We've been on this subject for a
few weeks now, on Friday evenings, on a series called
Transformed. Transformed. And our main text is Romans
twelve and verse two. Romans 12:2 says, "Be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God." The New Living says, "...let God
transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." Are thoughts really that
powerful that if you change the way you think, you become a
different person? The word transformed here is the
word where we get our word morph or metamorphosis from; it's like
what happens from caterpillar to butterfly. You're not just changed a little
bit, you're changed into something different. We're talking about radical
change, major change. And he says that God transforms
us by what? By the renewing of your mind. Today's English version says it
like this. "Do not conform yourselves to
the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly
by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know
the will of God - what is good and is pleasing to Him and is
perfect." Now, this transforming of who we
are, and what kind of person we are - and he's writing to people
that were already born again, this letter was addressed to the
saints that were in Rome. Not only does it change us, but
it causes us to be able to discern, ascertain, recognize,
be sure about the will of God. Is this valuable to you? That you know and you were sure
about what is God's perfect will. It is hard to overemphasize what
kind of effect this has on you if you know what you're supposed
to be doing, where you're supposed to be, who you're
supposed to be joined to and hooked up with, who you're
supposed to be helping, who's supposed to be helping you; when
you're not looking for it, wondering about it, asking
questions, you know, you're sure, it makes you a different
person. Doesn't it? You're not losing sleep, you're
not pacing the floor, you're not asking everybody and their
brother what do I need to do, tell me what to do. But if you want this clarity, if
you want this stability, you have to change the way you
think, don't you? Your thinking has to be changed. Do you want to become more like
the Master? Do you want to change? Reckon you have already arrived
at Christlike perfection where you sit tonight? If you haven't, then what's the
solution? You need to change. Look at your neighbor and tell
them convincingly and say you need to change. Some of the looks I saw. I saw some folk look at each
other and the person was kind of daring them to say it. So their lips didn't move. Honey, you do need to change. I'll tell you. I assure you, you need to change
a lot. But so do I, because we have not
arrived at Christlike perfection. And how are we going to change? It takes the transforming power
of God to change us from what we grew up with all our life, or
what we've been immersed in for twenty, thirty, forty, fifty,
sixty years. People say, "You can't teach an
old dog new tricks." Ain't it great that you're not
an old dog. You are a new creation. A new creature in Christ Jesus. Old things are passed away and
all things are become new. All things are possible. You can take the meanest,
sorriest individual, and get them saved, get them filled with
the Spirit, get them full of the Word, get their mind and their
thinking changed, and they can be the most wonderful person. Can the love of God do this? Can the power of God do this? All the time it does it. Go with me if you would to Luke
the tenth chapter. Luke chapter ten,
Jesus went to Martha's house. And Martha must've been a good
cook. There's every indication that
she was top-notch. Jesus was over there more than
just once or twice. He was over there quite a bit. And Martha and her sister Mary
and their brother were very close friends of His, the
Scripture talked about. And on this occasion in Luke
10:38, "Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into
a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him
into her house." So she's a good woman. She respects the Lord. She respects the ministry. She's willing to give what she's
got and make available what she's got. Verse thirty-nine, "And she had
a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard
His Word. But Martha was cumbered about
much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, do You not care
that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her," tell her to get up and
come in here and, "help me." They have a house full of
company and there's quite a few mouths to feed and the Master is
here. And Martha wants to do this
right. And it's a lot of work involved. How many understand back then,
no microwaves. No instant anything. You had to walk to the well and
get the water, and you had to beat the corn out, and make the
flour, oh boy. And the more Martha's working in
there, she's got - you know, she's making bread and she's
preparing the meat, she's preparing the vegetables, she's
getting things ready for the desert. She's got about eight things
going at once and she's just buzzing around from side to side
in the kitchen. And from pot to pot. And she looks out there and Mary
is just sitting there looking at Jesus with a sweet smile on her
face. And she tried to get her
attention. She's go in every once in a
while and she'd go, "Pssst... Mary. Mary." Then the pot was boiling and
she'd have to go back and check. As the minutes went by she got
annoyed, frustrated, angry. And she was just sure that Jesus
would feel the same way if He realized, which He must not
have, but if He realize that Mary should have been in there
helping her. So much so that eventually she
just blares into there - and I guess interrupts Him and in
front of everybody says, "Jesus, would you tell Mary to get up in
here and help me?" She's just sure that she and
Jesus think alike. She's not the last one that was
wrong about that particular point. So many are just sure that the
way they feel about it is the same way the Lord feels about
it. And in actuality, He sees it
opposite. He did on this occasion. Verse forty-one, "Jesus answered
and said to her, Martha, Martha," now if the Lord ever
