[15] "All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. [16] Only let us live up to what we have already attained."
[17] "Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. [18] For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. [20] But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, [21] who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."
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Philippians 4:1, 8-9 NIV:
[1] "Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!"
[8] "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things. [9] Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me---put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
As I was reading through Paul's letter this morning the theme of our thoughts and thinking stood out to me. Paul, actually discusses our thinking or our mindset in several of his letters, and I believe that this is such a critical area for all of us. Another of my favorite authors, A.W.Tozer writes, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." (The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W.Tozer). The more I have thought about the Lord, the more I agree with that statement. Our thoughts drive our actions. Our thoughts, and how we think about something, influences greatly our perception of that which occurs in our life and becomes the basis of our reality.
Thinking and how we think about certain things will undoubtedly affect how we think about other things, and how we interpret new data. I read a good book several years ago that discussed this whole topic. In it the author talks about some of the ways we develop a world view based on our experiences and how that influences how we view everything else. This is exactly the point, relating to our faith, that A. W. Tozer made, and Paul is making here in these verses. What we think affects our ability to stand in our belief, in our faith, for our thoughts affect our perception, and that affects our actions.
Paul encourages them to stand firm in the Lord, to think about such things, to take such a view (think about it this way) of things and to allow God to show them where they think differently than they should. He is effectively encouraging them to set their minds on God, and the truth about God, for in doing so, their perception and understanding of God's purposes changes. When we start to think the way God thinks, our whole understanding of the situation changes. When we stop thinking about ourselves, we begin to see opportunities for God to move all around us.
Paul's warning about having our minds set on earthly things is important to heed. He identifies two areas specifically - appetites (here translated stomach), and giving glory to shameful things. The Greek word translated stomach can mean appetites for all things, not just food. It can also mean the innermost part of a man, the soul, heart as the seat of thought, feeling, choice. Here Paul warns against making that our god. In other words letting out appetites and desires, our own humanistic perspectives become that which we serve. The modern line of thought is "if it feels good, do it!" There is no sense of moral truth in this mindset, our only focus is on our own desires and appetites. As we run down that path, we begin to hold up things that would be considered shameful, as honorable and worthy of adulation. I think I just described a standard night of television programming and news.
Paul's encouragement again is to think about those things that are beneficial. He encourages us to think about "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy" (Phil 4:8). I think our lives would be significantly affected if we would learn to have such a mindset, if we could set our minds to this channel, rather than to the worldly or fleshly channel. If we think on such positive things, we will find our minds less affected by the negative things we see around us. If we focus on God's perspective and allow Him to correct our thinking, we will begin to understand more about His goodness and His perfect will.
Last evening I had the opportunity to share stories of God's blessing and interaction with a good brother in the Lord. It is amazing to see how the Lord is able to work in our lives, if we listen, if we enable Him to speak and direct our lives. Believing that God is good, does good, and has a good plan for one's life, really changes how we approach what could be difficult circumstances. If we experience bad things, we can hold onto the truth that God is good, loving, merciful and in control. We can trust that He has a purpose and plan and He will see us through, and on the other side we will have encountered God's provision and blessing. Graham Cooke says that in every difficult circumstance there is the opportunity for God to show up with an even greater provision. If w focus on God's greatness rather then the circumstances in front of us, then we can stand firm. I am reminded of David as he confronted Goliath, he wasn't focused on how big Goliath was, but rather he was focused on how huge God was, on the promises that God had spoken over his life. He was thinking about the situation from God's perspective and was able to stand his ground in his faith.
I am encouraged this morning to work to set my mind on the things of God, on good things, things that are pleasing and helpful in my pursuit of Him. I am encouraged to look at my life and see opportunities for growth and embracing of His truth, that I might stand firm.
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