Very interesting times of ministry over the years as God has led. But that water kept me alive for 50 years. So it must be pretty good, amen? It's not all bad. Well, we're going to the word of God again tonight as we normally would. And we are in the book of Philippians again tonight. And I want you to notice just three verses, four verses there in chapter three, chapter three as we commence tonight. I might need a bit more on this. My voice is a bit foggy this evening. And so it is that this wonderful book of Philippians, It's Paul's testimony here. Brethren, be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example. For my walk of whom I have told you often, for my walk, for many walk as I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping. that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation, as we mentioned this morning, our lifestyle, our behaviour, is in heaven. It's a heavenly walk. for earthly times. So, for our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself. I pray to you, Lord, tonight as we open your word that the Spirit of God will again grant us help. Attend to the word, Lord, we pray. And open it to us, Lord, that we may be a people that are nourished by your words and challenged and directed by your words. Lord, that we would apply them in all things. And Father, that others around about would see that Jesus is real in us. So bless the word tonight. Instruct us, we pray. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, there are a couple of amazing examples for us in the book of Philippians, and we discussed something of those two examples this morning. Paul the apostle, that great apostle of the faith, great preacher of the word, soul winner, church planter, and sacrificial offering for the Lord was the Apostle Paul. But the other great example we have here is also then our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our example. He has shown us what it is to sacrifice and to give his life a ransom for us. We have seen the Lord Jesus Christ in his glory. We are instructed throughout the word of God to look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. It is obvious then from studying the book of Philippians, and I did not want to turn this message this morning or this evening into a formal Bible study as such, but to stir our thoughts concerning the Christian life in these days. So we have these examples of these two that were used mightily of God and of our wonderful saviour, the one that is so great and mighty. Now then, it is important to see that throughout the book and in the instructions we just read from the apostle, we need examples of the faith. We need examples of men and women that will stand for the Lord, that will begin at a young age and follow the Lord their days and leave behind a godly heritage and example. We need that. That is what is taught throughout this book, the example of those that have gone on before. Unfortunately, the modern church has the attitude that those that have gone on before now know nothing and are invaluable to our travel through time in these modern days. They make fun of and mock the prophets of God, the people of God, and our Lord himself even. in the foolish sort of choruses and lifestyle that is now put forward to be Christianity. That greasy grace that is there, oh, that really is to cover every kind of lifestyle imaginable. That is not the example we have in the scriptures of godliness. If you want more of an argument, For the example of those that have gone on before, read Hebrews chapter 11. It is full of examples of those that have gone on before. and the heritage that they leave us. You know, we've been spending a wonderful time there at Grace, at our home church there, going through the heroes of the faith. And we've gone right through all of the heroes of the faith, and now we've got down to it, where Pastor Charlie was looking there, heroes of the faith, and then it says, and the prophets. that caught pastor's attention. So, he felt like we need to look at all the prophets. The other day he said to me, Brother Inglot, this is developing. He said, I think we'll be looking at the prophets till Christmas time. I said, and beyond. We're going to have a time of it. But what a time we've had. And apparently all of that Bible that's been under Bible Institute, but it's Sunday night preaching, it's all available for you. You can have a look at it for free and enjoy something of the fun we've been having and the blessings we've been having at looking at those heroes of the faith and the prophets. Now I got to do a real wacky, what I call a wacky prophet. who was told to go and marry a harlot and so forth. I said, Pastor, do I really have to do this one? It's not my scene. I said, it's not my scene. But the Lord gave me grace to go ahead and get it done and to challenge the folk about living for God. Remember, that was Old Testament times, special times of God's working and God's will and ways. to communicate with the nation of Israel. So then when we come to the third chapter, Paul has given testimony about how he's leaving the things behind of his old life and how he is looking under the glory and going forward and pressing to the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He challenges the believers to join him in such a quest and such a press, to move forward, to go on, to follow those that have gone before, and to stand in these days of