Whatever | Philippians 4:8

 

Do you remember anything from algebra class?

For some of us that question takes us back about two decades or more.

For others of us that question takes us back about two days.

But did you know that you are probably using a lot more algebra in your life right now than you realize?

Meghan Jones of Reader’s Digest gives us this example:

Meghan Jones

Imagine that you have 40 dollars to spend at the grocery store. You know you need to buy three boxes of cereal, four loaves of bread, and three jars of tomato sauce. Also, you really want to buy some candy.

Meghan Jones

If cereal boxes are each $4, loaves of bread are $2, and jars of tomato sauce are $5, how many candy bars can you buy (with your $40)?

That’s an algebra problem.

And I’m feeling super good about my algebra skills because the answer is super obvious to me.

I can buy $40 worth of candy bars.

You might not have lightning fast algebra skills like that, but all day and every day you are making calculations. 

• You are taking things into account
• You are weighing options
• You are determining and deciding
• You are reckoning and meditating

Or put another way:

All day, every day you are thinking.

It has been said that we have about 10,000 thoughts a day.

So, what are you thinking about?

And are those 10,000 thoughts just when we are awake?

How many thoughts do we have when we sleep?

And how many of those thoughts when we sleep turn into bad dreams and nightmares?

And is there any help for those bad dreams and nightmares?

Is there any help and any hope when we wake up in a panic in the middle of the night?

Is there any help and hope when we are wide awake in a panic in the middle of the day? 

Yes, there is help and there is hope.

What kind?

Let’s find out. 

Listen to Philippians 4, verse 8:

8 …whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

The Apostle Paul is finishing up a letter to his friends in a place called Philippi which was an ancient trade city about 10 miles off the coast of Greece.

And he is closing out his letter with a list of solid words.

Let’s unpack those words a little bit.

8 whatever is true

We tend to think more highly of ourselves than we should.

But if we are honest with our own hearts we know that we are more inclined to turn our 10,000 thoughts a day toward things that are not true.

We lean more toward reality shows than real life (and by the way, reality shows are not real life).

We immerse ourselves into constant streams of:

• Fiction
• Fantasy
• Virtual reality

Now those things are not always evil, but we seem to not be able to break free from them.

We might binge watch a whole season of zombies walking dead and yet be immensely bored 5 minutes into a movie about Christians standing firm. 

We might record a documentary on a bad-boy athlete and his fall from grace and yet never watch the documentary about the Christian athlete living his life by grace.

We might post and repost angry political ideas and yet rarely post or repost challenging biblical ideas. 

Or worse, we post and repost both.

If you profess to be a Christian, please remember that what you post still needs to be something that would not dishonor God.

But let us all understand that we are all sinners and we tend to not always gravitate toward what is true.

It has been estimated using today’s numbers that Henry Ford was worth about $200 billion. 

That would buy a lot of candy bars.

Henry Ford

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it.

Thinking is hard work and if we don’t do the hard work we will casually and consistently drift towards things that are not true.

What is true?

Well, the Apostle Paul was not writing about scientific facts or algebraic equations.

He was writing about spiritual realities. 

So, what is true?

This is how Jesus prayed for his friends:

John 17:17 (AMPC)

Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.

Jesus says that the Word of God is truth. 

What is the Word of God?

Well, in a sense, the Word of God is more than just words.

The Word of God is so magnificent it can’t truly be contained. 

The Word of God is what spoke the world into existence.

But by his design and for his glory and for your good, God chose to make sure his Word was not just floating around as magnificent truth through the universe.

In his extreme kindness, he made sure that his truth was written down so that we might know about:

• His character
• His ways
• His work
• His Son, Jesus the Christ

And we find those written truths in the Bible.

So, please:

• For the good of your life
• For the good of your family’s life
• For the good of your church family’s life
• For the good of those without Christ around your life

Spend time reading the Bible.

It doesn’t have to be an hour Bible Study, but spend time reading the Bible. 

• Read a verse
• Read a chapter
• Read a page

And…

• Think about what you read
• Pray about what you read
• Make a note about what you read

Make the Word of God a constant part of your life. 

Our culture is full of fantasy and fiction.

Enjoy them in portions but do the hard work of thinking more about God and his Word because Jesus said the Word of God is true.   