calls your name twice like that, just go ahead and kneel down and
start repenting. You don't need to wait. Keith, Keith. If the Lord ever calls you name
twice like that, Martha, Martha, "You are careful," careful. What does that mean? Full of care. Sure she cared about getting the
meal right, she cared about - see people justify care. As far as the Lord is concerned
there's no justification for worrying and being anxious. It doesn't matter what's going
on. Let me go over that again real
slow. As far as Lord is concerned, you
do know He's right about everything, there is no
justification, there are no set of circumstances where you are
justified in being anxious and worried. Anytime - now, all of us have
made mistakes in that area, but any time that you did, you were
wrong and you didn't have to do it, and you shouldn't have. Doesn't the Scripture tell us be
careful for nothing? Didn't the Scripture tell us
casting all your care on Him? Doesn't the Bible say this? The Scripture says take no
thought about these things. But Martha was. And oftentimes people that are
good people - I believe Martha is a good woman. And a lot of times good people
that take their responsibilities seriously go too far. And they justify it. See, she felt totally justified. In fact, she's upset with her
sister because she's not in there with her being just as
careful as her. Did you know people that are
anxious and worried and upset will get angry at you because
you're not as upset as they are? And you are commanded of the
Lord not to. He didn't say try not to, we're
commanded of Him not to worry, not fear. Now we've not digressed. The reason you're worried and
anxious and full of care is because of what you're thinking
on. She's not just slinging pots
around back there, she's got something on her mind, not just
something on the stove. What's on her mind? What did Jesus say? "You are careful and troubled
about many things," not two or three things, many things. She's bothered and troubled - is
the bread going to turn out okay? Am I going to burn the roast? Am I cooking that too long? And where is my lazy sister? Did she not know we have a house
full of company? Jesus said, "Martha, Martha..." You know, she had forwardness to
interrupt Him and blare in there and blurt out about her sister,
well, He's just going to go ahead and address it in front of
everybody. "Martha, Martha, you are full of
care, and troubled. Look at you, you're troubled." Is He telling her it's okay for
her to be like this? No. "You're troubled about many
things. And your sister that you are so
upset with," verse forty-two, "But one thing is needful..." I want you to say that out loud. But one thing is needful. Say it again. But one thing is needful. How many things? Just one. Just one? That's what He said. One thing is needful. "...and Mary has chosen that
good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Let me read the New American
Standard, the NASU. Verse forty-one says, "But the
Lord answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried
and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is
necessary,'" somebody say, "One thing." God's Word translation says,
"Martha, Martha! You worry and fuss about a lot
of things. There's only one thing you
need." There's only one thing you need. "Mary has made the right choice,
and that one thing will not be taken away from her." Somebody say, "One thing." One thing. Now, the reason I wanted to get
back into this is because the Lord quickened to me that this
is so significant - what were on right now is the cause of
frustration, anxiousness, fear, doubt. The Lord didn't give us the
spirit of fear. He gave us the Spirit of what? Power and love and what? A sound, sound mind. We're not supposed to be here,
there, here, there, here, there, here, there, full of care,
troubled about many things. When you're reading about
Martha, you're reading about three fourths of the church
people. And the problem is people think
that's good to be that way. It shows you care. It shows you're responsible. But Jesus corrected her. One thing, He said, is needful. Now, something we sorely need to
make an adjustment - we're talking about renewing our
minds, where we had missed it repeatedly just like Martha is
in assuming things. Martha assumed we're going to
need a good meal prepared, we're going to need it done like this,
she assumed - can you see her assumption ran all the way until
she assumed her sister ought to be in there helping her, and
assumed Jesus would feel the same way as she does about it,
so much that she blared it out. But she was wrong about all of
it. And come to find out she
should've been in there hearing the Word like her sister instead
of her sister in there in the kitchen upset and rushing around
like her. Well, things have to be done and
if everybody just sat around and listened to the Word, nothing
would happen. That's Martha sister. Martha's brother. It's not true. It's not true. The Lord knows things need to be
done. They don't have to be done the
time you think they have to be done. They don't have to be done the
way you think they have to be done. There were times He was on the
hillside and everybody ate and nobody cooked. Nobody cooked and they had
twelve baskets left over. And all they did was sit and
listen to the Word. Friend, when your priorities are
right, you begin to come in to some areas where it just comes
to you, you don't have to sweat for it, you don't have to
scratch it out. When you seek first the kingdom
of God, He will add those things to you instead of you scrambling
and trying to make them happen. Something so simple, so simple -
you've done it, I've done the same thing that Martha did - so
simple that she didn't do. She should have come in to Jesus
and said Lord, what do You want me to do? Do You want me to fix us a good
meal? And on this occasion He would've
said no. I want you to just sit down here
by your sister. Because that's what we're doing
right now. If she would have just asked. Somebody say, "Ask." But see Martha had sense enough
to know that with a house full of people they were going to get
