During our
prayer conference last weekend our friend Kelly Johnson shared about the act of
"surrendering " to Jesus. When we come to Christ and surrender our lives to Him
He gives us beautiful minds. In Romans 12:2 it is written, “Do not conform any
longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good,
pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
Each generation seems to have its own way of looking at the world. Baby boomers, those born after World War 2, are a generation who optimistically push forward and reach for the American dream. Generation X, in contrast, tend to be cynical and cautious. The pattern of our generation is a good indicator of how we view the world around us.
Regardless of our "generation" we are instructed to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Paul said we should rejoice “always.” To rejoice is an action, not a feeling, and we choose how we are going to react to our situations.
About ten years ago CNN’s Larry King interviewed Billy Graham. For some time now Graham has had several health issues including his struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. When Larry King asked him how he felt about having Parkinson’s Disease, Dr. Graham replied, “I feel great about it. It’s been a wonderful experience. I believe the Lord has many lessons to teach me through this disease.” Dr. Graham was rejoicing in the Lord. Dr. Graham must have made it a habit to daily rejoice in the Lord. Even a disease like that which would bring down anyone’s spirits was a cause for Billy Graham to praise God. The Lord gives the gift of joy.
The attitudes of joy and gentleness help lay a foundation for growing a beautiful mind. The antithesis of these attitudes is anxiety. An expert once said that there are more people addicted to anxiety than to all the other addictions combined. It is written, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). We can worry or we can worship. It’s impossible to do both at the same time.
Rather than worry, Paul calls us to prayer. To pray is to worship God, to focus on his character and adore his attributes and his names. When we pray we also put before God those problems and needs, no matter how small, and we can get specific about the troubles we are facing. This is what it means to present petitions and requests before Him.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). When God’s peace floods our souls it protects our hearts from wrong feelings and thoughts. The word “guard” means “to garrison” and it is a picture of soldiers protecting a camp or castle. The enemy is unable to get in when God’s peace protects us. A beautiful mind is a mind that has learned to cast our worries onto God and receive his peace. This is a mind that views life differently than the pattern of this world. Paul said, “Finally, brothers, 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” (Philippians 4:8).
Brian Bill commented on these verses saying, “God has packed a lot of good into this world and we need to fill our minds with that which is praiseworthy. God gave incredibly gifted Bach and Beethoven. God’s beauty is also demonstrated in art and photography, music, and even TV. Paul said, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Literally, through the power of the Spirit, tell those thoughts they have no place in your mind and cast them out in Jesus’ name.
Warren Wiersbe said, “Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.” This is how the process works: God gives the gift and we get to practice it.
The fruit of a beautiful mind is peace. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
AMEN
Each generation seems to have its own way of looking at the world. Baby boomers, those born after World War 2, are a generation who optimistically push forward and reach for the American dream. Generation X, in contrast, tend to be cynical and cautious. The pattern of our generation is a good indicator of how we view the world around us.
Regardless of our "generation" we are instructed to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Paul said we should rejoice “always.” To rejoice is an action, not a feeling, and we choose how we are going to react to our situations.
About ten years ago CNN’s Larry King interviewed Billy Graham. For some time now Graham has had several health issues including his struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. When Larry King asked him how he felt about having Parkinson’s Disease, Dr. Graham replied, “I feel great about it. It’s been a wonderful experience. I believe the Lord has many lessons to teach me through this disease.” Dr. Graham was rejoicing in the Lord. Dr. Graham must have made it a habit to daily rejoice in the Lord. Even a disease like that which would bring down anyone’s spirits was a cause for Billy Graham to praise God. The Lord gives the gift of joy.
The attitudes of joy and gentleness help lay a foundation for growing a beautiful mind. The antithesis of these attitudes is anxiety. An expert once said that there are more people addicted to anxiety than to all the other addictions combined. It is written, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). We can worry or we can worship. It’s impossible to do both at the same time.
Rather than worry, Paul calls us to prayer. To pray is to worship God, to focus on his character and adore his attributes and his names. When we pray we also put before God those problems and needs, no matter how small, and we can get specific about the troubles we are facing. This is what it means to present petitions and requests before Him.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). When God’s peace floods our souls it protects our hearts from wrong feelings and thoughts. The word “guard” means “to garrison” and it is a picture of soldiers protecting a camp or castle. The enemy is unable to get in when God’s peace protects us. A beautiful mind is a mind that has learned to cast our worries onto God and receive his peace. This is a mind that views life differently than the pattern of this world. Paul said, “Finally, brothers, 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” (Philippians 4:8).
Brian Bill commented on these verses saying, “God has packed a lot of good into this world and we need to fill our minds with that which is praiseworthy. God gave incredibly gifted Bach and Beethoven. God’s beauty is also demonstrated in art and photography, music, and even TV. Paul said, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Literally, through the power of the Spirit, tell those thoughts they have no place in your mind and cast them out in Jesus’ name.
Warren Wiersbe said, “Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.” This is how the process works: God gives the gift and we get to practice it.
The fruit of a beautiful mind is peace. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
AMEN
In
Christ,
Brown
A Special
Thanksgiving Worship;
Saturday, November
17, 2012
Location: First
United Methodist Church, 53 McKinley Ave., Endicott
Sponsored by: Union
Center United Methodist Church
Speaker: Dr. Dino
Pedrone,
President, Davis
College, Binghamton,
Special Music :
Worship Band of Davis College,
Organist : Yancey
Moore
Pianist: Aric
Phinney
All are welcome. For
Information call: 607-748-6329
or
607-748-1358
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