“Edwin, what's on your mind?” I used to hear that from Mom or Dad when I was a kid. When they asked it that way, they suspected that I was up to something. And if I heard my whole name called – “Edwin Arnold Lehmann, what are you thinking about?” - their suspicions took on a serious tone for quite often it happens that what's going on up here (mind) tends to come out down here (hands) in our behavior. They didn't want me to get off on the wrong track, so they were concerned about my thoughts.
God is concerned about what's on our minds , too. That's why He says in our Epistle text: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things….put it into practice.”
Christians should be concerned about what goes on in their minds because that's where sin begins – within us. In fact, Jesus said that the heart were the source of all wickedness (Mt.15:19). And if we have wickedness inside us, sooner or later that wickedness will show itself outwardly in our lives. Jesus' advice for that? - He told the Pharisees, “First clean the inside…and then the outside also will be clean” (Mt.23:26).
To keep a clean inside, Christians will be concerned about what goes into their minds. That means you'll be concerned about the television shows you watch, the music you listen to, the movies you go to see, the books you read, the people you hang around…. You will seek to think and do only that which glorifies Christ, your Redeemer, and not that which entices to sin. So it is that God spoke through Paul: “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely…think about such things.” So, dear friend, what's on your mind?
I. Think about it because the Lord is near. That's what Paul writes in our text: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
You can think of that from the standpoint of Jesus' Second Coming at the end of time. The Bible is constantly encouraging us to be ready for Him at any moment because He will come suddenly, without warning, at an unexpected time like a thief in the night.
How many times don't you hear that in the Scriptures? Jesus said, “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Mt.24:42f).
To that the Bible adds that the last day is much closer now than it was the first day we were brought to faith (Rm.13:11). In other, words you are closer to the end of the world today when you are 20, 40, or 80 than you were the day you were baptized as a baby.
Finally, the Bible says, “He is coming soon” (Rv.22:20). So, it's true; the day of the Lord's coming “is near.” You could take the meaning of those words from the standpoint of the Last Day, prepare yourself in faith, and be at peace with God now. Such peace with the Savior is a wonderful thing to have. Why put it off?
You could also take the meaning of the phrase, “the Lord is near,” from the standpoint that He is right next to you; He sees what's going on in your life. And, since He can look within you, He knows what's on your mind as well. What's going on up there?
Are your thoughts true, noble, and pure from God's standpoint? Think about it because the Lord is near.
Like we said earlier, what's going on up here (mind) and in here (heart) has a way of revealing itself out here (hands). Perhaps you've heard the expression, “You are what you eat”? Well, it is also true to say, “You are what you think.” It will be evident to others by the ways we act and treat them whether we are concerned about glorifying Christ or just concerned about ourselves. Our thoughts reveal themselves by how we look and act. So Paul said: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”
There is a story about a man who was very mean and ugly. He did not like things that were pretty, and he lived all alone in a dark old house.
Then one day the man fell in love with a young girl. She was sweet and friendly and very beautiful. He wanted to marry her, but she said, “I will never marry a man whose face is not lovely.” So the man bought a mask which made him look like a kind and good person. He also did his best to be good to the girl, and together they did lovely things. They read good books together, they listened to beautiful music, they walked together in the parks, and they enjoyed God's pretty birds and flowers.
After a time they were married, and they were very happy. But one day an old enemy came to the man's house. He tore the mask off the man's face in front of his wife. The man tried to hide his face, because he didn't want his wife to see how ugly he was. But when he looked into a mirror, he saw that his face had become like that of the person he had tried to be.
It's not a true story, but it has a true meaning, and it has Godly significance. The Bible tells us to think of whatever is true and good in God's eyes. If we will do that, we will become more and more.like the Savior.
Our thoughts and behavior won't of themselves save us. Only Jesus' blood can wash us clean inside and out. But our thoughts and behavior will reveal our gratitude to Christ for His redemption and mercy in our lives and it will reveal our faith in Him for the Bible says, “It is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Ro.10:10). In other words, what's in here (mind and heart) will come out here (mouth and hands).
So, dear friend, what's on your mind? Think about it because the Lord is near. Thinking His thoughts will bring you peace.
II. Think about it because it involves your happiness.
Once again it becomes clear that faith is not just something you know; it is also something that acts through you. It affects your whole life – what you do, how you approach things, and even how you feel as you keep in mind that the Lord is near. To that end Paul wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstance. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
Because he knew up here and here (head & heart) that the Lord was near in time and eternity, Paul could be happy no matter the circumstance of his life. His faith in the Savior adjusted to everything and helped him through as he waited for Christ to return.
When he was hungry or had other needs or problems, he didn't blame God. If the stock market crashed and he lost all his money because the economic situation went bad, he didn't throw up his hands in despair. In faith he knew that Christ still loved him.
When he had a lot and all was going well, he did not think it was because he had earned it and could get along on his own without God. He remembered that he lived by the grace of Christ who would enable him to live and do whatever was necessary to survive. He could adjust to all situations for Christ was with Him and Christ would stay by His side to the end when He would take Him to be by His side forever. So Paul was happy, content in everything; he could adjust his life in faith and be happy. Think about it. Do you have such happiness in your life of faith?
Think of it this way. Suppose that I had a wooden board with a number of different sized bolts in it that I had to tighten. To do that, I need a wrench. Fortunately, I have one here; it's a 9/16 th size - perfect for a 9/16 th bolt. So I can get that part of the job done. But now I've got a problem. This wrench won't fit the other bolts because some are smaller and some are larger. So I can't finish the job - - unless I have a wrench like this, a monkey wrench. It's adjustable. It can go smaller to tighten the small bolts; it can go larger to tighten the large bolts. With this wrench I can do the whole job, because it is adjustable.
In a similar way Paul tells us that faith in the Savior is like a monkey wrench; it adjusts to the situation – no matter what it might be - and it is happy, “content” as he put it. Contentment is not our natural response to life, is it? But we can learn it and even rejoice in the most challenging of situations that confront us. Why? - because no matter the situation the Savior will always be at hand to relieve us or to support us as we go through it. With Him at your side, nothing can be against you (Ro.8:32). What's more, in Him you have eternal rest from sin. So Paul rejoiced, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” It brought him such peace in the Savior for if he was under stress, he had someone to go to – Christ – and He would help!
That's an adjustable faith! That's a happy life! That's a mind at peace! Live your joy in the Savior and you too, with Paul, will “Rejoice in the Lord always.” God grant our minds and lives such rest in Christ; for Jesus' sake. Amen.