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July 21, 2019 7:00 pm
And then if you would once again open your Bibles to Colossians chapter 3 the message tonight is not going to be expositional. As such, is a topical message but I think a topic that we need to consider topic that we need to consider often the title of the message is the battle that must be one thought life. I think all of you probably have a hand out in front of you and if you don't you can get one later in and fill it in, but will want to consider several things dined about thought life and the importance of it focuses on this true if we win the battle for thoughts. The battle for our habits in our speech.
A lot of times as needed and fall. If we win the battle for our thoughts.
We make a decision to say or do whatever going to say or do or refuse to say or do things that we shouldn't. So the battle for our thought is a very important important battle. As soon as you saw that come up on the screen.
The battle that must be one thought. Life went to your mind if I just mention the two words thought life are mind tends to go to moral issues. Thinking wrong thoughts thinking immoral thoughts, but I think as we get into this lesson this message tonight with Tennessee that involves far more than just moral situations to facts about thoughts to facts about life when it comes to thoughts. We have a childlike aptitude. We have a childlike aptitude. Isaiah 55, eight through nine says, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your mise ways my ways, says the Lord, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. That God is incomprehensible should evoke all but I'm awfully afraid.
The problem is that we don't think awesome thoughts of God.
As I shared with the teens this morning. Just giving thought to the fact that it would take you 9500 ly at the speed of 186 mi./s to reach what they think is the largest star and then if you got of that star in a jet plane that would take you going 500 miles an hour 1100 years to get around that one star that's from secular sites. It's a fact. And yet we as Christians believe that God who is on my present permeates with all that is space and that's only in one direction. Just think, in every direction. When you contemplate the attributes of God. It should it should make you have all should make us all have all that God is incomprehensible should evoke all listener Job 2614 such poetic language, but it it is so truthful listener. This considering God's greatness. Job said in 2614.
Indeed, these and he was just reviewing some of the great Mrs. of God, he said.
Indeed, these are the mere edges of his ways and how small a whisper. We hear of him, but the thunder of his power. Who can understand. I don't know about you but when you hear the soft rain on your roof that's suited thing, but when you hear a crack of thunder. This up close and personal to get your attention and what Job is saying is, indeed, these are mere edges of his ways how small a whisper. We hear of him, but the thunder of his power.
Who can understand that God is incomprehensible should evoke all we have a childlike aptitude when it comes to knowing who God is but a second thing that I want us to contemplate. Is this truth that we are an open book that I frighten all of us will mean by that.
Well, Hebrews 412 says for the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, not only what were thinking and our essential self.
But the motives behind what were thinking, John Owen said this and I think it's very insightful.
The Lord Jesus Christ through his word and spirit pierces into people's souls.
Despite all the defensive pride, obstinacy and unbelief that they wrap themselves in.
That's a very sobering statement God can read me like a book in the scary part about it is God's red head. He knows because he is ordained, the day that I will die. He knows that even though I confess my sins before him in sincerity and repentance. He knows ahead of time. I'm going to send in his grace and his mercy he still chooses to forgive me. What a merciful and gracious God, the Lord Jesus Christ through his word and spirit pierces into people's souls.
Despite all the defensive pride, obstinacy and unbelief that they wrap themselves in a second thing that we want to look at not only to facts of life about thoughts, but to foundational truths about thoughts. The battle for thoughts is a daily lifelong struggle that necessitates consecration in living a holy life, constant vigilance and commitment to persevere even when you fail, that's a mouthful, but those of us that it got a little age on us.
We do fully understand that this battle is lifelong, not just when you're a teenager I don't want to shake your early 20s and you're making decisions that you think of an effective future and they will, but this is a daily lifelong struggle. The necessitates consecration to living a holy life. What does that mean will consecration means separation from anything that would contaminate one's fellowship with a perfect God. Consecration is separation from anything that would contaminate one's fellowship with a perfect God. Beloved, when it comes to your thoughts. Do you when I take that approach, that if if it even looks like it's going to be offensive to God. We flee from it. The second thing that I want you to see on the best those sinful thoughts involve far more than impure lustful thoughts. We alluded to that earlier. They include such things as envy, jealousy, greed and tension resentment, anger, pride, all of which can and often do bring forth a harvest of harmful actions. I share this message. It's been worked on a little bit and prayed over since I was in Montana but one lady came up to me after the service and she said you know I had never really thought about my thought life involving sins like envy, jealousy, greed, contention, resentment, anger, pride when you think of thought life.
