Bob Lloyd - Class 6: Don’t Worry Over Anything Whatever

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   Bible Wild 1982, third period class, day number six. Our speaker is Brother Bob Lloyd. His general subject is the Philippians, the letter to the Philippians, and today's topic, don't worry over anything, whatever. Brother Bob. Good morning, brethren and sisters. Are we ready to recite? We'll do the Philippians chapter two, verse two and three. Is that the one you're ready for? All right. Fulfill.

2. 0:47

   Lord, of one mind, let nothing be done to strive for any glory, but in all this mind, and in each other, better than themselves, let it be true to victory. You have all passed. May we congratulate you. Since this is the last day of our classes, and this is the last class, may we just pause for a moment and express our thanks and our appreciation to those who have worked so hard for so long in order for us to have enjoyed this Bible school.

3. 1:31

   Some have worked for this Bible school since the last one ended. Many have worked behind the scenes. Many of the brothers and sisters who have put in long hours, sometimes into the night, what they've done does not show. They do not know what they did. But if it hadn't been for what they had done, we could not enjoy what we have enjoyed.

4. 1:53

   Because nothing works unless we do. And we know that so many have worked, and we thank them, and we appreciate their labor of love in our behalf. Now, they didn't do it for the thanks of man. They did it for the praise and the glory of God. But we, like Paul, can say, thanks to your gift of love, we are full. We are rich. We are content.

5. 2:23

   Your generosity is like a lovely fragrance, a sacrifice that pleases the very heart of God. And so on behalf of all the teachers, we thank you.

6. 2:40

   And that includes not just adult teachers, but there are a lot of people who have labored in teaching these little ones, which we saw last night. And it's a real labor of love. And some of them have given up their vacation and got very little spiritual food out of the Bible school themselves so that we could.

7. 3:01

   And we are grateful to each one. So today we must conclude our studies with the letter that Paul wrote to the Philippians. We're pleased indeed to have this letter to study, and we're the poor, if we have not delved into it, to learn the valuable lessons that are recorded in this little book, this little personal letter, were written for our salvation.

8. 3:26

   But it's a lot more than that. Yes, we are to study this letter, but more important, we are to go out and live this letter. And that's harder than just studying it. We're to be doers of the word, and not hearers only. So we hope that each of us now, as we leave this school, that we will take what we've learned with us.

9. 3:51

   That we will put it into practice in our everyday, work-a-day lives. Because if we follow the wise advice given to us by our beloved brother Paul, we most assuredly then will be with Paul in his kingdom, in the kingdom of Christ and of God. So we'll open our books, our Bibles, to Philippians chapter 3 and verse 20.

10. 4:17

    For our conversation is not in, for our conversation is in heaven. Conversation, of course, is citizenship. Our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, what's he going to do? Well, he's going to come, isn't he? And who will change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.

11. 4:47

    Nothing here about disembodied spirits. We have a vile body now, and we're going to get a glorious body, he says, according to the working whereby he is able even to do all things unto himself. Now, have you ever read those verses and wondered, why did Paul say that? Why did Paul say he's going to change our vile body?

12. 5:08

    Why didn't he say God's going to change our vile mind? There's certainly enough scriptures that we can look to, to realize that our mind needs to be changing. To be fleshly minded, to be carnally minded is death. The heart, our inmost thoughts are desperately wicked. Who can know it? Why didn't Paul say that he's going to change our vile mind?

13. 5:36

    Because that's something that we can do. You and I can do nothing about this body we were born with. It's a dying body, it's a vile body, and there's nothing you can do about it. But there is something you can do about your mind. And if you don't change your mind now, Christ will never change your body in the future.

14. 6:05

    Because you see, we're to begin to think like Jesus now. We can't have his body now. We can wish we had his body, but that won't make it happen. But if we begin now to think like Jesus, then when Jesus comes, you'll see that we're in tune with him. Our thoughts are like his thoughts.

15. 6:21

    He says, you're like me. You think like me. You can have a body like me. He looks at us and he says, you don't think like me at all. You have a vile mind. You can't ever have a body like mine. So the one thing, of course, is instantaneous. When Christ comes in a moment, in a quick look of an eye, the last trump.

16. 6:40

    I mean, we're going to be changed. These vile bodies will become incorruptible, immortal. But not unless we have already changed this vile mind into a spiritual mind. So that's what we're learning to do with our study of Philippians. We're learning to have the very thoughts of Christ, as he told the Corinthians. And let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus, he told the Philippians.