apostasy, apostasy, apostasy, you know what I mean, and adversity. I got the two words running together there. But you know the days that we're in, you know the trouble that is around about. You know the things that are being said by some, a lifestyle that is being put forward. Our conversation is in heaven. We are grounded in the heavenlies. We are seated in Christ Jesus in the heavenlies. We are to live the heavenly life. on this earth scene. We are to show the glory of the Lord Jesus. So the example of the Saviour is so important. Now what I'm getting at throughout this and what I believe the Spirit of God is saying to us through the book of Philippians, and you should be going back to it and looking through it and reading through it over and over again in this day and age. What I'm suggesting here and the Spirit of God is saying is that your mind needs to be girded up in these days. It's all a battle, you know, about the spiritual warfare and the battle that is on. It's all a battle for the mind. It's all happening here. And if the devil can win here, he wins everywhere. And so it is that we need to protect and get our minds fixed on the Lord We need decent input. We need to make sure that our minds are not crowded with things that are unhelpful. Have a look here in chapter four and verse four. Rejoice in the Lord always. We as believers need to rejoice in the Lord and keep our rejoicing going and let your moderation, your self-control, your godly living, No, they quote the verse all things in moderation, but it means all things in consideration and control of the flesh. That's what it means. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Have control in your life. Have control of your thinking and of your actions. The Lord's coming is nearby, so we should do it for his glory. Then in verse six, we are not to fill our mind with useless anxiety. Be careful for nothing. Don't become anxious in your life and pulled down by the different cares and worries of this earth scene. Every day we hear of more things that could cause you to be anxious, but we need to do what the scriptures say, be careful for nothing. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. The Lord is coming, he's got it all under control. All things work together for good to them that love God, who are the called according to his purpose. He is going to work it out, don't worry. Now I had a nasty experience in hospital, probably not what you were thinking about. One morning, 5am, the cleaner came buzzing through and my private space on that little, whatever they call it, breakfast bar or whatever you want to call it, was violated because the cleaner, she cleaned everything up that was on the desk, on that table. I woke up, breakfast is there, get some brekkie going, I looked around for my teeth and they were nowhere to be seen. Nowhere to be seen. I sent up, you know, got the old nurse in there and she's telling me, well it's your fault for leaving them there. What? Give me a break. I said, what about it? Oh, we'll see if we can find them. Well, there was nowhere to be found, of course. The bins were all done. They were all gone out. Everything's moving on for the morning in hospital. And there's yours truly. I just said, well, this is a plain attack of the devil. It is an attack of the devil. They try and discourage the preacher. and had some preaching appointments coming up. I had to do a few of them without teeth. That was amazing, that was. But at the time, when you're not feeling real well, I got quite anxious about this. Where am I going to find $1,500 worth of teeth? I've tried other people's before and they don't fit. But when you're not feeling well, things can get at you, amen? Little things can look like big things. And things can, if you're not careful, can start getting on top of you. I was a bit anxious about that. But I claimed that verse, all things work together for good. And I prayed that God would give me teeth. And the Lord was good because I ended up with a completely new top set, better than the other ones, made by a lovely guy around the corner from where we live. And got to know him and got a bit of testimony to this fellow who did a great job. And the hospital had to pay every last cent of it, praise God. Hallelujah. But you know, little things can get at you. Little things that go wrong in the home, little things throughout the day. But what about the big issues of life? The big things that come along. where things absolutely go the wrong direction as far as you're concerned and you can't work out what in the world the Lord is doing. Be careful for nothing. Don't worry about it. Don't spend your time in wasteful worry, chewing up your spiritual energies and worrying about something that may never ever even happen. Instead of prayer, everything should be taken with supplication and thanksgiving. Requests should be made known to God, according to verse number six. If we are to maintain mental equilibrium, stability, and godliness in these days, we need to learn this. We need to learn this because I've come across people recently that are just full of their worries and cares. And not only that, when they hear a message or something, they're reading into it another agenda. And they're getting worried about what the preacher was saying. What was he really getting at? And the worry and cares and the stress. Our minds were not made to carry such worries and cares