What's On Your Mind?

The word ponder is the word legizumai.

It gives us our transliterated word logarithm. Paul is effectively saying, give the same kind of dedicated effort in the way you think that you would take to solve a heavy mathematical problem. You will never master these eight virtues. This is our goal. You will never master them, but you must maintain the pursuit of them as you grow in holiness, lest you be mastered by the wrong thing. For each one of us, something or several somethings is going to occupy our time and our thoughts. Since that's true, the Apostle Paul has some advice on what that should be. He said that we should dwell on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Of course, if we're going to obey that command, it means that we will reject thoughts that are not excellent and not worthy of praise.

We can't do this perfectly, but it's what we pursue. So what kind of things do you dwell on? Could you use some help with your thought life?

Stay with us for Stephen Davey's message called What's on Your Mind? Listen, when you became a Christian, you didn't lose your mind. Some people think you did. You didn't stop using your mind. In fact, you actually began using it according to God's design. Now, since the discipline of the mind is so critical to that transformation process and the growth of the believer in holiness, you might ask the question on other guidelines that kind of structure for me what my thought patterns ought to be like. And Paul amplifies that instruction from Romans 12 in his letter to the Philippian believers, and so let's go there. Let's go back to his letter to the Philippians, and we'll pick it up where we left off at chapter 4, and we're going to go through verse 8 and 9.

Verse 8 and verse 9. Now, Paul is going to give us six adjectives and two nouns to govern our thought patterns. So he's going to give us eight things to govern our thought patterns. So our outline will be eight points. Actually, it's going to be 11, but I don't want to scare you. But just start with eight, okay? Eight things. He begins this new paragraph by writing, finally, brethren.

Stop for just a moment. When he writes finally, brethren, that doesn't mean he's finished. In fact, if you just look at your letter or your copy, you'll notice he has quite a few verses yet to go. It doesn't mean he's coming to the end of it any more than a pastor who says finally, right? What Paul means here is that he is coming to the end of a list of his imperatives. These commands that he's been firing off one after another. You remember if you were with us in our study, began at verse 4 with rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice, exclamation point.

Ought to be in your translation. Or verse 6, be anxious for nothing, exclamation point. Now Paul is going to end this list of eight guidelines. If you look down at the end of verse 8, he's going to give you the next imperative, the next command, dwell on these things.

So before we dive into the list, let's understand that these are commands, not suggestions. They're not for believers who've been in the faith for many years, and you know, younger believers, you can kind of skirt the thing. This is for people who are really fanatical about it. You follow these.

This is for every believer, and if you're a believer, this is your desire. It troubles you when you don't have these thought patterns. It is your great desire to glorify God in following these patterns of thought. Just keep in mind that we're about to read a list that are not electives in the curriculum of holiness. They are assigned courses, and the assignments related to these courses are not 60-second assignments.

They're hour upon hour, day after day, if we want the mind of Christ. Now to the list. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is true, we'll stop at each point. The first guideline here runs absolutely counterculture to the popular guidelines of the day, doesn't it? People, in fact, we've noticed in our own generation no longer ask the question, is it true? They ask, does it work? Is it good for me? Will it make me happy?

Healthy, wealthy, whatever. Not, is it true? In fact, the average church has sort of succumbed to this kind of pragmatism, and they're effectively asking questions not related to whether it's true, but will it offend somebody? Will it be divisive?

Will it cause trouble? Now the question is, first and foremost, is it true? Is it true? Now whatever is true can also, by contrast, refer to that which is not true. So don't allow your mind to be occupied with lies and deceptions and rumors and exaggerations. Don't let deceitful thoughts and plans run through your mind and perhaps lodge there. They're out of bounds because they're not true. What's true, if you want more synonyms, would be that which is reliable, faithful, real, genuine, consistent with Scripture.

What's on your mind, first and foremost, is it true? Secondly, he adds, whatever is honorable. Your translation may read noble. I like that. The same word is translated dignified in Paul's letter to Titus where he uses that descriptive phrase to call the men in these assemblies on the island of Crete to dignified maturity, to leave adolescents behind and effectively grow up, to become men who accept the responsibilities of noble maturity and dignity.