hungry, food isn't just going to appear out of nowhere. If she had just asked. This assuming. And can you see by her not
asking, and her not finding out the one thing she needed to
know, then she is all over the place and her mind is going ten
different directions at once, and she's full of care and
anxiety, she's troubled. See friend, this should tell us
alone that we're off. Shouldn't it? Our mind is over here, and it's
over there, and it's over here, and we're rushing around and
we're troubled and we're bothered, that alone should be
just a red light and a bell saying hey, hey, what are you
doing wrong? Because, "Thou will keep him in
perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee." We are supposed to walk, not
just a few minutes on Sunday morning or in some good service
or meeting, we're supposed to walk every day and every night
in the peace that passes understanding. And if our minds are renewed and
we think on the right thing, and we think the way that we should,
we will ascertain every morning noon and night what is the
perfect will of God. We'll stop, we'll ask, we'll
check, and we'll know and instead of asking all these
questions and bouncing all over here, we know there's just one
thing I need to know. What am I supposed to be doing
right now? There's only one thing I need to
know. And if you get that, and you
receive that, and you forget about everything else, the
frustration goes away. The anxiety goes away. The confusion goes away. And all that's left is peace. We talked about this already. You go to a restaurant and sit
down at the table. The waitperson comes over. And they say what do you have
and you say well, what do you have. They say beans. What else? Beans. What will you have? There's no opportunity to get
frustrated about what do I pick. Is there? All these decisions. What do I want? And you only have one choice. So you don't go around the table
for ten minutes going what you want? I don't care. What do you want? I don't care. What do you want? Really, I don't care. What do you want? Let's just get what you want. No, let's just get what you
want. None of that. Why? Because there's only one thing. Somebody say, "One thing." When there's only one thing,
it's wonderful. It's wonderful. It's wonderful. You don't have to do any more
research. You don't have to look up
anything else. You don't have to call anybody
or ask anybody. Easy. One thing. You might say, "I like choices." That's the problem. That is the problem. We've always liked choices since
Adam and Eve. But if Jesus is your Lord, and
if this Word is your final authority, and His Spirit is
your ultimate guide, then when you find out what He tells you,
there should be nothing else on the menu. When the Lord tells you what's
for supper today, no need for you to look anymore, unless you
want to get out of the will of God. Unless you want to do something
on your own. First Kings eighteen. What did Jesus tell Martha? One thing. How many things? One thing is needful. She was full of care and
troubled about many things and He said it's none of that. It's one thing. And Mary has picked the one
thing that should have been picked right now. And she's not going to lose it. Somebody say, "One thing." First Kings eighteen, you don't
have to turn there, they'll put it up on the screen for us. First Kings 18:21. Elijah is facing down the
prophets of Baal. And the people have been
bewitched and deceived by these ungodly individuals, and they
have embraced this idol worship and Baalism. "And Elijah came to all the
people, and said, How long halt you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him:
but if Baal, then follow him. And the people," did what? "Answered him not a word." Why? Because they knew what they were
doing wasn't right. But they wanted a choice. They wanted to do something
else, they wanted to do something different. The Hebrew there for halt means
to hop. Hop back and forth. Hop. This Sunday they go over to the
Lord's table. The next they're over at Baal's
place. This week they believe in
healing. Next week they're not sure. This week they believe God will
meet all your needs. Next week they wonder is all
that stuff really right? You can't hop around, you can't
vacillate. And see, it's always been this
way. It's pronounced with the
development of technology. We have choices. Man, when I was growing up on TV
we had two or three channels depending on if the antenna was
up. I see some of y'all had the same
set. You had to get out the ladder
and get on top of the house, turn the antenna - how does that
look? But now, with cable, satellite,
hundreds. And how has that helped us? How are we doing with that? "What are you watching?" "Oh, nothing." I just portrayed a third of the
people's lives. And the Internet. You talk about choices. You can Google one thing faster
than you can blink your eyes. You have 2,800,935,643 returns. Choices. Different things you can look
at. And this is why much of our
population is bleary-eyed, tired all the time. Because you have to search them
out. See what's on there. The eyes of man, the Scripture
says - anybody know? Never satisfied. What does that mean? You cannot see enough that your
eyes go okay, that's it. I don't want to see anymore. Your eyes will look at stuff
until they're burnt to raisins and you fall out of your chair,
and your eyes will still want to see something else. And does this happen to us? No. We have chronic fatigue. Because the Lord said what? On any given day, any given
afternoon, any given night, there's not five things you're
supposed to be doing, there's not three. Are you with me friends? Now if you want to do your own
thing, okay. You can have twenty-five like
Martha. And you can be over here, and
you can be over there, and you can be rushing around, and you
will tell it by your lack of peace, and by your worry, and by
your anxiety, and being troubled. And people have lived this way
for so long they think it's normal, and for the world, it
is. But it's not for us. It's not how a child of God is
supposed to be living. We're supposed be walking in the
peace that passes understanding. We're supposed to be strong all
