What Are You Thinking

What Are You Thinking?

March 26, 2006

Introduction

What are you thinking? Does it matter? What does the Bible say? This past week, something happened that’s only happened a few times in the last year or two. Someone wrote an en-mail about something they had been on our website. This time, the note was to Carolyn about her poetry. Her poetry! It had been pushed to the back of my mind, and Carolyn hadn’t added a poem since 2004, but here it was, a note. Not just any note, but a very artistically done note from a 16 year old girl, expressing her appreciation for Carolyn’s poetry. Carolyn was so touched by the note that stayed up late to add another poem to her collection and write this young lady a note.

I even got involved. As I looked at her poems, I realized I had improved the looks of more recent additions, and began to work on updating her poems. I came across this poem that I will share with you:

Prayers for Our Precious Grandchildren

Our dear and precious little children,
Every day we pray a prayer
Asking that our heavenly Father
Bless and keep you in His care.

We ask that God will guide, protect you,
Keep you loving, sweet, and kind,
And that to Him you'll give glory
With your talents and your minds.

Always live in honor to Him;
Set your minds on things above,
Being faithful in His service,
Doing all His will in love.

Grow in grace, in truth, and mercy.
Keep on thinking of good things.
Know the peace and joy in serving
Him who is the King of kings.

Body

I. What are you thinking? Are you thinking of others in your family?

Our dear and precious little children,
Every day we pray a prayer
Asking that our heavenly Father
Bless and keep you in His care.

A. Do we pray for our families?

(1 Tim 2:1 NKJV) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

Do we know the importance of God’s care?

Asking that our heavenly Father
Bless and keep you in His care.

(Psa 127:1 NKJV) Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

II. We need to ask for God’s guidance.

We need guidance for our own lives.

(Jer 10:23 NKJV) "O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps."

God will guide and provide for the righteous.

We ask that God will guide, protect you,
Keep you loving, sweet, and kind,
And that to Him you'll give glory
With your talents and your minds.

(Psa 37:23-28 NKJV) "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. {24} Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand. {25} I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. {26} He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed. {27} Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. {28} For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off."

We have an obligation to others.

(Luke 17:1-2 NKJV) "Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! {2} "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."

1. We need to lead and guide by example.

2. Fathers have a special role in guiding children and grandchildren.

(Mal 4:5-6 NKJV) "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. {6} And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.""

3. Fathers are to rear their children in the training of the Lord.

(Eph 6:4 NKJV) "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."

a. Fathers need to set a proper example.

b. They need to provide instruction in what the Bible says about our service to Him, and keeping ourselves pure.

(Mat 5:8 NKJV) "Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God."

“What are you thinking?”

Always live in honor to Him;
Set your minds on things above,
Being faithful in His service,
Doing all His will in love.

III. What are you thinking? -- It matters!

(Prov 23:7 NKJV) "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

So What are you thinking?

A. Are we thinking of loving God.

(Mat 22:37-40 NKJV) "Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' {38} "This is the first and great commandment. {39} "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' {40} "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.""

B. And may we grow in grace.

Grow in grace, in truth, and mercy.
Keep on thinking of good things.
Know the peace and joy in serving
Him who is the King of kings.

(2 Pet 3:18 NKJV) "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."

Conclusion

So what are you thinking?

Are your thoughts pure?

Is God in your thoughts?

(Psa 10:4 NKJV) "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts."

Are you thinking of others and how they may need you?

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