Now that doesn't mean he can't laugh and have fun. This isn't the killjoy description. One linguist clarifies that this kind of nobility the author has in mind, that kind of mind that dreads superficiality, the kind of mind that really isn't interested all that much in the trivia of the day. It was interesting to me to learn that this word was used classically by the Greeks to refer to anything related to their gods and the temples of their gods. So Paul kind of wrestles it out of that context and really there is that nuance that is rather wonderful to consider. He uses the word to correctly refer to the believer who moves through his world as the very temple of the living God.

How honorable is that? What dignity does that bear upon us? That we are carrying into our world the very presence of the living God who bought us and indwells us, 1 Corinthians 6 19 and 20.

Thirdly, Paul adds to the list, whatever is right. Your translation may read whatever is just. Paul is telling the Philippian believers and us as well that what ought to be on our minds are plans and thoughts and intentions and motives and dreams that are right.

They're right. We're pursuing just living, that is we're pursuing right living. Now by contrast, the evil man lies on his bed, David wrote in Psalm 36 4, devising new ways to sin.

He gets bored easily and so he's going to come up with ways as he lies there through the night thinking of a new way to steal, a new way to cheat, a new way to cut corners, a new way to sin. We meditate on our beds and through the day with new ways to do what's right. This mental pattern or guideline relates to integrity or honesty, doesn't it?

Those are good synonyms. In other words you're going to do what's right in the way you do everything. You do your homework, you're going to do what's right in the way you cut the grass, dry the dishes, work on curriculum, work on that report, that invention, that craft. You're just going to do it right. You're not going to settle.

You're going to do it all the right way. In fact, I found it interesting in my study, the news reported some time ago that 31 students at a university were caught submitting essays they had plagiarized from the internet. Of course this isn't unusual all these days and professors and teachers are alert to the problem. But what intrigued me about this particular incident and made it a little more interesting was the fact that these students were writing essays to fulfill assignments for their course on ethics. They were cheating to pass the course on ethics.

That's like stealing a Bible so you can memorize scripture. Something twisted about that. Keep in mind by the way that the world knows what's right. They'll be happy to tell you when you're not. It's stamped on their heart. They know it's right. You go to the remotest village and you can find that the guy who steals his neighbor's chicken knows it's not right.

Where did he know that from? The law of God. And doesn't the world delight whenever a Christian doesn't do what's right? They know what's right. In fact, they'll be quick to tell you, hey, that's not right. Especially when they're personally affected. Doing what's right is something everyone admires and the church ought to applaud it.

It seems to be losing ground, doesn't it? In the business world especially, doing what's right means keeping your word. That handshake matters.

That's right. I came across this historical anecdote recently about a Mr. Leon Bean who in 1912 began a little mail order business in his home state of Maine. At first all he sold was hunting boots and he'd added to it this unusual little money-back guarantee, quite rare. The problem was there were defects in the design of his boots which led to 90% of them being returned with a demand for their money back, which as you can imagine could crush this fledgling young business. But he made good on the guarantee. Leon Bean kept his word, sent back their money, corrected the design, and sold his newly improved hunting boots without the defect. And with it still, the money-back guarantee. And today L.L.

Bean is the largest mail order company in the United States. People admire that. What's on your mind?

Is it right? Paul goes on to add to the list whatever is pure. This word refers to those things which are morally clean, blameless. This is a favorite characteristic of Paul for the believer of course. He writes to Timothy, keep yourself pure, 1 Timothy 5.22. Titus urges the young women in the congregation to be pure, Titus 2.5. James describes the wisdom that comes from above as first and foremost clean and pure, James 3.17. Peter encourages the wives of unbelievers to live with their husbands with the spirit of purity, 1 Peter 3.2. John writes in his first letter in chapter 3 and verse 3 that those who have the confidence of Christ coming, and we all as believers do, because of that confidence we purify ourselves, we keep ourselves pure.