the time. We're supposed to be clear
headed, clear minded, clear souled, all the time. We're supposed to discern and
know what the will of God is in every situation. All the time. And the Bible said it happens by
the renewing and changing of our mind. And I'm telling you, what were
on right now friends is a key component of why the Lord had us
minister on this. We are into something now that
if we will receive it and will implement it, it will affect
what we are reading, a transformation will begin to
occur in our lives. We'll turn into different
people. Instead of being draggy, and
sleepy, and frustrated, and annoyed, and short, and snappy,
and inpatient, and quick-tempered, that's the
result of somebody that's careful and troubled about many
things. But if every morning you wake up
and you go - there's just one thing on the menu. Lord, what am I supposed to be
doing? Inquire of the Lord. Ask Him. And He will let you know. It may not always be what you
planned. It may not always be what you
would like to do. Or what you thought. But if you're smart, you'll go
with Him. And you'll find He will make
things work out so amazingly - all the stuff you thought you
needed to be concerned about, it's amazing how it all works
out while you're doing the one thing He told you to do. Somebody say, "One thing." Say it again, "One thing." Matthew fourteen, go over there,
please. Jesus came to them, down about
first twenty-three and twenty-four, walking on the
water. And they're in the ship. And the Bible said in verse
twenty-four it was, "...tossed with waves: for the wind was
contrary. And in the fourth watch of the
night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea." Is that possible? It happened. "And when the disciples saw Him
walking on the sea, they were," filled with faith? Here's something interesting. Have you ever heard somebody
say, "If I could see a miracle, then I'd believe." No, actually faith does not come
by seeing miracles. Are they seeing a miracle? Did it fill them full of faith. No. You could be right in front of
one of the greatest miracles, and leave doubting. Leave scared. Leave troubled and full of fear. Tell me how faith comes? Faith comes by hearing, hearing
by the Word. What we're doing right now. That's how faith comes. And you just have to decide,
choose that you're going to believe it and receive it. So they were, "Troubled, saying,
It is a spirit," we would probably say it's a ghost, "and
they cried out for fear." How many think that was not the
one thing they should have been doing right then? "But straightway Jesus spoke to
them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." Now what we're getting into is
submission to the Lordship of Jesus. Submission to the authority of
His Word. When the Lord tells you don't be
afraid, stop worrying, don't think about that, most of the
church has taken this as a suggestion. But when the Lord tells us don't
be afraid, He fully expects us to stop being afraid right then. When He tells us don't think
about that, He fully expects us to obey Him and not let
ourselves dwell on it again. Period. But you have half the church
whining and crying going, "I'm trying not to but it's so hard. I just care and I get to
thinking about it. I don't mean to but then it
bothers me." If you don't quit that, you'll
never be free. And you will not be transformed
into a faith person, a strong person. You will always be a worried,
scared, whiny baby. If the Lord says stop being
afraid, what do you do? You are supposed to straighten
yourself up and wipe off your tears, and don't tell Him you're
trying. That won't cut it with Him. It might work with grandma. "I need a hug. I need some help. I'm trying not to..." It's not going to cut it with
Him. He's not tolerant concerning
unbelief and fear. Now if you don't know this about
Him, read the Scripture. Don't take my word for it, put
your nose in this Book. See where He got irritated with
them. See where He got angry with
them. It's when He told them don't
fear, don't doubt and they kept on doing it. Because it's a choice of what
you choose to think on. It's a choice. If He says fear not, what does
He expect you to do? Here's some help. Anybody know the twenty third
Psalm? Among other things it says,
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I
will fear no evil." Say that out loud. I will fear no evil. We might say today I will not
fear any evil. I will not fear. I will not fear. I what? I will not. It's a choice, my brother and
sister. It's a choice. And what we've not understood
sometimes is you treat symptoms of fear just like you do
symptoms of lack, symptoms of disease, symptoms of anything
else, it's a temptation to fear. And I don't care if the hair on
the back of your neck is sticking up and your knees are
knocking together, that doesn't mean it's too late and you can't
help it. That's when you open your mouth
and you say I refuse to fear. I resist this fear. I will not give in to it. Yea, though I walk - how many
know if you're walking through the valley of shadow the death
you're going to feel some things, you're going to see some
things that are not good? But do you have to just throw up
your hands and say I can't? And just yield to it and just
fall down and feel helpless and be a victim? Do you have to? No, see faith is not based on
what you feel. The devil will come and say, "
It's too late. Look at you, you are scared
silly. Look at you. Look how you feel, look what
you're doing." You say no, no, these are just
feelings. These are just thoughts. I refuse to let it inside me. I resist it. I stand against it. And though I walk through the
valley the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. I refuse to. I resist it. Leave me. And friend if you'll do that,
immediately your feelings will begin to change. They will begin to change. The Lord didn't tell us to try
not to be afraid, try not to worry, He never said any of
that. He said don't do it. Stop. And if He tells you don't do it,
that means He knew we could. Are you with me friends? Say, "I refuse to fear." Say it again, "I refuse to
fear." Jesus spoke to them and said be
