Let's Give Them Something to Think About
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. -- Philippians 4:8; King James Version
There is a song by Bonnie Raitt called "Let's Give Them Something To Talk About". It is basically a love song. Ms. Raitt contends, in the song, that their actions would give people something to talk about, so she wanted actions that would cause people to understand she was in love. The hook of the song went like this: "Let's give em something talk about; a little mystery to figure out. Let's give em something to talk about; how about love?"
Last week we talked about how to handle troubling situations and being curious about the right kind of stuff. Today is an extension of that.
I've said it a million times...what's in the well comes up in the bucket. The wells of our lives are our minds and our hearts. If we ever hope to consistently handle situations properly or consistently think about the right stuff we have got to have the right kind of stuff in the well. That takes transformation. Now, I am assuming that I am speaking to the "choir". I am assuming that I am speaking to an audience of the redeemed.
One of the first devotions I ever sent out on email dealt with being a wasp or crow type of Christian. A wasp, from the time it is "birthed" from the nest, never grows. A crow, on the other hand, grows until the day it dies. The problem with many Christians is that they are like a wasp. They just don't grow! (I also did a whole series on "Growing in Grace"; let me know if you would like to see it.)
How is any of this related? Glad you asked.
If we ever hope to grow; if we ever hope to handle situations properly; if we ever hope to care about the right stuff, we MUST have our minds set right! Again, I am assuming that I am talking to a Christian audience that already belongs to the Lord. What we need to do is to PRAYERFULLY discipline our minds to CONSISTENTLY think about the right stuff. Where does the "right stuff" come from?
Another good question! A lot of good stuff comes from every day life, but so does a lot of bad stuff and also things that are often relegated to "gray areas". So, where we need to start is in the Bible. It is there we discover the nature of God, His will for mankind, and His idea of what things are worth our attention.
In Paul's letter to the Philippian believers he urged them to follow his teaching and example (Philippians 4:9). Paul was definitely a man who sought to please God and he certainly was a man who knew the Word of God inside out.
God changed Paul's motives and desires, but one thing stuck, namely Paul's desire to know the Word. The difference was that Paul had been interpreting the Word based on Jewish traditions and teaching rather than on understanding through the Holy Spirit. That all changed when Paul encountered the Living Savior on the road to Damascus. Paul began to understand things in a whole new way. His response to the Spirit's working was to train himself and to discipline himself.
If we ever hope to have minds and hearts that are tuned into God we have to have minds that are tuned to His holy Word.
Bonnie Raitt wanted people to know she was in love with whoever she was singing that song about. We want people to know that we are in love with God. What better way than to seek to know and emulate the thoughts of God? The added benefit to showing forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness and into light are that AS our minds and hearts are changed so will our behavior and demeanor. Furthermore, as we find out what's important to God HOPEFULLY the same things will become important to us. (By the way, if the things of God never become important to someone that is a good indication that they do not belong to Him!)
What's the ultimate point to all of this? Another good question; glad you asked. The point is as long as we keep doing every thing like we've always done them, we can fully expect to get the same results. As long as we think and live in the flesh we will only have actions and thoughts of the flesh.
Join me. Let's discipline our minds! Let's think on good things! In the process our actions will change (because belief ALWAYS affects behavior) and others will see radically different people where the same old us used to be. To the point, they'll see Jesus. Let's give them something to think about...how about Jesus?
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. -- Philippians 4:8; King James Version
There is a song by Bonnie Raitt called "Let's Give Them Something To Talk About". It is basically a love song. Ms. Raitt contends, in the song, that their actions would give people something to talk about, so she wanted actions that would cause people to understand she was in love. The hook of the song went like this: "Let's give em something talk about; a little mystery to figure out. Let's give em something to talk about; how about love?"
Last week we talked about how to handle troubling situations and being curious about the right kind of stuff. Today is an extension of that.
I've said it a million times...what's in the well comes up in the bucket. The wells of our lives are our minds and our hearts. If we ever hope to consistently handle situations properly or consistently think about the right stuff we have got to have the right kind of stuff in the well. That takes transformation. Now, I am assuming that I am speaking to the "choir". I am assuming that I am speaking to an audience of the redeemed.
One of the first devotions I ever sent out on email dealt with being a wasp or crow type of Christian. A wasp, from the time it is "birthed" from the nest, never grows. A crow, on the other hand, grows until the day it dies. The problem with many Christians is that they are like a wasp. They just don't grow! (I also did a whole series on "Growing in Grace"; let me know if you would like to see it.)
How is any of this related? Glad you asked.
If we ever hope to grow; if we ever hope to handle situations properly; if we ever hope to care about the right stuff, we MUST have our minds set right! Again, I am assuming that I am talking to a Christian audience that already belongs to the Lord. What we need to do is to PRAYERFULLY discipline our minds to CONSISTENTLY think about the right stuff. Where does the "right stuff" come from?
Another good question! A lot of good stuff comes from every day life, but so does a lot of bad stuff and also things that are often relegated to "gray areas". So, where we need to start is in the Bible. It is there we discover the nature of God, His will for mankind, and His idea of what things are worth our attention.
In Paul's letter to the Philippian believers he urged them to follow his teaching and example (Philippians 4:9). Paul was definitely a man who sought to please God and he certainly was a man who knew the Word of God inside out.
God changed Paul's motives and desires, but one thing stuck, namely Paul's desire to know the Word. The difference was that Paul had been interpreting the Word based on Jewish traditions and teaching rather than on understanding through the Holy Spirit. That all changed when Paul encountered the Living Savior on the road to Damascus. Paul began to understand things in a whole new way. His response to the Spirit's working was to train himself and to discipline himself.
If we ever hope to have minds and hearts that are tuned into God we have to have minds that are tuned to His holy Word.
Bonnie Raitt wanted people to know she was in love with whoever she was singing that song about. We want people to know that we are in love with God. What better way than to seek to know and emulate the thoughts of God? The added benefit to showing forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness and into light are that AS our minds and hearts are changed so will our behavior and demeanor. Furthermore, as we find out what's important to God HOPEFULLY the same things will become important to us. (By the way, if the things of God never become important to someone that is a good indication that they do not belong to Him!)
What's the ultimate point to all of this? Another good question; glad you asked. The point is as long as we keep doing every thing like we've always done them, we can fully expect to get the same results. As long as we think and live in the flesh we will only have actions and thoughts of the flesh.
Join me. Let's discipline our minds! Let's think on good things! In the process our actions will change (because belief ALWAYS affects behavior) and others will see radically different people where the same old us used to be. To the point, they'll see Jesus. Let's give them something to think about...how about Jesus?
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