Ep 112 (S6E19) Excellence and (Praise)worthiness: Fixing Our Thoughts Pt 4

References: 

• Fixing our thoughts - λογίζομαι - talk to yourself, meditate, ponder.
  • This is a plan for disciplining our minds to be like the mind of Christ - see Phil 2:2 ESV
  • Philippans 4:8
    • SO, think [ λογίζομαι (log-id'-zom-ahee) - middle voice verb from λόγος ] speak to yourself about, fix your thoughts upon…
  • Last episode - lovely, admirable
• The seventh focal point (two nouns)
  • Excellence - ἀρετή (ar-et-ay) moral excellence, courageous goodness, or virtue.
    • A quality of God and God’s work that leads to praise.
      • Examples from the Septuagint
        • Isa 43:21 - we were made for this purpose
        • Isa 42:12 - the whole world shows God’s excellence.
      • 1 Peter 2:9 - we are commissioned to show God’s excellence by living in such a way that reveals our having been brought from darkness to Light.
    • A high quality of character.
      • 2 Peter 1:3, 5 - moral excellence, virtue
      • Think about Christ-like character, selfless actions, and anything that displays outstanding moral courage and goodness.
    • Fixing one’s thoughts on excellence calls believers to look for examples of God’s goodness displayed in the virtue of others and strive for it in themselves.
  • Praiseworthiness - ἔπαινος (epainos) commendation, approval, or a thing deserving of acclaim.
    • Compare and contrast praise and praiseworthiness
    • God's works, His redemptive acts, and anything that ultimately brings glory to Him. The verb “to praise.”
      • The heavenly host - Luke 2:13
      • The healed parlytic - Acts 3:8
    • Our works or God’s works in and through us.
      • God makes us praiseworthy - Rom 2:29 MSG
      • The fruit of our salvation - Phil 1:11 - see MSG
      • To the praise of His glory - Eph 1:5-6, 12, 14 
      • Refining of faith - 1 Peter 1:6-7 MSG
    • It's the ultimate litmus test: does this thought, action, or idea deserve to be publicly commended and does it point to God's greatness?
• SO, the 6 adjectives and 7th (two nouns) all 
  • point us back to God and God’s intention and plan to make us to be like Him and represent Him well in the world around us.
  • Give us a discipline plan for being conformed to Christ, so that when anxiety arises, we can trade the worries for intimate communicative relationship (prayer) whereby God gives peace that protects our hearts and minds in Christ.
  • This is a plan for disciplining our minds to be like the mind of Christ - see Phil 2:2 ESV