supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of

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1 Nov 11,12, 2017 Phil 4:6-9 Think of These Things 1 Or How to Have A Stable Church Part 3 Philippians 4:6-9(ESV) 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Paul s heart and love for the church at Philippi. Cultivating harmony in the church, maintaining a spirit of joy, learning to be content, and resting on a confident faith in the Lord. Today we look at reacting to problems with thankful prayer, thinking on godly virtues and obeying God s standard. Anxiety is on the rise. I watched on television a professional youth counselor who stated that in the past 2 years more issues of anxiety than his first 15 years put together with middle school and high school students. He sees the social media in general and Facebook in particular as one of the main factors in the increase of anxiety in our young people. He said in the next year there will be much information coming out how spending so much time in front of a computer screen is impacting our young people s brains, the way they think, and their emotional state. Reacting to problems with thankful prayer. True Christian maturity learns the best reaction to life s difficulties is to thank God for how God will provide in every situation you are facing. God s solution is already on the way but for us to see it and know it it takes us humbling ourselves before God in prayer thanking him in advance for God s solution. When we learn to thank God in all circumstances we experience God s peace on deeper levels and a decrease in anxiety.

2 Nov 11,12, 2017 Phil 4:6-9 Think of These Things 2 Or How to Have A Stable Church Part 3 Today prayer is being made fun of in the media and by specific leaders. Let me tell you the most important solutions to our countries problems have always been born in prayer. When the world makes fun of prayer I hope that motivates us to pray all the more. Jesus Himself got up early to pray and often prayed late at night. I would much rather follow the example Jesus with prayer than listen to what this world says about prayer for this world and its way of thinking is at war with God. My favorite seminary professor taught us, prayer is not only an important part of the ministry it is the most important part of ministry. This church has an amazing prayer ministry with our prayer chain. All these years we have seen some amazing answers to prayer. Yes, I know God does not always answer in ways that we want but prayer plays an extremely vital role in our relationship with God. During Advent I am asking all of us to pray with at least three people. Instead of saying to a person, I am praying for you, please stop and pray right there with the person. Something very good and healthy happens when we pray together as God s people. It honestly helps reduce our anxiety and increases our sense of God s peace. A few years ago I sent out a request for prayer nation wide. From coast to coast people were praying for something very dear to me and my family. The very next day the problem was solved even before Janet and I could try to solve it. God changed a person s heart and mind completely. I stand amazed at God s Presence and how He answer s prayer. Our anxiety level was sky high until we saw the solution. We did not thank God in prayer until after the solution came but we began to learn to thank God even for the problem knowing God s solution is on the way and will answer according to God s perfect time table and way. Thankful prayer, thanking God in prayer for who God is, for how God will answer, and for how God will bring good even out of the worst of situations is a step of spiritual maturity God wants all of us to take.

3 Nov 11,12, 2017 Phil 4:6-9 Think of These Things 3 Or How to Have A Stable Church Part 3 Please put your prayer request on the prayer chain. Please pray with each other. God uses our prayers to accomplish His will. It is God s will for us to react to problems with thankful in prayer. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Yesterday our community held a wonderful Veteran s Day service hosted by Paul Baumunk. It was quite moving to say the least. We honored those who have guarded this nation and fought worldwide. The Bible speaks of God s peace guarding our hearts. God s peace brings a sense of inner tranquility that can only come from God. God s peace is an inner confidence, an inner assurance, an inner conviction that God is completely trustworthy in all situations and promises to bring good out of everything that happens to you by his flawless wisdom and infinite power (John MacArthur, Philippians, pg. 282 (I also quoted his outline for this passage). God s peace is an inner calmness in the midst life s storms. Isaiah 26:3(ESV) 3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Some of you in this room have told me how you experienced God s incredible peace through your worst of trials and difficulties. Instead of completely going bonkers God s peace guarded your heart and kept you on an even keel. God s peace guarding your heart keeps anxiety, doubt, worry, and fear at bay as you confidently trust in God. Dieticians often say, You are what you eat. Their point is so very valid. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we are to take care of our bodies the best we can which includes eating a healthy diet and refusing to be gluttons. There is another phrase that goes like this, you are what you think. Paul ends his insights on how to have a stable church by commenting on what we think about. In this computer age we know the input into the computer will determine the output. Garbage in garbage out. Friends, we have to be careful what we allow our minds to ponder, the input to our brains.

