Whatever is Lovely

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We Are Christians.

Christians was a term to mock the disciples of Christ in the New Testament. ()
Acts 11:
Acts 11:25–26 ESV
So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Church plant among people that were a far from God as you could possibly be at the time.8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Php 4:8). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
They stayed there for a whole year
What was it that drew out the response in Antioch to call them Christians...
They met with the church
they taught many people.

We Are the Disciples of Today.

We are in a world that is simply confused right is wrong and wrong is right. We are supposed to think about what is true.... and the world can’t agree on what is true. They can’t agree on what honorable is. What is just is hard to pinpoint because we live in a world that can’t even decide what it is. And purity.. forget about it.
We are the disciples of today. Last week I talked about my hope that these messages will help us so that when we are wounded, when we stumble, when we are hurt we can look at these things and our hearts and minds will survive the struggles we are sure to go through.
But I want to point to a bigger goal. I want our thought life and character to be so healthy that it teaches those around us that we get called what we are...... Christians.
Here’s the thing… we can’t get there if it’s not in here (our hearts)

So today I want to ask the question… How’s your thought life? Today while we talk about the fifth of this nine part series, think on what is lovely, I want us to ask where our thought life is.

The goal.
The challenge
What is lovely
How does it benefit us.

The Goal

Phil 4:4-
Philippians 4:4–7 ESV
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Rejoicing is constant
Harshness is gone and gentleness reigns.
Anxiety is destroyed
Prayer and Petition becomes powerful.
We live in gratitude rather than bad attitude.
Our hearts and minds are protected

The Challenge.

Luke 22:
Luke 22:31–34 ESV
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

To Point Out

Simon was Christ’s Disciple
Jesus was going to allow the shaking.
Simon (Peter) actually thought he could “will” himself to not be shaken.
The big ones - Jesus is on our side (Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.)
When it’s over- strengthen your brothers… how? (Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.)

The Challenge.

If the man who walked on water couldn’t escape the trial, we must understand that we won’t either.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, I
If the man who walked on water couldn’t escape the trial, we must realize that our friends won’t either.
If the task of strengthening our brothers was given to a man who experienced the embrace of the great miracle worker and still failed.. we must realize that the same task is given to us.

What we need to know.

Jesus has prayed for us… (Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.)
That will guard our hearts and minds.
How do we strengthen others (Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.)
that will point them to a place where their hearts and minds are protected.
When our hearts and mins stumble — it is because we aren’t thinking about ti the way He would have us thing about it.

What is Lovely?

Greek - promoting friendliness, pleasing, acceptable.
Lovely does not equal flowers or pretty sunsets.
People don’t get this perfect. In fact the world teaches us that if someone is not on our side we need to distance ourselves from them. Let me say that is not friendly. Jesus looked at us, the fact that we were dark, and selfish, and didn’t care for Him at all.... then died for us because a path had to be made for reconciliation. A path had to be made to rescue us. And after that there had to be a way to protect us from this world when the devil shakes us
Flowers are nice. Sunsets are nice. Hot baths are nice and God will use them from time to time to help us find peace in our storm. But flowers make us sneeze and can ruin the paint on our cars, sunsets are only beautiful until they give way to darkness. Hot baths get cold and make us pruney…and might I add as soon as you get in its filled with disgusting bacteria that can make us sick.
What is Lovely… well as all things on this list… the person of Jesus Christ.
only Christ is perfect in wanting to be our friend even the worst of us (Judas Iscariot)

How does that help?

As with most of the things in this list, the world will slant it so that we lose focus so that when we need something to hold onto it is a moving target.
But the Bible pointing towards Jesus says in the Song of Solomon
‘us says in the Song of Solomon
“He is altogether lovely”
Song of Solomon 5:16 NIV
His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
ss 5:
HE IS ALWAYS AIMING FOR FRIENDSHIP WITH US. WHEN SATAN SHAKES US TO OUR CORE AND WE THINK WE MAY FAIL COMPLETELY - OR EVEN IF WE HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY — HE CALLS US FRIEND.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
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