and stresses. We were made to walk with God. We were made to cast our cares upon him. for he careth for you. We were made to enjoy the peace of God that passeth all understanding, according to verse seven, and shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The peace of God. It's not restfulness away from the stresses of life or the storms. It is restfulness within them as we rest in him. casting all care upon him. As we look unto him, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40 says that the old timers can do better than the youngsters in the matter of the walk of faith. If they will wait upon the Lord, and look to Him. The peace of God keeps hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The peace of God settles us when the storms of life ruffle us, cause us to realise that it is okay, that the Father knows what is best and has it under His control. And then we find in verse 8, verse 8, Now this indeed is a particularly important verse. 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. Now in these days, the last days, it is so important for us to be careful what we're thinking about and the sources of what we think about. Where do the ideas come from? What are the thoughts? What are the things that are being taken on board? It is so important. That old adage that the computer people used to use in the old days, garbage in, garbage out. We must indeed monitor what is entering into our minds. The things that are within a man, they defile him. The things that are allowed in will have an impact in eventually an output. He says, the things that you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do. And the God of peace shall be with you. Brothers and sisters, there is so much garbage out there. The media and social media is full of everybody's dirty laundry and filth and garbage. And you don't need to take it on board. You don't need to go there. You don't need to be looking over everybody else's fence, see what they're doing. What you need to be doing is developing a life. Keep your faith in the book of God and have your Christian life. Don't try and live your life through others. Don't feed the lust of the flesh through the foolishness of others. I could say more about this, but I would only be getting into more and more trouble. Somebody just showed me a little clip of some pre-wedding festivities of a person. I have to do a bit more research, but I'm sure they had brown liquid in their bottles. And I asked the pastor, I said, was that boy Was he sober when he said his vows? He gave me a very flippant answer and took off as fast as you could imagine. You know, what is entering in? What is entering into our lives? What are we allowing? What thoughts and desires are we feeding through the media and different things that are around the place? And if we're not careful, we focus in those things, our thinking becomes distorted and ungodly, and we are no use to the Lord. Our testimony goes out the window. We are no help to anybody. The thing here is that we are to focus upon the things that are what? True. Have a look at it there in verse eight. Let's have a look here for a moment. Whatsoever things are true, my voice is coming back now, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. Beloved, the social media is not like a bathroom or a bedroom where you shut the door and all is private. There is no privacy in social media. The people that are telling me that are those that are most involved in the technologies and their work is involved to do with technologies. And they're telling me, Pastor Ringwalt, there is no way that I would ever post anything good or bad in these social medias. No way that anything would be placed there, any information about family and children and all of the rest of it. That stuff all posted out there in the media becomes public domain and is open for every kind of evil and abuse that you can imagine. People's images can be taken and distorted. They can be made to look like they're doing lewd acts when they're actually not. And scrupulous and evil and ungodly people like to do that and to make fools and to make people, public officers and public people and pastors look like total fools and idiots. All of this is going on. We are violating, when you go out there, you are violating the personal security of each member of your family and yourself. You are putting yourself out there to be attacked by the devil and by the worst kind of society. You do such a foolish thing, how would you expect not to get a kickback? If you do such a foolish thing and place such things in the public arena, social media and all of that is just like walking down the main street, Rundle Street. Putting it out there is putting it out in public. You put it out in public, would you be surprised that somebody might see it? Why would you be surprised that somebody might see it? You've got to be careful on this one. A certain person, when they were challenged about it, they owned the site themselves, had their children on it. Hello? The world's going crazy. The thinking is distorted. We're not thinking all right. We're not thinking properly. Things have gone wrong. I believe that governments have a part in what's going on because of their lack of control, their lack of laws and legislation and controls of the channels of filth and garbage that are allowed on some of these media sites where they are denying any responsibility. Putting