- Time to empty the trash
- No one likes to empty the trash- it’s a dirty job- but if you don’t get rid of it- it gets worse
- In the Army- emptying the trash- filled with cockroaches
- Today we’re talking about having good thoughts v bad thoughts- taking the trash out of our minds
- Paul Encourges the phillipian church to have good thinking as well
- Phil 4:8Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever thingsare 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.
- Paul knew that if you weren’t spending your day thinking about good things you wont do well.
- Time to Empty the Trash- Get the trash out of your head and live in VICTORY
The mind
- Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
- Transforming your mind is PARAMOUNT in having victory- If you’re not fighting the mind battle you’re not going to WIN (and you want to win- so much you’ll get tired of winning)
- Joe Theismann was a Quarterback for the Washington Redskins. 12 year career. 2 SB appearances won one, lost one. Reflecting on the loss Theismann said this “I got stagnant. I thought the team revolved around me. I should have known it was time to go when I didn’t care whether a pass hit Art Monk in the 8 or the 1 on his uniform. When we went back to the Super Bowl, my approach had changed. I was griping about the weather, my shoes, practice times, everything”.
- How he was thinking changed the outcome. Bad thinking- bad outcomes.
- What you think matters.
- Proverbs 23:7a, ” For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”
- Whatever you think you are you become- if you don’t think that God values you- you wont think so either
- Sin doesn’t start with an action- it starts with a thought that gives birth to sin
- Why Jesus said “look at woman with lust- adultery” The seed produces the fruit
- James 1:14-16But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
- Every thought is a seed and that seed is going to produce a fruit- what fruit?
- Those who sow to the flesh will reap destruction Galatians 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
- Get control of your thought life get control of your life
- No coach tells his players to think the worst, and picture themselves losing
- Ephesians 4:22-24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
- Some of you haven’t put off former conduct and are living to the Old Man
- You’ve got OLD man thoughts in a NEW MAN- You’ve got to PUT HIM OFF
- God gives you the POWER but you must appropriate it!
- Its what you watch, what you listen to, what you read, what you ingest in your mind
- Its who you hang out with and how you talk and think about yourself during the day
- The longest conversations we have during the day are with ourselves, shouldn’t that guy be speaking life into us?
- You must be RENEWED in the SPIRIT of your MIND and put on the NEW MAN
- So what should we be thinking about?
- True things, Noble things, just things, Pure things, Lovely Things, Things of Good report, Praiseworthy things.
- Think about Good not about Evil. (True, Noble, Just, Pure, Lovely)
- We all have times where we miss the mark- its so easy to focus on the evil of this world and be sucked in to its ways
- You see Evil on the news, or read it online and its easy to be sucked into it
- Few months back there was a young man who was murdered right behind my house- 20 yards from my house
- My next door neighbor was really worried- Not me- I know who my God is- I sleep soundly.
- Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.
- We’re not supposed to be overcome with evil, but overcome with good!
- Catch yourself- Paul declares- “dwell on these things” Don’t dwell on evil against people-
- What’s good in your life right now that you can dwell on?
- What is something TRUE that you can dwell on RIGHT NOW
- Think HOPE don’t think Destruction!
- I know many people who fall into this trap- always the worst case scenario person
- Always thinking- “this is why this wont work” instead of “this is why this WILL work”
- As a Christian- we must constantly be HOPING for a GOOD outcome- For a GOOD report
- If you’re always thinking a worst case scenario lifestyle- you’ll never experience the good- or at least when it comes- you’ll miss it because you’re still waiting for it to FAIL
- Psa. 33:17,18 The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love.
Hope in God instead of yourself, your friends or your circumstances. - Think about and develop HOPE in your life when it seems as though circumstance will overcome you
- 1 Tim 4:7 says we must TRAIN ourselves to be Godly-
- Changing your thinking takes practice- Hold yourself accountable and have others help you
- Do what it takes- journal- talk- reflect- TRAIN yourself! The HS will help you!3. Think loving thoughts, not angry thoughts
- The Bible encourages you more to be loving than angry
- Angry thoughts don’t usually help
- Angry about what you’ve done or didn’t do. Angry about what didn’t get or what you did get
- Angry about how someone treated you- I get it- we get angry
- But that’s a CHOICE- we CHOOSE to become angry-
- Jonah wrote “ I know that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, one who relents from doing harm” Jonah 4:2
- Christ loves you so much, you should walk in that love instead of allowing anger to get the better of you
- This is why Jesus said “pray for those who persecute you”
- And its not the big things- it’s the little things- when you’re in traffic, when you’re dealing with your spouse, your kids.
- Don’t give yourself over to anger
- Think trust not with Suspicion
- Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths
- Many people expect the worst from people, but the reality is that most people are pretty good
- The Jump is- when we stop trusting God and are suspicious of what he is doing and how he is doing it
- Everyone is not out to get you- Every interaction isn’t a slight on your character- Every facebook post isn’t about you
- It is amazing what God can do with people who are loving and trusting.
- Love and trust breeds an environment of multiplication of His kingdom and righteousness.
- When you have love and trust for the people around you, they can do great things!
- No trust- you actually breed what you hate- Spouse always telling them “you’re cheating”
- not cynicism
- Replace cynicism with trust. We have quickly become a world that defaults to cynicism instead of trust
- Everything is wrong- Everything is bad. Everyone is lying. Everything will be destroyed
- Why is it that Every political party would lead you to believe that if the OTHER person gets elected we’re all going to die.
- We live in a very cynical and skeptical world.- Take out the trash- believe TRUTH not LIES
- I love what Rom 4:20-21 Says He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
- Are you FULLY CONVINCED? That God is ABLE to PERFORM what he has PROMISED?
- Do you have friends you can depend on? People that you know that no matter what they will figure out and find a way- Those are the best types of friends- not the excuse makers
- God is not an excuse maker
- One of my favorite lines from worship “You’ve never failed, and you won’t start now”
- I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow!
- 1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
- 5. Think JOY not Sorrow
- Replace sorrow with joy.
- There are bad things happening in your life and will happen in the future- but you need to CHOOSE to have JOY and not sorrow-
- 2 Cor. 6:9-10 I am sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, poor, yet making many rich, having nothing and yet possessing all things.’
- Perspective is a great way to find some JOY- Crystal and I married digging through couch for coins- we had each other and slurpee!!
- Take an inventory of all the great things you have in Christ Jesus.
- 2 Cor 6:4-10 READ
- There is more than enough to be joyful about- Praise God that he has blessed you with so much
- Be JOYFUL about what you DO have not what you DON’T have!
- God is BLESSING YOU
- Think Confidence not distress
- Psalm 71:5 “I praise you Lord for giving me your sense of certainty. For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.”
- When you’re alone and you are dwelling and thinking- Think confidently about God’s abilities
- You should be CONFIDENT in GOD’s ability to do it!
- Be confident in His mighty power, plan and sovereign will for your life.
- Replace Resignation with Determination.
- Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous and act. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will bewith you wherever you go. He will not fail you or forsake you until all of the work of the house of God is finished.7.Think SPIRIT not FLESH
- Romans 8: 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually mindedis life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
What are the fleshly things that you are thinking about? - Do you think about people you can help, or ways to help yourself
- People to bless or ways to bless yourself
- Fantasizing about things you shouldn’t be with people you shouldn’t
- Desiring destruction in peoples lives.
- If you spend most of your day reflecting and thinking about things that are not of God it is going to produce sin in your life- plain and simple.
- If you want a clean mind and clean life you got to take out the trash- the trashy thinking.
