I want you to turn back with
me to the book of Philippians chapter 4. It may be that we'll get a little
help tonight. It may be that the Lord will
be pleased to speak instead of leaving it up to us. I've got
a subject here that we need to look into. We need to examine
directions for disciples. Now, I'm sure of this. I'm sure
of the fact that the most unprofitable task, the most useless task that
a man could ever engage upon is to give his ministry to trying
to teach doctrine to unregenerate people. It can't be done. It just cannot be done. There
are a lot of people who visit this church and that church to
try to find out who's right doctrinally. They're confused doctrinally.
They're going to stay confused doctrinally. Because salvation
is not the pursuit of a doctrine, it's the pursuit of a person. They're going to stay confused.
The unregenerate man receiveth not the things of God. He cannot
understand them. He can understand religion. He
can understand prophecy. He can understand morality. He
can understand form and ceremony. He can't understand the gospel.
It has to be revealed. And as long as you're trying
to find out which baptism is the right baptism, you never
will find out. As long as you're trying to find
out the doctrine of election is right or wrong, you'll never
find out. You'll die confused. That's right. I'm telling you
the truth. You may not understand what I'm saying, but it's so.
As long as you're trying to find out whether the return of Christ
is going to be premillennial, postmillennial, or amillennial,
you'll die confused. Scripture doesn't tell you to
seek the doctrine. It says seek the Lord. Our Lord
didn't say, come to the denomination, come to the church, come to the
doctrine. He said, come to me. Come to me. You're going at it
the wrong way. You don't arrive at Christ through
doctrine. You arrive at doctrine through
Christ. If you want to find out where to go to church, you find
the man preaching Christ. Not the doctrines about Christ,
but Christ. You'll recognize it. If you want to arrive in an understanding
of the Word of God, you find the man that's preaching Christ.
Preaching Christ. It may be that God will give
you an open heart. But the second impossible and
unprofitable task, not only is to try to teach an unregenerate
man doctrine, but the second impossible task is to try to
establish rules for religionists to live by. That's what a lot
of preachers are trying to do. They're trying to lay down some
regulations for unregenerate men. What I can do and what I
can't do and still be saved. Just impossible. In the first
place, the religionist does not love the lawgiver. He does not
love the lawgiver. How can he love his law? He does not love the one who
reigns, the one who is on the throne. How can he love his commandments? Christ said, if you love me,
you'll keep my commandments. See the difference? If you love
me, this is where it starts, you see. You don't start with
the commandments. Is this right or that wrong?
You start with him. If you love me, you'll keep my
commandments. You can't even recognize his
commandments until you know who he is. You'll be receiving for commandments,
the doctrines of men, if you don't know Christ. And secondly,
there's no use trying to teach an unregenerate man doctrine
or establishing rules and regulations for his conduct because he doesn't
understand the principle of grace. With him, it's not by the grace
of God I am what I am. With him, it's I thank you, Lord,
I'm not like other men. He's going about like those in
Romans 10, establishing a righteousness. Establishing by his religious
works or his good deeds or his morality a righteousness on which
God will judge him and receive him and bless him. It's a commercial
Christianity. If I do such and such a thing,
God will do such and such a thing. God will meet me. and God will
reward me on the basis of what I do for God or what I do for
my fellow man. He doesn't understand the principles
of grace. No need to try to teach him doctrine.
No need to try to lay down rules for his conduct because he does
not love the lawgiver. He does not understand the principles
of grace. His life is not gracious. If
a man's life is not gracious, his heart's not gracious. As
a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. An ungracious person
in conduct is an ungracious person in soul. And then thirdly, the religionist,
the unregenerate man does not have the life of God in him.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, his principles are
flesh, his motives are flesh, his attitude is flesh, his conduct
is flesh, and flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of
God. The natural man receiveth not the things of God, neither
can he know them. He can understand outward morality,
but not inward holiness. He can understand If you do certain
things, God will do certain things, but he cannot understand inward
peace. He doesn't understand that. He
doesn't have the life of peace. He can memorize scripture, but
he cannot lay hold of the power of scripture. He can tell you
what the scripture says, but he can't do it. He just can't
do it. The Scripture says love one another.