of good cheer. What does that mean? Cheer up. Quit this. What are they doing? They're holding each other going
oh, it's a ghost, it's a ghost. He said quit that. Quit it. Cheer up. And quit being afraid. Did He expect them to do what He
told them to do? He wouldn't have told them to do
it if He didn't tell them to do it. Be of good cheer, cheer up, and
don't be afraid. It's me. Cheer up and don't be afraid. It's excuses to wallow in it, to
yield to something you and I are supposed to be resisting. Friend, this is the core of what
we've been working towards for four weeks now. How can you be renewed? Transformed by the renewing of
your mind? How can you? You've got to believe I can
think on what I'm supposed to think on, and I don't have to
think on what I don't need to think on. You got to believe you have that
ability, you have that strength in God. And when He tells you quit
thinking about that, there is no justification for you coming
back tomorrow or the next day or next month telling Him, "Well I
tried not to but it just got quiet and things bothered me so
bad." That's unacceptable. He gave you an instruction. He gave an order, He told you to
not think about that. Let's keep going. "Peter answered Him and said,
Lord, if it be You, bid me come unto You on the water. And He said, Come." Come on. "And when Peter was come down
out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus." Somebody say, wow. "But when he saw the wind
boisterous, he was," what? He was, "Afraid; and beginning
to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus reached
forth His hand," he caught him, pulled him up and said
it's amazing you made it that far. No. He wanted him to make it all the
way. And so here's what He says to
him. He's holding onto him, can you
get the picture? The wind, the waves are kicking
up. The wind is blowing their hair,
blowing their garments. Because the Bible said in the
Literal translation it said the wind was blowing vehemently. That's what Peter's problem was. The wind was blowing so hard and
the thought came to him, you can't stay up with the wind
blowing this hard. You can't keep doing this with
the waves kicking up like this and the wind. Which is a completely illogical,
unreasonable thought. But that's how fear is. Fear is illogical. It's unreasonable. You can't walk on the water when
it's perfectly calm and the lake's like glass. Not a breeze stirring. Except by the power of God. And what didn't occur to him, if
it hadn't been for the miraculous power in the Word
Jesus gave him, he would have already sunk. The enemy will come to you,
you've been standing, God's been holding you up, He's been
maintained you, He's been keeping you, He's been doing
things for you, and then a wind will pick up. And the devil will go, "You not
going to make it now." And the truth is you would have
been gone years ago except the power of God has been keeping
you up. So what does this little wind
got to do with that? And why won't the same power
that's got you through all your life to this place get you
through this and bring you out the other side? Glory to God. The Young's Literal translation
says, "And immediately Jesus, having stretched forth His hand,
laid hold of him, and said to him, 'Little faith! For what did you waver?'" Oh,
you could see it friend. Our text is so well exemplified
right here. Peter is shaking in the boat
with the other guys, scared of a ghost, an aberration out of the
water, until he hears a Word. He hears the voice of the
Master. He knows that voice, he's heard
that voice before. And it's a friendly Word, it
says come. It didn't say drown, it said
come. And when he put his mind on that
Word, it transformed him from hiding in the back of the boat,
scared of a ghost guy, to a walking on the water man of God. Come on, do you see this? Was he transformed? He was changed into another
person. From timidity and fear to
boldness and faith and miracles. But just a few minutes later, he
gets to looking at the wind, and so if he's looking at it, what
is he doing? What is he thinking? He's thinking fearful thoughts. Let's just stop right here. I'm not judging, I just want you
to see this. Peter is being disobedient. Back up two verses. What did the Lord tell him? What does it say? Back up another verse. Verse twenty-seven, "Jesus spoke
to them," was Peter part of them? And what did He tell them? What did He tell them? Cheer up, quit that, quit that
whining and carrying on and what? When Peter got to looking at the
wind, what did the Bible say happened to him? Afraid. Is this okay? The Lord told him don't do it. Which is why when he goes down
Jesus didn't grab him and pull him up and pat him on the back
and go hey, don't be shocked, Peter. I'm the Son of God. And I can do this. It's amazing you made it a few
steps yourself. Men have come up with stuff like
this. Jesus is holding onto him and
looks at him and says, "Little faith." I don't know that that blessed
Peter, but it's the truth. And he wants to know why did you
waver? Why? Is Jesus okay with this? He's not. You can hear it in His statement
that as far He's concerned there's no reason why Peter
shouldn't have walked with Him all the way to the boat. This episode of looking at the
wrong thing, thinking the wrong thing, getting upset, getting
scared, sinking, none of that had to happen. None of that should have
happened. And it happened because Peter
was disobedient to the Word that He just heard just a few minutes
ago, a command. Did the Lord say try not to be
afraid? Do the best you can? No, what did He say? Be not afraid. Was there enough power - I mean,
when the Word of God came and said, "Light be," was there
enough power to make light come? When He says don't be afraid,
reckon there was enough power for them not to be afraid if
they would've held onto it and received it? Same power in that don't be
afraid as in that word come. Can you see this? Friend, I've missed it in these
areas, you've missed it in these areas. But we didn't have to. Peter missed it, but he didn't
have to. When the Lord tells you don't be
afraid, He expects you to do what He says. When He says don't think about
