Yesterday, I gave you a challenge to make an effort this weekend to focus on the things that are commendable in the people who populate your world.

So I thought we’d take a little break today. I’ve collected a handful of some of my favorite “thinking” quotes that I’ve run across as I’ve researched this topic.

They are both thought provoking and disturbing. The last one in particular.

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Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it. ~ Henry Ford

Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours. ~ John Locke

A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking. ~ Jerry Seinfeld

The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it’s a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free. ~ Charles R. Swindoll

Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence. ~ Thomas Szasz

She that fails to command her thoughts will soon lose command of her actions. ~ Unknown

Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting. ~ Edmund Burke

Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. ~ Unknown

Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. ~ John F. Kennedy

What luck for rulers, that men do not think. ~ Adolph Hitler

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We’re spending the month of October focused on renewing our minds. You can find a list of previous posts here.

Whatever is commendable . . . think on these things.

We’ve been talking for the past several weeks about renewing our minds by choosing to think the way God wants us to think. Philippians 4:8 gives us a list of things we are to think about – things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

Ever wonder why God inspired Paul to include things that are commendable?

Ever noticed how much easier it is to focus on peoples faults than on their good points?

That’s why.

Let’s do an experiment. Think about someone who annoys the snot out of you.

That didn’t take long, did it? Because all of us have “those” people in our lives. The people who you’d rather clean bathrooms than hang out with. The people who manage to bring out the worst in you, every time you interact with them.

Still thinking about that annoying person?

Good. Now let’s practice thinking about things that are commendable about that person.

Oh, come on. You can think of something.

It may take a little effort, but if you try, you’ll be able to come up with several things about that person that are commendable. Things you could – if, say, you had an interest in renewing your mind – choose to focus on.

Our natural tendency is to focus on all the things that frustrate us about these people. Their habitual tardiness. Their hyena laugh. Their ability to point out that while your entire house is clean, you failed to wipe out your microwave or dust your computer.

The complaints may be valid.

But Paul exhorts us to think about things that are commendable.

All that stuff that’s driving me crazy? According to the preceding verses, I need to take it to God in prayer and leave it there. Have you ever noticed how hard it is to stay angry at someone when you start to pray for them? It’s also hard to stay angry at someone when you focus on the things that they do right.

Try this with your family this weekend. Whenever they start to drive you insane, CHOOSE to think about something that is commendable. If you have a spouse, I suggest you start there. You can focus on the socks in the floor or choose to be thankful for a husband who works his tail off to provide for his family.

No one ever said renewing was easy.

In the next verse, Paul tells the Philippians to “practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.”

Something tells me that our homes and relationships would be so much more peaceful if we chose to think about the commendable things.

Will you join me this weekend and practice renewing your mind?

Whatever is lovely . . . think on these things.

The Greek word translated as lovely is “prosphiles” and it means “acceptable, pleasing” and has the idea of being “winsome, sweet, gracious, attractive.” In classical Greek it means “dear or beloved” when used to describe people and “pleasing or agreeable” when used to describe things.

And here’s a little fun-fact. This word “prosphiles” is only used one time in the New Testament.

Once.

Now, I happen to believe that God is an excellent writer. As such, He chooses His words with precision.

So what’s unique about this word? Why choose “lovely” for us to dwell on?

Jump back to the Old Testament with me for a moment. In Proverbs, we read that “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” The more we choose to think about things that are lovely, the more lovely we ourselves will become.

Why does it matter if choose to think about lovely things and in turn, become lovely ourselves?

Because we live in an unlovely world. A world that is searching for something, they just don’t know what it is.

But we know.

We know the One who is loveliest of all.

The Bible tells us that Jesus was not attractive in appearance, but people were drawn to Him. He spoke the Truth about sin and evil, but sinners and evildoers still found Him irresistible.

Our church has a mission statement that goes something like this…We are a community of grace, living out the purpose and personality of Jesus in our world.

Jesus had the best personality ever.

As a Christ follower, I have no business running around looking like I was weaned on dill pickles. When I speak, the words that come from my mouth should be pleasant and agreeable, not laced with venom toward anyone or anything.

I’d love for the people I come into contact with as I go through my day to find me attractive – not physically – but in the “there’s just something about that girl – I like hanging out with her” kind of way. And maybe as they hang out with me, they’ll discover the “something” they are looking for.

Not in me.

But in Jesus.

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If you’ve just joined us today, we are taking 31 days to focus on renewing our minds. You can read previous posts here.

Whatever is pure . . . think on these things.

The Greek word for pure is “hagnos” and it means “exciting reverence, sacred” and “pure – free from carnality, chaste, modest; free from fault, immaculate; clean.“

The word is used to describe both sexual purity as well as ceremonial purity.

One commentator referred to it as thinking of things that are “stainless” because some thoughts leave permanent stains on our mind.

It’s easy to think of this in regards to hormonal teenagers, but the application is for all of us. In our society, where even the commercials on TV are full of sexual innuendo and violence, keeping our thoughts pure – stainless – is a lifelong battle.

