How Shall We Then Think -21

Although you heard people say about the Bible is in the mind that is that most of the things that we face in this life are not so much a matter of activity as it is a matter of proper thinking and it is equally true that not only is the battle in the mind with the battle is for the mind that second statement follows from the first, because what we think about is so vitally important for what happens in our lives. Then there is a battle to lay hold of our minds and the causes to think either the right kind of thoughts or the wrong kind of thoughts for our adversary the devil is busy trying to divert us from truth and from righteousness. So our spiritual battles are won or lost.

According to the way we think, not just what we might call spiritual battles really most of life falls into that category, but for our purposes today, particularly those things that pertain to our honoring the Lord with our lives. Those things are determined by thoughts that are either correct or incorrect, and therefore to the wonder that our adversary focuses upon our thoughts.

As he attacks us with his devices. He endeavors to seduce us to believe lie so that we will be drawn into wrong thinking wrong conclusion. The evening endeavors to disable our ability to think logically at all receipt. I think a great deal of success in that arena in the world in which we live, and therefore so important that we learn to think properly if we make decisions based upon false information, we lose if we make decisions based primarily upon emotions we lose if we make decisions which are more to cater to the people we know and whose opinion we want to do think highly of us than we lose, but if we make our decisions based upon truth based upon the word of God based upon God's revelation to us. Then we win.

So what's the solution for the right kind of thinking.

In today's text in Philippians 4 verses eight and nine will point us in the proper direction. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true over things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy.

Meditate on these things, the things which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me these do in the God of peace will be with you what we see in these two verses number one how we ought to think number two how we ought to behave and number three what the result will be number one. How we ought to think what we should think about. In order to be able to make right decisions and we see that this is the culmination of the instructions that Paul has given in this four chapter book of Philippians, written while Paul was a prisoner in Rome to the church at Philippi that he had established on his first foray into European soil and we realize that this is a culmination finally, brethren, or various ways to translate that as for the rest, brethren, or for the remainder brethren and what this point is to is to the conclusion of the instructions section of this epistle, which is most of it there is going to be a rather lengthy section, which will be his thanks to them for their gifts to him, verses 10 through 20. Before the final greetings and's benediction which closes out the epistle but verses eight and nine bring us to the end of those instructions, which Paul is directing to these Christian. It is a culmination of what he has said it is a collection of interesting words and phrases, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, it is an intriguing statement. It has impressive rhythm and repetition makes us wonder where did this come from course we know it came from the pen of the apostle Paul is guided by the Holy Spirit. But is this something that he picked up out of secular literature.

Is this a poem that was written by some Greek poet or someone else or at least something in that form that he he I changed and utilized for the interests of Christ's kingdom that remains in the realm of speculation, because we really don't know but I can tell you that as far as I know not. Nothing has been found that would that would present itself as an obvious choice for something that Paul had copied.

We just can't find that was Paula poet, he may have been. This is certainly a beautiful poem collection of beautiful words and phrases that he is put together in such a memorable way. It has as I've said intriguing rhythm and repetition.

That repetition is his number one for pointed emphasis. Paul could've just said, whatever things are true, noble, just pure, lovely, and good report, but he repeated for emphasis, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, and so forth. There is this pointed emphasis we need to look at every one of these carefully. Don't zip through the list to quickly slow down.

Pay attention to each one, whatever things are true. Think about that for a while, whatever things are noble.

Think about that for a while and furthermore that we can see this in the English this repetition of whatever or whatsoever. However, it may be translated is actually in the plural, which indicates that there are a lot of items under each of these categories, whatever things you see that in the word thing which is plural, whatever things are true. So there's a whole vast array of things to consider under that heading, whatever things are noble once again. There's a whole vast array of things under that category you truly would be possible to take each one of these and I think to formulate a profitable sermon out of each one of six sermons, at least in verse think I'm not going to do that I'm going to go through the list in its entirety.