For the apostles, purity in all of life began in the thought life. And because of that spiritual reality and the fact that that's the battle, in fact it is the greatest battle, isn't it? The greatest battle on the planet is not between warring nations. The greatest battle is not between political ideologies. The greatest conflict isn't political, it isn't economic, it isn't social. The greatest conflict taking place in the world today is the one that takes place in your mind and mine. That's the battle, isn't it? No wonder God's Word warns us over and over and over and over again, guard your mind, guard your eyes, guard your thoughts, guard your heart.

Solomon wrote it and became a casualty of his own advice. Inspired by the Spirit of God, he said, guard your heart, for out of it are the issues of life, and you can think in your mind by addition, and death. Guard your heart, out of it are the issues of life and death. What's on your mind?

Is it pure? Now, of course, the problem with purity of thought for men and women of all ages has just sort of exploded, hasn't it? With the internet and smartphones. I talked to one third grade teacher who said, you know, one of his greatest challenges is the fact that boys are watching porn on their iPhones in the third grade on the playground.

It sells everything. And for the believer, I mean, we're going back to the days of Pompeii, this isn't really new, we're just sort of catching up in the wrong direction. We have to understand that our world today isn't just selling pornography, it isn't just marketing everything on the basis of pornography, it isn't just defending pornography.

Our culture today is pornographic. It is. The truth remains. It doesn't give us an excuse. There are still no excuses for the believer who wants to develop, through the discipline of godly thought patterns, the mind of Christ and holiness and purity, the truth remains the same for the believer who wants to develop the mind of Christ and grow in holiness. So what's on your mind?

Is it pure? He goes on, adds to the list, whatever is lovely. This adjective, by the way, appears only here in the New Testament.

A little difficult to nail down, but I think we can arrive at a good idea. James Moffat translated it in 1913 as winsome, and I think that picks up the idea of graciousness, loveliness, that which is pleasing, that which is agreeable, that which is kind, that which is beautiful. One translation paraphrased it, that which provokes love, and everything good about love. Paul is encouraging us then to not think on those things which produce bitterness or resentment or anger. Paul is also, I think, broadly encouraging all that is beautiful, just as all these other adjectives would certainly reveal a broader context as well. In fact, one author said he's referring also to those things which are aesthetically lovely. Let your mind think about all that is beautiful in God's creation. Evidently, the Word of God wants to take us there over and over again. In fact, meditate on the truth of nature and what we see revealed of God's handiwork in that, in fact, it is declaring the glory of God. Perhaps for your spiritual dynamic, it might mean you just need to take a walk or go out tonight and look up at the starry host. We sang about it. It declares his glory. It's awe-inspiring, those discoveries, those pictures back from the Hubble, that what they've discovered in the animal kingdom and in plant life.

It's just amazing to read and to mull over all of God's creation. Take time to observe nature, and I'm saying that and I'm not a liberal. Take time for that. Take time to get to the coast and sit there.

Let your kids run around. You sit there and just listen to the crashing of the waves. Go to a symphony and allow the music to sort of sweep over you. What's on your mind? Unlovely things. Things that produce and provoke ugly things, ugly thoughts, or lovely thoughts.

Paul Adams next, whatever is of good repute. In other words, whatever is commendable to others. I like the way one author put it, whatever is worth repeating, I think it's a good way of thinking about it. And if it isn't worth repeating, don't be thinking about it. Let it go. Don't mull over it.

Don't ponder it. Don't dwell on that which you know you shouldn't repeat and maybe you won't. And now we arrive at this point in the text where Paul adds these two conditional statements. Notice he writes at the end of verse 8, if there's any excellence or anything worthy of praise, here's the command, dwell on these things.

By the way, these are conditional sentences because they can be understood as an if and since. In other words, Paul is saying if there is any excellence and if there are things worthy of praise, and there are. And there are is what he's saying. And that's important because as a believer, you might come to the point where there's nothing good to think about. There's nothing worth praising God about.