He can't do it. He can't lay hold of the power
of that Scripture. He can memorize it, he can quote
it, he can even teach it, but he can't do it. He can tell you the Scripture
says, Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another as God for Christ's sake forgave you, but he can't experience
it. He can't demonstrate it. He can't produce it. Because
it takes the life of God to produce that thing. He can learn doctrine, but he
cannot put life in that doctrine. He can't do it. It's an impossible
task. It takes the Spirit of God to
produce the works of God's Spirit and the fruit of God's Spirit. Here is the way he's described
in the Scripture, ever learning, ever learning, ever learning,
and never understanding. You hear people often say, I
listen to messages, I read, but I can't retain, I can't experience
it, I can't enter into it. You're unregenerate, that's the
reason you can't. It takes life to enter into the
words of life. Here's another scripture that
describes him having a form of godliness, a form of godliness,
but denying, denying by conduct and attitude the power thereof. And this unregenerate man, this
religionist, he may continue in the faith and he may quit.
He's unpredictable. He may be around for a little
while and then he's gone. He may love you today, he'll
turn on you tomorrow. He may build a fellowship or
he may destroy it. He's unpredictable. He may be
faithful to the worship service. He may not even come. He may
walk with the sovereign graces today and the Armenians tomorrow.
He's like a camellia. He can fit in either scheme.
He may praise you today and not speak to you tomorrow. He's like
the chaff which the wind bloweth away. There's no foundation.
There's no anchor. There's no established place.
He's here and he's there and he's yonder. He's like the waves
of the sea that are driven with the wind. He's like a child,
Paul said, tossed to and fro with doctrine. There's no need
to lay down rules for him. He has no certain dwelling place.
He's not established, Paul said. Establish you in the faith. His profession is a passing fancy
like all the other hobbies he's tried. Not so the believer. Not so. What does the scripture say about
the believer? He's like a tree planted by the waters. He's not chaff with no anchor
and no root that's blown about here and there. He's a tree planted
by the water. And every tree that my Father
planteth, you know what Christ said? Every tree that my father
did not plant and every one he did plant. That's what Christ
talks about. He's planted. He's got a tap root that reaches
down into the very center and heart of grace and that is the
person of Christ. That's where he gets all his
nourishment. Here's something else the scripture says about
him, about the believer. Now the unbeliever, not dependable,
unpredictable, But not so the believer. He's
like a tree. A tree is always where you left it. Furnishing
shade and fruit. And a shield from the burning
sun. Strength, stability, dependability. That's that tree that God planted.
By the rivers of water. The tree doesn't sustain its
own life. It's sustained by the waters of the river of life.
And then he's like a house built on a rock. Let the rain descend,
let the floods come, let the wind blow. It will not fall. It will not be shaken. He says
the believer is like a stone in a living temple put there
by God Himself. The believer, a permanent branch,
is in the vine. The believer is a jewel in the
crown of Christ. And first and foremost, but I
mention it last, the believer is in love with Jesus Christ. That's the difference. And he loves everything that
pertains to Christ. Everything. And you can talk
to him about directions for disciples. You can talk to him about doctrines
of the church. You can talk to him about those
things which Christ hath done and those things which he will
do. And he will persevere. He will continue in the faith
and he will understand by the Spirit's power what you're talking
about. Now here in our text in Philippians
4, the Apostle Paul, first of all, describes, before I give
you these six directions, he describes those to whom he writes. I've said this so many times,
I'll repeat it again. It helps so much when you're
interpreting Scripture to find out who's speaking, to whom he's
speaking, and what is his subject. Now Paul here, Paul ministered
to this church at Philippi. When he wrote this epistle, he
was in prison in Rome. They had sent their pastor, Paproditus,
down there to minister to him, and Paul wrote this epistle to
express his gratitude for them. He praised the Lord for them.