You normally just think of immoral thoughts, it's far, far more than that, far, far more than that. We want to.
Thirdly, look at two types of thoughts. One look at two types of thoughts. The first was going to be intruding thoughts. The second one intentional thoughts. If you give some thought about this. You know ahead of time where there this is going intruding thoughts and intentional thoughts.
The first one intruding thoughts their involuntary images, phrases, or impulses. You didn't ask for them their involuntary if unhealthy and harmful. They must be dealt with immediately. I'm going to give you an example and really gluing on this. I'm going to give you an example.
Part one part one is an intruding phone. I'm sitting in an airport in a provocatively dressed woman walks by me in the airport. I did not seek this out. I did not ask her to do it but I gotta deal with it. That is an intruding thought I didn't ask for. I don't want. I gotta deal with an intruding thought, now that's the example part 1K, the lingering look digresses into letting down your guard and entertaining the lustful look that leads to loss.
David was not intentionally looking for Bathsheba. He wasn't looking for when kings go forth to war. He was on the top of his palace, looking out over the city and the Bible said he spied a woman bathing and it went downhill from there. He was not intentionally looking for Bathsheba Aiken was not searching from the Babylonian garment goal but this is the important thing both intruding thoughts lead to intentional thoughts. David ended up though he wasn't looking for. He ended up. I want Uriah's wife. He knew full well that she was the wife of one of 33 mighty men that was out fighting while he was back at home, and yet he still sent for her and committed adultery with her and we know it got even worse than that header. Her noble husband murdered when it comes to Aiken. He wasn't necessarily searching for Babylonian garments and goal forbidden in Sango.
I want this stuff I keep in mind my first part of the illustration sitting, and therefore not wanting to see some provocative woman go by intentional thoughts are voluntary images, phrases, or impulses there. The resulting choice. Their value depends upon the object of their focus.
Let me give the example. Part B, I pursue provocative images in a variety of ways. First, when absent an airport in a provocatively dressed woman goes by. I didn't ask for it, but I can deal with the second one. Intentional thoughts are voluntary. I choose I choose to pursue pursue something that I know is wrong and there's a world of difference in that the thing that they have in common folks. They both have to be dealt with. Let me give you Bible example of this wrong thinking leads to wrong choices.
Eve saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.
She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate than the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked noticed the digression folks. They looked, they lingered, they lusted, they let down. They lost think about that because that's exactly what we do will take a look.
She walks by.
I take a second look and in the illustration, I mean the woman's not to hang around forever in the airport but you can see, you can see how this works in an awful lot of our lives.
If were not careful they look. They lingered, they lusted the letdown and they lost. They both knew that they were naked.
Eve knew ahead of time and this is the difference in and intentional thought she knew ahead of time for the forbidden tree was and she looked anyone she knew and she looked anyway right thinking leads to right choices someone 19, 9 to 11 how can a young man cleanse his way he can do it by taking heed according to your word with my whole heart, with the essence of who I am.
I have so much in. Let me not wander from your commandment, your word and I hid in my heart. Why, that I might not sin against you. Beware of sins of presumption and I'm going to read Psalm 19. I want to read 12 to 14, but let me say this to you beware of sins of presumption. We need to make certain that we fully are reminded that God knows not only the thoughts but the intense of our heart. Listen to some 1913 through 14 who can understand his errors, cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.
Let them not have dominion over me, then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of the great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight oh Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
What does it mean to commit a presumptuous sand that were presumptuous in the great means defiantly or with a high hand and give an example of that. I've use this example before from this book. There was a time when I would get up in the morning and I work on a devotional or something and maybe I needed to resource on the computer and I would turn the computer on to search for an image or whatever that I needed and off to the right for months for months there would be this advertisement a dating service and they would show the picture of a woman be a different woman probably why he say probably because I had to discipline myself that I wasn't going there. I wasn't going there and they had their demographics.
They knew how old I was okay.
So they they were serious about getting me to click that and I found in my own life by refusing to collect that consciously intentionally choosing not to click that I was exercising myself in the godliness I was strengthening my marriage and that's a fact.
I intentionally chose not do that this might not shock you. But guess what afterwhile.
I guess they just figured I wouldn't go in there and the ad disappeared RC Sproul, Junior made a bad mistake. One time he went to one site at a curiosity one time and it cost. I think he was at a ministry for an extended period of time were not talking about wallowing in pornography were talked about curiously clicking on site and then having everyone's name that ever got on that site be exposed publicly devastating.