17. 7:13

    In other words, right now, we can think like Jesus. And if you don't learn to think like him now, don't expect him to do anything for your body when he comes. He'll do something for it, but not what you want. He'll destroy it. Paul has been working on our minds throughout this letter to get us to be of one mind.

18. 7:39

    Yes, he wants us to be of one mind. To be like-minded. Having the same love. Being of one accord. Of one mind. If we really take this letter to heart, if we make his words words to live by, we'll have a tremendous change in our thinking processes. The world thinks that they have a right to think like they want to think.

19. 8:07

    And they have a right to do what they want to do. And they're wrong. Flat out wrong. We must think like Jesus. And do what Jesus would have us do. And Paul understood this. And so he said, brethren, be followers together of me. And mark them which walk. So as you have us as an example.

20. 8:32

    Paul, in his closing chapter here. And of course, he didn't write chapters. He just wrote a letter. He said, brethren, the translators that put it in chapters, to help us in verses. But it was part of his closing thoughts. He tells us how to think. He tells us what he wants you to think about.

21. 8:51

    Whatsoever things, this is verse 8, are true. Whatsoever things are honest. Whatsoever things are just. Whatsoever things are pure. Whatsoever things are lovely. Whatsoever things are good to report. If there be any virtue. And if there be any praise. That's what you think about. Said Paul. Now that's going to be your homework.

22. 9:14

    For tonight. Two homeworks. That's the only one of them. And of course, you won't be able to recite tomorrow. And if you never do this, I'll never know. But you'll know. And God will know. And if you take this verse to heart. And you let this verse become a part of you. Then it will absolutely, on the guarantee of Almighty God, change your life.

23. 9:39

    Because all the time, we're getting thoughts we ought not get. I mean, that's because we're mortal. And thoughts come into our minds that we shouldn't think. And what you need to do, as soon as you get a thought that you shouldn't think. You start saying, whatsoever things are true. Whatsoever things are honest.

24. 9:52

    Whatsoever things are just. Whatsoever things are pure. Whatsoever things are loving. Whatsoever things are good to report. Think of these things. Out goes the bad thought.

25. 9:59

    And then it's gone. Because you can't be saying that verse and thinking this bad thought that you thought. So then you run the verse through your brain. And then back comes a thought. Back comes a verse. Back comes a thought. Back comes a verse. If you just keep doing that, you'll win. If you don't do it, it'll win.

26. 10:13

    It's a matter of life or death. Because the difference between the people that are going to be in the kingdom and the people that are not going to be in the kingdom, there's going to be one difference. The way we thought right now. That's going to be the difference. Because if we think right, we'll do right.

27. 10:33

    I mean, can you imagine thinking godly and wanting to obey Jesus and refusing to be baptized? I mean, it couldn't happen, could it? So we will do right. We will try to live those commandments once we know what they are. If you think right, you don't have to worry about doing right. It'll just take care of itself.

28. 10:47

    So this verse is going to help us think right. Whatsoever things are true. Do you dwell on things that are not true? If you go to any bookstore in downtown, they have signs over the various sections. Big signs. Fiction. Means it's not true. Books after books after books and most of them trash.

29. 11:12

    Garbage in, garbage out. If you read fiction, you read trash, you read garbage, you're going to think things that aren't true. You're going to fill yourself in. Paul says, what sort of things are true? Think about those things. TV. Most everything on TV is fiction. Shoot them up, beat them up, bang them up.

30. 11:34

    If you're filling your mind with these kind of things, you're not listening to Paul. Paul says, what sort of things are true? Think on those things. In Noah's day, we're told that every imagination of the thoughts of their heart was only evil contained. That's the thoughts in their brains. No wonder he destroyed them.

31. 12:00

    No wonder. You see, it was inevitable that because they thought right, they did wrong. And so, the earth was corrupt and filled with violence. It cannot be any other way. And what is our earth today filled with? Corruptness and violence. You open your newspaper. Murders, rapes, robberies. All kinds of terrible things on the front page.

32. 12:25

    Every day. You pick any paper, anywhere. Went to Australia. The same thing is happening over there. New Zealand, England. Everywhere. The same kind of thing. Because this earth is filled with corruption and violence. Why? They don't think right. You have to be different from everybody else in the whole world. No. You really are alone when it comes to thinking right.

33. 12:48

    Because the world is thinking wrong. So, they don't think those things that are true. Good comes from the hearts and good things come from good hearts and bad things come from bad hearts. I mean, Luke chapter 6, verse 43. The Lord himself is going to comment on this subject. Paul wasn't telling us anything that he hadn't learned from Jesus.