He said in verse 6 of chapter 1 to these Philippians, I'm confident,
I'm confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good
work in you, We'll perform it. He'll finish it. He'll complete
it. He'll continue it until the day
of Jesus Christ. Paul writing to the church. Now
watch how he addresses them. First of all, he says, therefore,
my brethren. He's talking about the family
of God. I believe for some people, other
than the apostle, this phrase is more than a title. It is a
fact. We have the same father. Believers
have the same father. Believers are one family in the
household of faith. One of the men asked me in the
study there about my brother's wife, who lives in Virginia,
how she was getting along if she had remarried. I said, I
really don't know. We don't correspond. We really
have nothing to write about. We live in two different worlds.
Her interest and the interest of her sons is not my interest
nor the interest of my family. When we finish talking about
the family, what is there then to discuss? It's difficult to
maintain any kind of social relationship with people who live in two different
worlds. Here is my family. the people of God. That's what
Paul is saying here. He's not talking about my brethren
naturally, he's talking about my brethren spiritually. Those
who have the same father, in the same family, the same household,
have the same interest. They have the same goal, they
have the same objectives. They have the same purpose in
life. They love each other, brethren. He calls them down here, he said,
calls them dearly beloved twice. Dearly beloved. Verse 1, listen. Therefore, my brethren, dearly
beloved and long for. I long for you. I long to be
with you. I long to share your thoughts and share your life
and share your joys and share your sorrows and share your successes
and share your failures. Tells them to stand fast in the
Lord, and again he calls them, my dearly beloved. My dearly
beloved. Is this become a reality? Brethren. Brethren. Brethren. He calls them, not only this,
he says, therefore my brethren. Dearly beloved, long for, He
says, you are my joy and my crown. You are my joy. You are my rejoicing. Turn to 2 Corinthians 1. Look
at verse 13 and 14. You know, this is what our Master
was talking about. There is a fellowship of believers. John writes about in the first
epistle of John that your fellowship might be with us and our fellowship
with the Father. There's a fellowship of believers.
Bless me the tire that binds our hearts in Christian love.
The fellowship is like to that above. Have you discovered that?
Second Corinthians 1 13 Paul says in verse 13 we write none
of the things unto you than what you read or acknowledge and I
trust you shall acknowledge even to the end as Also, you have
acknowledged us in part that we are your rejoicing We are
your rejoicing even as you also are our rejoicing in the day
of our Lord Jesus Christ By this shall all men know you are my
disciples, if you love one. Dearly beloved. Long for. My joy. My crown. Dearly beloved. That's the people he's writing
to. He's not just writing to religionists. He's not just writing
to people of the same theology. He's not just writing to people
of the same denomination. He's just not writing to people
of what we call the same faith. He's writing to people of the
same family. It's the blood of Christ that
makes them one and not the blood of a son of Adam. They are one. So then he gives these six directions
to these dearly beloved, these long far, these who are his joy
and crown. First of all, this is what he
says to them. Stand fast in the Lord. Stand fast in the Lord. Now the reason this exhortation
is first is because it is first. It's the foundation of all else.
Christ is the fountain of life. Stand fast in the Lord. We're chosen in Christ. We're
loved in Christ. We're redeemed in Christ, we're
crucified in Christ, we're buried in Christ, we're risen in Christ,
we're ascended in Christ, and we're seated in Christ. Everything
that we are and have is in Christ. You stand fast in the Lord. Turn to 1 Corinthians 15. This
is what Paul is saying to the church at Corinth. 1 Corinthians
15 verse 1. Moreover, brethren, I declare
unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have
received, and wherein you stand. Stand in this gospel. That's
the first thing. Stand in His gospel. Be true to the gospel of His
glory. Find your hope and your confidence
and your assurance in the gospel of His glory. That's where you
find it. Not in your feeling or profession, but in His gospel.
