5/7/23 Philippians 4:4-9 “The Absolute Key to a Better Life”

05 May 5/7/23 Philippians 4:4-9 “The Absolute Key to a Better Life”

5/7/23    Philippians 4:4-9      “The Absolute Key to a Better Life”

Last week I got a little fixated as I only talked about, basically, one line from our Scripture lesson.  I have found that this happens every once in a while, because the Scripture is so rich.  Hopefully this week I will get to a little more of our reading as it is so good for all of us.  I think I have mentioned this already that this is the time of year for confirmations, graduations and new beginnings.  So even though this message may seem like it is especially tailored for the younger people, it is also for everyone as we all need to hear the Good News.  We need to hear this because we are all on a journey.  Some of us are heading to retirement, some might be starting new employment, some might be getting married and some of you might have just finished confirmation and you have a whole world that is just beginning to open up for you.  No matter where you are on this journey, I would like to give you a guarantee that you will do better if you call on Jesus Christ every day of your life.  He is that good and it is that simple.  I chose today’s Scripture because it is so full of glory and good news.  It just sums up what it is like to be in love with the very creator of the universe.

There used to be a newspaper advice columnist, named Ann Landers, who received about 10,000 letters a day.  People would get into all kinds of trouble and they would write to Ann for advice on how to get out of trouble, or out of depression or just about any other problem you can imagine.  There have been others who have done this since she died.  People have trouble and they look for a way to get out of it.  Some people just react poorly to trouble.  There was a man who attacked the Cookie Monster one time.  This guy was so upset that the Cookie Monster couldn’t take a little time to take a picture with his daughter so he beat up the Cookie Monster.  I’m not making this up.  It is getting so bad that when you drive down the highway, you have to be careful not to offend someone or they might stop and beat you up.  It is called road rage.  What I’m trying to say here is that people are so out of control and they are looking for a way to come back under control.  They just don’t know how.  So, today we have TV shows like Dr. Phil, The View and even Good Morning America who give all kinds of advice on TV to people who are in trouble.  I have never watched any of these shows and I would suggest that you don’t either.  The reason I say this is that they will never mention the one and only person who can solve any problem, Jesus Christ.  As far as I know, there is nothing He can’t do or solve.  Nothing!

The first thing Paul tells us is to rejoice in the Lord always!  This isn’t something that you just do when you are in a good mood or when things are going well.  Rejoice in the Lord at all times, in all places and in all situations.  There is no reason to be down just because you didn’t do well in a test or something else.  Instead, rejoice!  Rejoice because you have the opportunity to learn from your mistakes.

I used to work with a man who rejoiced in the Lord all the time.  He was the happiest fellow I have ever known.  He had problems and he had troubles but he would just rejoice and continue on his day.  This world was not about to get this fellow down.  There were many, many people who loved this man dearly because he was such a pleasure to be around.  However, there were also those who hated him because he was too happy and too good.  Can you imagine that?  There are some people in this world that you just can’t please no matter what you do.  When you find them and you will, try to avoid them as much as possible.  People who hate others who rejoice in the Lord probably work for the other side.

Now I know that this is pretty hard to do, rejoicing all the time, but it is possible.  I remember years ago a young person told me that they didn’t know how I could do it.  It seemed that no matter what happened, I would have a positive attitude.  I was never as positive as the fellow I just talked about but I try.  I told this you person to keep at it.  Don’t give up rejoicing in the Lord.  I came across this person several years later and he was the most positive person you would ever want to meet.  I asked him if he remembered the conversation.  He did and he didn’t give up.  He is a treat to be around today.  Don’t ever give up rejoicing in the Lord.

We are more able to rejoice in the Lord if we are not anxious about anything.  We have to know that the Lord is always nearby.  I don’t care how hard you try; you cannot get away from the Lord.  He is always near and He always loves you.  So, if He is always near, why not talk to Him because it is not that hard.

Paul is telling us to take everything to Jesus through prayer and petition and with great thanksgiving.  He is always right beside you so why not take everything to Him in prayer.  And thank Him for always being there.  And when you find yourself in a situation where you are sinning, remember He is there.  He would want you to talk to Him first before you begin your sinful behavior so He could help you not do it.  But He is also there after you sin, so go to Him.  God is near to help you at all times.

Then the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will be yours.  Rejoice in God for all things and come to Him in prayer and thanksgiving in all things and the peace of God will be with you.  We don’t understand this peace but you will know it when you have it.  I remember a God moment that I had several years ago.  I was still going to seminary and was preparing to write part of my last paper for this summer.  I was reading an article that was written by Teresa of Avila in the mid 1500’s and it was about this very topic.  She describes this peace through prayer by saying that you lose touch with everything around you.  Your focus is so much on God that it is almost like you become a very small part of God.  In a sense, you really aren’t yourself during these moments of intense prayer.

I always try to tell you that God is timeless.  He was the same 2000 years ago as He was in the 1500’s when Teresa of Avila talked to Him in intense prayer.  He is the same today as He would like each one of you to try to come to Him in this deep prayer.  The result will be the peace of God that Paul, Teresa of Avila and I are trying to tell you about.  We can’t describe it in any other way than it is fantastically peaceful.  It is a peace that most people don’t know about.  Go to Jesus in prayer.

