Your Thought Life (Philippians #22)

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Text: Philippians 4:8

The Philippians are scared, nervous, anxious, depressed, and confused. Paul says you are this way because this is what your thoughts are on. Secondly, in the absence of information, your mind goes to the worst. The imagination is evil. They didn’t know if Paul was OK. So in order to get ahead of your imagination and prevent your imagination from going to the worst places, think on the right things.

The importance of your thought life

Proverbs 23:6-7 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
- The idea that his actions mask who he really is emphasizes the truth that your actions often mask who you are. Because as you think in your heart, that’s who you are.
- The other part of that is you are what you think, happy, sad, angry, bitter, etc.
- I remember watching scary movies as a kid and not being able to sleep because unsettling thoughts had been put in my mind and so I was unsettled.
God would destroy the world with a flood in Noah’s day because Genesis 6:5 …GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Ephesians 4:17, 23 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, … 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; Walk according to how they think. And their thinking is vanity and wrong. It requires renewal.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Thinks on things that are praiseworthy and add virtue. And there are six things listed here.

True thoughts

True is to be in accordance with the actual state of things
- The only way to get true thoughts in accordance with the actual state of things is by getting perspective from God’s word.
- Rich man build bigger barns, but God said thou fool.
- Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
God is true – Romans 3:3-4 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. This means when the “scientist” says the Bible is wrong because we found this “evidence.” The answer is let God be true, but every man a liar. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
True holiness / false holiness – Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
True grace / false grace – 1 Peter 5:12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.
True light / false light – 1 John 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
True judgments / false judgments – Revelation 16:7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
People certainly have a moral compass. People who cry Injustice! Seem to be the ones who will trample the innocent where they find them. They have some sense of holiness and justice, but it is their own sense. It doesn’t come from God.
- Emotional judgments are not true judgments.
- Judgments based on what you see.

Honest

Honest is to be fair in dealing with others, free from trickery and fraud
Honesty has to do mainly with reputation and repore with others. It is closely akin to good works.
2 Corinthians 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Romans 12:17 …Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
2 Corinthians 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
1 Peter 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Just

Just is to be exactly proportioned and proper. (Scales aren’t being tipped for your advantage.)
Joseph is a just man not wanting to make Mary a public spectacle when he thinks she’s been unfaithful.
Thinking on just things certainly has to do with treating people the way you want to be treated.
Treat others the way you’d want to be treated. Judge others the way you’d want to be judged. Husbands love their wives as they love their own bodies.

Pure

Unmixed is what makes it valuable.
- Pure gold, pure frankincense,
- Words of God – Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words…
You can think on pure things or impure things.

Lovely

He is altogether lovely… Song of Solomon 5:16

Good report

Isaiah asked who hath believed our report?
The spies brought back an evil report that turned Israel against God.
Hebrews 11:1-2, 39 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report… And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Interesting that what is called news is produced by report who report the news.

Conclusion

The Philippians are scared, nervous, anxious, depressed, and confused. Paul says you are this way because this is what your thoughts are on.
Secondly, in the absence of information, your mind goes to the worst. The imagination is evil. They didn’t know if Paul was OK. So in order to get ahead of your imagination and prevent your imagination from going to the worst places, think on the right things.