Not only stand fast in his gospel, but stand fast in the liberty
of Christ as opposed to the bondage of the law. Don't let the law
mongers. and the merchandisers of souls
shake you from the foundation Christ Jesus and turn your eyes
to the law for sanctification or justification or anything
else. Stand fast in His power to keep us, now unto Him that's
able to keep you from falling. Stand fast in the faith and fellowship
of believers. Be careful. Don't leave the assembly. Don't forsake the assembling
of yourselves together. There's so many warnings in the
scripture. I had a little article in the
bulletin recently. I hope all of us read that. But
there's so many warnings in the scripture about departing, departing,
departing. You know, the Lord turned to
his disciples and said, would you go away? And they said, to
whom shall we go? There's nowhere else to go. Thou
hast the words of life. And then John says, they went
out from us. They never were of us. If they
had been of us, they would have continued with us. Paul warns
in the Hebrews, he said, you're the house of Christ if you hold
fast your profession firm unto the end. In Colossians, he wrote,
we are the redeemed of Christ. We are presented holy and unblameable
if we continue in the faith. On and on through this, stand
fast. That's the first thing he said,
my brethren, My dearly beloved, my longed for, my joy, my crown,
stand fast. Be like that tree planted by
the rivers of water. Be like that house laid on the
rock. The man digged deep and found
the rock and built his house on the rock and there's no shifting
and no movement. Stand right there. Stand fast
in the gospel of His glory. Stand fast in the liberty of
Christ, stand fast in His power to keep us, and stand fast in
the faith and fellowship of believers. Stay right where you are. Stay
right where you are. And then secondly, look at verse
2. Here are the directions for our disciples. That's the first
direction. Stand fast in the Lord. Right where you are. right where you are, immovable,
established, right where you are. Maintain the fellowship.
I'm always troubled about people that are like bees that go from
flower to flower, or butterflies that flip from place to place.
They are never established, they are never built up in the faith,
and they never make a contribution to anybody else being built up
in the faith. Never do. And if everybody were
like them, God Almighty wouldn't have one church on this earth. Not one church. There wouldn't
be one gospel testimony, there wouldn't be one missionary on
the field. Oh, they'd put them there for a while, then they'd
forsake them, and they'd have to come home. Men whom God uses
are men who are faithful. Thou hast been faithful over
few things, I'll make you ruler over many. God blesses and uses
the star that stays right where God put it, and it stays there
all the time. All the time. Stand fast in the
Lord. Secondly, he says in verse 2,
I beseech Jodeas, and I beseech Syntyche, that they be of the
same mind in the Lord. What's he talking about? Well,
here are two women who were divided. They were divided. They were
having difficulty. They were having trouble. They
had fallen out one another over something. And they were having
words. And Paul writes to them and says,
I beseech them to be of the same mind in the Lord. I beseech them
to settle this thing and get together. Now, here's what happens
when people fall out. What happens is each one starts
looking for allies. That's the first thing. They
start looking for allies. This one tells this one her side
or his side. This one tells this one their
side. And then that one tells that
one that side. And they keep on until they've got a division.
They've got a faction. And here's what people do. And
this is such nonsense. If you are his friend, you can't
be my friend because I'm mad at him. Or if you're his friend,
you can't be my friend because we are divided. That's your problem.
To get that thing settled. That's what Paul is saying. But
here's the thing, here's where we've got to come, right here.
Be of the same mind. If we are of the same mind regarding,
now listen, the major things of the faith. If we are of the
same mind regarding the major things of the faith. What are
the major things of the faith? This glorious inspired Word of
God. The major things are the faith. The person and glory of our living
God. We're of the same mind. We're
of the same mind on that, John. The person and glory of the living
God. Hallowed be thy name. He's matchless, almighty. His
is the kingdom, the victory. His is the glory. We're together
on that, aren't we? Are we together on His purpose
to redeem sinners? Back before the foundation of
the world, He said, I'm going to have a people like that. Because of man's fall and inability
none would come to Christ. So in the eternal covenant of
grace. He gave you son of people We
together on that. We're the same mind on that.
These are major things. Let's not play play house here.
