Fixing My Mind (Part 1), Thinking With A Purpose

Whatever You Think, You Become

Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church

Sermon Delivered By

Trennie L. Williams, PhDc

September 3, 2017



Philippians 4:8-9

(8) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

(9) What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Think on (these things)

(Greek): λογίζομαι – logizomai (log-id’-zom-ahee)

to take an inventory, that is, estimate (literally or figuratively): – conclude, (ac-) count (of), + despise, esteem, impute, lay, number, reason, reckon, suppose, think (on).
What should I being thinking about? We should be thinking with true purpose in mind.

“..if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Php 4:8

I should fix my mind on:
1. Virtuous things.

Things of valor, strength, and excellence.

2 Peter 1:3-4

(3) His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

(4) by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Peter 1:5-9

(5) For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

(6) and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,

(7) and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

(8) For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(9) For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

2. Praise things. 

Things that are concretely commendable.

Laudation: a loud celebration of praise through divine worship with words and singing.

Psalm 100:1-5 (Amplified)

(1)  A Psalm of thanksgiving and for the thank offering. MAKE A joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands!

(2)  Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing!

(3)  Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. [Eph_2:10]

(4)  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!

(5)  For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations.

3. Thinking upward.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-23

(21) but test everything; hold fast what is good.

(22) Abstain from every form of evil.

(23) Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 4:1-6

(1) Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

(2) By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

(3) and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

(4) Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

(5) They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.

(6) We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.