Brain Friendly Diet

Roger Bannister was an Olympian. Every four years we have the games. Four minutes was the fastest record to ever run the mile. Ever since statisticians kept records, they knew that no one would could ever beat that record. But Roger Bannister didn't listen to them--he went out and broke it and made sports history. Hundreds of years of record keeping--poof! But here is the most interesting part. After Roger broke the record, within ten years 336 runners broke that record also. What happened?

Simple. The barrier was in the athlete's minds. They had believed what the experts said. They were convinced no on could break the record.

The point: You will never go beyond the barriers in your own mind. If you think you can't, you won't and never will try. If you are defeated in your mind, you've already lost the battle.

We learned this morning that we can be kept in perfect peace if your mind is focused on God. But… how do we achieve that kind of mental discipline? According to our text this evening, much can be accomplished if we simply put our brains on a diet and only allow good things to be consumed by our minds.

Whatever Is True

Proverbs 22:21 KJV

That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; That thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Ephesians 4:15 KJV

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Ephesians 4:25 KJV

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Whatever Is Honest/ Noble

Whatever is noble. Although this word most often has a “sacred” sense (“revered” or “majestic”), here it probably denotes “honorable,” “noble,” or “worthy of respect.” It occurs in Prov 8:6 also in conjunction with “truth” and “righteousness,” as characteristic of what Wisdom has to say. Thus, whatever is “worthy of respect,” wherever it may come from, is also worth giving consideration to.1

1 Gordon D. Fee, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 417.

Proverbs 8:6 KJV

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; And the opening of my lips shall be right things.

“Honest” is the translation of a word which was used in classical Greek in the sense of “venerable, inviting reverence, worthy of reverence.” The word exhorts here to a due appreciation of such things as produce a noble seriousness

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Php 4:8). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Whatever Is Just/ Right

The word “just” is from the Greek word meaning both “just” and also “righteous,” here, “righteous” in a comprehensive sense

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Php 4:8). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Whatever is right. As with “truth,” what is “right” is always defined by God and his character. Thus, even though this is one of the cardinal virtues of Greek antiquity, in Paul it carries the further sense of “righteousness,” so that it is not defined by merely human understanding of what is “right” or “just,” but by God and his relationship with his people.1

1 Gordon D. Fee, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 417–418.

Micah 6:8 KJV

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the Lord require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, And to walk humbly with thy God?

Whatever Is Pure

Whatever is pure. This word originated in the cultus, where what had been sanctified for the temple was considered “pure”; along with the related word “holy,” it soon took on moral implications.

Pure (hagna) refers to what is wholesome, not mixed with moral impurity

Lightner, R. P. (1985). Philippians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 664). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Proverbs 15:26 KJV

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: But the words of the pure are pleasant words.

Whatever Is Lovely

Lovely (prosphilē, occurring only here in the NT) speaks of what promotes peace rather than conflict.

Lightner, R. P. (1985). Philippians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 664). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Colossians 4:6 KJV

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Whatever is of Good Report.

The words “good report” in the Greek text are literally “fair speaking,” thus “winning, attractive.” The word “if” refers to a fulfilled condition.

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Php 4:8). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Whatever is admirable. Although not quite a synonym of the preceding word, it belongs to the same general category of “virtues.” Not a virtue in the moral sense, it represents the kind of conduct that is worth considering because it is well spoken of by people in general.1

1 Gordon D. Fee, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 418.

Virtue

Virtue (ἀρετη [aretē]). Old word, possibly from ἀρεσκω [areskō], to please, used very often in a variety of senses by the ancients for any mental excellence or moral quality or physical power.

2 Peter 1:3 KJV

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

The word “virtue” in the Greek text was used in classical Greek for any mental excellence, moral quality, or physical power. Paul studiously avoids it. Only here does he use it. It seems that the apostle includes it in order that he may not omit any possible ground of appeal

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Php 4:8). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Praise

The word praise (Mft Knox “merit”; NEB “admirable”) is used in 1:11 in reference to the praise of God. As a rule Paul thinks only of what God will praise, but in this context he is obviously speaking of the kind of conduct that wins the praise of men (Brc “wins men’s praise”).

Proverbs 11:30 KJV

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that winneth souls is wise.