There's a major thing This is God glorifying thing Are we together
on who Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God? Very God of very
God who came into this world in human flesh, who became a
man as my representative, walked this earth and fulfilled the
law and obeyed it and died as our substitute and ascended to
glory where he is our only mediator. Are we of the same mind on that?
We have the same mind on the fact that we need to preach the
gospel and witness, and we need to come together and worship
and pray. We need to send missionaries. We need to broadcast the truth
of the gospel. We need to pray for it. Are we
together on that? Then the rest is garbage. Isn't
that right? The rest is garbage. The rest
is tinsel. The rest is flesh. The rest is
going to fade away anyway. The rest is not going to last
until tomorrow anyway. It'll all be gone and forgotten
tomorrow, so be of the same mind. Let your unity be determined
by your relationship with Christ. That's the key. Brother, I tell
you, there's nothing else to fall out over. Ain't nothing
else to fall out over. Why in the world should I fall
out about who won the World Series? Why in the world should I fall
out about who got elected president? Why in the world should believers
fall out about what song was sung or who teaches a class or
anything else? Why should believers fall out
about anything regarding this temporary world when our unity
and relationship and accord and fellowship is based on eternal
matters? Oh, I tell you, if we'll get
out of our little selfish circle, If we'll get out of our little
fleshly, personal ego and program and get into the glorious, eternal,
majestic things of God, then these other things just, they're
just a mountain of beans. They're just temporary. They're just the fashion of this
world fadeth away. Let's don't divide over it. It's
foolishness. Forget it. Forget it. Be of the same mind. Let this
mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. Our Lord Jesus Christ was in
full fellowship with his Father, and he wasn't really interested
in what Caesar's plans were for tomorrow. He wasn't really interested
in what Caesar's plans were for other nations. He was interested
in what his eternal Father's purpose was. for His people. See what I'm talking about? If
we can think on things that are above this world, the tinsel
and soap bubbles and all of these things of this world, then when
one of them pops, you can overlook it, forget it, because you're
not even looking at it, you're looking to Him. Then thirdly,
watch this. Verse 4, Rejoice in the Lord. These are directions for disciples.
Stand fast in the Lord. Be of the same mind. Let the
mind of Christ rule in you. Set your affection on things
above, not on things of this earth. Don't be divided over
things that are temporary, passing, just here for the day. And then
thirdly, rejoice in the Lord always. You know the word rejoice
is used ten times in the book of Philippians? My desire is that I learn the
meaning of this word by experience. I want to learn to rejoice in
Christ. Rejoice. There's always cause
to rejoice. Always. Always. Down here in verse 6 it says,
In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made. There's always a reason for thanksgiving. Rejoice in the Lord's grace which
is sufficient. Rejoice in the Lord's love, which
never fails. Rejoice in the Lord's blood that
cleanses and makes atonement for your soul. Rejoice in the
Lord's providence that makes everything work for your good.
Rejoice in the Lord's presence, which never leaves you. Rejoice
in the Lord's righteousness, which sanctifies. Rejoice in
the Lord's sacrifice, which justifies. Rejoice in the Lord's intercession,
which is continual. He ever liveth to make intercession.
Rejoice that your names are written in the book of life. A whole
lot to rejoice over. I'll hurry. Verse 5. Here's the
next one. He says in verse 5, let your
moderation be known unto all men. What does that mean? Let
your moderation immediately. Comes into our mind, well, that's
don't eat too much or drink too much. Well, I'm sure that's included. And I'm sure that's important.
We talk about moderation. We talk about moderation in our
earthly habits. And that's so. That's included.
Don't wipe it out now. That's true. But what this is
saying, almost all of the writers agree, is this. This is what
it's saying. Let all me you see it says let
your moderation be known unto all men all me now. What's it? Let all men both in
the church and out of the church See and recognize your Moderation
your humility Your unselfishness Your consideration your forgiving
spirit. Let everybody see it. That's
what it's saying. Here's directions for disciples.
