currently using is The 40-Day New Testament Challenge. You read the NT in 40 days. It’s actually 46 days because the developers built in 6 Sabbath days in case you need to catch up. Once I read, I then get out of my car and I go walk. I don’t walk for exercise. I walk because I want to be near God. While I walk, I pray. I pray to God out loud. I praise him. I thank Him. I repent of my sin. Wrong thoughts. Impure thoughts. I pray for people and I ask God to use me. I dial it down when I come across people. I talk a little quieter. Last Wednesday I was walking around Hoff Woods when I came across a man walking his dog. I stopped to pet his dog and he looks at me and says, “Look over my shoulder.” So I look over his shoulder. Then he says, “Didn’t the snow make the trees beautiful?” He was right. I took this picture. New fallen snow sitting on hundreds of tree branches is lovely. New fallen snow makes me think of our creator God. What God has made is lovely. Lovely means pleasing. New fallen snow that’s going to melt in a matter of hours is also lovely. If you want to change your thoughts reframe your circumstances into “I’m going to trust God. May the Lord’s will be done!
Paul said things and he did things for Jesus. This is Philippians 4:9. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
What Paul does in Philippians 1 is admirable. Here’s an admirable thought. God is in control. (Read 1:12-14) The Apostle Paul went to Rome thinking he would speak to Caesar. Instead, he’s arrested and chained to a different Roman soldier every day. How is Paul supposed to make a difference when he’s under house arrest? Everything is out of his control. Paul could have become mad and bitter. Instead, he reframed his circumstances and God used him to speak good news that influenced the entire palace guard. Are you frustrated right now over what you thought was going to happen but didn’t? How easy is it to think, if I get this degree, I’ll get the job? But you didn’t get the job. You are fast approaching 30 and you’re not married yet, or 35 & you haven’t had your first kid yet. Your parents are living with you, did you ever think that would happen? How many times a day are we reminded that circumstances are often out of our control. When we realize that God is in control our thoughts and actions end up being admirable.
What Paul does in Philippians 4 is excellent. Paul prays. Here is an excellent thought. Turn every worry into a prayer. This is Philippians 4:6. (Read 6-7) Craig Groeschel quoted Dr. Andrew Newberg who wrote a book called “How God Changes your Brain.” Dr. Newberg said, “Prayer is like a physical workout for your brain and changes its chemistry.” The direction of your life will be led by your strongest thoughts. Anxiety and worry will change your brain and make your thoughts go where you don’t want to go. Now what is worthy of praise? How about what Jesus did on the cross! It’s now time for communion. Let’s reframe the cross. The cross brought Jesus death, but it gave us life. The cross was an instrument of torture and death. The purpose of crucifixion wasn’t just to die – it was to suffer and then die. What Jesus did on the cross is worthy of our praise. He took on our sins. Jesus died for sins he did not commit. His sacrifice saved the world. His sacrifice saved you and me. But we must believe that he lived, died and came back from the dead. That’s the work God requires. That we believe, trust and follow his one & only Son.
Have you notice that all eight thought virtues remind us of Jesus?
Jesus is true. There is nothing false about him. He kept his promise. He rose from the dead. Jesus is noble. It’s honorable to give up your life to save someone else. Maybe your kid or a friend. Jesus gave up his life to save everyone. Jesus is right. Jesus is righteous. Jesus kept all of God’s commands. When it comes to the 10 commandments. We did not keep a single one. Jesus is pure. He never let a thought convince him to be greedy or lustful. Jesus is lovely. I don’t mean good looking because Isaiah tells us that Jesus had no beauty or majesty that made him attractive. What was lovely was his willingness to become a servant. Jesus is admirable. John 19 tells us the soldiers took control of him. Not really. Jesus let the soldiers take control of him. Jesus is excellent. He taught us how to pray and how to overcome anxiety. In light of this, would you not agree that Jesus is worthy of YOUR praise! He’s worthy of our worship. He’s worthy of our life’s devotion. Give your life to him. Serve him. Paul said this about Jesus. (Read Philippians 2: 8-11) (Pray for communion)
[i] Craig Groeschel, Winning the War in your Mind, 2
[ii] Life Application Study Bible, Vital Statistics, Purpose, 1988
[iii] Life Application Study Bible, Summary, 1988
[iv] https://www.fastcompany.com/3033887/5-ways-to-change-the-way-your-think-about-negative-life-events
[v]Commendable, respectful