 

8 true, whatever is honorable,

 

Think about things that are:

• Worthy of respect
• Serious
• Honorable
• Dignified

I love sports and almost everyone in my house enjoys sports. 

But over the years I have found myself far too often having to say things like this to my kids when we are watching sports:

• “Don’t act like that.”
• “Don’t be like that.”
• “Don’t do what he does.”

Why?

 

Because their actions were not worthy of respect.

 

Colossians 3:2

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Our culture has plenty of:

• Arrogance
• Selfishness
• Dishonor

Don’t set your mind on things like that.

Set your mind on the honorable, heavenly truth about God.

8 true…honorable…whatever is right,

Someone might ask:

“How do I think about what is right when there is so much wrong in the world?”

“How do I think about what is right when there are so many evil things happening in our community and our country?”

This is what Jesus said:

Matthew 5:6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Here’s why you must think on things that are right:

Because our minds and hearts and souls will shrivel up and die if we don’t fight to hunger and thirst for righteousness. 

What does that look like in real life?

Joni (Johnny) Eareckson Tada has been a quadriplegic since a diving accident in 1967.

Joni

I don’t know all the answers. And I’m not sure if I did that it would help. But I do know the One who has the answers. And knowing Him makes all the difference.

Joni

I’d rather be in this chair knowing Him than on my feet without him.  If I’m to be held steady in the midst of my suffering, I want to be held not by a doctrine or a cause but by the most powerful Person in the universe.

There is plenty in this world that is wrong but let us do the hard work of thinking about what is right. 

Let us thirst and hunger for the righteousness that only comes from the most powerful person in the Universe. 

8 true…honorable…right…whatever is pure,

Generally speaking, we all want:

• Pure water
• Pure air
• Pure food
• Pure medicine

But our culture seems to care very little for:

• Pure conduct
• Pure character

Far too many young men want to openly live immoral lives, but then they want to marry a pure, moral young woman.

Far too many young women want to openly live immoral lives but then get married in a pure white dress in the sanctuary of a church.

 

Ephesians 4:22-24

…in reference to your former manner of life…lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit...and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in…holiness of the truth.

There are plenty of things in this world that are:

• Corrupted
• Full of lust
• Impure
• Immoral

So, let us do the hard work of thinking about things that are holy and pure.

The truth of God is holy and pure.

8 true…honorable…right…pure…whatever is lovely,

• Lovely
• Pleasing
• Attractive
• Things that inspire admiration

I heard a story years ago about a veteran news reporter who was in the middle of a televised report from Haiti after a devastating earthquake.

During his live report he just broke down in tears.

He was absolutely overwhelmed with the number of dead and injured around him.

That kind of compassion is a lovely picture in a tragic scene.

From the pain and agony and horror of the cross, we hear these words from Jesus:

Luke 23:34

Father, forgive them…

 

In the midst of unspeakable torment and impending death comes a lovely, penetrating voice of mercy.

Life is full of unattractive, unpleasing, horrible things. 

Let us do the hard work of thinking about things that are:

• Lovely
• Pleasing to the Lord
• Worthy of admiration

 

8 true…honorable…right…pure…lovely, whatever is of good repute,

Whatever is kind and appealing.

William Cowper wrote some excellent lyrics for hymns.

On April 24, 1800, he was very near death and Miss Perowne, the woman who was caring for him, attempted to offer him some kind of refreshment.

He replied:

“What can it signify?”

Why?

What good will it do?

Ever felt like that?

It is reported that those were his last words and he died the very next day.

Cowper was redeemed and saved, but he was so overwhelmed with despair and confusion that he couldn’t work out the good repute Miss Perowne offered.

His mouth may not have been able to speak the words in that one moment, but his heart had long known this truth that he wrote about in 1772.

William Cowper

There is a fountain filled with blood

Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;

And sinners plunged beneath that flood

Lose all their guilty stains.

There are plenty of things in this world that are:

• Offensive
• Discouraging

Let us do the hard work of thinking on things that are kind and appealing.

The Word of God is full of good repute.

Just in case Paul left any “whatevers” out, he says this next:

 

8 if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise,

Listen to the following questions and try to be honest with yourself about which ones you are more likely to think.