There's nothing beautiful in the world. You can arrive there. And Paul says, hey, there is. Just keep thinking until you can think of it.

Do that. Godly thinking patterns involve the discipline of acceptance, accepting the right things, but also the discipline of rejection. In fact, I like the way Ken Hughes just sort of inverted the verse for clarity to read this way. Finally, brethren, whatever is not true, whatever is superficial, whatever is not right, whatever is impure, whatever is unlovely, whatever is not worth repeating, if there is anything not morally excellent, and if there is anything unworthy of praising, do not think about these things. Say no to the wrong things and say yes to the right things. One of the texts that we read is the grace of God is at work in your life teaching you to renounce, teaching you to reject, teaching you to say no. That's the work of grace in our lives.

Say no to the wrong things and yes to the right things. Dwell on these things. Ponder these things. The word to ponder is the word legizumai.

It gives us our transliterated word, logarithm. Paul is effectively saying give the same kind of dedicated, prolonged, thoughtful effort in the way you think that you would take to solve a heavy weighty mathematical problem. For some of us that would take more time than others. You will never master these eight virtues. This is our goal, and it will never get easier.

You will never master them, but you must maintain the pursuit of them as you grow in holiness, lest you be mastered by the wrong things. And that's easy. That's easy.

This isn't going to happen in 60 seconds. Those of you who are new to the faith, and in this audience I've spotted two people who came to faith just this last week, you have engaged in the greatest conflict on the planet, the battle that takes place in your mind. Now Paul slips into a personal illustration. Look at verse nine. The things you've learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things. Paul tells us to ponder these things and now practice these things.

What are these things? The things you've learned, that is from Paul's preaching and teaching. The things you've received, that's a word referring to apostolic authority. What you've heard, that is with your own ears as you've conversed with Paul or other believers.

What you've seen in me, that's an interesting phrase. They knew the before Paul and after Paul, many of them. They knew that Paul's passion had entirely changed.

At one point in his life it was to stamp out the church, and now it was to build up the church. They'd seen the difference. What you've seen in me, practice these things. Don't just think about them.

He's taking us further. Apply them. Translate biblical principles into biblical patterns. We refer to a lawyer's practice or a doctor's practice.

Not because they're practicing on us, at least we hope not, but because that's what they do. Paul comes to the end of this list and he says, this is what the Christian is supposed to do. This is our practice as believers. So do it now. Exclamation point.

Do it now. And notice the promise at the very end. The God of peace will be with you.

The God of peace. You see, you won't just ease your conscience. You'll confess your conscience, your thought patterns. You'll clear your conscience. You'll enjoy a clean conscience again as you practice these patterns of thought. And as a believer you know there's nothing worse than an unclean conscience. And there's no softer pillow than a clean conscience. When you follow these thought patterns, the benefit and blessing is you pillow your head and you have the peace of God and the God of peace who is in charge.

And he will be seen through you in a world that knows nothing of the virtues in practice and pattern. One Sunday on their way home, Sam Gordon writes in his little commentary, a little girl turned to her mother and said, Mommy, the preacher confused me today. Perished the thought. Her mother asked her to explain why and she responded, well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true? The mother said, yes, that's true. And she said, well, he also said that God lives in us. Is that true? That's where parents know they're being pulled into a cul-de-sac of no return. She said, well, yes, that's true. And the little girl said this, well, if God is bigger than us and he lives in us, then wouldn't he show through? That's good, isn't it?

He certainly will. These godly patterns reflect the mind of Christ and when our minds practice what Christ demonstrated perfectly, which is our priority at those moments where there's intersection, those wonderful brief moments he shows through. So what's on your mind? Is it true? Is it honorable? Is it right?

Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it commendable?

Is it excellent? Is it worth praising God and good? Paul would say, stay at it.

Keep practicing. Keep pondering according to it. And while you're at it, you will enjoy this peace of and from God and his good pleasure. Powerful truth today from God's Word. This is Wisdom for the Heart, the Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey.

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