What we listen to on the radio, watch on TV or at the movies, surf to on the Internet, and read in books has a profound impact on the way we think. I had to ask myself, “Am I renewing my mind with things that are pure?”

The answer? Not always.

The idea of ceremonial purity particularly intrigued me. Sacrificial offerings had to be without blemish to be acceptable.

Is what I’m thinking about appropriate to offer up as a sacrifice?

God refused to accept any offering that wasn’t pure.

And He wants me to dwell on nothing less.

Whatever is just . . . think on these things.

The word translated here as “just” (it’s also frequently translated “right”) is “dikaios” and the short definition is “just, righteous, impartial.” The implication is that in every interaction and every relationship, our thoughts should come in line with God’s thoughts.

I’m loving the way Paul is layering his words. It’s impossible to think about things that are “just” without knowing Truth. The more you think about true and honorable things, the more your thoughts will begin to line up with God’s thoughts, and the more you’ll be able to think about things that are just and righteous.

In Matthew, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

How hungry are you?

Happy Monday! If your weekend was as crazy as mine and you need to catch up, you can find links to the sixteen previous posts here.

Phil. 4:8 ~ Whatever is honorable . . . think about these things. (ESV)

Yesterday, we talked about reading non-fiction as a way to renew our minds.

But what if you don’t consider yourself to be a reader?

What if the idea of picking up a 100 page book is overwhelming, much less a 500 page biography? Or what if you don’t have time for a lot of reading?

Well . . . welcome to 2011. If you’re serious about renewing your mind, you have options.

LOTS OF OPTIONS!

1. This one is obvious, but you can read blogs. Most authors and speakers have blogs these days. A quick web search will get you started and most blogs (including this one!) have an option to subscribe by email. This means you never have to hunt for the blog again – anytime there’s a new post, you’ll get an email about it.

One blog I highly recommend is Deeper in Rhode Island with Jesus written by Lori Roeleveld. Lori updates her blog several times a week and never fails to make me think deeper about my faith.

2. Do you have a Twitter account? You can “follow” all sorts of people and churches and receive frequent words of encouragement and exhortation. I follow @PaulTripp, @DailyKeller (quotes from Tim Keller), @SouthsideChurch (my church), @CSLewisDaily (a daily quote from C.S. Lewis) to name a few. You could also follow me … @LynnHBlackburn. 🙂

3. You can sign up to receive daily devotions. I suggest you pick one or two and leave it at that, or you’ll find yourself deleting more than reading. I like Christian Devotions for a couple of reasons. One, I know quite a few of the authors who contribute and two, the devotions are only 300-400 words. Long enough to make a point, short enough to be a quick read. (For reference, most of my blog posts are between 400-500 words).

4. If you really hate to read, then you probably haven’t made it this far. And I realize that reading isn’t always the best way for some people to receive information. If you’re more of an auditory learner, or if you spend a lot of time in your car, podcasts and audiobooks are available from local churches, radio broadcasts, and nationally televised speakers.

For example, right now our church is going through II Corinthians. Powerful stuff. No matter where you live, you can download the sermons and listen along. Miss a Focus on the Family broadcast? You can download those, too. Love a particular speaker? A few clicks of the mouse and you’ll find ways to hear their teaching.

All of these things are free and effective ways to renew your mind.

Regardless of the method you prefer, finding honorable things to think about isn’t really hard.

But no one is going to do your renewing for you. 

So what are you waiting for?

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Got some other suggestions for renewing your mind by thinking about honorable things, with or without books? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Philippians 4:8 ~ Whatever is honorable . . . think about these things.  (ESV)

As we continue our 31 day journey into renewing our mind, today we’re going to talk about what it means to think about things that are honorable.

The Greek word that is translated here as honorable is “semnos” and it means “August, venerable, reverend. To be venerated for character, honorable.”

I’ll be honest, this one had me a little stumped. Because the other three times it’s used in the New Testament, it’s referring to dignified, sober-minded, honorable men and women in the church.

So what’s Paul telling us here? Think about the honorable people in the church?

Well . . . kinda.

We rely on the authority of the Scriptures as our final judge of truth, but many men and women of God have taken the time to write down their insights and experiences and we would do well to spend some time thinking about those things.

How do we do that? We read their books. And I’m not talking about fiction.

I write fiction. I love fiction. I read fiction in just about every genre. I believe good fiction can and does impact lives.

But fiction cannot and should not take the place of time spent first in the Word and second in the pages of works written by honorable men and women of the faith.

If you haven’t read any non-fiction lately, you’re missing out on a treasure of mind renewing wisdom.

Don’t know where to start? Well . . . for the past several months I’ve been posting reviews of non-fiction books that have had an impact on my walk. You could start with A Praying Life, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, I Used to Be So Organized, or Grace for the Good Girl.

Another idea is to find out what books have been studied in the past few years in Bible studies (both for the men and women) at your church. Or pay attention in services when your pastor mentions an author.That’s why a book by Tim Keller and the biography of Deitrich Bonhoeffer are next up on my TBR (to-be-read) stack.

