Title: Thoughts and deeds / Philippians 4:8-9
Contents
♡♥♡ Thoughts and deeds / Philippians 4:8-9
***Introduction
What are you thinking now?
Did you say “Humans are thinking reeds”?! There are many characteristics that can distinguish a man from an animal, but the greatest characteristic is that man has a spirit and can think. Thinking is very important. All human actions are manifested by thoughts. Of course, there are behaviors that come from conditioned responses and the body's defensive instincts, but these are simple physical instincts.
As the American essayist Ralph Weld Emerson said, “A man is what he thinks all day long.” As Norman Vincent Peel said, “If you change your mind, you can change your world.” That is why thinking is so important. The wise man Solomon said, 'Do not share a table with an evil person.' And he said, 'Even if you have a sacramental feast, do not eat with them.' Proverbs 23:7 says, “For whatever thoughts in his heart, so is a great man… “He said. Because the person who thinks evil is evil in itself.
Long ago, among the kings of Savannah, there was a king named ‘Fernandi V’. The king said to a fortune-teller, “You must not go to a place called Madrigal. In Madrigal, the future king will die.” In ‘Madrigal’, there was the king’s private palace, and the king built his own good private palace, but he was afraid of death and did not go there for 21 years.
Then, one time while traveling in Western Vana, I fell ill while sleeping in a small village. The king asked what the province was. The servant next to me answered, “This is ‘Madgalle’.” It had a similar name to ‘Madrigal’. But when the king heard this, he lamented, “Oh, I am going to die.” He said that he really died within a few days.
This is called ‘self-suggestion’. ‘I’m going to die. I’m going to die.’ In the end, only death will pile up. 'Can not be done. If you say no, you become a negative person. On the other hand, if you entrust your life to God and give thanks, things of peace and thanksgiving will come true, and you will eventually become a person of grace. The state I'm thinking of right now is myself. What I think about now is my belief and character. At least, believers who live before God must not forget that God is counting even their thoughts.
Now, let's go into the text and ponder what the saints who are living in the last days should think and act accordingly. The text suggests to us the secret of God's grace of peace. This part is split in two. It is a thinking phase and an action phase.
First, we need to think about receiving God's grace.
Let's read verse 8 together. We will read this verse again as ‘Modern Language Bible Translation’. “Now, brothers, before I close this letter, I have one more thing to say. Bind your thoughts to what is true and what is good and what is right. Think of things that are pure and lovely, and let them see the beautiful and good in others. Think only of giving praise and joy to God.”
Does the meaning appear more clearly? But why do we have to think like this?
God says This is the second half of Deuteronomy 31:21. He said, "To this day I know what they imagine, before I brought them into the land I swore." In Jeremiah 6:19, God sighs. “Listen, O earth. I will bring calamity upon this people, and this is the result of their thoughts. For they have not listened to me and have forsaken my law.”
In this way, a person's thoughts are regarded as actions in the sight of God. So, Jesus said that thinking of sexual immorality is “adultery” and that thinking of hating a brother is “murder.” A person's thoughts are that important, and the saints who live before God say that managing their thoughts takes precedence and is more important than managing their actions. Why? Because thoughts create actions. Jesus said in Matthew 12:35, “A good person brings good things out of the good stored up in them, and an evil person brings evil things out of the evil stored up in them.”
As the words of this text, people of God should think of the truth, goodness, and right things, think about things that are pure and lovely, see the beautiful and good things of others, and think only about giving praise and joy to God. Because it is a life that is pleasing to God.
Take these thoughts as your roots and design your life on top of them. If you have a dream and a wish, think a lot. And put that dream after a thought that pleases God. Then God will make those dreams come true. This is the wise way to make your dreams come true.
This is the story of President Lincoln of the United States. He had not yet become president. Lincoln was the road from country to town. Just then, I met an old gentleman riding a nice wagon. “I’m sorry, gentleman, can you bring my coat to town?” The old gentleman answers. “It's not difficult to bring you the coat, but how do I meet you in town and give you this coat?” Lincoln said, “Don't worry about that. I will always be in that coat.” In the end, he said in such a charming way that he asked him to take him to the town. It is said that the old gentleman admired his wit and charm and gave Lincoln a ride.
It is also wise to think about and ask God for hope. When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he said, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.” But then, he said, “But not as I will, but as you will.” He placed his hope after the will of God the Father.
How are you? What do you think now? Do you know that God is looking at those thoughts and is preparing the fruits of those thoughts?
Next, we must act with good thoughts as our roots.
Let's read verse 9. ‘Modern Man’s Translation of the Bible’. “Imitate what you learn from me and what I do, and put it into practice. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
If you have a lot of thoughts and no matter how good they are, if you don't put them into action, nothing will change in your life. A good idea has value only when it is put into practice. Isn't it said, "A bead is a treasure that has to be pierced even by a horse"?
There were three workers digging a ditch. One leaned against a shovel and said, “One day I will become the president of this company.” Another complained, “What is the daily wage?” The third man, without a word, sweated and digged the ditch.
A few years have passed. The first one goes on, "I'm going to be the president of this company!" and leaned against the shovel. And the people who complained that the daily wage was too low kept saying, “What is the daily wage still?” and was complaining. A man who was sweating profusely digging in the ground bought a forklift and was digging diligently with the forklift.
Another few years passed. The person who thought, “One day I will become the president of this company” was lamenting that even though his hair had turned white, he still did not know his abilities. And the person who complained that the daily wage was low was advised to resign. A person who worked hard at his best was recognized for his sincerity and ability and eventually became the president of the company.
Dreams don't come true overnight. The bigger and bigger the dream, the more effort and time it will take. Look at the Bible. Many people, including Moses, Abraham, Joseph, David, and Paul, had to go through many trials and tribulations for their dreams. He worked diligently and put it into practice during that trial period.
A few years ago, a conference of educators was held in India. At that time, Ms. Kerry, an Indian educator, said the following: “There are three mental sins of modern man. The first is not knowing and not trying to learn; the second is knowing but not trying to teach; and the third is being able and not willing to do it.”
God said in James 4:17, “Therefore, if a man knows how to do good and does not do it, it is sin.”
Do you design and think of your dreams based on the pleasing will of God? And are you working to achieve it? If our thoughts and actions are different, we will not bear the fruit of a righteous life. Let's finish reading one part of the talk.
Luke 6:43-46. “There is no good tree that bears bad fruit, and there is no bad tree that bears good fruit. Each tree is known by its fruit; you do not gather figs from thorns or grapes from briers. A good man brings forth good out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings forth evil out of the evil stored up in his heart; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?”
It is not so easy to be pleasing to God. It's even more difficult in a tempting and chaotic environment like today. However, we are on the road that we should go with hope for the eternal kingdom. As you have given me at this time, I pray that your thoughts will take root in God's pleasing will, and that you will bear and enjoy the good fruits of your life by putting your thoughts into practice with faith.