that anymore, He expects you to close the door, and no matter if
it comes to your mind 1000 times in the day, you will cast it
down and say I'm not thinking about that. I'm not thinking about that. I want you to say it out loud,
"My mind is my mind. I can think on whatever I choose
to. I don't have to think on
anything I don't choose to. The devil can't, nobody else can
make me think on something I'm not supposed to." Do you believe it? Glory to God. Somebody say glory to God. Go with me to Colossians three. I tell you what, go to Hebrews
twelve and then we'll go to Colossian three. We'll do it that way. Hebrews twelve and Colossians
three. Why are Christians, why have we
in times past, been - lacked peace, lacked joy, were worried,
troubled, bothered, confused? It is the result of considering
things we're not supposed to consider. It is the result of thinking
about things we should not be thinking about. Looking at possibilities,
looking at what if, what about, how come, why, wherefore, when
the Lord told us don't think about that, think about this. Being careful and troubled about
many things when we've already got the one thing we're supposed
to be looking at, and thinking about, and talking about, and if
we would discipline ourselves that as far as this subject is
concerned, we won't look at, think about, listen to, or talk
about anything else but this one thing. The fear would leave. The anxiety would go. The joy would come up in us. Do you believe this? "I will keep Him," keep Him, "in
perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee." Can you say glory to God. Hebrews 12:2 says, "Looking," at
everything? Huh? Twelve different things? Looking, "To Jesus the Author
and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before
Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at
the right hand of the throne of God." Look at the next verse. "For consider Him," somebody
say, "Consider Him." Consider your Healer, not the
sickness. Consider your Provider, not the
bills. "I try not to think about it
Brother Keith, but I just... I like to pay my bills and it
just bothers me so bad." It's entirely your fault that
you're doing this to yourself. It's disobedience. You're not supposed to be
considering how hard it is, and how broke you are, and the
problems at the company, and how much money, and how in the
world. Do you remember what Jesus
taught? He said take no thought in
saying what are we going to eat, what are we going to wear. He said don't take a thought. Is He just giving us a little
pep talk? Is He giving us some suggestions
that would be ideal? He fully expects us to do what
He told us to do when He said don't take thought about that. He believes we will follow His
instructions. Take no thought saying how are
we going to do this, where's is going to come from. We're supposed to be
considering, considering the God Who could easily supply all of
our needs. We're supposed to be thinking
about one thing. It takes discipline doesn't it? Will you be tempted about
thinking about the other? Yes, you will. But if you want to be weak and
mess and a basket case, somebody having to try to pray for you on
prop you up, then think about all her bills and think about
symptoms and think about all the bad reports and just do what He
told you not to do. But, if you want to be a pillar
in your family, if you want to be somebody that's strong when
everybody else is crying and falling apart, come on are you
listening? Develop powers of focus and
concentration to where no matter what's going on, you run to the
Lord and say Lord, what is my one thing? What is my one thing? Tell me what to think on. Tell me what to look at. You know you consider Him, you
know you consider the Word, but specifically, what do I look at
and He'll tell you, He'll show you. It can be something you heard
four years ago and the Holy Ghost will just prompt it. Bring it right up in your spirit
and you'll know okay, this is it. This is it. And I mean symptoms and
circumstances will holler and vie and try to get your
attention night and day, but it's your job to look at that
one thing. One thing. What He told me. There's nothing else on the
menu. There's nothing else to
consider. How many understand Peter looked
at something he shouldn't have looked at? He thought about something he
shouldn't have thought about. He yielded to feelings of fear. He had already been told just a
few minutes ago don't do that. And that's why he sank. And the Lord is merciful, aren't
you glad He's merciful? He still reached down and
grabbed a hold of him. Somebody say thank You for
mercy. Thank You for mercy. Thank You for mercy. But He did look at him and say
why did you do that? Didn't He? Why did you do that? Why did you do what? Why did you let your mind go
over there? Why did you let yourself think
that? Why did you get scared like I
told you not to? Why did you do that? Oh friends, we've gone through
so much stuff we didn't have to go through. But that's the past. I said, that's the past. And were talking about being
transformed, becoming a different person, living a
different life. Oh, somebody say thank You Lord. Verse three says what? "Consider Him that endured such
contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest," what happened to
you? Lest, "You be wearied," and what
happened to you? "Faint in your minds." Why would you get weary? Because you're not considering
Him, you're considering the problem. You're not doing what He told
you to do about not being afraid, you're yielding, and
you're panicking, and you're fretting, and you're pacing the
floor, and you're calling everybody you know and asking
them. There's only one thing that
matters, but you're asking too many questions. What about this, and how come
that, and what if we need to do that? It's complicated. No, it's not complicated. There's one thing you need to be
looking at right now. The Lord helped me to see this
with Phyllis and I. When we first answered the call
to be in the ministry and we realize the Lord was leading us