Today, but I think that would be profitable. I think that would be justified by the language that is you. It is an exalted list of six items, whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely and of good report, mistake them all one by one, whatever things are true, that means pretty much exactly what we would expect it to mean whatever things are true, that is truthful, whatever things are the opposite of falsehood. The opposite of lies. The opposite of of think of reliable statements of various kinds. Don't spend your time and attention dealing with things that are not true or are of questionable truth is an awful lot of that in this world. I don't need to tell you that it comes from every source. It comes from our news sources. It comes from governmental sources.

It comes from religious sources.

It comes from educational sources. It comes from everywhere, things that are not reliable things that are not true. Things that are certifiably false and yet they are declared as if they are true and if you spend a lot of time thinking about those things you are going to be misled.

So you're going to have to exercise some judgment here. Think about those things that are true. How can I know what they are. I remember a younger Christian saying something to me a good while ago couple years ago now maybe three or four years ago about how frustrated that person was because it was so difficult to discern. I listen to news reports, but I don't know what's true and what's false. I listen to other statements and I don't know what's true and what's false.

It's it's it's so difficult it's virtually impossible to figure out that actually is one of the great frustrations of our age. It's one of the great characteristics of our eight but should we be surprised who was the god of this world, Satan what is Satan is Christ described and identified him the father of lies. Should we be surprised if he is very adept at spinning lies more quickly than we can track them down spinning lies so rapidly that we can't even keep up with them.

Should that surprise us know it shouldn't, but if were wise were going to push those things aside and concentrate on things that are true you say where can I find things that I know to be true. Well I'll tell you good place to start. Jesus told us where truth reliable truth can be found when in John 17 and his high priestly prayer. He said to the father sanctify them my disciples through thy truth, thy word is truth, the word of God that has been given to us. The revelation of God that has come to us through his appointed spokesman prophets send inspired writers.

The book we call the Bible is truth and so whatever is true, focus on that and of course there are other things that you can discern with some careful attention are in fact true. It's not that the Bible is the only thing that contains truth or other things that contain truth, but be sure that the things you spending your time thinking about and analyzing and meditating on and evaluating are things that are true, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, honorable in some translations that simply means worthy of respect. Again, it's obvious that there are an awful lot of things in this world that are worthy of respect. We know that we we don't respect them. Nobody respects them.

It seems like like respect for anything is becoming less and less obvious is being diminished all the time.

There seems to be so little in our world that is truly noble that is high that is elevated, that is worthy of respect. But there are things that fit into that category and the things that do.

That's what we should be focusing on whatever things are noble things that are honorable things that are worthy of respect, number three, whatever things are just some translations say, whatever things are right RIGHT or whatever things are righteous, but again were back in the realm of truth what is true what is false what is right what is wrong what is righteous what is unrighteous and we are Christians know the answer to that question God himself defines what is true what is false what is right what is wrong what is righteous what is unrighteous and so, whatever things are right, whatever things are just as defined by God. We should focus on those things fill our mind with those things. Number four whatever things are pure, but sorta most of the time is used in the realm of sexual activity, whatever things are pure, that is that whatever things are traced would be a synonym, whatever things are are godly, whatever things are morally upright in the area of sexual activity, whatever things are untainted by evil. You can hardly even listen to a comedian today without hearing tainted dirty jokes and innuendos. II just don't even try anymore defined to even pay any attention to comedians when I find them on television. What's the matter with with our world that you can't even have humor unless it's tainted with evil and immorality, but again should we be surprised.

Knowing the sinful heart of man, anoint the god of this world and knowing what Satan is trying to achieve in this world. That being true, we need to stay away from that we do not fill our minds with things that are impure unchaste immoral, sexually degrading, sexually suggestive Christians don't make jokes about sexual immorality that the world is filled with that good here at work, you good to hear on television you're going to hear nearly every place you go in the world which we live. But Christians are going to need to push those things back and shut those things out and think about those things that are pure. Number five lovely actually number five.