• What do I not like about that person?
• What is he or she not doing that I think they should be doing?
• Or…
• What is excellent and worthy of affirming in that person?
• What do they do that I am thankful for?

Or what about these questions:

• What do I not like about that church?
• Or…
• What is excellent and worthy of affirming about that church?

Or what about these questions:

• Who are you a fan of?
• Who do you praise?
• Who are your heroes?

Or take those a little deeper:

• Who are you teaching your kids and grandkids to be a fan of?
• Who are you teaching them to praise?
• Who are you teaching them to take as heroes?

Do you promote men and women to your kids and your grandkids who are excellent and praiseworthy followers of Jesus?

Or do you only promote seemingly successful athletes and coaches and musicians and politicians and business people and other professionals that will help learn how to get a good job and get ahead in this world?

If we are really doing the hard work of thinking, what would be the most excellent and most praiseworthy thing that we could think about?

1 Peter 2:9

…you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…

 

If you are a Christian, the most excellent thought you can have and keep having is this:

• “I once was lost, but now I am found!”
• “I once was blind, but now I see!”
• “I no longer stand condemned in my sin!”
• “I have been called out of darkness!”
• “I now stand in the marvelous light of God!”

William Cowper may have had a hard time gathering his words on his deathbed, but he wrote some other words back in 1772 that had to thrill his soul when woke on the other side of death.

William Cowper

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue

Lies silent in the grave

Then in a nobler, sweeter song

I’ll sing Thy power to save

I’ll sing Thy power to save

What did the Apostle Paul want his friends in Philippi to do with all of these “whatevers”?

8 dwell on these things.

That’s some really cool biblical algebra.

He wanted them to take God’s Word and:

• Dwell on it
• Calculate it
• Consider it
• Evaluate it
• Weigh it
• Reckon it

What does that look like in real life?

And for the purposes of this sermon series, what does all of this mean for our struggles with bad dreams and nightmares?

• The nightmares in the middle of the night
• The nightmares in the middle of the day

Stacy Reaoch (Ree-ock) is a wife and mother of four who lives in Pittsburgh.

About 4 years ago, she had an experience that I think helps us step into why we need to dwell on the truth of God’s Word.

Stacy Reaoch

This past Fall my husband had the privilege of going to Turkey to speak at a conference for Christian workers. Although I was excited for his opportunity, I was also feeling somewhat hesitant with the terrorist activity in nearby Syria.

Stacy Reaoch

Thanks to modern technology, we planned to FaceTime every day to keep in close touch with each other. One day during that week, our appointed time to connect went by with no contact from my husband.

Stacy Reaoch

Maybe he’s just running late, I reasoned.

Stacy Reaoch

I looked for text messages. I checked to make sure my ringer was turned up loud enough. Maybe he’s deep in conversation with someone. But as the minutes turned into hours, fear began to seize me.

Stacy Reaoch

Unfortunately, I learned of terrorists near the Turkey border as I began watching world news reports. As fear began to consume me, every worst possible situation played out in my head.

Stacy Reaoch

Had terrorists overcome the conference and taken captives? What would I do?

Stacy Reaoch

My mind went through multiple scenarios: explaining to our children what had happened, looking for a job to support our family, and wondering whether to sell the house.

Stacy Reaoch

By the time my husband was finally able to call, I had already decided where to move and how much to sell the house for. Come to find out, he was just fine.

Stacy Reaoch

When fear seizes you, all your ability to think rationally evaporates. Life becomes overwhelming, and the promises of God are thrown out the window.

Been there?

Stacy Reaoch

During our moments of fear and panic, God is whispering promises to us.

Where do we find those promises?

In the Bible.

The Bible is God’s book for you.

• Dwell on it when you wake up
• Dwell on it when you go to school
• Dwell on it when you go to work
• Dwell on it when you go to the doctor
• Dwell on it when you go take your driving test

And especially dwell on it before you go to sleep.

Why?

Because God never sleeps.

That means he can whisper his promises to your heart even in the night.

Dow Welsh | April 22, 2018

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Sermon scriptures NASB unless otherwise noted

Lots of help from many pastors and theologians

Significant weekly help from Bruce Hurt at http://www.preceptaustin.org/

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https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/when-fear-seizes-you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BwJwod-Voo