You can't go back and erase it. It's not you, where there is no line to that and beloved the thing that I want us to see tonight. Intentional thoughts are voluntary images. The other thing is, Eve knew ahead of time when where the forbidden tree why she looked anyway be so careful that you don't fall into that trap of committing a sin of presumption. I know it's there.
I'm going anyway. I know that I shouldn't think these thoughts, but I'm going to think them anyway and listen were not talking about just moral thoughts. Thoughts agreed thoughts of jealousy. Thoughts of envy. Who does she think she is one who does he think he is any of these thoughts that we've mentioned and will bring will bring some of these up again in a moment or two. The fourth thing that we want to look at is two kinds of reactions or responses to thoughts two kinds of responses to thoughts, sinful thoughts or sinful responses. I should say that are destructive. Some resist the Spirit's direction and rebel against the truth and those proclaiming some resist the Spirit's direction and they rebel against the truth and those proclaiming it.
Listen to Zachariah 711 to 13 speaking of Israel. They refused to heed shrugged their shoulders stop their ears so that they could not hear.
Yes, they made their hearts like a flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts, and sent by his Spirit to the former prophets, thus great wrath came from Lord of hosts. Therefore it happen and this is so sobering folks. Therefore, it happened that just as he proclaimed, and they would not hear. So they called out and I would not listen, says the Lord of hosts, I would say to any young person NEH person here tonight if you have hardened your heart to the truth.
If you have hardened your heart of the truth beware. You may cross a line that is you can't get back from and thus poorly put, you know what I mean.
Beware we were telling the teens this morning.
I'm awfully afraid that young people are satisfied with just playing the part.
Not all of them. Thank the Lord I believe we have many that are truly born again, and love the Lord, but there's an awful lot of people sitting in church pews that really are playing the part in that they know how to talk to know perhaps had a look whatever whatever and we are warned against the sinful response of resisting the Spirit's direction and rebelling against the truth. Here's a second thing they do some rationalize that they're not as bad as others or that merely thinking about sin is not as bad as actually committing a sinful act in the Lord addresses that Matthew chapter 527 through 28. You've heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not commit adultery but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her in order to lust for a sinner presumption and intentional sin looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
We can think that to think is not as bad as to do and be dead wrong. Jesus said if you mull that over in your mind you're as good as an adult for if you look upon someone to lust after them and that is a very sobering thought examples that we give you pornography harboring ill feelings toward others coveting having a critical spirit having a prideful spirit, bitterness, any of these two kinds of responses to thought we looked at the first month, sinful responses that are destructive, but the second one sanctifying responses that are constructed and we look at Psalm 145 seventh, 17 to 20 the Lord is righteous in all his ways gracious in all his work. The Lord is near to him near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth, he will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry and save them. The Lord preserves all who love him and given a summary you notice in the text that we had before. Yet, to all those who call upon him in truth to those who fear him, to those who love him. A summary sincerely all call upon God out of reverence and love is out doing sanctifying responses to thoughts that are constructive, can you give me an example, if I see something that is going to provoke a wrong and immoral thought in my mind if I see something that is going to provoke a wrong thought in my mind a sanctifying responses. I will set in a wicked thing before mine eyes. I hate the work and those that turn aside, it will not cling to me, I respond to that with the sword of the Spirit and if I don't use a verse I can use a prayer. Father, help me to think thoughts that honor and glorify you and as a matter of fact, folks, and always tell the teens that you can say something that's not braggadocio us if everybody else can do it and everyone else in this auditorium can do what I'm about to say I daily pray. God help me to think, say and do those things which will glorify you.
I asked God to help me because if I don't I've entered the day presumptuous, thinking that I'm to be able to do it on my own, that just as I have. We have to realize we are headed in the lion country every day and he is seeking whom he may devour. And we have to pray.
God enable me, enable me to think, say and do those things which please you now want to break this down to see the verse in front of call upon him in truth, fear him. Love. What is it mean to call upon God in truth means without hypocrisy were deceived spirit of manipulation. In other words, God is not your MasterCard to your Candyman and I say that reverently folks but if were honest about that an awful lot of times my most fervent prayers. When we need something from him. God is no one's MasterCard or Candyman and I would go to him whenever we need something all-knowing God, your searching I looked past my habits to my heart were weaknesses and strengths library for your piercing holy stair with sovereign gaze you low all sham and know me as I truly am with sovereign gaze you low all sham all hypocrisy and know me as I truly am. That is sobering and it should also be very humbling. What is it mean to call upon God in truth without hypocrisy. But the second thing that he tells us to do is to fear the Lord and you've heard me say this many times before. I told the Bible class and elements Christian school that I teach. I'll probably say it again this year if I could get you to get this definition of the fear God and you will find in your life. I give you study all the rest of the year because if we don't get this. We don't get much the fear the Lord is a reverent attitude of awe and adoration whereby the child of God guides and guards his or her thoughts, words and deeds by the word of God for the glory of God. Why do I have the word thoughts in blue because if you deal with them, words and deeds of follower. They are the fear of the Lord is a reverent attitude of awe and adoration whereby the child of God guides and guards his or her thoughts, words and deeds by the word of God for the glory of God. You know, I think often we don't take time to meditate upon the person of God really meditate upon the person of God.