Lovely. Number six good report go very closely together, but will take them one by one, whatever things are lovely, that has the idea of whatever things we admire, whatever things we consider lovable and this one and the next one branch out to even include unconverted people. There are things in the world that are considered admirable for things in the world are considered lovable and and done lovely beautiful.

There are too many people that would listen to the strains of the Beethoven's seventh Symphony and say that's not beautiful, not may not be your kind of music but it's it's it's unmistakably beautiful just of itself. There are many people that would look at an excellent piece of art. And again it may not be your thing to go to art galleries and sit there and stare at the ark, but when you see a piece of beautiful artwork you recognize that as beautiful. You recognize that is lovely you recognize it is something to be admired recognize it is something that is good and noble and wholesome and upright in this world in which we live and things that are in that category that are lovely are things that we should be thinking about and of good report similar idea things are well spoken of generally hard to find people who don't speak well of people who demonstrate patience in their life. You have to be a Christian to admire that. Appreciate that it's not difficult to find people who will speak well of those who have a reputation for honesty. They pay their bills.

They do what's right. The world recognizes that is being good. That's of a good report that there are things that are generally considered to be good even in a fallen, evil world, these are reminders of the truth and godliness that God created in this world that still remain even after Salem has damaged the world in such a great way. So, whatever things fall into that category are the things that we are to think about, and there's an instruction here. If there is any virtue that is excellence, if there is any praise that is anything that is praiseworthy. Think on these things, or meditate on these things.

Ponder these things evaluate these things. Spend your time thinking about analyzing giving great attention to things like these instead of the many degrading things or unhelpful things that we tend to fill our mind and attention with in our day, think on these things.

Meditate on these things. I'm afraid that meditation is one of those things that has been crowded out of the lives of most people. We can attribute that to the electronic advances of our day that the technology the media are great-grandparents didn't have televisions and when they were at work. They probably didn't have a radio whatever radio they had was a very primitive one that they might be able to listen to at home for a little while they couldn't go about their work with their earbuds on listening to something all the time you say what in the world did they do they must of gone start praising bad what did they do. They meditated, they thought, I think one of the greatest values of my years as a paperboy delivering early morning newspapers when I was quite young on bicycle and later an automobile, but most of the time I had a car where the radio didn't work that old old cars and the so what did I do. I thought thought about the day I had thought about the day behind thought about things from the word of God thought about life, thought about relationships just gave a lot of thought to what was going on in my life for couple three hours every day.

I didn't realize at the time how how monumental that was but that really is very very monumental. Most people don't even have five or 10 minutes in the day when they do something like that always something on I heard about somebody recently who may be some some somebody's maybe several somebody's here in this category but I heard about somebody recently who can't go to sleep at night blessed televisions running who is at the gotten that bad. You gotta listen to something and all your waking hours and you can't even go to sleep unless something's going on in the background and if you happen to wake up there. It is going on all the type how are you going to think how are you going to meditate, how are you going to ponder how are you going to evaluate anything in life. If your whole life is filled up with other messages other voices, other things always always always bombarding your mind so that you virtually never actually think about anything you just go through life on autopilot. That's not very conducive to spiritual growth and health. If there is any excellence of there's anything praiseworthy you're going to have to discipline yourself to think. Meditate on ponder over evaluate these kinds of things that's gonna take some time. It's going to take some time alone. It's going to take some time in solitude is going to take some time away from all the other distractions with which our world is filled and giving our minds to these things will over time enable us to think like God thinks heard the phrase that what we are to be doing is learning to think God's thoughts after him, where does that come from. Here it is, whatever is true, and noble and just and pure and lovely and good report. Think on those things because those things are things that God has given.