34. 13:13

    Luke 6, verse 43. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit. Neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs. Nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasury of heart bringeth forth that which is good.

35. 13:34

    Out of the heart means thoughts. Because the heart is the seat of our emotion. We say, I love you with all my heart. The heart literally is just a pump. It goes, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. You know, all it does is pump blood. But when you see a pretty girl, it goes pity pat, doesn't it?

36. 13:50

    I mean, the heart is a seat. And so, we think of the heart as being our inmost thoughts. And an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil. For the abundance of his heart his mouth speaketh. You know, you can see people and you know what's inside their heart.

37. 14:06

    I mean, they just open their mouth and they just pour it out. And some people it's nothing but filth. Garbage. And you know that's what's inside because that's what's coming out. And that's what they put in because you can't get out what they need to put in. You've got to put garbage in to get garbage out.

38. 14:17

    You've got to get spiritual things in to get spiritual things out. Out of the abundance of your heart, your mouth is speaking. What's your heart saying? Whatever you're saying is coming out of the abundance of your heart. Now, we're going to pass on whatsoever things are true. True. But it has to be more than just true.

39. 14:33

    Because there are some things that are true that we ought not to think about. There's a lot of bad things in the world. It's true. They're bad. But don't think about them. You can say, well, I can think about those things because it's true. I mean, you can study the mafia if you want to.

40. 14:47

    It's true. There is a mafia. It's true. They do all these terrible things. Don't think about it. Well, you say, it's true. I can think about it because it's true. No. It's got to also be honest. You see, the thoughts you get have to pass the whole test. Not just one part. Honest, true, just, pure, lovely, and a good report.

41. 15:02

    It doesn't pass. If it clears one hurdle and falls on the next one, you can't think about that thing. So it first has to be true. But now it has to be honest.

42. 15:12

    Honorable, says the RSV. Right, says the Phillips. The mind is not to be fixed upon base or degenerate things. So just because a thing is true, and this is one of the problems we have with gossip. We say, did you hear what Mrs. So-and-so did or Sister So-and-so did? Well, you shouldn't tell me, but it's true.

43. 15:36

    Well, it may be true. And we're sorry it's true. But it's still not anything to think about and certainly nothing to talk about because it may not have been honest. It certainly might not have been just. It certainly wasn't pure or lovely or of good report. So forget it. So just comes next.

44. 15:59

    Rotherham uses the word righteous. Our minds should contemplate just things, righteous things. And we immediately, of course, our minds go to Micah, where Micah tells us to do justly, to walk humbly. I'll have to look it up to make sure I have it right. That's one of those ones that I memorized once a long time ago, and I haven't been keeping it in good repair.

45. 16:23

    He has showed thee, O man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee? But to do justly. There it is. What does God ask you and me to do? He asks you and me to do justly. Well, how can I do justly? Paul says, I'll tell you how to do justly.

46. 16:41

    You think just thoughts. If you think just thoughts, you don't have to worry about it. You'll do justly. And then you walk humbly. And you love mercy. Those are the three things you do. And I got them out of order there, but don't worry. You do justly. You love mercy. And you walk humbly.

47. 17:01

    That's what God asks of you and me. And so Paul is in perfect agreement with Micah here, you see. To do justly, we must think just or righteous thoughts. And we're told by Jeremiah that we should glory in the fact that it's the Lord that exercises loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness. And that's, again, the same thought in the earth.

48. 17:25

    For in these things I delight, saith the Lord. So God delights in these things. Micah says, this is what you're to do. Paul says, this is what you think. If you think these things, you will do them. What so ever things are pure. James tells us that the wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated.

49. 17:57

    So, again, you see, every thought that comes into your mind has to pass this test. But you can't give your thoughts this test if you don't know the test. And so this is a verse which is absolutely imperative that we all know. And again, you can do it. And don't think you can't do it.

50. 18:13

    And you could do it if you were motivated, if you wanted to. And if you wanted to enough, you will. And if you don't know enough, I failed you because I didn't move you enough to do something I know you should do. And so I'm very sorry if I fail to motivate you.

51. 18:28

    Because if we don't do these things, then we've just spent a week up here having a good time. But if we do what we've learned to do this week, we will never be the same again. We'll be transformed new creatures. That's what we're working towards. So, we have to be pure. Paul exhorts Timothy to keep himself pure.