Then Paul tells us that whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.  Let’s see if we can concentrate on just these few things for a couple moments.  Then let’s see if we can make a habit of thinking like this.  If you can, I guarantee that your life will change for the better.  You will find yourself becoming a much more positive person.

However, we live in a world that is guarded and controlled by Satan.  Everywhere you look you see bad things or bad things happening.  Let’s not even look around the world but let’s look at your own life.  Are you watching worthwhile TV?  Are the video games you play ok or are they full of bad things and violence?  Or how about your thoughts, are they always good?  I think that each one of us has to take out the log in our own eye before we try to take out the speck of dust in someone else’s eye.  Paul is trying to tell us here that we are to quit thinking about such things.

Instead, think about things that are true.  Forget about the gossip and lies that are floating around everywhere.  I think one of the worst habits we get into as young people or old people or all people is the habit of gossip.  Gossip is not true.  It is a lie.  We watched a movie once called ‘Hangman’s Curse’ once that dealt with the gossip in a high school that caused widespread panic in the school and the community.  Gossip hurts everyone.  Stick with the truth and the truth comes from the Bible and our training in it.  I tell people that if you tell one lie, then it takes two lies to cover up the first one.  Then it takes four more to cover up those two lies, then eight lies to cover up those four.  Even if you aren’t a mathematician, you should be able to tell that it won’t be long before your whole life is a lie.  If you don’t lie the first time, then you don’t have to worry about it.  It is only common sense!

Then Paul says to do what is noble.  This means that you do things that are worthy of respect and dignity.  We are all capable of being noble like our King Jesus.  Think about that the next time you do something: is this noble?  Then he says do what is right.  I don’t know how many times I have been asked, ‘How do I know if something is right?’  All I can say is that you know what is right.  If you don’t then you have the Bible to fall back upon.  You have been through all sorts of experiences in life and you know this.  You know what is right.  Generally speaking, if you are asking a question like this, then you are probably looking for permission to sin.

Then he says to do whatever is pure.  In other words, don’t do things that are morally impure but do things that are wholesome.  All through the Bible, God talks of being pure.  He wanted the people of Israel to remain pure by not intermarrying with other tribes of people.  He wanted the blood lines to remain pure.  He wants us to be pure by not sinning.  It is hard to do but you will never know until you begin to try to be as pure as possible.  God wants this because He will not allow anyone who is not pure to be in heaven.  This is why we are to confess our sins and ask Jesus to live in our heart.  Then you will begin this wonderful journey with Jesus.  This is also why I tell you to keep confessing.  Do it every day.  You see, God will not let anyone or anything into heaven that is not pure.  Coming through Jesus is the only way we have to do this.  And God will not allow unrepentant sinners into heaven because it is a perfect place.

Then He speaks of doing things that are lovely.  This should not be that hard to do if you are in touch with the Bible.  These are things that promote peace and not conflict.  Peace in our modern world is a little harder to do because our government and press want us to hate each other.  This is just so wrong on all fronts.  It’s getting so bad that I find myself almost agreeing with some of the things they say.  Then I have to slap myself in the face and turn back to the truth of Jesus Christ.  Just remember this: if you don’t want something done to you, then don’t do it to someone else.  Your freedom ends where my nose begins.  And finally, he says to do what is admirable.  These are the things that are positive in life.  Forget about the negative.  Don’t do them.  Do the positive.  Remember the most positive person that you have ever known and try to be like them.  Being positive is so much easier than being negative.

These are the things that will lead you to a good life.  I have noticed that pretty much the whole pagan world is looking for a magic formula for a good life.  They try Eastern religions and they don’t work.  They try some of the New Age ideas and they don’t work.  Many people end up worshipping themselves and of course that doesn’t work.

If you go into any of the bookstores in the area, if you can still find one, or on Amazon books, you will find shelf after shelf filled with books on how to be a better you or how to have a better life.  Then a few feet away is the one shelf that has a few Bibles.  I will tell you to walk past all the self-help books and go to the shelf that has the Bibles.  There you will find the way to a better life.  Follow these things that we have talked about today and your future will be bright.  I’m going to repeat what I said a couple of weeks ago when I said that there is only one thing that I regret about my life.  I wish that I would have come to know Jesus Christ when I was 13 or 14 or 18 instead of when I was 40.  I can’t begin to imagine how great a life I would have had if I had always known Jesus.  Follow Him today.  You will never regret this decision.

Finally, there is a story about Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was theology professor and I would guess a preacher also.  Anyway, he left Germany to escape WWII.  Then, he went back to Germany after World War II had started to head up some of the underground activities in Germany against Hitler.  Anyway, he was caught in an attempt to assassinate Hitler right at the end of the war.  One would expect that he would be a little down as he was waiting for his execution.  But he wasn’t.  He tried to help people know Jesus right up to the end.  In his last letter he wrote: “What is happiness and unhappiness?  It depends so little on circumstances; it really depends on what happens inside a person.”

Today, we want Jesus to happen inside of every person.  Confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to live in your heart.  This is the way to a better life, the only way.  I praise Jesus every time I look out at you and see all the love that He has given you.  Praise the Lord!  And thank you, Jesus, for first loving us.  Let’s pray.