1 Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer PhD Family Worship CenterOur Journey Together Week 8 Redirecting Your Tool #4 – Whatever is Just Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer PhD Family Worship Center

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3 Philippians 2:5 “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:” NIV

4 Review Part Eight: Refocusing The

5 REFOCUS Your MIND IN THE GAPYou move towards what you are focused on

6 REFOCUS Your MIND IN THE GAPYour thought life is the track the train of your life runs on

7 REFOCUS Your MIND IN THE GAPIf my thoughts are negative I am going to behave negative, choose the negative and reap the negative.

8 REFOCUS Your MIND IN THE GAPIf my thoughts are based in faith (which is always positive) I am going to behave positive, choose the positive and reap the positive.

9 Philippians 2:5 “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:” NIV

10 `Philippians 4:8 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate (think) on these things. (NKJV)

11 REDIRECT Your MIND IN THE GAPReview Part One: The WHY to Think

12 REDIRECT Your MIND IN THE GAPThe word for (meditate) “think” used here in the original Greek is logivzesqe (logidsesthe) from which we get our English word “LOGIC”.

13 REDIRECT Your MIND IN THE GAPTHINK – Use Logic (logivzesqe) Present Tense- an action right now. Middle vs. Passive voice- requires your involvement. Imperative mood- a command to think this way.

14 REDIRECT Your MIND IN THE GAPTHINK – Use Logic (logivzesqe) Control yourself through LOGIC and NOT EMOTION

15 REDIRECT Your MIND IN THE GAPTHINK – Use Logic (logivzesqe) 2. Jeremiah 17:9 tells you NOT to trust your emotions… “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”

16 REDIRECT Your MIND IN THE GAPTHINK – Use Logic (logivzesqe) 3. REDIRECT to healthy logical thinking instead of reacting with and being controlled by your emotions

17 REDIRECT Your MIND IN THE GAPPart Two: The WAY to Think

18 Whatever things are TRUEGreek word ajlhqh' (alethe) Meaning – True, truthful, worthy of credit The real stuff ~Not emotional distortions Focus thoughts away from illusions of anxiety and onto the truth Stand on the unchangeable truth of the Bible.

19 Whatever things are NOBLEGreek word semnav semna The Greek stem “Seb” means to “fall back before.”

20 Whatever things are NOBLEIn modern vernacular it encompasses things that “stop you in your tracks”, “knock you over”, “blow you away”, “mind blowing”, “awe inspiring”, “knock your socks off”, “make you speechless”, “take your breath away.”

21 Whatever things are NOBLE“Life Is Not Measured By the Number of Breaths We Take, But By the Moments That Take Our Breath Away”

22 Whatever things are NOBLEKittle says it “denotes anything which evokes σέβεσθαι (sebesthai)” ie anything that causes you to worship God.

23 Whatever things are NOBLEYour thought life (train tracks) need to focus on the positive things that cause you to worship God.

24 Whatever things are NOBLELook for the noble in people, places and things, instead of looking for the ignoble. Look for what brings praise to God instead of what prompts criticism of people.

25 Whatever things are Just or RightJust – Greek word  (dikaia). Meaning – Do what is biblically “Just” or the right thing in the eyes of God. To do whatever is just or right, you need to think about what is right- because your thoughts determine your behaviors.

26 Whatever things are Just or RightTo think about what is just or right according to God, we need to know what the Bible says. So read it!

27 Whatever things are Just or RightJustice vs. Mercy Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you, But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Mercy and Justice are not mutually exclusive. The Gift of Mercy brings God’s justice in a tenderhearted way.

28 Whatever things are Just or RightThomas Aquinas said “Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution; justice without mercy is cruelty.”

29 Whatever things are Just or RightJustice applied without mercy does not reflect God Without mercy, justice creates Pharisees; self-righteous keepers of the Law who neglect the true meaning. Jesus called them out as keeping the letter of the Law but neglecting the spirit (Matthew 23:23).

30 Whatever things are Just or RightWithout justice mercy destroys the very ones she tries to help. She destructively enables people, making them dependent. While posing as altruism those who practice mercy without justice are really either trying to relinquish their own guilt or are the epitome of those who can’t discern cause and effect.

31 Whatever things are Just or RightChristians need to be the mature ones in the room when it comes to justice, mercy and politics.

32 Whatever things are Just or RightTrue godly justice ALWAYS does the right thing according to God’s Law and ALWAYS does it with merciful caring love.

33 Whatever things are Just or RightYou are called to do the right thing even when your emotions want you to do something else.

34 Whatever things are Just or RightMercy Motivated by Cheerfulness. Romans 12:8. Mercy that is a gift of Spirit is not merely a highly sensitive or compassionate person – they can be an easy target for manipulation. The Gift of Mercy - Not simply compassion that can be misdirected or compromised but sensitive mercy cheerfully applied and loyal to God’s covenant – Micah 6:8.

35 Whatever things are Just or RightCheerfulness is from ἱλαρότητι (hilarotēti) – hilarious!!!! The Gift of Mercy doesn’t create a burned out, heartbroken giver of mercy. Hilariously be merciful – enjoying that you are bringing Jesus to people and people closer to Jesus.

36 Whatever things are Just or RightAlways do what God says is right… always do it with love.

37 `Philippians 4:8 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate (think) on these things. (NKJV)