Thinking And Living Like Christ

THINKING AND LIVING LIKE CHRIST

Dale Carnegie has wisely said “that you are not WHAT you think you are, but what you THINK you are…” It is not anything outside of you that make you. It is not seeking to be like somebody or having something material that makes you, but the thinking inside of you that makes you who you are. It is the things that are going on between your 2 ears.

If I think right it matters not what is going on in my circumstances I can be victorious. If I think right I can control my circumstances rather than they controlling me. This is true even when I am confronted with the worst circumstance. A poet wrote a note that would give you a sense of this when he said..

Two men in prison behind bars…

One looked down and saw filth …

The other looked up and saw the stars…

The one who had the better outlook was the one whose mind had the best uplook. But when you possess stinking thinking than that will become the world that you create and reside in and it will become a world of defeat and continuous setback. That is why some people can experience a hellish existence even in an almost perfect environment, even in a utopia…

As long as one can look up there is liberty and freedom, as long as you can lift up your eyes unto the hills from whence cometh your help and know your help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth. When you can learn to praise Him with an anyhow praise… Praise Him from whom all blessing flow, praise him all creators here below, praise Him all ye heavenly host… Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost… you will find when you praises go up… blessing will come down.

IT ALL START WITH YOUR THOUGHTS

The Bible states in Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…

so if I have stinking thinking than likewise my existence in my world will become one of defeat and suffering… HOW TRUE ARE THE FOLLOWING WORDS

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

That is why in verse 5 in chapter 2 states,

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

When you study the life of Paul you will find Paul’s thoughts and mind was always Christ-centered in the Bible

The Preaching of Christ was the business of Paul’s life

The Presence of Christ was the good news of Paul’s life

The Image of Christ was the crown of His life

The will of Christ was the law of his life

The glory of Christ was the end of his life

The resurrection of Christ was the proof of his life

When he traveled it was on Christ’s errands

When he suffered it was in Christ’s service

His mind was always on Christ. It was Christ who was the absorbing subject of his life, That’s why in 1st Corinthians 2:2 Paul stated… For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE HAD THE MIND OF CHRIST?

What would be the results if such a supreme thing like that would happen in Good Hope?

What would it take to make it happen? I am glad you asked?

1. IF WE HAD THE MIND OF CHRIST JOY AND UNITY WOULD BE THE OUTGROWTH OF THINKING LIKE CHRIST

Paul opens up chapter 2 by stating

Php 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, (which means affection and compassion)

2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

A. JOY WOULD BE EXPERIENCED verse 2 “Fulfil ye my joy”

Paul wanted them to know that his joy would be complete. I wonder how much genuine joy is in the church.

Paul wanted them to know this would take place if they comforted and consoled one another and fellowshipped in the Spirit of Christ. The word “comfort” means one who pleads another’s cause, an intercessor… someone who especially comes to the aid of another. In fact, the word “comfort” comes from the same word that Christ used when He wanted His joy to remain in the disciples even on His way to the cross when He spoke about the Comforter who is the Holy Spirit, in John 16:7