Dwell & Practice
Notes
Transcript
Dwell and Practice these things
Dwell and Practice these things
Text: Philippians 4:8-9
Introduction
When we watch the news, a lot things is going on like the Pandemic, our economy going down, war is about to happen, and even death to our love ones due to Covid. Too much conflict right?
Well today I want to propose to you from God's Word the greatest conflict that is taking place. Greater than a conflict of war, greater than the conflict of an economic disaster or the social decline of America or even the pandemic situation or apathy that we have in our country.
Do you know where is that greatest conflict?
The greatest conflict that's taking place is the battle for the mind.
Don’t you agree? In this conflict there's no ceasefire, there's no timeout given and there's no prisoners taken.
When Paul wrote to the Philippians in chapter 4 verse 8, he was fully aware of the conflict that was taking place. The conflict between Satan and Jesus over the mind. The battlefield of the believer.
We are bomb daily with hundreds if not thousands of advertisements specifically designed to control your mind especially Social Media. All of this is having people think on things that are impure, unholy, filthy, unrighteous, immoral, and there is other things we need to be thinking on.
Last Sunday we went to verse 6-7
Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
We worry & It all begins in the MIND so the first condition for the secure mind and victory over worry is
Right praying and right thinking.
Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling, and before long the heart and mind are pulled apart and we are strangled by worry.
We must realize that thoughts are real and powerful, even though they cannot be seen, weighed, or measured.
We must bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
Finally, brethren,
So Paul said finally, brethren, talking to the (Church in Philippi)
And The word finally,
six items are mentioned as objects of a wholesome thought life, and each one is introduced with whatever and In the Greek “whatever” is plural, which suggests that several things could be included under each heading.
Body:
So the first one is
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
whatever is true
1. True, real, truthful, the opposite of dishonest and unreliable things.
-Dr. Walter Cavert reported a survey on worry that indicated that only 8 percent of the things people worried about were legitimate matters of concern! The other 92 percent were either imaginary, never happened, or involved matters over which the people had no control anyway. Satan is the liar
John 8:44
and he wants to corrupt our minds with his lies
2 Cor. 11:3
“Yea, hath God said?” is the way he approaches us, just as he approached Eve
Gen. 3:1ff
The Holy Spirit controls our minds through truth
John 17:17
1 John 5:6
but the devil tries to control them through lies.
Whenever we believe a lie, Satan takes over!
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
whatever is honorable
2. Noble, dignified, worthy of respect, whatever is honest and right.
-Same word that was used in
1 Timothy 3:8 (Dignity) and
1 Timothy 3:11 (dignified)
Titus 2:2.
There are many things that are not respectable, and Christians should not think about these things.
This does not mean we hide our heads in the sand and avoid what is unpleasant and displeasing, but it does mean we do not focus our attention on dishonorable things and permit them to control our thoughts.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
whatever is right,
3. Righteous, just.
-refers to conformity or compliance to God’s standards.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
whatever is pure,
4. free from sin, innocent, chaste,
-refers to what is wholesome, not mixed with moral impurity since the people then, as now, were constantly attacked by temptations to sexual impurity
Eph. 4:17–24
Ephesians 5:8–12
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
whatever is lovely
5. beautiful, attractive.
-speaks of what promotes peace rather than conflict.”
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
whatever is of good repute
6. admirable, appealing, sounding well,
-Of good report means worth talking about. It relates to what is positive and constructive rather than negative and destructive.
The believer must major on the high and noble thoughts,
not the base thoughts of this corrupt world.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
if there is any excellence
If- a conjunction
- a wonderful act, goodness, it will motivate us to do better
1 Peter 2:12
2 Peter 1:5
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
if anything worthy of praise
- it is worth commending to others
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: You Don’t Have to Worry! (Philippians 4:1–9)
No Christian can afford to waste “mind power” on thoughts that tear him down or that would tear others down if these thoughts were shared.
If you will compare this list to David’s description of the Word of God in
7 The law of the LORD is bperfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: You Don’t Have to Worry! (Philippians 4:1–9)
you will see a parallel
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: You Don’t Have to Worry! (Philippians 4:1–9)
The Christian who fills his heart and mind with God’s Word will have a “built-in radar” for detecting wrong thoughts. “Great peace have they which love Thy Law” (Ps. 119:165). Right thinking is the result of daily meditation on the Word of God.
So what can we apply here?
Conclusion:
DWELL (Present tense) A Command
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
dwell on these things.
Keep mental record, hold a view, to take an inventory
(story of my previous work at the bible college)
WRITE IT DOWN!
PRACTICE (Present tense) A Command
We must practice this because the christian life involves proper thinking BUT it also includes doing righteous deeds
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: You Don’t Have to Worry! (Philippians 4:1–9)
Right living is a necessary condition for experiencing the peace of God.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Paul balances four activities:
“learned and received” and “heard and seen.”
It is one thing to learn a truth, but quite another to receive it inwardly and make it a part of our inner man.
1 Thessalonians 2:13
Facts in the head are not enough; we must also have truths in the heart. In Paul’s ministry, he not only taught the Word but also lived it so that his listeners could see the truth in his life. Paul’s experience ought to be our experience.
We must learn the Word,
receive it,
hear it,
and do it.
“But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
Since the Philippians knew Paul well, he could ask them to follow his example.
They had learned … received and heard from him, and they had even seen the apostle’s conduct. As they put these things (from Paul’s teaching and living) into practice, they would enjoy the presence of the God of peace .
“The peace of God” is one test of whether or not we are in the will of God.
“Let the peace that Christ can give keep on acting as umpire in your hearts” (Col. 3:15, WMS).
If we are walking with the Lord, then the peace of God and the God of peace exercise their influence over our hearts. Whenever we disobey, we lose that peace and we know we have done something wrong.
Let us pray.....