52. 18:50

    To entreat the younger sisters with all purity. There you are, young sisters. All purity. That's the way you're to act. That's the way you're to think. You think pure thoughts, you'll do pure things. Whatsoever things are lovely. The word comes from two words. Pros and filial. It means toward love. It conveys the idea that it's agreeable, it's pleasing.

53. 19:16

    Lovely. We speak of a person. They are a lovely person. If you think lovely thoughts, you know what will happen to you? You become a lovely person. Don't worry about your looks. Because what's inside of you is hollering so loud, I can't hear what you're saying. And if you're a lovely person on the inside, and out of the abundance of your heart your mouth is speaking, you will be so sweet and lovely, because you are thinking lovely thoughts, everybody will love you.

54. 19:45

    And you can have the most glorious face in the world that God happened to give you because of your genes. And you can fill yourself with garbage, and pretty soon you see this person get hard and mean looking, and nobody wants to be around them. They may be pretty to look at, but that's all.

55. 19:58

    Beauty is a saying is only skin deep, but real beauty is not skin deep. It goes all the way into the heart. So be lovely.

56. 20:10

    Next is whatsoever things are of good report. The world loves the bad report. The bad things are the things that make the front page. We're to be different. We're to talk about good news, not bad news. Newspapers wouldn't sell if they only reported good news, because people don't really want good news. That's something perverse about us, isn't it?

57. 20:37

    That we want to hear the seamy side of life. We want to hear the things we shouldn't even know about. If you're thinking of only things which are true and honest and just and pure and lovely and a good report, you don't have time to think about those kind of things. And if you're thinking about those things, unfortunately, it's so much easier to go downhill than uphill.

58. 20:59

    And you can be thinking a good thought, and somebody comes along with a bad report, and right away out goes the good thought, and in comes the bad report. Then you've got to get this verse going again, and repeat it, and push it out, because the mind cannot think about two things at the same time on this conscious level, in a deep thought.

59. 21:17

    And when you're thinking this verse, you're pushing out anything else that you didn't want to think about. And so it's not that you become clever, because it isn't willpower. I've done this before, I guess I'll do it again. I'll just prove to you that it's not willpower that you don't think bad thoughts.

60. 21:32

    Now I want you to just close your eyes for a moment, but please don't go to sleep on me. Just close your eyes. Now will you please, for the next few seconds, do not think about a white polar bear. No matter what you do, do not think about a white polar bear. Now open your eyes.

61. 21:47

    Now if you were thinking, I won't think about a white polar bear, I will not think about a white polar bear. You're thinking about white polar bears.

62. 21:54

    I just told you not to do that. So you see, you think it's thought control. You can't not think a bad thought, because you're thinking, I won't think this bad thought. Oh, it's a bad thought, I will not think it. The only way you can get rid of a bad thought is push it out with a good thought.

63. 22:09

    It's thought substitution. That's the only way you can do this. And Paul's teaching us how. Think of these things. So when you get a bad thought, run this verse through your mind. This is one of the best verses in the whole Bible. To learn how to control your thoughts. And if you don't control your thoughts, you'll never be in the kingdom.

64. 22:25

    That's how vital this is. Because if you think right, you'll do right. If you do right, Jesus will be pleased with you and he'll give you a place in the kingdom. You think wrong, you're going to be carnally minded. You're going to end up as rejected in death. So we're talking about important things here.

65. 22:41

    This is vital. And if there be any praise then, he says, think on these things. And so we go to chapter 1 and verse 10. Philippians. That you may approve things that are excellent. That you may be sincere and without offense. Till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Christ Jesus.

66. 23:10

    Unto the glory and praise of God. Paul wants you to just absolutely be filled with these wonderful thoughts. Make sure that your thoughts measure up to this test. And then you will be sincere. And you will have things that are excellent. And you'll be without offense. And then when Christ comes, well, he'll be pleased with you.

67. 23:30

    You'll be filled with the fruits of righteousness. And he'll say, you're what I want. I'm going to take that vile body of yours and I'm going to give you a body just like mine. Because you have, over a process of time, worked on this mind. And you have begun to think like I think.

68. 23:48

    And because you think like I think, you can have a body like I've got. And if you want to think like the world and think bad thoughts. Well, then you can, that's your choice. You have a choice. Then you can have their kind of body. What happens to those bodies? They die. And they rot.

