Think On These Things

Philippians 4:8 KJV 1900

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.

Paul writes these things to the Philippian church, while he himself was bound in the chains of a Roman jail. Instead of focusing on his unfortunate circumstance, he chose rather to cultivate the minds of the saints and help them grow in the things of God. He exhorts them on where they should rest their mind if they want to have peace and joy.

Paul's encouragement to the Philippians serves as a powerful reminder for us today: where we allow our minds to dwell can shape the landscape of our lives. This brings us to an important question: What seeds are in your garden?

Introduction: What seeds are in your garden?

Imagine your mind as a garden. Every thought is a seed planted within it. Negative thoughts are like persistent weeds that can choke the life out of good seeds if left unchecked. But when you begin to consciously water those seeds of positive, uplifting thought—truth, nobility, purity—the garden blooms with unexpected beauty and strength.

[ Your Inner Soil ] — [ Tilling & Clearing Preparation ]—[ Planting Seeds of Thought ] — [ Nourishment: Prayer, Scripture, Fellowship ] — [ Daily Weeding (Removing Negativity)] — [ Growth into Positive Outcomes ] — [ The Abundant Harvest: Joy, Peace, Love ]

I. MEDITATE ON GOD’S WORD

What we allow to occupy our thoughts and influence our reasoning is extremely important. A consistent diet of temporal concepts, secular opinions, and earthly values contaminates our thinking and leads to a lack of true wisdom. On the other hand, a steady consumption of eternal concepts, spiritual opinions, and heavenly values purifies our thinking and leads to an abundance of true wisdom. God’s Word is that source. Psalm 1:1–2 says the one who meditates on God’s Word is blessed and finds delight.

A. Seek guidance from God’s word

Many voices speak and compete for our attention.

Each voice attempts to direct how we think, feel, or reason—to guide what we prioritize and value—and to lead us to behave in certain ways.

These voices speak through

entertainment

spiritual leadership

social media feed

our relationships

workplace

conversations

and the list could continue.

Listen to the voice that aligns with God’s word.

Notice Paul does not say to think on yourself. We are not called to work for ourselves — we are called to work for others.

Seek Gods wisdom, in that is peace, love, and joy — not in things of this world.

I believe that one reason why the church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church.

Charles Spurgeon

B. Joshua commanded to meditate

Joshua 1:8–9 KJV 1900

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

It is important not to impose a contemporary, secular meaning upon the term meditate. The common contemporary interpretation of that word speaks of emptying our mind. However, the biblical definition of meditate implies both deliberate consideration and contemplation.

Again, meditation is not emptying the mind; it is filling it with God’s Word.

This meditation is what cultivates our faith within us. By reading and dwelling upon His word we begin to fill our mind with the goodness of God.

Colossians 3:2 “2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

C. We must choose to meditate on God’s word

One statistic states that up to 95% of decisions made, are done so subconsciously. Meaning, many of the choice you make are a by-product of what is already in your mind.

We must choose to meditate on the things of God. We can not be casual about the things that enter our mind. We must be intentional about what we see, hear, and think on.

Something will fill our minds—Why not choose to fill our mind with things of eternal value?

If the scriptures is in our mind, when life happens, that is what will come out of us.

Again I ask, What seeds is in your garden?

Psalm 119:15 “15 I will meditate in thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways.”

II. Obey God’s Word

A. Nehemiah Rebuilding The Wall

The practice of meditating on God’s Word moves us toward obedience. We must know His Word so we can obey His Word.

A remarkable series of events took place just after Nehemiah finished rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 8–10).

Those who had resettled in the land of Judah came together to celebrate the Festival of Trumpets, and during that celebration Ezra, a scribe, read from the Law.

Nehemiah 8:3 “3 And he read therein ... from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.”

As the people listened, they mourned and wept when they realized they had not obeyed God’s law.

What they did next is noteworthy: they rightly confessed their sins, studied God’s Word in order to learn what He required, and obeyed what they had learned.

Their devotion did not conclude with confession and study; those actions moved them closer to obedience.

B. God Calls Us to Attend to All His Word

Since His plan is for us to be like Him and the way to do it is revealed in God’s Word, attend to all His Word. Every instruction, command, or principle found in the Bible appears intentionally.

We cannot overlook or undervalue an instruction or challenge from His Word because it challenges our comfort, current lifestyle, tradition, or previous experience. To neglect a piece of His Word is to be incomplete in our transformation. We are called to obey all His Word and to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37).

C. We must chose to Obey

Obedience requires us to surrender our will to His and to lay down our identity to take on His. These deliberate choices to surrender and obey anchor us when we are tempted to guide ourselves.

Jesus said this:

John 14:21 “21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

III. The benefits of obeying God’s word

There are benefits to meditating and obeying the Word of the Lord. To hold and to keep the commandments of Jesus Christ is everlasting peace. He tells us if we keep his commandments “he will manifest himself to us”. — He will be there in those times of struggle.

We will face obstacles — we will face trials — we will face heartache but we will not be able to fight those thing if we do not truly have a love for the Word of the Lord. If we have not spent time with Him — our mind will not react correctly.

Ephesians 5:19 tells us what to do regardless of if we are on cloud 9 or if it seems like our entire life is falling apart: “19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”

A. Paul and Silas

We can have joy in the midst of sorrow because we know our God. It was Paul and Silas who, one night in a Roman jail began to meditate upon the goodness of God.

Paul and Silas had been preaching in Philippi, when a multitude rose up against them. (Acts 16:22-28)

They rent off their clothes

commanded them to be beaten

laid many stripes upon them

cast into the inner prison

had their feet bound in stocks

These men had every right to meditate on their pain. They could have focused on the shame they just endured. They could have said this foolishness of preaching has afforded me nothing but sorrow. They did not think about the prison.

But these men refused to bow to the wisdom of man.

Acts 16:25 “25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”

These men had spent their time meditating on the things of God. They trusted his every word. They knew it inside and out. Because of that, when trials and tribulation came they were able to sing “bless the Lord, Oh, my soul and all that is with in me!”

What is your song in times of trouble? What is your song in times of blessing?

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SONGS:

“When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all he has done for me! My soul cries out hallelujah — praise God for saving me!”

If we don’t think on these things HERE — we will not enjoy them over there. Oh but when I think about Jesus

“Living he loved me, dying he saved me. Buried he carried my — sins far away. Rising he justified — freed me forever. One day he’s coming back oh glorious day!”

Won’t We Have A Time When We Get Over Yonder? (x2) Ohhhhhh! Won’t We Have A Time?

Jesus I'll never forget, what You've done for me Jesus I'll never forget, how You've set me free Jesus I'll never forget, how You've brought me out Jesus I'll never forget, oh never

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As Paul and Silas was singing:

Acts 16:26 “26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.”

I know someone who can shake the foundations YOUR prison, his name is Jesus Christ.

Because Paul and Silas decided not to focus on a Roman jail but made the intentional choice to focus on God—not only were their bands loosed… but everyone's bands.

If we will get our minds off of us

of of things of this world

off of social media

off of the news

off of worldly music

off of wordly pleasures

off of wealth and fame

off of past failure

off our short coming

off of our hang up’s

We might be able to fulfill our mission: Mark 16:15–18 “15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

If we will turn our head towards the heaven and seek the face of God continually — there is not telling what God will do!

But We must “think on these things”

However, this will never happen if we do not submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God.

Philippians 4:8 KJV 1900

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.

David said in Acts 2:25(Psalms 16:8) “I foresaw the Lord always before my face… that I should not be moved”