4 Nov 11,12, 2017 Phil 4:6-9 Think of These Things 4 Or How to Have A Stable Church Part 3 Not that long ago my anxiety level was on the rise as was my blood pressure. I began to notice that I was at my worst emotionally after watching the news for far too long. What I was listening to deeply bothered me because I was not listening to actual news but people s bias interpretation of the news. I was being lied to. For Lent I gave up watching the news and I have never really gone back. The input was harming my attitude, sapping me of my energy, and keeping me awake at night. Too much of the wrong information can be so harmful to one s state of mind. I keep alert to the day s happening in other ways. Proverbs 23:7(KJV) 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Paul lists six godly virtues to think on in order to be a stable Christian and in order to have a stable church. 1. Whatever is true. Think on God s truth. God s Word is truth. Taking in the Word of God is meditating, analyzing, reading the Word on a consistent basis. The Bible says, Let the Word of God dwell in you richly (Col 3:16). Set you mind on things above (eternal truth). Do not think only about things down here on earth (Col 3:2). 2. Whatever is honorable. Ponder things that are noble, dignified, and worthy of respect. As I have studied the end times, there will be a darkness, a sense of dread, sense of terror as we have never seen before or will ever be again. The darkness is the deceptions and lies of Satan taking over nations. The Christians are called to focus completely on the light, on Christ, that which is honorable for to focus on the darkness will lead to defeat. It does not mean we ignore the evil of our day. It means we overcome the evil, the darkness by living and displaying the goodness of God. When we walk in the light Jesus overcomes the darkness around us for He is the light. To just look at the darkness is to sink into a dark pit which can be nearly

5 Nov 11,12, 2017 Phil 4:6-9 Think of These Things 5 Or How to Have A Stable Church Part 3 impossible to get out of, a self-imposed prison of anxiety, worry, and frustration. Thinking of that which is honorable strengthens one s soul. 3. Think on that which is just or right. It is thinking on that which is righteous and holy. I have three books other than the Bible that have helped me most of my life. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Knowing God by JI Packer, and Trusting God by Jerry Bridges. These books tell us what is righteous. All three books focus on God, God s power, God s word, bluntly telling who God is. Think of that which is right and God will change you layer after layer after layer making you right. 4. Think on whatever is pure. That which is pure is holy, morally clean and undefiled, free from sin. As our minds ponder that which is pure found in Scripture and expounded on in good Christin literature God uses to purify us. 5. Think on whatever is lovely. It means to think on, ponder, analyze that which is sweet, gracious, generous, and patient. We as Christians are to put our thoughts on what the Bible says is pleasing, attractive, and amiable before God. 6. Think on whatever is commendable or good repute. It means to think on that which is highly regarded or well thought of. Dr MacArthur writes, Believers thoughts are elevated by Scripture to fix on the loftiest of themes (ibid pg. 290). if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. The key to godly living is godly thinking. It is experiencing the mind of Christ. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Paul s final point in having a stable church is obeying God s standard. Godly thinking cannot be divorced from godly behavior. In order to living holy lives the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to help us think rightly and strengthens us to live out God s truth in ways that pleases God. I see a warning in these words. What you think on can be detrimental to you spiritual health as well as your emotional health. When we think on God s

6 Nov 11,12, 2017 Phil 4:6-9 Think of These Things 6 Or How to Have A Stable Church Part 3 ways and let that thinking guide our lives it will result in knowing more and more the God of peace and the peace of God. There is no greater knowledge than knowledge of God. It is the only way to true peace, a peace that will carry us on into eternity. Amen and Amen.