69. 24:05

    And that's it. And so, it's so important that we set a high standard for our thoughts. Because you're thinking all the time. There's a thing called the stream of consciousness. And when you're awake, some kind of thoughts are going through your brain all the time. And if you're a normal, red-blooded person, you oftentimes, if you don't work at it, are going to have thoughts going through your mind that you ought not be thinking.

70. 24:34

    And how do you get them out? Not by gritting your teeth and saying you won't think those things. Because you're thinking them all the more. You've got to learn to fill this mind with thoughts of God. And the best way I know to do it is Bible memorization. I don't know any better way.

71. 24:48

    Bible reading, of course. Prayer. But even in prayers, have you ever noticed how your mind will sometimes wonder? And you'll be praying to God and you'll think of something else. I wonder if I put the cat out. Right in the middle of the prayer. I mean, it should be in the prayer, of course.

72. 25:02

    But I mean, that's how human we are. But you see, you have to keep putting the right thoughts back. When that happens, don't hate yourself. Just say, God, I'm sorry I thought that and I want to get your thoughts back to Him. God understands. He made you. You know, He knows what you're like.

73. 25:18

    He knows what your thoughts are. He knows what you're thinking. No matter where you are or what you're doing. This boggles my mind, you know, the fact that God knows what I'm thinking all the time. It boggled David's mind. It just was something to him that he couldn't handle it almost. Would you all please rise?

74. 25:36

    Would you stand? Would you stand? Now, we've reversed roles, haven't we? You're standing and I'm sitting. Oh, Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my uprising. You may sit.

75. 26:02

    He knew you were standing up and I was sitting down. You think, well, so what? That's not important. Well, it's important enough for David to write about it. David wrote that God knows when I sit down. He knows when I stand up. He really does know what you think then, doesn't He? Oh, yes, He does.

76. 26:21

    He understandeth my thoughts so far off. Oh, He says, there's not a word in my tongue. You know it already. He says, oh, this is too wonderful for me. This is too, I can't handle this, He says. This knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain unto it. Where can I go from your spirit?

77. 26:36

    Where can I flee from thy presence? No place. Jonah found that out. So just remember that God knows what you're thinking. I have an idea that we're oftentimes glad that we can't read each other's thoughts. I'm sure there's times in this Bible school that we've had thoughts about somebody else here at this Bible school.

78. 26:56

    And we're very glad that they could not read the thoughts we were thinking. But God was reading them. He knows whether you love or hate that person. He knows what you're thinking about them. And if you're thinking the wrong kind of thoughts, now is the time to get rid of them by thinking the thoughts that are true and honest and just and pure and lovely.

79. 27:13

    And if you have an ill against somebody, none of that, that ill thought doesn't measure up. You can't even think that thought anymore. That thought is banned from Boston. You know, they have a sign about banning things from Boston. These things aren't banned in Boston. They're banned by Christadelphians. Thoughts of ill and dislike and hate for one another is banned by God Himself to you.

80. 27:37

    And don't think you can fool Him. He knows what you're thinking. He knows when you're standing up, when you're sitting down. So, this is so important that we learn to think right. And so, if we do this, we will change. Completely change. Again, one of my favorite verses in the Bible is Romans 12.

81. 28:02

    I beseech you, again Paul is pleading with this, I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. Just what you ought to do, just as your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world. I mean, don't think like the world thinks.

82. 28:23

    If you just do what the world does, you read the newspapers, which the world reads. You watch the television, which the world watches. You read the books the world reads. You listen to the radio the world listens to. You talk to the people in the world, at work, at school, at play, about the things of the world, sports, whatever it is.

83. 28:39

    You're not going to be any different than they are. You're going to have a vile mind. You've got to make yourself think right thoughts, says Paul. Be ye transformed. How do you do that, Paul? Don't tell me what to do unless you've got to tell me how to do it. I know I'm supposed to be good.

84. 28:55

    I know I'm supposed to think good thoughts. How do I do it? Transform by the renewing of your mind. So you're transformed by changing the way you think. That's what Paul's saying. And this word transform comes from that little word metamorpho, from which we get the word metamorphos. And you know what metamorphos is?

85. 29:13

    Because metamorphos is when you have a little nice, cally green caterpillar. And this little caterpillar looks up at me and he says, you know, someday I'm going to fly. And I said, you silly little caterpillar, you're too fat. You know, you'll never get off the ground. You're just too heavy. Oh yeah. One of these days, I'm going to fly.

86. 29:32

    You think this thing will ever fly? Do you think a caterpillar could ever get off the ground? Not as a caterpillar. But this caterpillar is going to be transformed. This caterpillar says, you know, I'm going to be transformed. I'm going to go through metamorphosis. And after I'm changed, I'm going to be a beautiful leafy butterfly.