to go to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and Rhema Bible Training Center. And that was like moving to
another continent for us. Little country people with no
money. Leaving our families and leaving
everything we knew and everything we had. And we didn't have money for
tuition. We didn't have money to make the
trip from where we were to Oklahoma. Much less to get a place and to
live there and stay there and all the things. And so as you're praying about
it, you're thinking what about this, what about our jobs, where
are we going to live, what about this, what about our families? There's just a lot of things to
consider. Really? "Well, you know it's a complex
issue. There are several sides to
this." No, there's not. "There's a lot to think about." No, there's not. That's the problem. That's why people are so
scattered and so confused and so scared. There was one thing, go there. Go there. "Yeah, but how." I'll show you. "From where?" I'll show you. Abraham went out not knowing,
and he learned how to do it then, and he did it to rest of
his life. He learned how to consider Him. Go to Hebrews eleven. You're in Hebrews twelve? Actually go to Romans four for
this. This is in Hebrews eleven but go
to Romans four. Romans 4:17 said, "...(As it is
written, I have made thee a Father of many nations,) before
Him whom He believed, even God, Who quickens the dead, and calls
those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in
hope," or expect, he believed in expectation or hope, "that he
might become the father of many nations; according to that which
was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith," do
you see that next phrase? I said, do you see that next
phrase? What is the key to being strong
in faith? What is the key to not being
weak? He what? "You're going to be a father of
many nations." "Now isn't that interesting? I'm ninety-nine, Sarah is
ninety. Sarah couldn't conceive when she
was twenty-five. She's gone through the change of
life and now she is ninety. Wow. You know, there's a lot to
consider here. I mean, you got the natural
cycles of life. You've got the hormones. Is the womb even alive? You got this, you've got that." Or do you? How do you not vacillate? How do you not waver? How do you stay out of fear? How do you stay out of the
things that rob millions of good people of miracles they could
have? Consider not all the other stuff
once you've got the one thing. Did he have the one thing? We just got through reading it. He got the one thing which is
the Word from the Lord that says I have made you the father of
many nations. Change your name from Abram to
Abraham. Change it because I said it, and
you are. And the Bible said what? Come on, read it again. The Bible said in verse nineteen
in the Young's Literal translation let me read from
there it said, "Not having been weak in the faith, he did not
consider his own body," did he have symptoms of being too old? Did he have symptoms of not
being able to father a child? Did she have symptoms of not
being able to conceive or carry a child? Oh, are you kidding? Every day they got up their
ninety-nine and ninety-year-old bodies talked to them. Didn't it? What are they saying? No way, no how. Too late. It was too late twenty years
ago. Too late. No way, no how. And if you listen to that, and
you think about that. See, there's no way to stay out
of fear and unbelief if you look at the wrong thing and listen to
the wrong thing and talk about the wrong thing. What do you have to do with all
the other things that contradict what the Lord told you? What you have to do? Don't consider it. Don't think about it. Don't listen to it. Don't talk about it. Can you do that? When symptoms are so glaringly
in your face, when symptoms - I mean, the creditors are calling. Things are proceeding. This and that. Can you not focus on that? Can you focus your mind on my
God meets all my needs? When you're hurting, when you're
having to deal with things that are uncomfortable and
unpleasant, is it possible in the midst of a very
uncomfortable situation, is it possible to not think about it,
not talk about it, keep your mind on what He told you? With long life He will satisfy
me and show me His salvation. I will not die, I will live and
declare the glory of God and the work of God. All things are possible to him
that believes. Even if something slaps you
sideways you just have to shake it off and go none of these
things move me. There's just one thing I need to
think about. One thing. Somebody say, "One thing." One thing. It said, " Not having been weak
in the faith, he did not consider his own body already
become dead, (being about a hundred years old,) and the
deadness of Sarah's womb," he would consider them, "and at the
promise of God did not stagger in unbelief, but was
strengthened in faith, having given glory to God, and having
been fully persuaded that what He has promised He is able also
to do..." And they had a miracle, my
brother. Didn't they? They had a miracle. Isaac was conceived, Isaac was
carried full-term, Isaac was born a perfect, healthy baby
boy. Hundred years old. Ninety and ninety-one. But if he and Sarah had talked
about I just don't know how God's going to do this... You feeling any younger? I can't say that I am. I actually feel a little more
stove up this week than I did last week. How about you? Are you feeling like you could
carry a child? Oh Lord, no. No. You can't talk about how you
feel. You can't talk about what you
look like. You can't talk about the bad
reports. Are y'all listening to me? We're not saying they don't
exist, yeah, they're there. Yeah, they're real. But that doesn't mean you have
to think about them. That doesn't mean you have to
talk about them, or you have to listen to them. In closing, I think. Colossians three. Colossians three; just a few
moments on this. How do you know it's the one
thing? How do I know? Maybe if I have several things
that have hit me all at once, how can I know which is the one
right thing to think about? It's not hard. Colossians 3:15 in the
Amplified. Well, let's read the King James,
first then we'll read Amplified. Colossians 3:15, "And let," the