Those things are reflections of the very character of God himself. And as you learn to think on those things you will be be learning to think like God thinks and you will be thinking God's thoughts so how we ought to think verse eight how we ought to behave. Verse nine, the things which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me these do, says the apostle Paul. How we ought to behave how we behave. First of all, begins in believing what is true, so we can't behave properly unless we think properly. That's why the thinking comes first in verse eight, followed by the behavior in verse nine, Paul says the things that you have learned and received from me apostolic teaching apostolic instruction. The things that you have learned from me and received of that word actually has the idea of apostolic tradition, those things that were given to the apostle Paul by Christ who meet which she has passed down to the people that he is taught who have responsibility and privilege of passing that down to the people that we teach into the next generation apostolic tradition. It's not a bad work and people think the traditions a bad thing biblical tradition, apostolic tradition, proper tradition is a good thing. And Paul says the things that you have learned from me.

The things that you have received from me.

The things that are handed down from me, those of the things that you must know in order to behave properly. I would say that a regular intake of solid exposition is vitally important to our being able to behave properly in this world and informed mind enables us to think of right one reason why even among Christians today. There's so much fuzzy thinking so much ignorance is because unfortunately in many churches today. There is not much being taught. It seems like in many churches. The main goal is to create some kind of a religious feeling a religious experience which varies from congregation to congregation as to what they think that experience ought to be.

For some people it may be a very high cultural experience with beautiful organ music and beautiful liturgy but many times not much of God's word is taught for other people it's more of a popular experience with a lot of drumbeat loud music and and the emotional things going on, but whatever it is it seems like for many people the ideas go to church and experience something that makes me feel good.

Makes me feel religious that I go out with this religious hi to face the world to come, but I don't know anything more about God and his word that I did when I came in when I come back next week.

I'm not to learn anything more. Either I keep going to the same cycle of not learning anything and if were going to think upon these things.

The things that are true and the other things that category. Organ have to have a steady diet of the Bible. The truth of God's word instilled in us, we can read God's word for herself and should we can study God work.

God's word for ourselves, and should, but we have all learned. I think from experience that when we sit under solid exposition. We see and learn more things from God's word than we ever would come up with on the road and that's good that this is a whole lot more of more truth to think about how many times people told me while I can't believe what you showed us and that passage today. I never saw that never would have seen that but now that it's there.

I see it and I'm thinking about it. What's that doing something is to do exactly what this is telling us to do, think on these things. The things that you have learned and received from me, you need to put in the practice then goes on to give to other words the things you have learned and received and then he goes on to say and heard and saw this has to do with Paul's personal conversations in Paul's personal conduct, the things that you've heard me talk about when I was with you the things that you have observed in my life when I was with you those of the things that you are to put in the practice the things that you have learned and received things you can taught the things you have heard and saw the things that you observed these do put them into practice. We learn what is true from sound instruction plus personal example good personal example. Paul has set the example and he's told us that this is true, and therefore we must believe what is true and we are responsible to practice what we have learned is not enough to hear good things interesting things and say will that was sure interesting. I'll enjoy thinking about that for a while. Yes, but what does it call upon you to do well. I'm not repaired to change anything. Then you are where you are to be you want where you need to be the things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in the do practice act upon. We must practice what we have learned we must apply what we have been taught. We must apply what we have seen, exemplified in the life of the apostle Paul and other godly people.

And when we do, there's a wonderful result comes from that in the last part of verse nine, the things which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me these do and the God of peace will be with you the God of peace will be with you and that phrase I see a similarity in icing and advancement similarity is that this is obviously very parallel very closely parallel to what we saw in verses four through seven last Sunday. Rejoice in the Lord always again I will say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men.

The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And what's the result the peace of God which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

So there's a similarity of phraseology here.

You do these things and you will receive the peace of God choose to rejoice, cultivate gentleness, refuse to worry, we will have time to go back over all that again. I hope you were here last Sunday and the result will be the peace of God, will guard your hearts and minds, but something.

Similarly, in verse nine but it's not only a similarity but it's also an advancement because now if you think on these things and put into practice what you have learned not only does the peace of God. Guard your heart. But the God of peace comes to you in a special way.

