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INTRODUCTION
Proverbs 23:7 “For as a man think within himself, so he is.” Apostle Paul expands on that truth in Phil
4:8. Timely Truths that transform us - prompts us to take a fresh look that familiar text. Paul lists 8
specific attitudes we need to think about. Ask yourself these 8 questions...
1. Do I think about what is “true”?
- Jesus said: John 8:31-32. Truth is knowable and livable.
- Truth = what is real or actual. What God says about something is truth.
- We have the written truth - The Word of God, the Bible Psalm 119:159.
- We have the incarnate truth - the living Word Jesus Christ John 14:6
- The world desperately needs truth. You desperately need truth. Let your mind think about truth - listen, learn and live
what is true.
ILLUS: I am an advocate to Christian media - TV, radio, print, web: AFA, www.onenewsnow. Filter the
secular media through the Word of God. Value of the church to teach. Parents teach children. Purposefully stress
truth.
- Thus let your mind think about truth - because you are what you think!
2. Do I think about what is “honorable” “noble”?
- dignity, respect, honesty. We should be the best citizens, customers, best neighbors, best relatives. We need to go the
extra mile to display integrity.
ILLUS: A new lawyer wanted to impress what looked like to him a new customer. Picks up the phone: “I am
sorry, but I can’t do that case for under $5,000.00. After putting down the phone he asked the man what he
could do. “Nothing sir, I just came to connect your phone.”
- Funny thing, the unsaved know how we should act, they can tell us the list of do’s and don’ts. Do you have
a reputation of integrity?
- Psalm 15:1,2 “Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and
speaks truth in his heart.”
- Let your mind think being honorable - because you are what you think!
3. Do I think about what is “right”?
- Three ways of doing things: right, wrong, my way. When we don’t do what is right, we sin. The Bible is filled
with facts of what is right: 10 Commands, Sermon on the Mount, Upper Room Discourse. The Bible is our complete and
perfect standard of right and wrong. With real life examples of the blessings of right and the curses of wrong.
- If you don’t do what is right, you will mess up your life. I have learned that sin is unnecessary. Satan deceives
people, I know. I realize we too have the sin nature, but the consequences apparently are not enough to stop people. If
we just think about what is true, honorable and right - we would say “No” much quicker and avoid the pain
of sin’s consequences.
ILLUS: Criminal mind does not think of consequences, only moment. Oh, no I often do too... Eat, drink, watch, treat
people...
- Our thoughts need to be on things that are right according to God, God is the final judge of right and wrong.
Eccl. 12:13-14
- Right is revealed in God’s word the Bible, lived by the person of Jesus, So think about right revealed in the
Word because you are what you think!
4. Do I think about what is “pure”?
- chaste thoughts and behavior. Purity = moral, ethical, sexual.
- The world is very impure place. 1 John 2:15-16 filled with lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and the pride of
life. Whole businesses exist for the purpose of creating sin and tempting you, creating addictions, excuses:
pornography, gambling, booze, drugs
- “It is not enough for a gardener to love flowers; he must also hate weeds.” We have to abhor sin to be
pure. Do you hate sin???
- If you are not pure your message is diluted, ministry becomes ineffective
ILLUS: FBC Fort Collins, CO. Turbulent history - an extended history of pastors and key leaders living immoral
lives. Church had to repent of sin.
- Any impurity here? We must think pure thoughts, confess immoral thoughts - because you are what you think!
Pause - half way through the list. How are you doing? Getting personal. Gone from preaching to meddling? These single words have
much power.
5. Do I think about what is “lovely”?
- That which excites love, that which is endearing, beautiful. Only time used in NT. Christians should be lovely people =
people sense and inner beauty, pleasant to listen to, comfortable to be around, inspire others.
ILLUS: All our 6 missionary guests have had this great virtue
- Is there an inner beauty in your life. You and I are to think about being lovely - because you are what you think.
6. Do I think about what is “admirable”?
- speaking well of, worth talking about, appealing
ILLUS: We all have people we admire, hero’s? Elders in our family, pastors and professors, people who make
the best of life’s trials.
- Can people admire you? Are you a hero to someone? Remember - you are what you think.
7. Do I think about what is “excellent”?
- the very finest, quality. It is amazing that when people try to strive for excellence there is a loud choir trying to
pull them back to mediocrity.
- We need to do the best job possible, don’t settle for 2nd best. We cannot afford to waste our mind power and
energy on anything less. God is the best, deserves our best. So to give life your best, your must first think
excellent - you are what you think.
8. Do I think about what is “worthy of praise”? praiseworthy"
- praise is an expression of warm approval, “anything that calls down the approval of God.&dquo; 1 Cor. 10:31
- Humanly, two words probably best explain this “Thank You.”
- If you are going to live a life that God praises, you have to first think praise, because you are what you think.
CONCLUSION
“dwell on these things” = ponder, carefully analyze.
ILLUS: Statute of the Thinker - chin in hand. Take a quiet walk, talk through it, take a pen and pad write it out. Sit down
with the Bible, pray.
When temptation comes along are you able to substitute your thoughts with these thoughts? The issue is really do you want to?
Verse 12 - there is a benefit - “the God of peace will be with you.” God is a companion of those who
are holy. Practical morality has the promise of Divine blessing - peace by the presence of God. No guilty conscience with these
thoughts.
Next week Romans 12:1,2 The Cost of Holiness - it affects our mind “...be transformed by the
renewing of your mind...”
Invitation - anything you need to cleanse from your mind?
Anything false? Dishonest? Plain wrong? Impure? Ugly? Unappealing to God? Poor quality? Anything that God disapproves of?
Do a mental inventory... Computer users - time for an antivirus sweep of your mental hard drive.
ILLUS: I installed a new antivirus on office computer last week, replacing an old one - the new one found some virus files,
I was surprised... They were hidden.
What is buried in your minds you need to confess? What programs or saved files do you have in your mind that you need to get rid of?
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