THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT… CRITERIA
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
ARE THERE SOMETHINGS I NEED TO CORRECT IN MY LIFE? WHAT IS BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL MODIFICATION… IS REAL CHANGE POSSIBLE OR AM I FOREVER TRAPPED?
Every sport I know has rules… to be a good player we must have a clear understanding of the rules. When I taught school sometimes I used BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION. Behavioral modification can use PEER PRESSURE to help accomplish class control. I gave each student 3 pennies at the beginning of the week. If their behavior was not acceptable I would take one of their pennies. If in the week they lost their 3 pennies, I would take the penny of the person in front or behind them. At the end of the week if there were enough pennies the class could buy an hour of free time or music. The PEER PRESSURE of the class was amazing. No one wanted to lose a coin for someone else’s behavior or lose their free time.
I WOKE UP DURING THE NIGHT WITH THIS THOUGHT: DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT?
Wow, that is a powerful thought. As an old preacher I carry several burdens about the generations to follow in the ministry. One of my great concerns is the LACK of ACCOUNTABILITY and the LACK of SELF-EVALUATION of the younger generation. QUE SERA SERA, WHAT WILL BE WILL BE?
Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Hebrews 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
LET US THINK ABOUT DISCIPLINE. I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE TWO AREAS OF DISCIPLINE.
First what is discipline? The practice of training to obey rules or codes of conduct to improve, grow and develop. It is the use of rewards and punishment to correct disobedience. To train to keep certain standards of behavior. We often come to view DISCIPLINE IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT. We have developed the attitude that CORRECTING BAD BEHAVIOR IS BAD. The lack of CORRECTION will always lead to DISOBEDIENCE and REBELLION.
The lack of discipline and correction will give birth to the SPIRIT OF ENTITLEMENT and SELFISHNESS… We tend to forget to teach CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES. Your daily choices do not just have consequences for you. They will have consequences for others.
There is discipline by others. Discipline by others is often a sign of IMMATURITY. We face great problems because of laziness and procrastination. They are enemies of better living patterns. We can establish DAILY MENIAL HABITS and ROUTINES that are counter-productive to improvement. To be disciplined by others can be embarrassing.
The goal of every parent and teacher is Self-discipline. We need to see self-discipline as the goal of maturity. There may be 3 areas of self-discipline. PREVENTATIVE HELP to establish clear expectations and guidelines to head problems off before they are problems. Then there are areas where we can be SUPPORTIVE HELP to help establish personal goals. Then we probably need some CORRECTIVE HELP when we step out of bounds.
LET US THINK ABOUT THINKING ABOUT THINKING… DISCIPLINE IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD… DISCIPLINE IS ABOUT CORRECTION, BEHAVIOR TO MOLD AND CHANGE NEGATIVE THINKING AND NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR.
LIFE IN THE PALACE MADE DAVID LAZY AND HE GOT OUT OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL SHAPE. LET US THINK ABOUT THE COST OF THE LACK OF SELF-DISCIPLINE… David’s life of ease became painful.
2 Samuel 11:1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
David’s decision cost dearly. David lusted after Bathsheba. He had a sexual affair. He fathered an illegitimate child. He had a good soldier killed. His son raped his daughter. Another son killed his other son in revenge. David never saw his son for 5 years. Absalom tried to destroy his father… Remember the story Nathan told David of the killing a little pet lamb?
2 Samuel 12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
If David had disciplined his heart, he would have been in battle and this sin would have never occurred.
I READ ABOUT THE GREAT FOOTBALL PLAYER WALTER PAYTON… HE PLAYED 13 SEASONS FOR THE NFL CHICAGO BEARS.
A sports reporter asked Payton can you remember the day where you changed from just a regular player to being a great player. Payton said YES. His high school football coach asked his team to run up and down a hill 20 times after practice. Payton said the players ran up and down the hill 5 maybe 10 times and then went in the locker room. Payton made a choice that day that changed his whole career. As the others were in the dressing room, Payton decided to do as his coach asked. Payton ran up and down the hill 20 times that day. He made the choice to listen and do what his coach taught him. PAYTON FOUND GREATNESS IN FAITHFULNESS TO LITTLE DETAILS.
LET US THINK ABOUT WHAT WE THINK ABOUT… THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT… LET US THINK ABOUT WHICH IS STRONGER THE ROCK OR WATER? THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BATTLE BETWEEN HARD ROCKS AND FLOWING WATER.
Let me ask you which force is stronger --- the rock or water? My gut reaction is of course the rock is stronger than water. Come on, let’s think about it? The constant, persistent pressure and stress of the flowing water will eventually break the hardest rock. Let us look to Niagara Falls. The persistent, constant pressure of flowing water always wins.
The same thing happens in life and ministry… the persistent, constant flowing of negativity, stress, worry and fear will crush individuals… There are consequences of long durations of stress, negativity, pressure and worry. Stress and pressure can be ministry and joy killers.
Do we really trust God’s plan… CAST YOUR CARES… I have been fishing enough I understand what casting means…
Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
We must trust God’s plans and give our burdens to the Lord. God can handle this. Praise God joy is coming in the morning. Know God’s promises. If we would just dump and pile our troubles on GOD's shoulders— He can carry our load, he'll help us out of all of our messes.
I AM THINKING ABOUT WHAT I THINK ABOUT --- SEEMS WE CAN DISCIPLINE OUR KIDNEYS AND OUR BOWELS. We can teach soccer, football, baseball, tumbling… Think about training the largest elephant. We can train pigeons. Seems we have great difficulty TRAINING OUR MINDS… optimism, pessimism … WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT? DREAM ABOUT? EXPECT?
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
***CONCLUSION: LET US THINK ABOUT WHAT WE THINK ABOUT… 1. TRUTH, 2. HONESTY, 3. JUST, 4. PURE, 5. LOVELY, 6. GOOD REPORT, 7. VIRTUE, 8. PRAISE, … THINK ABOUT THESE… IF WHAT WE ARE THINKING DOES NOT FIT THIS PRINCIPLE OR STANDARD OF CRITERIA WE NEED TO REFUSE TO ENTERTAIN THE THOUGHTS.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Kyfingers@aol.com 5/29/21
