What's on your Mind

What’s On Your Mind   Phil. 4:8

EBC    9/23/07

Paul is asking the question many of us have asked, “A penny for your thoughts”.  Paul wanted to know what was on their minds. Have you ever asked your mate “what are you thinking about?”

  One of the major battlegrounds in the Christian life is our thought life. Cathy reading “The Battle for the Mind” by Tim LaHaye. He stated there is a battle going on for our mind (thought life). Satan knows if he can have your mind he can have your feet.

  Ken Trivette whatever we dwell on in our minds will be displayed in our lives. Attitudes become actions. There is nothing that we do that a decision in the mind hasn’t been made to do it.

  Pulpit Commentary- The apostle implies that we have the power of governing our thoughts, and so are responsible for them. If the thoughts are ordered well, the outward life will follow.

  Gen. 6:5-

 Finally- Paul has now arrived at the climax of his teaching on spiritual stability. John MacArthur- spiritual stability is based on how a person thinks.

Unsaved people have a fleshly mindset. Saved people think like saved people.

I. Biblical Instruction for Thought Life (4:8- if there be any)

  A. Proper thought life

    1. Virtue- that which is excellent in contract to that which is cheap. That which has moral goodness.

    2. Praise- that which is praiseworthy.

      a. A good way to judge what we think about is to ask:

        1. Is what I am thinking about marked by excellence or is it cheap?

        2. Is what I am thinking about praiseworthy and beneficial.

        3. Job. 31:1-

    B. Practical thought life

      1. Think – to reckon, to calculate. It speaks of taking account of things with a view of committing yourself to these things. Let these consideration guide your actions.

        a. It is to turn what we think into practical deeds. Our minds should be an incubator of a godly life.

II. Biblical Items for Thought Life (4:8- finally brethren)

  Paul not only tells us how to think but he also tells us what to think.

  A. Things that guard our personal life

    1. Things that are true- things that are true in character. Things that aren’t phony. Fantasy is wrong. Bible is true.

    2. Things that are honest – things that are worthy and respectable. Things that are Heavenly. Thyose things that promote self-respect.

      a. Rom. 13:13-

    3. Things that are just- things that are righteous and godly.

      a. Since we act as we think- if we think on things true, honest and just- our lives will be true, honest and just. Those things that are in harmony with God’s word.  

  B. Things that guide our public life. This has to do with how our life relates to others.

    1. Think on things that are pure- this speaks not only of purity from sin but also our motives. What we do is important but equally important is why we do it. 1 John 3:3- 1 Thess. 5:22 –

      a. Those things free from defilement. Defile- to make dirty or to polute

    2. Think on things that are lovely- this is what promotes brotherly love and agreement.

      a. Phil. 133:1-

    3. Think on things that are of a good report-

    4. Thinking on these things helps us develop relationships with others. If we are always thinking vengeful thoughts or impure thoughts we will behave differently with others.

      1. We need to think on things that are highly regarded or well thought of.  

    5. Psychologists tell us that 10,000 thoughts go thru a person’s thoughts in a day. We must bring each into captivity for Christ. Satan will scratch for each one. The key to godly living is godly thinking.