Focus on what is right / Growing in Godliness

I love to go to the old age home in the area and I love to minister there. It is always such a humbling experience. Here are people who are so much more experienced than I am, people so much older than I am and yet they listen to what God has put on my heart for that particular morning. This last Monday I was there again.

 

My topic of the sermon was:  Focus on what is right / Growing in Godliness

Introduction: I went back to last time I was there. I had spoken on dismantling the lie that we don't suffer on our Christian walk.

I said: Our confidence in God only comes from 2 things: 1)when we know who God is and 2) when we know who we are THROUGH Him

If we have a skew picture of God we get into trouble in our Christian walk

 

Today, let me take you to the end of Paul's letter to the Philippians....let me take you to his final words.

- final words are important/ they emphasize  the main points.

 

 

Philippians 4:8-9

New King James Version (NKJV)
.⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Character and conduct begin in the mind. Our actions are affected by the things we dwell on in our minds/thoughts. Paul cautions the Philippians (and us) to concentrate on things that will result in the right living and in God's peace
---- look at Romans 12: 1-2
Paul urges the Romans here not only to give their body as a living sacrifice but also not having their minds to be conformed to this world but rather be transformed and renewed by the word and truth of God. The battle is in the mind and what is the mind is in the heart. It is important to have our minds renewed and transformed. All this makes it paramount what we focus our mind on. Paul indicates our belief system and way of thinking need to be shaped by the following things:

1) the TRUE  (genuine, real, manifest, unconcealed, true as opposed to false- truth versus lies)
   -be true to your promises, to your engagements, statements
   -be true in your friendship
   -maintain the truth about God and His character
   -maintain the truth about eternity and judgement
   - In Ephesians 4: 25 Paul urges the believers to speak truth to each other

2) the NOBLE ( honest, honourable, reverent, dignified, worthy of reputation and honour, showing respect)
3) the JUST ( the things that are right, incorrupt)
4) the PURE (clean, modest, undefiled, morally faultless, holy)
5) the LOVELY (that what is pleasing, agreeable to others)
   - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7  
6) of GOOD REPORT (e.g. speech that is gracious, fair sounding, kind, virtuous, respectful, pure)
7) the VIRTUE
8) the PRAISWORTHY

In all Christ should be the pattern

Last bit in verse 8:  Think about these things/ Meditate on these things
There are two reason why we should meditate on these things:
   1) to win the battle in our minds , to focus on Christ inside of us
    2) to be an example and set a standard to shine
Cultivate this - think about the words, but also think about the influence which that would have on the world around you
----practical application: Vue Du Cap living arrangements - the influence on people around them is big - focus on what's right

verse 9: Paul  is the example here but we know that Jesus is the example for Paul
  - look how he did things. That brings the 8 different things to focus on into the Christian environment
Final positive result from focusing on the right things is God's peace - the peace that is beyond our understanding ( see verse 7)
Ministering time:
-----This is a great guideline to focus our thoughts back to the good
------When the world talks about positive thinking we know it is actually about Jesus transforming our minds
-------Think about the impact it makes in us and in the people around us
Lies and negative/depressed thoughts have the power to keep us in darkness but God's truth and HIS thoughts of the true, the noble, the pure, the just, the lovely can lift us out of that into HIS light.

"my Jesus, I want to be in the light and not in the darkness! please help me today to dwell on the good things, on the pure things, on the true things, on the noble things, on the lovely things, on the praiseworthy things - Lord I want to shine for you!!!!"