It's the presence of God. The special presence of God the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me these do what is a result the God of peace will be with you will now isn't God with all his children. Yes, so evidently the gods with all his children. Evidently he is with some of his children in a greater way than others is with some of his children in a greater manifestation of himself and others he's with some of his children in greater power and greater fellowship and greater joy in greater folders than with others and how do you get this close fellowship is close presence is close manifestation of God in your life. He tells us how things that you have learned and received and heard and saw in me these two be obedient to what you have learned I am the result is the God of peace will be with you and I will add in a special way, which means that God's peace is a mark of his presence with the people of God who filled their minds with truth and who obey what they have learned so in a sense were back to at least part of where we were last Sunday.

Do you have worry and anxiety and fear and difficulty having an heart free from turmoil, then no doubt you're not meditating on these things as you should know doubt you're not learning the things that God wants you to learn or you're not putting them into practice in your life. Because if you do, the God of peace will be with you and the peace in your heart is the evidence that he is with you. That's the mark. The piece that you have come to experience is the presence of the God of peace in your life. There's some in the world to teach that the way to have freedom from anxiety is by emptying your mind all predicate is empty as possible.

The Bible says the way to experience peace is to fill your mind that empty it, fill it but fill it with truth. Fill it with purity. Fill it with things that are lovely and are a good report things that are just the righteous are honest. Fill your mind with those things and you will vanish. Anxiety from your mind.

Now I have a lot of lessons. I'd love to deal with from this passage and I left myself some time to do that. So first of all let's talk about the battle for purity. It is a battle probably never been a time in this world when there has been more access to immorality than there is today.

It's just a click away. Everyone know temptations about and we also know the traditional sexual morality is being challenged and changed in the world which we live with such speed that we are almost left breathless, wondering how did it happen so quickly. Some of us some of you can remember when the President of the United States before Donald Trump Democrat who served soup to terms when into office opposed to gay marriage.

That hasn't been all that long ago Corsi flipped how quickly things have changed traditional sexual morality is being challenged and changed in every side in society but unfortunately also among Christians and churches pressing mature give me an article that he be downloaded from the Internet this week that was talking about an article that would been written for Christianity today. Now that's considered to be the leading conservative evangelical magazine. It was for many years. It held that title.

I don't know that it would still hold that title today or not. I don't really don't know. I've never spent much time reading Christianity today.

The only time I read anything from Christianity today is when I run across articles like this on the Internet that are cross-referenced by something else, but it was an article written in Christianity today by a single young lady in her early 20s.

I claim to be a Christian and the whole point of the article was to say the church is going to have to stop being negative toward singles who lived together unmarried.

That's passé that's in the past we can't be against it anymore. We've got to accept that in favor that and be be fine with that and a conservative evangelical magazine went out to who knows how many hundreds of thousands of millions of people thought has been that long ago that we were seeing article similar to that by people who claim to be Christians who also identified themselves as gay and they were attempting to demonstrate from the Bible, according to their way of analysis which was obvious obviously and twisted way of dealing with Scripture, but trying to support from the Bible that God doesn't disapprove of homosexual conduct, it's okay and I can be a Christian and be homosexual and active, practicing homosexual and of course we have vital how many major denominations that have agreed with that and have have not only agreed to embrace people like that into their membership without any sanction whatsoever you your freedom come into practice that we are inclusive we are, we ought we embrace everyone and even to have clergy people in that kid will will ordain them to teach us God's word even if they are living in a homosexual relationship. You say how how is that possible how to that to about so quickly in the last 10 or 15 years I'll tell you one way I can ask answer that question fully. But I'll tell you one way because Christians have been fudging a biblical morality for decades. We just haven't up until recently haven't publicized we changed our position just quietly ignored members of our church. Unmarried living together just wink and nod and go on and say nothing about it.

Ignoring members of our church having affairs with other members of the church being unfaithful to the spouse having this going on in the congregation.

Nothing said nothing, nothing sanctioned, just wink and look the other way. So is it any wonder that the time is come.

What now what we have for a long time tacitly allowed tacitly endorsed. We are now publicly promoting and if that's going on and it is if you weren't aware that the please become aware of it that's going on in so-called evangelical Bible believing conservative churches.