Stand fast in the Lord. Gospel power and so forth. Stand
fast. Build a unity in the church on
the great things. Forget the little things. They'll
crop up all the time, but just forget them. Take your eyes off
of them. Turn your eyes on Christ. Keep
them there. Keep them there. And rejoice in the Lord. But
let your moderation, your humility, your gentleness, your unselfishness,
your consideration, your forgiving spirit be known unto all men. Now this is exactly what we're
saying. That's not only in the church. When we're in this atmosphere,
it's not too hard for some of us to be religious, to be forgiving,
to let someone go in front of us, not to demand our rights
and so forth. But let the people in your home
see and understand your moderation. It's the opposite of intemperate.
It's the opposite of a fellow that flies off the handle all
the time and reads everybody's riot act, you know, reads everybody's
title clear. Let your moderation. On the job,
that's where, let all men, let all men, let that clerk behind
the counter you're dealing with see your moderation. Let that
waitress, she brings your order and sets it down in front of
you. And how do you deal with her? You go up there to the flight
counter and the airline says your flight's been canceled.
How do you deal with that little girl? She didn't cancel the flight.
She's not flying that day. She's just the one that tells
you. But oh, does she get scalded. This is what I'm talking about.
That's what he's saying. Let your moderation, let your
humility, let your consideration, let your forgiving spirit, the
man in front of you with the stalled car, let him see your
moderation. We could just go on and on and
on talking about this moderate. Let's deal with others, not in
severity, but in kindness and love. We're to put up with injuries
and affronts, bearing them patiently and forgiving. We're to put the
best interpretation on other people's words. What do you mean
by that? Well, I'm sure he meant something
nice, don't you? No, I don't think he did. We're
to put the best interpretation on statements that others make,
not seeking cause for division or cause for offense. Let the
Spirit of Christ adorn your doctrine and also your conduct. Look at the next line, the Lord
is at hand. Why is that there? Why is that
there? In these directions for disciples,
here are these monumental things, stand fast in the Lord and be
of the same mind and rejoice in the Lord and then let your
moderation cool it, old boy. Let your moderation be known
to all men, your consideration, your humility, your grace. The
Lord's at hand. The Lord is at hand. What's he
mean by that? Well, somebody said he might
mean this, that he'll help you. He is at hand to help you. You're
not alone. You're not alone. You don't have
to overcome alone. We don't overcome alone. We overcome
by the blood of the Lamb. But I think this is what he's
saying. The Lord is at hand in His coming. And our profession
is going to be revealed in the light of His coming. And this
profession of religion that we've kept confined to the books and
never let it out, and this profession that we've kept confined to the
building, and never let it out. And this profession that we've
kept confined to our local group and never let it out. Somebody
said one time, if it was a crime to be a Christian, would there be enough
evidence to convict you? Would there be enough evidence? Let your moderation be known
unto all men. Your pastor says you're a Christian.
What about the people you live with and work with? What about
your neighbors next door? They don't believe what I stand
for. I know. I know they don't. I know they
don't believe the doctrine you stand for. But I wonder if we've
made any impression on them concerning the kind of life we stand for.
The kind of spirit and attitude. Here's the fifth thing. That's
what he's saying there in verse 5, let your moderation be known
to all men. Then verse 6, be careful for
nothing. The word there is anxious, fretful. Don't be fretful, don't murmur,
don't be over-anxious about the things of this world. The rich
young man fretted about his barns and lost all of them. The rich
young ruler fretted over his riches and perished with them.
Lot's wife fretted over leaving her home and her friends and
she perished in the way. There's a certain amount, now
you men understand what I'm saying and you women do too. There's
a certain amount of care that must be given to the business. I like to see people do their
best at what they're doing, don't you? There's a certain amount
of care. There's a certain amount of dedication. If a man's hired you to do a
job, do the best job you can do. If you're raising your family,
raise them the best that you can. That's not what this is
saying here, that you become slothful, indifferent, not care
for anything. What he's talking about here
is don't fret or murmur about how things of this world are
going to turn out. Look, he tells you the next line,
but in everything, in everything, in life, home, business, everything,
in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,
let your request, your needs be made known to God. Take it
to the Lord in prayer. That's what he's saying. For
example here, you have a business. It's not going well. And things
are not just going like you'd like for them to go and so forth
and so on. Don't fret and murmur and find
fault with God's providence and be over-anxious and let it affect
your relationship with the Lord and your relationship with your
family and your relationship with other believers. Don't be
dragged down by this spirit. Don't get so involved in these.