87. 29:54

    And I can flitter all around. That's how much I can change. I can change from this to this. Paul says, you can too. And how do you change from this to this? By the renewing of your mind. By changing the way you think. You can become as different as you used to be as a caterpillar when it becomes a butterfly.

88. 30:23

    That's real transformation. That's what happens when you begin to think right. And so we go to chapter 4 and verse 9. And Paul here tells us,

89. 30:46

    These things, you know this verse because we already memorize it, don't we? Haven't we? Those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me, do. And then the God of peace will be with you. And so this peace of God comes on us by thinking right and then by doing right.

90. 31:07

    And as a result, a wonderful thing happens to us. A peace of God that comes upon us. And it's in verse 7 too. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding Shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. People in the world have to take a pill to go to sleep.

91. 31:24

    They have no peace of mind. They're so brought up, they can't sleep without a pill. And then they wake up in the morning, they can't wake up. So they take another pill to wake them up. They give them pep. Then they have to take another pill to go to sleep. And they don't know about the peace of God which passeth all understanding.

92. 31:41

    And God is offering this to you and me. So that we can leave this Bible school happy, serene, lovely, glowing brethren and sisters. I went back from a Bible school once. It was up here. And we'd had three marvelous teachers that particular year. I don't remember their names now. But I came back from Bible school.

93. 32:01

    And I was so excited about Bible school. I came to work. And I was just telling everybody the wonderful experiences at Bible school. How much I enjoyed it. And one of the fellows says, Bob, you're just really glowing, aren't you? And I said, well, I'm glad if your glowing is showing. So then a few days later, he went by my office.

94. 32:18

    And I had the desk piled high with papers. And I had a phone in each ear. And there was somebody waiting to see me. And he just walked by. And he looked at me. And he just came through. And he says, the glow has gone.

95. 32:33

    So, brothers and sisters, what we want to do is when we go away from this Bible, don't let the glow go. Keep the glow. And the way you keep the glow is by the way you think. And as long as you fill your mind with these kind of thoughts, you'll have no problems at all.

96. 32:48

    And so he's told us what we ought to think. This peace of God is a desirable thing. But now, this is how you do it. You get this peace of God by thinking right. And you go back to verse 6 because he's going to tell us exactly how to live. This is good.

97. 33:05

    We're staying in chapter 4 now of Philippians because we're coming to the end of our classes. You done it? Be careful for nothing. Now, if you do that, then the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Now, be careful for nothing is the authorized version.

98. 33:37

    And it isn't nearly as rich and beautiful as some of the other versions. Because when you say to me, be careful for nothing, I kind of get the feeling, oh, I just don't care about anything. That's not what this means at all. It doesn't mean that you don't care about anything. Let me tell it to you from Phillips.

99. 33:57

    Don't worry over anything whatever. Instead of be careful for nothing, don't worry over anything whatever. Tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer. And the peace of God, which transients human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus. I love that translation.

100. 34:32

     The RSV says, have no anxiety about anything. And another one says, entertain, no worry. But we like, don't worry over anything whatever. Why not? Because worry is a sin. Worry is a sin. When you worry, you are not trusting God. You are telling God you don't believe Him. How do you think God feels when you say to God, I don't even believe you.

101. 35:02

     I don't trust you. That's what worry is. Because if you do believe in God, if you do trust God, you won't worry over anything whatever. Just tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer. And the peace of God, which transients human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus.

102. 35:29

     This is again, the rest of your lesson for today. I hope you learn this verse. This verse can again transform your life. Every time you get a worry, you think, don't worry over anything whatever. Tell God, what are you worrying about? It's past midnight. The children haven't come home. They were supposed to be here at midnight.

103. 35:51

     Something terrible must have happened. Let's play the game of let's pretend. Let's pretend they've been killed. Just tell God every detail of your needs. I'm worried about the children coming home. Well, if you can do anything about it, then call up and see, have they left? Well, no. The party went a little longer.

104. 36:08

     They're all right here, safe, but they'll be along soon. You don't have to worry. Tell God every detail of your needs. Tell God. He understands. Then if you can do something about it, do something about it. If you can't do anything about it, turn it over to God. Trust Him. You do trust Him, don't you?

105. 36:21

     When you worry, you don't trust God. It's just that simple. Now, this interesting, shall keep part, shall keep constant guard over your heart's minds. Again, you see, don't forget the Philippians were a little Rome. And so they were very interested in the military aspect of Rome and of Philippi. And so he used words that meant a lot to them.