Probably the majority of them if that's what's going on then how, what, where do we stand in any position to to tell the world that gay marriage is wrong when we get the moral authority to say anything like that if were not willing to live by what the Bible teaches. We pick and choose.

That's what's going on. So the battle for purity is a battle for either believing and practicing with the Bible says or not and we have to come to the conclusion that what God has written his unchanging truth. It's the same for every generation it doesn't change according to circumstances it doesn't change according to shifting up his opinions and what is this is a battle for the mind. We got it's how we think, what do we think about these things because what we think about these things. Eventually is how we act about these things and how we relate to these things is a battle for the mind. Are we going to commit ourselves to truth, whatever things are true, true, as defined by God we going to hold to those things where we not the battle for purity about the battle for political influence. I didn't thought about whether I should get into this is not it's a tough one but let me plunge in where angels fear to tread people in the political realm. People who are interested in politics, which is most everybody generally lined up on one side of the other left or right and are our's are absolutely convinced that the other side is always telling lies and believes and tells them, but not my side. Not my side. It's the other side really if you got your eyes closed because you think because you see that you analyze because if you think that that you're guilty of believing lies is very obvious that there are tons of lies told on the right and tons of lies that are told on the left is a wealth. The ones on the other side or worse than the ones on my side. Maybe, maybe, but how about let's deal with the ones that we identify with first. Are you guilty of ignoring lies if they appear to benefit your favorite position. Shame on you. In other words, are you endorsing untruth. It might've been excusable just throw out an example here might've been excusable at the beginning to believe that the last presidential election had been stolen, but as charge after charge after charge was examined and found to be false. Eventually you should come to the conclusion there is no there is no proof there is no substance. There is no reality and yet I know a lot of Christians who still believe that I'm not here to say that there hasn't been one irregularity anywhere but if you still believe that the last election was stolen you are. Listen to me now you are believing a lie. There's no evidence and it has been. It has been tested and examined again and again and again and again and again and the charges keep coming up empty so why would you believe that because I want to believe that why would you believe that because I don't like it that my guy lost what he believe that because I died I were supposed to be people the truth and integrity, and if we can't if we can't acknowledge lies on our side as much was on the other side. Then were not in a position to have any real meaningful influence in the political realm. We gotta be people of integrity, people of truth. Christians are people of truth above everything else. Certainly we can have political positions. Certainly we can have political principles we should certainly we ought to be people of truth who do not justify lies do not accept lies do not propagate lies when we have been given a mind by God to be able to analyze realize that certain things are lies, and if our guy is telling lies, then let's say so. That's not true because whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. Well, one more lesson I had more colleges deal with one more because this is surprising. I think what I've already said doesn't surprise you, but this one may this text talks about the beauty that remains in a fallen world was last in particular things of good report.

Things are lovely, but as I pointed out have to do with even as how the world evaluates things and that's telling us that there are things that are good and beautiful in a fallen world, all the things that are good and beautiful art found in the church all the things are good and beautiful art found only in the Bible all the things that are good and beautiful art found only among Christians.

There are things that are good and beautiful out there among unbelievers in the world and the Bible makes a clear and we should acknowledge it and look for it and encourage it. When we find it and we should recognize the source where does that come from comes from God because he created the world and yes it is. Mara did is follow it is condemned, but the traces of God haven't been entirely erased. Mankind was created in the image of God and though that image has been greatly marred. It's not entirely erased men and women still bear the image of Almighty God in this world still manifests the beauty of God who created and when we realize that we can utilize that truth for the gospel and for the sake of others, and I will say enclosing a fulfilled life requires the new birth. You can't really sort these things out until you have been regenerated by the spirit of God except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. He can't really see those things that are true and just come to Christ in repentant faith and you will let's pray father, thank you for your word. Thank you for its guidance help us oh Lord, to receive it and to obey it to honor you with our loving devotion and obedience as we ask it in Jesus name, amen