It'd be better for you to quit. when it affects your spiritual
relationship with God. But take it to the Lord in prayer.
Lay it before Him with thanksgiving, with supplication, with prayer.
Take it to God. Let it, Lord you know what a
mess I'm in. You know what troubles I face.
You know what bills have to be met. You know what decisions
have to be made. Help me! That's what I'm asking.
Help me! Help me. And that's what he's
saying here. Which of you, by taking anxious
thought, can add one day to tomorrow, or one year to your life, or
one dime to your pocketful? Can't do it. Seek ye first the
kingdom of God, His righteousness, and all these things will be
there. That's what it'd be, anxious, fretful, murmuring, concerned,
overly concerned about nothing in this world. But take it to
God in prayer. And then last of all, brethren,
I'll close with this. He says, finally, my brethren,
verse 8, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are true
in respect to the gospel and the Word of God, whatsoever things
are honest, honest in business, in speech, in conduct, honest,
whatsoever things are just, just in the sight of God, whatsoever
things are pure, in opposition to pride and jealousy and envy
and covetousness and self-seeking. Whatsoever things are lovely
in heart and life, whatsoever things are of good report, a
good name, a good reputation, a good opinion, if there be any
virtue, if there be any praise, he said, think on these things. Now, all of us think. We spend
our time thinking. Maybe that's the reason we have
trouble going to sleep at night, we're thinking too much. But
everybody thinks. And what he tells us here, this
direction for disciples, those things that are pure and wholesome
and lovely and honest and true and of good report, think on
them. Think on these things. Think on these things. Think
on the Word. Think on it. Somebody got offended
one time when I made this statement that when you have a conflict
with an individual, there's a real conflict, there's a real demonstration
of anger or hatred. And I gave this advice. I said, the thing to do, you
love that person and pray for them. You don't hate that person.
Not at all. You can't love Christ and hate
anybody, I don't believe. You don't hate that person. But
in order for your own spiritual welfare and good, you've got
to not think about that person. You can't do it. You've got to
close the door on that experience and close the door on that individual
temporarily. And think on those things that
are pure and wholesome and lovely of a good report. You just can't
keep your mind. Now that doesn't mean you don't
love the person, you don't pray for their deliverance, you don't
pray for their repentance, you don't pray for their fellowship
again, but you have to for the time. You can't spend your time
thinking on unpleasant things. You've got to think on those
things that are pure and honest and holy and good reporting.
I know that means the gospel of the grace of God, the people
of God, but just close that door. Don't keep it open. The draft's
going to keep coming in. The odor's going to keep coming
in. The stink just keeps coming. Just close that door. You see
what I'm saying, Charlie? Shut that door. There are too
many beautiful doors to open. There are too many sweet and
precious things to think on. Think on these things. Cultivate
spiritual thoughts and not fleshly thoughts. Our Father, we're grateful
for the word which you've given to us. We believe that you've
given us a word tonight from this book. These directions that the Apostle
Paul laid down for the church at Philippi stand fast in the
Lord. We want to stand and be planted
like a tree, a living stone, a house built on a rock, immovable,
established in the faith. We want so much, we pray that
we may have the same mind, that we may set our minds on
the things of Christ and that we might be united together in
this objective and this one end to glorify Him, our Lord Jesus
Christ. Teach us how to rejoice in Thee. to rejoice in our Lord Jesus
Christ, to praise Him. And Lord, enable us by Your Spirit
to live before others a life of grace. We claim to believe
Your grace. We claim to be partakers of Your
grace. Help us to be gracious, to be
gracious.