understood subject here is you. You let or allow, "The peace of
God," to what? Rule in your hearts..." Let me read the Amplified. "Let the peace... from Christ rule (act as umpire
continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with
finality all questions that arise in your minds," let it
settle it like an umpire, "to which as [members of Christ's]
one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative),
[giving praise to God always]." Dave took me to a baseball game
the other night. The first professional game I
had ever been to. And the coach got thrown, got
ejected, how do you say it? Why? Because he challenged the call,
the umpires call. You can't do that. Apparently. What was the case? Were they saying balls or
strikes, which one was it? Yeah. They were calling them strikes,
no they were calling them balls, and the coach said it should've
been strikes. And he let him know. And the ump said I have ruled,
in other words. And it is what it is, and you're
out for even questioning it. Eject - is at the right word? Ejected him. Out of the game. He's a coach. Well, what is the umpire in our
lives? The peace that passes
understanding. Jesus said, "My peace I give
you, not like the world gives you," this is not like anything
you can find in the world, my peace - this is the very peace
Jesus Himself walked in on the earth. And He said I'm giving it to
you. I'm giving it to you. I'm quoting it but you need to
see it. Go over to John. Thank You Lord. Somebody say thank You Lord. Thank You Lord. John 14:27. Let this come to you as hearing
the Lord Jesus Himself. These are His words, red
letters. It wouldn't be any more true
than if you saw Him in the flesh here tonight and He looked you
in the face and talk to you. Would it? Just as true. What did Jesus say? "Peace I leave with you, My
peace I give to you..." Somebody say, "I got Jesus'
peace. I have Jesus' peace." You know what else you got? The mind of Christ. You got His mind, you got His
peace. So don't tell Him you can't do
it. Don't say, "Lord, I can't help
from being afraid." He gave you His peace and His
mind. And He didn't yield to it - so
don't tell Him you can't do it, because the same peace in mind
He didn't yield to fear with, He gave you and me. "My peace I give to you: not as
the world gives," this is not like anything you can find in
the world. What is the very next phrase? What did He say? He said you got this peace now
don't, "Let your heart be troubled," the understood
subject here is you. Let not, you don't let your
heart be troubled. You don't let your heart, "Be
afraid." Don't let it be troubled, don't
let it be afraid. Is it possible to do this? Is it possible to do what Jesus
told us to do? To not let our heart be
troubled? I got five nods and a couple of
amens. Come on, are y'all with me
friends? Is this serious what happened
right here? Is it true? Did He give us His peace? Was Jesus falling apart all the
time? Was He looking at stuff He
shouldn't have been looking at? Was He thinking about things He
shouldn't have been thinking about? Was He scared all the time and
upset and troubled about everything? Crying on the apostle's
shoulders going y'all pray for Me. I'm having a bad day. I just don't know what to do. I could do this, but then you'd
have that. And I could do this, but then I
don't know. And the Saducees are on my case
and the Pharisees and if I say that, they're ready to do this. If I do that, there's just so
much to consider. Y'all pray for Me. Jesus never, never said anything
like that. Not like that. He always knew, didn't He? They'd come and say, "Lord,
everybody is looking for you." He'd say, "No, we have to go
over here and preach. That's why I came out." Wondering, looking? No. Did He know and discern the good
and perfect will of God? Why? Because He wasn't considering
anything else except what He got from the Father, so there was
nothing to talk about, nothing to vote on. Nothing to pray about. Once you've heard. I've been in situations before
where the Lord gives us the Word and you'd tell people, here's
what it is, and they'd go, "I'll pray about it." About what? About whether you're going to do
what He told you to do or not? Ain't nothing to pray about. When you get the one thing... Don't let your heart be
troubled. Don't let it be afraid. Who said it? The Head of the church, Jesus,
and don't tell Him you can't help it, because He gave you His
very own peace so you'd be able to do this. Say, "I got the peace of Jesus. I got the mind of Christ. I don't have to be afraid, be
troubled." Did you know it's possible to
get up every day and go through every day and go through every
night and live your whole life and not be afraid? And not be upset, and troubled,
and scared. Did you know that's possible? It's possible to live your whole
life and face death and die and never be afraid. Did you know this is possible? "Everybody gets afraid when they
die." Said who? Stephen is being stoned. Huge rocks are hurling and
hitting him in the head. He's being killed. And in the midst of it he says,
"I see Jesus! I see Him standing at the right
hand..." Rocks are hitting him. And the Bible said he just went
to sleep. That's not racked with fear. That's not tormented. And the man's being stoned to
death. It's possible to live every day
without fear. Live your whole life and die, if
the Lord tarries His coming, with no fear. No fear. Why? Stand up on your feet everybody. Why? Put it back up on the screen. What did Jesus tell us about
that peace? What did He say in verse
twenty-seven? "Peace," this is the Head of the
church. Close your eyes. I want you to hear Him say it to
you. Let Him say it, hear Him say it
to you. "Peace I leave with you, My
peace I give to you: not as the world gives, give I unto you." Don't, "Let your heart be
troubled," don't let your heart, "be afraid." You have My peace. You have My mind. You have My Spirit. Greater is He that's in you,
than he that is in the world. And I always cause you to
triumph and give you the victory through the anointed Jesus, the
Anointed Word. Glory to God. Lift up your hands and begin to
praise Him and thank Him.
