03-03-2024 The Power of Christ-Focused Thinking Part 3

Text: Philippians 4:8

                                This morning, we finish the series that shows us the power we are given when we have Christ-focused thinking.  Our text once again is Philippians 4:8 which says:  "Finally Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."    We have covered the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report.  So today, we will finish by  exploring what Paul has to say about virtue and praise.   

                             Jesus Christ is the victor over Satan.  When we allow Him to control our thinking, then we also will be given the power to be victorious over Satan.  It is the power of truth, honesty, and justice that makes us powerful witnesses for Jesus and what He has done.  The power of living by the principles of purity, things that are lovely, and of good report give us a powerful testimony for our Savior.  Our victory over Satan is dependent on who controls our thinking.  When we allow that be Jesus, then, like the previous six principles we looked at, the principles of virtue and praise will also change us.

                             When Paul wrote: "…if there be any virtue…" he is telling us that we are to look for virtue, or goodness, righteousness and ethical principles in others.  Too often people look for the faults in others.  When we do that, we become fault finders.   None of us are perfect.  Would you rather people look for your faults and completely discount your good qualities?  Of course not.  So don't do it to others.  Henry Ironside, a Canadian American Bible teacher and pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago said, "It is important that we should never permit our minds to feed like carrion vultures on the wicked, filthy, and unholy things of the flesh.  Churches that build their foundations on finding faults can expect problems the likes of earthquakes will damage and ultimately destroy the church along with the minds of its congregation.  Instead of focusing on what Satan is doing we should keep our eyes firmly on what God is doing.  Then we should thank Him every day for watching over us and protecting us from the acts of Satan.

                             If we put our energies into praising God for what He does for us all the time, the power we get from that kind of expended energy will most certainly us change us.  As we go through rough periods, we will be able to stop pouting and start praising because God's power will be instilled in us through the Holy Spirit.  Because of past experienced, we will already know that God is with us just as He was with us in part hardships.  As Christians, we are to be a walking doxology, which is a hymn or poem that praises God.  Romans 8:28 says:  "And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."  God works in everything -- not just isolated incidents -- for our good.  This is a promise that He has given to us.  It does not mean that everything that happens to us will be pleasant, or that we have to call painful things good.  It means that even though evil pervades the fallen world in which we live, and we will have to experience hardship at times, we can trust that God is able to turn every circumstance around for our long-range benefit.  Only God has the power to turn a tragedy into a triumph to all who will trust and believe in Him.  God does not work only to make us happy but also to fulfill His purposes.  This is a promise from God that can only be claimed by those who love Him and are called by Him -- meaning those who the Holy Spirit enables to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.  All who faithfully receive Jesus will have a new perspective, a new mind set, and a new ability to fully trust in God, not in life's treasures.  They are able to see that their security is in Heavenly priorities, not earthly ones.  This is the perspective that allows our faith in God to remain strong even when we experience pain and persecution because we know God is with us.

                             People who purposefully look for faults will have a tough time having a good relationship with those around them and will make it difficult for anyone that must deal with them on a regular basis.  As I said last week, this doesn't mean that we should ignore things that can actually cause problems.  It means that when we live in a praising frame of mind, we can look beyond present problems because we trust that God is in control and will give us the wisdom and strength to deal with the problems.  This is why He deserves our contestant praise.  When we let go and let God take care of the problems and difficulties we face in every aspect of our lives -- in and out of church, then we can quickly and easily praise Him for all that He does for us each and every day. 

                             Pastor John Dwight Pentacost, who passed away in April of 2014, and was also prolific writer about things that pertained to the Biblical doctrines of death, judgement, and the afterlife.  He once said:   "The greatest area of sin in the believer's life is not in the area of actions but in the area of thought."  When we let Jesus control our life and how we think, we will experience a personal peace that will never be found in those who reject Him.  If we have Christ-controlled thinking, our actions will follow how He wants us to live.  If we surrender everything to Jesus, we will experience the power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and our lives every single day until we meet Jesus in Heaven. 

                             The best example we have of how to live our life with truth and honesty is Jesus.  The best example we have of someone who is just and pure is Jesus.  The best example we have of one who is altogether lovely and good all the time is Jesus.  The best example of someone who is virtuous, and worthy of our praise is Jesus. Jesus Christ is the one who conquered Satan by His willingness to die on the cross so we could be forgiven of our sins and go on to have a direct personal relationship with God our Father and Creator.   Every one of us should think on these things.

                             Until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.