Positively Fixing Your Mind, (Learning to Unwind, Pt.2)
Positively Fixing Your Mind
Philippians 4:8-9
1. Intro: A Beautiful Mind
Ch.19 Start: 2:02:10 End: 2:04:24
Setup: Nash is being considered for the Nobel Prize.
Scene: Nash recognizes his interview is to determine if he’ll embarrass the Nobel committee. He explains that he is, indeed, crazy, seeing things that aren’t there. Then he explains how he copes, "I just choose not to acknowledge them. Like a diet of the mind.”
Application: Tuning the mind to positive thoughts when there is so much to distract us is a huge task, but we’ve been given a lifetime to achieve it.
Ø Last week, trusting God and giving it to him yielded peace. This passage gives two practices that will help us unwind and experience God’s peace. Positively fixing our minds, and walking out what we learn thereby.
2. Scripture, Philippians 4:8-9
3. Positively Fixing Your Mind
A. Fix Your Mind
Ø We must bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5)
Ø If we allow ourselves to focus on the base & corrupt we begin to see everything & everyone as so twisted that we become cynical & jaded.
Ø If we focus on tragedy & things worthy of blame & criticism it leads to discouragement.
Ø God tells us to fix our minds on these positives.
Ø There are so many things that would fit under these headings, yet so few are perfect. It’s hard to imagine cataloguing 1000’s of things & then pausing to contemplate each one.
Ø We should fixedly contemplate that which is perfect, the Father, Son, HS, and the Word
Ø Then we need to train our minds to note those things described in vs.8. and ponder these.
Ø “Think” carries with it a black and white “see the fact” idea so we should meditate on them; not concerning whether they’re so, but what makes them so, the results and the benefits.
B. Fix It on Positives
Ø So to help us notice them when we see them:
Ø True: not faithful, but truthful, clearly the case, corresponding to reality, particularly in speech.
Ø As Christians we don’t ignore truth in favor of faith. Rather faith clears our minds to see the truth, for which there is substantial evidence.
Ø Noble: estimable character, not trivial & base.
Ø Right: wholly conformed to God’ standard, thus needing no rectification at all.
Ø Pure: unmixed with any impurities
Ø Lovely: something that by its very nature calls us to love it, or that which leads to love not strife.
Ø Admirable: spoken highly of
Ø Anything excellent or praiseworthy.
Ø What things in your life occupy your thoughts that don’t fit this standard? Maybe the idea of eliminating every thought or image that doesn’t meet this standard overwhelms you, but will you do anything? Will you make a plan, or will you be content to be the same man or woman 5 years from now that you are today?
4. Walking Out What’s Modeled
A. Walk It Out, Put It in Practice
Ø Practice these positives that Paul has modeled.
Ø The hypocrisy gap causes stress, doesn’t it?
Ø Walking it out faithfully increases our intimacy with God. This is abiding. (John ch.s 14 & 15)
B. Modeling & Mentoring
The Mask of Zorro, Start: 0:39:08 End: 0:42:48
Setup: Alejandro is taken to cave to be taught to be Zorro.
Scene: Alejandro has the tools of a swordsman, but not the skills. Zorro disarms him with one blow. Alejandro trains with Zorro, beginning to look & act more like him.
Application: Some things are best learned from a trainer.
Ø Practice these positives that Paul has modeled.
Ø We must hear & see, learn & receive. Teaching & modeling, understanding & internalizing.
Ø We believe in becoming conformed to our ideals here@CCC, & our highest ideal is to be like Christ. You can’t progress in becoming like Christ until you 1st have Christ within you.
Ø Then modeling is lived out in cells & mentoring.
Ø This need not be sage to slug, wise woman to worm. It can be very helpful just to have a slightly older brother or sister in spiritual things.
Ø It requires time & a willingness to face yourself.
Ø Would U receive it? Offer it? Talk to cell leaders.
Ø Hate plastic Christians & shallow faith?
Ø Be different! Commit to this. We must be developing a trained and committed force to be Christ’s arms, legs and mouth.
Ø The poor, the oppressed, the wounded, the lonely and the lost cry out for the people of God to stand up and be Christ’s body!
Ø This is not a burden for you. This is an opportunity. It is a high calling which can end the dull, meaningless drudgery out of life.
Ø It leads to passion in our days and intimacy with our Savior, our Lord and our Lover.
Ø It breeds peace in our hearts. We were meant for this. Walking in our design reduces friction.
Ø Our enjoyment of life in Christ & our peace are directly related to our focused thinking and modeling.