Taking the Trash Out by Brother Duke Hansen

         This morning's sermon is hopefully one to help you through the week. It deals with a subject that a lot of us tend to stay away from because the difficulty that is associated with it. This morning we are going to talk about thoughts. There are a few scriptures which we will read that accompany this subject. The first scripture is in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 55 beginning at verse 6.

        6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

        7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

        8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

        9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

        10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and return not hither, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

        11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it.

        The primary point of Isaiah chapter 55 is seeking God while he is able to be found. There were periods of time where God had cut off all communication with his people. A prime example of this is the book of Malachi. After that book was written, a period of 400 years where Israel was cut off occurred. God is not easily found even to those who are upright and striving for righteousness. 

        The first point I would like to make is that you can have thoughts come to your mind which are not yours. If you continue to dwell on those thoughts long enough, they will become yours. Our heart is always set on evil and wickedness. "Let the wicked forsake his way", is about an actual behavior change. Our thoughts are what gets all of us into trouble. The reason the Mosaic law of the old covenant had so many detailed rules was partly to combat those thoughts. The word of God stands mightier and greater than the world's opinion of it or your family's meager inherited faith which was passed down to you. Your thoughts are what Jesus addressed to the crowd when he gave the sermon on the mount. Our thoughts are the problem.

        Turn to the book of Proverbs chapter 21. We are going to read verse 5. Proverbs is a book of wisdom which most need to read slowly because a lot of Godly wisdom bruises your flesh and hurts your feelings.

        5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness, but of every one that is hasty only to want.

        Plenteousness means to have more than you need or want. If you were to be quizzed at the moment of what is better, to be a better giver or receiver, what would your answer be? The answer is receiver because in order to be a good giver in life, you need to be better receiving. The absence of receiving good leads to an arrogant and haughty outlook. 

        A lot of bad days you have ever experienced have always generated from a single thought. As we spoke about last week, advertising sows a multitude of thought. Every single thing we do has began with a thought. When Solomon wrote these proverbs, he often balanced the positive with the negative. 

        When he writes about diligent the definition of the word is to have and to show care. If you can, in other words, you be, Another name for diligent is duty. It is having that mindset of I am going to do what I have to do regardless. This is due diligence.

        To be diligent you need to think upon being diligent. If you want to grow in this walk, you need to operate with self-control. There are things you can control, be they your actions or your mouth. There are so many other things which effect your self control you do not need to control. Many of us have at one moment or another have had offense with a co-worker or family member. We have that thought of wanting to break it down with the person who offended us or hash it out. Don't fall into that prideful and carnal trap, If you really want to resolve a personal offense, you pray for the offender. 

        If being diligent is to have and show care in your daily duties, that action goes back on how you think on these things. Please turn to the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and starting with verse 4.

        4 (For the weapons of warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)

        5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

        6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

        7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is in Christ, even so are we Christ's.

        There in verse 5, Paul writing to the Corinthian church speaks of imaginations. Imaginations are a rootless thought in man, not only in the faith but in life as well. We can have thoughts to lead us wrong. Most of those thoughts come from your flesh. Things fought against can be physical but the only answer comes from the spiritual. You know, God says no a lot to man. He is jealous when it comes to his people and can be vengeful. God wants you and I to come to him and be obedient. There are some of you that are sitting today thinking you know the difference between an imagination and the truth. Let me ask you, how do you truly know it is an imagination if you are not reading the Bible? Here's your answer, you cannot! Read the word because the answer is in there. Compare the process you are attempting to one in the Bible. You don't know God if you don't read his word daily.

        "Bring in captivity every thought"means both the good thoughts and the bad. Turn quickly to Romans chapter 12 verse 2.

        2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. 

        Keep going back to the word. Every day read and study what you can. There is no finish line in this walk nor break. Your growth will come through forming this good habit. In the book of Philippians chapter 4 and verse 8 Paul writes;

        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.

        These are things we need to think upon every moment of the day. In order to build on this, you should separate yourself from those who do not want to change and prefer instead to wallow in their emotions. Proverbs chapter 16 verse 3 says;

        3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.

        If you do the work for the Lord, your faith will grow in him. Stop trying to control the circumstances in your life and the evil that comes with them. You were not created for that purpose, you were designed to be the light in a dark place. To be that light, you need to have a made up and immovable mind. In order to stop evil occurring in your day, you start at that thought and block it from your mind. God gave us the power to bind and loosen spirits here on earth, and said that if we resist the devil the devil will flee from us! If you want to stay in charge of your life and be your own God, God Almighty will allow it. If you are comfortable with all your fears, anxieties, vices, negativity, and ugly thoughts to comfort your flesh, go ahead and be your own God.

        The word of God will prevent your own destruction, you have to look into the scriptures to find the answers. Don't go through your walk by what is in your head or your heart but go with your gut. Ignoring God is to repeat the same defeats and struggles, but don't lay the blame at God's feet. It isn't his fault you get where you get, If you have the answer then why are you praying? All of us have been guilty about this action more than once.

        God took all the authority and power of heaven and put it in a baby. He came to earth as a child subverting the idea Israel had of a mighty man coming to liberate them from Rome with overwhelming force. The people missed God. To close, I would like to use the analogy that everyone can relate to. Taking out the trash. It has to be done frequently. It isn't pleasant and when you were a child, your parent probably rode your back until you took it out. Often in our walk, we accumulate trash from our flesh that needs to be thrown out. We may not want to take out the trash. We may have to take some correction from our God to take it out. It's the duty of diligence we employ to toss out the trash in our life. The obedience in the duty pleases God.