106. 36:41

     This word, P-H-R-O-U-R-E-O, I haven't a clue how to say it. Ferruo or something? I'm just not Greek. It's all Greek to me. It means to keep with a military guard. That's what that word means. Shall keep. What's God saying to you and to me through Paul? That God will keep like a military guard our hearts and minds.

107. 37:05

     Just imagine that you were worried about burglars. And so they sent a military guard and surrounded your house with soldiers to guard all night long. You could then say, well, I guess I'm pretty safe in here with all these guards around me. But you don't need all that kind of thing, you see.

108. 37:23

     Because the angel of the Lord campeth around about those that fear him. And he's far more powerful than all the soldiers in the world. But you probably would feel safe if you had a bunch of guards around you, never slept, taking care of you. You do. That's the point. You do. You do.

109. 37:39

     Do you believe it? Do you act like you believe it? Do you live like you believe it? Don't worry over anything, whatever. You haven't a thing to worry about because God is in control. Whatever you need, just tell God in earnest and thankful prayer. And then he will give you this peace that passes understanding.

110. 38:02

     The world doesn't understand it because the world doesn't have it. And we've got it. And you should be so loving and so peaceful and so happy and so joyous that everybody that you meet, wherever you go, in work, in school, in play, should say, I want what you've got. You are really something.

111. 38:21

     I can see that happiness, that contentment in your face, in your demeanor, in your actions, in your words. What do you have? I want it. Are we shining like that in this dark and degenerate age? Or are we failing to trust in Jesus? Failing to believe in Paul? Failing to put our faith in the God of Israel?

112. 38:50

     And so we worry because God really... I've got to worry, God, because I don't think you can handle this matter. This is bigger than you are. I've got to worry. How do you think God feels when we act like that? It's a wonderful way to live. It's the most glorious. This is what Christadelphians really should, first of all, want to share our hope with everybody else.

113. 39:13

     And we should feel sorry. Not angry. But we should feel sorry for the people who don't have our hope. How sad that they don't enjoy this peace of God which path all understanding. That we have no worries. We have no problems. Oh, sure, we have trials. But that's just a lot of affliction.

114. 39:29

     Which is but for a moment. We could take care of this because God is never going to allow us to be tempted above that we are able. He will always, with the temptation, make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it. Another one to know. 1 Corinthians 10, 13.

115. 39:41

     Learn these verses. Write them down. Put them on slips of paper. Carry them in your pockets. Carry them in your purse. Learn at least one a week. From now on, next week, next time you come to Bible school, have at least 52 new verses that you didn't know right now. Just do one a week.

116. 39:55

     You've been doing one a day up here. I mean, I'd like you to do more than one a week. You can if you want. Just like I think we could give a lot more of everything we have to God. But we're so stingy with our time and with our everything. There's a bumper sticker I saw.

117. 40:17

     It says, if you have time to pray, God has time to listen. You ever get to the end of the day and you didn't pray? Oh, I'm so busy today. Didn't have time. God's waiting for your prayer. Oh, I don't have time to pray today. God, I'm busy, busy, busy. If you're too busy to pray, you're too busy.

118. 40:34

     See, this is a living book. It's a book for life. It's a book to tell us how to live and do. And if we don't do it, we're the poor for it. If we don't do it, we're going to be spiritually bankrupt. That's why. John 14, 27. Jesus is talking. Peace. You believe this?

119. 41:00

     Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid. Do you believe that? Jesus is saying you don't need to be afraid. Paul is saying don't worry over anything, whatever. Do you believe it?

120. 41:24

     Every time we worry, every time we get upset, every time we stew, we are telling God we don't really trust you, God. Not right now. This problem is, I don't think you understand, God. They're not home yet. Well, all the worry in the world, you see, worry just tears up the body and does no good at all, accomplishes nothing.

121. 41:44

     Sit down, get calm. Tell God all your details of what you're concerned about. Not worrying, but concerned. Ask God if you should be doing something. If you should be doing something, get up and do that. If there's nothing you can do, then just say, I trust you, God. If you're at an airport and you're waiting to meet your loved one and they're circling above and the landing gear won't go down, well, you could start tearing out your hair, but I don't have very much.

