These are my unedited prep notes.
Philippians 4: 8-9
Think on These Things - Things that are honest (honorable, noble)
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. 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.
Intro & Quick
review:
·
The whatsoever things are not positive thinking.
They refer to thinking with God about who we are in Him and what He has done
for us. They are motivated by the Holy Spirit who discerns truth.
·
Colossians 3:15, let peace rule in our hearts.
Peace is an umpire. That’s how we can “live up to” Paul’s instructions and
thoughts in / out
·
Importance of right thinking - Neural networks
and thought patterns
·
Combine the marvel of how God made our bodies
with the power of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide and we have an amazing
potential. Each one
·
Thinking (logizomai) means to take an inventory
of, count of, estimate, reckon.
·
The Word of God is true
·
The things He says about us in His word are true
o
God’s love letter
o
The “God is… We are” meditations.
§
Our God is Love
§
Spirit
§
The Holy One
§
The I AM
·
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life
·
We discussed how the Holy Spirit comforts us
because our thoughts don’t always line up with Philippians 4:8 due to pressures
of life and natural stimuli. In the
multitude of my anxious thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul.
A few more thoughts
on thinking (new)
Harvard 2010 study:
§
People spent 46.9% of their waking hours
thinking about something other than what they are doing and this mind wandering
typically makes them unhappy.
§
We are wired to have wandering minds
§
Eastern religions and philosophy teach
mindfulness
o
Man made
o
Works based
§
What about instead thinking about who Christ is
and what He has done for us? Think on the things of God so that when your mind
wanders, you wander to the true, noble, just, pure, lovely, admirable…..
§
That won’t contribute to happiness. It’s Psalm 94:19.
Thoughts on thinking
about things that are honorable (honest, just, grave)
·
Strongs:
things that are venerable, honorable, grave, honest (last 2 KJV)
·
Same word is used in 1 Tim 3:8 and 11 and in KJV
says grave. It refers to the expected conduct of deacons and their wives
respectively. It also talks about what
they should not be (doubletongued,
not given to much wine, not greedy. … or
not slanderers)
·
The same word is used in Titus 2:2 to refer to
the conduct of aged men
·
The root of this word is devout.
·
Our calling is not “sloppy agape”
·
Sometimes we dance around topics about being
sober and grave because of the images they conjure up and legalism we have
known
·
But there’s a serious component to our grace
walk.
o
Honesty
o
Honor
o
Integrity
o
Moral uprightness
o
Devotion
·
The opposite of grave is Ephesians 5:4
filthiness and foolish jesting. The
antidote is thanksgiving.
·
Thanksgiving is grateful language to God as an
act of worship.
·
Another form of thinking honorable is how we
value others.
·
1 Peter 2:17 Honor all men….. all have value and
are worthy of God’s love.
·
Romans 12:10 In honor, preferring one another.
There is life and honor in the body of Christ
·
We honor Jesus. The cross is foolishness to
those to believe but to us it is power. We honor that. Hebrews 12:2 ” “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher
of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”