Doing this necessitates acknowledging him in all of our ways for who we is in his magnificent glory, bountiful love, mercy and grace as well as his righteous just ran acknowledging him in all of our ways for who he is, what is it mean to fear the Lord. It's that reverent attitude upon adoration and the last thing under this what is it mean to love the Lord, you could answer this a ton of different ways but from a love for the Lord is adoration for all that he is done for unworthy, undeserving sinners and a deep desire to please him and all that we do.
It demonstrates itself as we humbly submit to his providence fertilize and praise him for loving us and enabling us to love him in return.
First John 419 we love him because he first loved us and folks I I mention this again to her teens in the lesson this morning. The older I get, the more I realize that faith and repentance are gifts. I believe that right down to my toenails that faith and repentance are gifts. I do not have what it takes to believe saving and you know my response to that truth that I I'd I truly believe that that is biblical.
I am so grateful to God for his grace and mercy. They quickened me the life that granted me repentant faith that showed me my desperate need and his gracious provision and I would beg any young people here tonight to understand what I said that the teens this morning. If you smugly no matter what your age if you smugly sit there and ignore the truth.
Be warned that the Bible says the natural man understands, not the things of God is says that their foolishness to is says that they that they cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned. You turnover one page from that and it says that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. I thank God for the gift of repentant faith in you know what I pray daily that God in his grace and mercy will give back to my loved ones witness to them absolutely try to live before them. An exemplary life absolutely but realizing that salvation is of the Lord. A summary of that again. Sanctifying responses necessitate integrity before God.
Fear of God and love for God. Now this next one is going to hitch what if your thoughts were projected for others to see someone 39 to the says you know my thought afar off is not talking about distance he's talking about before we ever think it God knows where that sobering bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. That phrase right there bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ makes me think that my thoughts are running wild and last I purposely captivate them. My thoughts can run a thousand different directions. I need the self-discipline to keep my body, my mind under and bring it into captivity to the obedience of Christ know we talked about moral thoughts, immoral thoughts that are wrong but in that would come under lost board about resentment, what about contention what about jealousy or bitterness or discontentment or anger or pride or greed or envy, do we deal with those things the way that we should our application and I there are seven keys to personal victory in the battles for your thoughts and I'm going to make a comment or two on these, but for the most part give you what these are. You have the text.
You can look it over later and study it, but the first thing is remember that victory is possible because God is faithful. First Corinthians 1013 no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear other words were without excuse, and I think that definite article in the last part of the verse he's going to make the way to escape. You don't have to be looking for multiple-choice wonder if I go this or that of the other.
God in his mercy is going to make the way to escape that we may be able to bear it.
So we are without excuse. It's possible because God is faithful. A second thing that we need to do is not only remember that victory is possible but we need to recognize the danger of the sins of the mine are personalized spark plugs for sinful deeds there personalized what makes me think wrong thoughts may not make you think there personalized and I think you see this as we read James chapter 1, 14 to 16 but each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed than one desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin when it's full-grown, brings forth death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren speaking to Christians is a matter of plan and not a matter of if, look at that verse again folks.
Each one is tempted, it's going to happen when he is drawn away. That is like a fish with bait. He is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Enticed is like a hunters call those two metaphors officially bait and hunters call a hunter going after some type of pray is not going to have a predators call a person going after ocean fish tune is not getting you something that he would use her largemouth bass.
What is the point there personalized temptations. The people who want you to be able catch fish.
Know what is attractive to the fish and that bay is going to look irresistible to the fish. It's going to trigger a response and then animal and folks Satan knows full well what scriptures which you will be tempted when you're drawn away by your own desires and enticed. Recognize the danger that sins of the minor personal spark plugs for send fully 1/3 thing and only do we remember the victories possible, because God is faithful recognize the danger the sins of the minor personalized spark plugs for sinful. These but three reject thoughts that do not honor God. We read Colossians 3127. We continue with 8 to 10 and then verse 12. But now you yourselves are to put off all these and notice the list.
Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you put off the old man with his deeds in a put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge. According to the image of him who created them.
Verse 12 therefore asked the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering folks reject thoughts reject thoughts that do not honor God.
That is a choice that we make an intentional choice that we make and I don't know I found in my own life again. When I do that when I do that I found that it does exercise me under godliness. It gives me a piece and when I failed to do that. I feel absolutely wretched and I think that you can relate to that. The next thing the four thing repent of sins, sinful thoughts immediately and consistently. Isaiah 55, six and seven. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy on them and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon repent and return to unhindered fellowship with God and again that repentance need to be eight needs to be immediate and consistent number five out of the seven rely upon the Lord throughout each day and I'm afraid that sometimes we don't do that familiar versus my father-in-law often would quote Proverbs 3526. But there's a real punch line in verse seven.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, your essential self everything that you are trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. And here's verse seven do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil eye head and a tail of it. What is that mean total commitment dependent humility consecration to holiness separation from wickedness.
I mean if I were to summarize all that you are living a God conscious life.
So you living that God conscious life to the point where the provocative woman and therefore walks by a God conscious frame of mind immediately knows look away look away and when you do that, there's this sense of obeying the spirits leading and when you failed to do that. There is a sense that you quench the Holy Spirit's leading instinct in their folks any of these other things were not just talking about your moral thinking when you think that gossipy thought. Thought of envy any of those things. It all applies the same way and this leads us to number six.
Replace evil thoughts with God honoring thoughts. Philippians 48 finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, and if there is any virtue, if there's anything praiseworthy.
Meditate on these things and that word virtue means mental excellence, moral quality we could quote we will not.
The Romans 12 wanted to talk about us being a living sacrifice. It talks about us renewing our mine. Those are intentional there intentional activities of our mine and then finally we want to make sure that we run from remove or reduce the stimuli that prompt simple thoughts and you some 101 verse three I quoted earlier. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes. I hate the work of those who fall away, it shall not cling to me. In other words, don't justify evil don't think well I could be thinking of doing much worse. David learned this critical regulation of the I gate the hard way you compare David who lingered and lusted and let down and lost to Joseph who refused to sin against God and his master and who fled from attempt that he suffered short-term but long-term.
While millions of people were impacted by his obedience. Let me ask a question. What if he had yielded Bodiford's way. One decision one decision.
What if he had yielded he just be another David and I don't say that lightly because David is a man after God's own heart on a new begin to understand how that all fits together how someone who could have committed to her redness and said he did as a man after God's own heart, but obviously toward the end of his life, he started thinking correctly and I think that's evidence in the Psalm. The last couple things. And I want to share with you.
It's a called action. Second Timothy 222. The implied subject is the word you you flee also youthful lust, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart fully means to run away to Sean pursue means to flee to press forward towards growth and then this last thing with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Accountability a threefold cord is hard to be broke. Find someone find a friend that can help you and you can help in any of these areas that were tempted first Peter 211 to 12.
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust with war against the soul.
Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, and when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they observe glorify God in the day.
Visitation abstain. That means pull oneself off to refrain you consciously, intentionally hold yourself from fleshly lust that war against the soul and outward warmings to contend with carnal inclinations. Our flesh is hotwired for self gratification must be kept under her subdued and the last thing that I will share with you tonight take her dead people don't battle anything. So if you find yourself in a bad because you want to think right thoughts rejoice intentionally and consistently struggling in the battle for your thoughts as an indication of spiritual life and desire to please the captain of your salvation Jesus Christ the Lord beloved finish strong. Never give up. In this daily struggle. You know I had a team verse for the teams that I coached for many many years and it was Proverbs 16.
Three. Commit your works to the Lord in your thoughts to be established. If you truly commit your works to the Lord.
Your thoughts will be established. Lord help me to think, say and do that which glorifies you today, I commit myself to you. Believe me, your thoughts will be established. Let's pray father as we come before you tonight. We do pray that some the things that we share would be an encouragement.
Our folk we all battle with our thoughts and it's not just immoral or impure thoughts. It can be. Thoughts of envy or greed or jealousy, or any number of things. Bitterness critical spirit. Help us to deal with these things help us to realize that as we win these battles on the battlefield of our mind. We are exercising ourselves on the godliness give us the grace to have victory and will praise you for in Christ name, amen