Tomorrow we’re going to take a different approach to this subject, but for today, leave me a comment and tell me what works of non-fiction you’re reading, or have read in the past, and how they impacted you.

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I’m so glad you’ve joined us. We’re in the middle of a 31 day exploration of what renewing our minds looks like. If this is your first time visiting, you can find links to previous 31 Days of Renewing posts here.

I’ve always loved music.

One of my favorite ways to worship is to be completely alone (which these days, is beyond rare), sit down at the piano, and play hymns while I warble out some dreadful alto and let the ancient words echo to the heavens in adoration.

But since I’ve started writing, I have a whole new appreciation for song writers – both the hymn writers and the modern poets who speak truth and then set it to music. It so often touches a place in our souls that I am convinced longs to join with angels in heavenly praise.

As we wrap up our focus on renewing our minds with truth, I give you this video. Laura Story has taken a hard truth, wrapped it in a haunting melody, and re-wired our thinking about how we define blessing.

Is it possible that even in hardship, God is pouring blessings into our lives . . . if only we could see the truth?

Listen, and be renewed.

Do not be anxious about anything . . . whatever is true . . . think on these things. (Philippians 4:6 and 8)

According to the Internet (and let’s not even get started as to whether or not the Internet can be considered true) there are many studies that have revealed that approximately 90% of the stuff people worry about never happens.

And while I can’t point to the actual study (I tried to find an actual study – as opposed to someone saying “there are studies” – but I didn’t have any luck), I think we know they are right.

On a practical, real-life level, we know that the vast majority of what we worry about isn’t true.

But what about the 10% that is?

The diagnosis is grim.
The job is gone.
The marriage is over.

What do we do when what is true . . . is awful?

I’ve been there. I’ve listened to the nurse practitioner tell me things I did not want to hear. I’ve sat in the graveyard as my oldest and dearest friend buried her child. I’ve told people I love goodbye and watched as they slipped through the veil.

Paul knew a thing or thirty about suffering. He was beaten, whipped, stoned, and shipwrecked. And if that wasn’t enough, the people he ministered to lied about him, turned on him, humiliated him, and tried to destroy his credibility.

But he wrote these words . . .

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:7 (ESV)

Sandwiched between verses that tell us not to be anxious and to think on truth, is a nugget of hope. Did you catch it?

God’s peace will guard your mind.

When the diagnosis is grim, the Truth is that nothing is impossible with God.
When the job is gone, the Truth is that God is the great provider.
When the marriage is over, the Truth is that God works all things together for our good.

There is another Truth. One that we don’t like.

The Truth is, God uses our suffering as part of His plan to redeem a lost and dying world.

It’s not an entirely satisfying answer, is it? It doesn’t take away the pain. It doesn’t fix it.

But if we will take everything to Him (v. 6) God’s peace will guard our minds (v.7), and a mind guarded by the God of the Universe has the supernatural ability to stay focused on the Truth (v.8).

Even when the truth hurts.

Whatever is true . . . think on these things. Phil. 4:8 (ESV)

Yesterday, we asked this question . . . How do we know what’s true?

Well, if God is true (John 3:33) then He is our ultimate standard for truth. And the only way we can know what is true is to know Him first and then to make His Word a part of us. Because His Word is truth (John 17:17).

Are you following me? Because I’m about to get all up in our business. (Trust me, I’m stomping my own toes here).

Here goes.

If you don’t know your Bible, you’ll never know what is true.

When your life falls apart and Satan tells you God has forsaken you, will you be able to stand on God’s promise to never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)?

When jealousy rears its ugly head and you start fretting over how other people have what you want, will you stay there and wallow in misery, or will you remember that the Lord will fulfill His purposes for you (Psalm 138:8)?

When you screw up – big – and feel like a failure, will you allow Satan to crush you with replays of your mistakes or will you run to the One who is your shield, your glory, and the lifter of your head (Psalm 3:3)?

I found an interesting scientific study while I was researching truth. Did you know that scientists have discovered that deciding whether a statement is true involves memory?

You can’t think (dwell, ponder, meditate) about something that isn’t stored away in your memory banks. Sure, you can grab your Bible and hunt for it – and that’s a great idea – but it’s not going to help you when you’re sitting on the bleachers at the soccer game and you overhear someone make a snide remark about your car.

You can shoot daggers at that snooty woman who seriously needs to have her roots touched up . . . (see how my mind needs to be renewed)!

OR, you can choose to see the truth. Your car gets you where you need to go. It’s paid for. And if she needs a new car to have value, then she needs Jesus. And maybe you overheard that, not so you can spend the entire game wondering if she knows there’s a price tag sticking out of her sweater, but so you can pour some grace into her world.

A key part of renewing . . . memorizing truth.

We need to choose to make God’s Word a part of us so that we can access what is true no matter where we are.

So let’s get practical…is memorizing Scripture something you do on a regular basis? How do you incorporate it (or would like to incorporate it) into your life? Please tell us in the comments.

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