122. 42:09

     I mean, you could throw yourself on the floor and scream and kick and holler, and then come and get a straitjacket and carry you off. I mean, there are things you can do, all worthless. Those kind. I mean, there's not a thing you can do except take that to God in prayer, and they keep circling, and you keep waiting, and you see the fire engines go out, and you see them putting the foam on, and then you just say, God, my loved one is there.

123. 42:34

     There's nothing I personally can do at the moment. You can't run out there and pull the landing gear down. So you turn it over to God in prayer. I mean, trust God. He knows. Now, whatever happens is His will, and we don't know what His will is. We ask God what we want is to be His will, and then we say like Jesus, not my will, but thine be done.

124. 42:56

     The landing gear comes down, and they land, and everything's fine. The other person who went berserk, they're off in the nuthouse now. I mean, the people walk off the plane, where's my family? Oh, they took them off in a straitjacket.

125. 43:09

     I mean, that really helped, didn't it? I mean, look at the good that was accomplished by that. I mean, that's how much all worry accomplishes. There's none. In fact, it isn't that it doesn't do anything good. It does an awful lot of things bad. It can even kill you. Worry can kill. And so, Paul is saying, don't worry over anything, whatever.

126. 43:34

     Now, Paul could have boasted about a lot of things. He had all kinds of things to boast about. He gave all that up and said it didn't matter because he might win Christ. How completely are my ambitions changed, says Paul. Because I belong to Jesus, I have altogether different ambitions. Do you? Do you have the same ambitions as a Christadelphian that you had before you were a Christadelphian?

127. 43:58

     You haven't changed your ambitions? Oh, I want to be rich, and I want to be famous, and I want to be this, I want to be that. In the world, those are not the right kind of ambitions. How changed are my ambitions? All I want to do now is serve God. And when I serve him, he promises to bless me a hundred times right now.

128. 44:18

     A hundred times right now. That's what Jesus said. And besides that, the kingdom. But not until you put him first. As long as you put yourself first, he doesn't do that. You have to put him first. And so, as we come nearing to the end of our studies, let's hope that our ambitions are changed because of our understanding of Paul's letter to the Philippians.

129. 44:41

     Because of Jesus, we are now all of one mind. We are like-minded. We have the same love. We are of one accord, of one mind, together, right? Right. We've changed. Because of Jesus, we work at getting along with one another. We no longer try to please ourselves. We are each intent on putting our brother and our sister ahead of our own personal wants and desires.

130. 45:11

     Right? Right. Because we now understand this from Philippians. Because of Jesus, we are now happy. We rejoice. We rejoice in the Lord. We joy in the God of our salvation. In spite of our trials and our troubles, we consider them but a light affliction. They're just going to last a little while. And there's waiting for us this eternal weight of glory.

131. 45:36

     Far more exceeding an eternal weight of glory. Just waiting for us. And all we have to do is bear this little light affliction but a little while. And look what's waiting for us. Because of Jesus, we're forgetting the things which are behind. And we're reaching forth unto those things which are before. We're pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

132. 46:03

     Right? Right. Because we now understand this from Philippians. Because of Jesus, we really have no worries. We have released them all to God in prayer. We've told God every detail of our needs in earnest and thankful prayer. And we know that He hears. And we know that He cares. And we know that He's all powerful.

133. 46:26

     So we have nothing to worry about. And because we have nothing to worry about, a peace of God which transcends human understanding will keep constant guard over our hearts and minds as we rest in Christ Jesus. Because of Jesus, we screen our every thought to make sure that we only think of those things that are true and honest and just and pure and lovely and a good report.

134. 46:51

     We won't let bad thoughts stay in our mind. You didn't say they won't come in. They'll come in. We're not going to let them stay there. We're going to push them out. The minute they get there, out they go. They come back, out they go again. Keep pushing them out. Because of Jesus, we have the peace of God that passeth all understanding.

135. 47:12

     Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. It's no wonder. It's no wonder at all, is it, that we can say, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheth me.

136. 47:37

     Paul began this lovely little letter to the Philippians by telling us in verse 7, he says, I have you in my heart. A few years ago, there was a song out. The song was, if my heart had windows, you would see a heart full of love just for you. Paul was filled with love for the brothers and sisters in Philippi.

137. 48:00

     He really loved them. If you could have seen Paul's heart, if Paul's heart had had a window, you would have seen a heart full of love for the Philippians. brothers and sisters, we feel that way about you.

138. 48:24

     If you could see into my heart, you would see a heart full of love just for you. Let's all fill our hearts with love for one another. Paul did, and we can too. And so Paul concludes his letter, his beautiful letter, My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

139. 49:00

     Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.