Right Thinking, Right Living

Right Thinking, Right Living January 4, 2009

The way we think affects the way we live. Right living starts on the inside, having the mind of Christ.

"A good person produces good from the good treasure of his heart, and an evil person produces evil from an evil treasure, because the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." Luke 6:45

Our lives can change: We can live right by learning to think right in the following ways.

I. Think on good things: Philippians 4:8

· Brain plasticity: The way we think literally leaves ruts in our brain.

· Train your brain: Only you can control your thoughts

· Daily determine what you will think about.

Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. Colossians 3:2

Replace every bad thought with Jesus! 2 Corinthians 10:5

II. Focus on the future, not on the past

Brothers, I do not consider myself to have embraced it yet. But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead… Philippians 3:13

A. See yourself as God sees you,"fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:14

Spiritual Self-condemnation does not bring glory to God.

God has “not called us to subsistence living.” Beth Moore

B. Set Goals: Get A Vision From God - Write it Down

· Write the vision, and make it plain on tables, that he may run that reads it. Hab 2:2

· Do not make any plans without God’s will. James 4:15

III. Refuse to Worry

"So never worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

A. Worry is not biblical.

Worry is self-centered.

There are no "exceptions" in this verse: Jesus made no exceptions for times of economic recession, war, or other difficulties that permit worry.

Heb. 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for God has said, "I will never leave you or abandon you."

We can be content with what we have because nothing can separate us from the love of God.

B. What is our message? Are people coming to Christ because they see how troubled we are about the future? No...Our message is HOPE!

We need to live in blessing and be a blessing.

Speak Life, speak Blessing.

What is your status? BLESSED!

IV. Pursue Spiritual Partnerships: The people we hang out with the most will determine how we think.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2

A. Who are you hanging out with? In the modern American church, we have called fellowship discipleship, when really we’re on a cruise ship.

True Christianity is impossible without true discipleship, true discipleship is impossible without two people. The greatest problem is not false religion, but false Christianity.

Pursue/Pray for someone who will challenge you to think right.

B. This is personal: This is not about a commitment to a building, a denomination, or an organization, but to real people!

Make people a priority: See people as possibilities instead of problems. Do more than pray – act!

We need help: We need someone to help us throw things away, to clean out the secret places.

There are people who are praying for change, deliverance, healing, that will not come until they have a spiritual partner that will speak truth that brings change (not a FedEx answer)

We will not be any different one year from now if we do not do something that we are not doing right now.

V. Conclusion:

A. Soul Health: Life changed begins on the inside: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2

We can have all the intention in the world, but change won’t happen unless it happens on the inside.

B. We have this moment: We cannot change the past, we cannot control the future: we have right now: what will we do with it?

· Will we waste it with guilt over past mistakes? Repent!

· Will we waste it with worry over the future? Trust!

Or will we make the most of every second, every breath, to make a difference in someone’s life?

C. Change your life!

· Think on good things.

· Focus on the future, not the past.

· Set goals write them down.

· Pursue spiritual relationships that will help you.

The glory of God is man fully alive. Saint Irenaeus