Don’t Waste It
Pastor Carolyn J. Blue
Philipians 4: 4- 9 KJV
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing 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.
We have heard for years that A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste!
A mind is a terrible thing to waste happens to be an iconic slogan of the United Negro College Fund is, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in.”
It was a great slogan because it was so authentic and moving. It showed us the life-changing effect of a college education for people of every racial or ethnic origin. It seems more relevant today than it did back in the early 70’s.
For years, many of us have wasted it! Not just our minds, but our time, our finances, our opportunities, and the list goes on and on.
When I was young, I didn’t fully understand what it meant when I would hear older adults say “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
But I understand it now and I plead with you tonight Don’t Waste It.
Even if you have been doing nothing but wasting it before today, make a decision with me, to draw a line in the sand, and say with me, “from this day forward, I will no longer waste it!”
Why is it important to not waste it? Because the Bible says in Philippians 2:5, to let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus. And if we have Christ’s mind, we think like Him!
If we are wasting our thoughts, what are we really saying?
We’re saying that we aren’t walking in alignment with His will for our lives, we are wasting precious moments when we could and should be embracing Christ’s mind (His thoughts).
Don’t Waste It!
But it’s so much more than that! Don’t Waste It!
When’s the last time that you had to think about the kind of thoughts you were thinking? Imagine wasting your thoughts on things that are not relevant to your well-being and/or not conducive for your spiritual growth.
Don’t Waste It!
Tonight, I want us to look at this scripture, where the writer, Paul
tells us in the fourth chapter and verse four to Always be full of joy in the Lord. We see that he repeats himself and tells us, the believers once again to —rejoice!
Now this may sound good for us to be told to always be full of joy and to rejoice, but how possible is this when all hell is breaking loose in our lives and our minds are on everything but the right thing!!!
What are you thinking about? SELAH
Don’t Waste It!
When we are thinking on things (anything) that is not encouraging, uplifting or edifying, we need to reevaluate what we’re thinking.
Don’t waste it!
Paul says in verse five, that you should let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Not in some of the things that you do, but in all that you do! He goes on to say that we are to remember, that the Lord is coming soon.
Think about it, do we really have time to waste? With everything that’s going on in our lives, our homes, our communities, our country, do we really have time to waste on thinking about things that we shouldn’t be thinking about?
What’s really on your mind? Don’t Waste It. We said it earlier, A mind is a terrible thing to waste!
The Bible says that you are not to worry about anything; but instead, pray about everything, tell God what you need, and then thank Him for all He has done.
Oftentimes we tell everybody, accept God, and then when we’ve exhausted all our means, we decide to tell Him. But if we will do it the way that the scripture tells us, we will experience life altering changes!
Does this sound like something more important for us to be thinking about?
Now this is something that should be on our minds?
Don’t Waste It!
When your mind is on the right thing and you cast your cares on Him and try NOT to handle things yourself, and pray about everything, and tell God everything you need although He already knows, the scripture declares that then…
Somebody say then … you will experience God’s peace, which will exceed anything we can understand.
The scripture declares in Ephesians 3:20-21 that now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
It goes on to say that God’s peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Don’t Waste It!
So you ask yourself, how do I avoid wasting it, what should I be thinking about?
What should be on my mind? I’m glad you asked me!
Paul tells the believers, the brothers and sisters, in other words (you and I) that he has one final thing to tell us.
He says that you are to fix your thoughts on what is true… Don’t waste it, and your thoughts on what is honorable… Don’t waste it, and your thoughts on what is right… Don’t waste it, and your thoughts on what is pure… Don’t waste it, and your thoughts on what is lovely… Don’t waste it, and your thoughts on what is admirable!
Don’t waste it!
He says think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Don’t waste it!
Paul is saying that everything that you learned, everything you received from him—everything you heard from him, and saw him doing. You should DO! In other words Keep putting into practice good thoughts!
Tonight, I’m saying to each of you, everything that you’ve learned from me, everything that you’ve received from me, everything that you’ve heard from me, and everything that you’ve seen from me … I’m asking you to DO! I’m pleading with you to DO! Do these things!
Don’t waste it! Why?
Because when you DO, the God of peace will be with you.
Don’t waste it!!!
What’s on your mind!
Think on these things!!! What things? Things that are true, things that are honest, things that are just, things that are pure, things that are lovely, things that are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Don’t waste it!!! A mind is a terrible thing to waste!
Don’t Waste It!!!
D ecide to
O bviate
N egative
T houghts
W hen
A pproached with
S uch
T hings
E veryday
I gnore those
T houghts
Don’t Waste It!!!