up filth and garbage and then denying any responsibility to block such thing. And stuff and pornographic images and so on popping up on family computers. Things that people do not ever want to see. Because of the violations of the use of the media and the lack of media control. It's terrible, but that's another sermon there. That's what I'm gonna preach down in Canberra next time I get down there. I'm sure Mr. Joe Moe or whatever he's called there will have me over. Well, he says he's a Christian. My word, pray for these guys down there, it's tough. What they have to do and put up with sometimes. and the things that they are supposed to endorse and allow in modern society. Here the Bible has the answer to this problem. Only put clean and pure stuff up there. Only put things that are true, things that are honest, things that are lovely, things that are just, things that are pure, things that are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report. Oh, that our lives were built around these things. Built around these wholesome things that build lives and touch and impact upon others. Oh, how we need that in this day and age. How we need to take control of our thoughts. How we need to take control, fathers, in our homes and in society. How we need to take control of things in the church and of those that are members and involved with local churches. I thank God for our visiting speaker at the National Fellowship meeting that said that every church should monitor what the children are doing with the media. and should be willing to confront them when things are not right. He said, we've had some situations, and if they don't like it, there is something they can do. There's a door. He said, we don't like to see anybody leave or get out of the way because of it. People need to be willing. to have their lives examined that they might be able to adjust things for the glory of the Lord. Well, we could go on for a long time and that I think you get the message. And I think for the most part, we as believers would endorse verse eight and would like to make our lives more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ. and see more and more of these beautiful things developed in our lives for God's glory. Well, then the Apostle Paul continues on in his encouragement for the saints. He says that he's rejoicing in the Lord greatly, that they've taken on him for support. He talks about His life and the different things he's been in, verse 12. I know how to be abased and to abound. I know how to abound. Knows to be up and down, knows the ups and downs of life. But in it all, he's walking with the Lord, verse 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Here's the apostle's mentality here, that of Christ, in and through Christ, he can do all things. All things that are in the perimeter of God's will for his life, the apostle is saying, he can do. You need to say that as well. We need to get our minds into the biblical and spiritual mode that we see here. We need to develop the I can do philosophy and idea in our lives. Again, I'm not talking about the power of positive thinking. I'm talking about how the Lord Jesus Christ can work in and through us to strengthen us so that we can accomplish great things in these days. Too often people tell us they can't do it. Pastor asks them to clean the toilet, can't do it. Pastor may ask, or somebody may ask, would you like to be on the cleaning team, help clean the building once a week, or once a month, take a turn. I just can't do that. After seven years at Barber College, I heard all kinds of excuses from younger people as to what they couldn't do. I said, this one fellow wrote, I want you to be on the mop and bucket team and your key thing is to mop those tiles in the dining room. I stepped in there after he had mopped them and it looked like a swimming pool. Oh, pastor, I can't do that. I said, yes you can. I said, you get that mop? and you put it in that bucket, and you put your heavy foot on there, and you squeeze hard, squeeze every bit of water out of that mop until it's practically dry, and then go over that floor and dry mop it until you get that moisture up. Oh, I can't do that. I said, really? I'm going to wait here until you do. Oh, it's amazing how he learnt to do a better job with it. Another one of the students said, whatever you do pastor, don't tell my wife that I do the vacuum cleaning at college. Another guy says, don't you dare tell her that I have to do the mopping here at college. I said, do you fellas mean to tell me that you don't help your little wives? to do these heavy tasks. She does so much for you, surely you can help out. Mop a floor, vacuum a floor, whatever. I'm still vacuuming floors. Vacuum cleaner seems to be getting heavier all the time. So I went out and spent 124 bucks and got one of those nice little things you can zip them around in no time at all. Boy, they do a good job. And get the floors done. Get it done. Get it done. It can be done. I don't know about this witnessing pastor, it's pretty hard for someone like me. I don't think I can do it. Hello, read your Bible. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. It's amazing what you can do. Listen to me now. It's amazing what you can do when you want to. When you want to. And God promises here to give you the strength to do so. Sometimes you might need to do a course in how to do it. Learn from God's word, the principles. Or learn from an old guy that's mopped a lot of floors over the years. Amen? You know what to do, how to do it. It's so much easier if you've got that information. And so it is that we need to get that information. We need to program ourselves for success in God's will, not for failure. I'm thinking right now, those boys who went to spy out the promised land, what a trip that was. They all went over there to see if it could be done or not. Bad move. Bad move. You send a team out to see whether it could be done or not, you get 50% of them say yes and 50% of them will say no. So you're no further advanced. Does God want the job done? If he does, then you need to devise a ways of doing it. Joshua and Caleb said, we're well able to go in and possess the land, the rest of them, oh, there was giants over there. Oh, we can't do it. Is God bigger than the giants? Is God bigger than the giants of your life? Is He bigger than those bad thoughts and gloomy thoughts that pervade your mind and cause you to become inactive? Is God bigger? Can he do it? He can. He's able. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that ye ask or think. He's a great and mighty God. He can do it. So can you. Moreover, you can have the wonderful privilege of being involved in seeing him do it. Amen? If you stay to the sidelines and you never get involved, Oh no, pastor, I couldn't get involved in giving demissions. I couldn't do that. Go ahead, sit on the sidelines and see how people are blessed as they sacrificially give to get the gospel out in the regions beyond. Go ahead, become impoverished. You know, say, well, I can't tithe like you do, pastor. Look at you, you've got plenty coming in and you lap for nothing. I can't do that. Why not? Same guy. I'm just basically an ordinary bloke. Pretty ordinary sometimes, you know. I was not the smartest pencil on the block, as it were, as I was growing up. But as I've walked with the Lord, I've learnt so much from Him. And to know that my availability is the key issue there. Your availability. Are you available for God to do things through you? Are you available? You must realise your weakness to perform the works of God. They rely more and more on that verse, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. In sickness and difficult times, how we need to rely upon that. I will look under the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord who made the heaven and earth. He is able to do it in and through us so we get the excitement of seeing what God can do through us. He's a great and mighty God. I can do all things through Christ. The things that I have been involved with, the places that God has taken me to, the people that I have ministered with and so forth, It's all of His grace. It's all of Him and not of me. And I think that's important, as we said this morning, to die to self and realize what we have in Christ. Our final verse tonight is in verse 19. But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. My God shall supply all of your needs. Now this is interesting that the Apostle Paul in concluding his thoughts to the Philippians is testifying. My God, says Paul. shall supply your needs. In other words, the same God that supplied for me can supply for you. He's a great God. What is it that you need? What is it that you need? You need a shed to store all sorts of Sunday school materials and all kinds of, all manner of things necessary for the work of God? You need a shed? Is God not able to give you that if you need that? So $7,000 later a shed was built. God is able. He is able. What kind of a God do you have? A God that can cause you to do great things in verse 13. and a God that can supply for you through life. When I surrendered for the ministry and my wife and I surrendered we went and saw my mother and father to tell them what we intended to do. It was quite a situation let me say. Well that's well and good but how in the world are you going to finance that? After all, you can't just stand, step out there and pick money off trees. You mean you're going to do that and you're going to live that way and you're going to trust God? No way. Well, that wasn't really encouraging for a young married couple, amen, who thought that they would like to have the support of parents. That was my parents who really didn't know the Lord at that time and how negative that was. Not going to work. However, on the other hand, we had a beautiful godly mother-in-law and we shared with her what the Lord was leading us with. We had nothing but beautiful support, encouragement and even dollars to boot. God was good. You know the God who is the God of all supply, the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine is the God that can give his children what they need. Supply all your need, it's a singular word there, and encompasses everything needed through life and service for Christ. Through family life, church life, living as a testimony in the community for Christ, whatever. My God shall supply all your need. I believe that God can supply our emotional needs along with our spiritual needs, along with our physical needs, because he's the God of all supply, the God who can do that. He can do it according to the riches in glory by Christ Jesus. What a wonderful saviour we have. So let me encourage you with the book of Philippians. Go to the book of Philippians often. Go to the book of Philippians often. Consider the example of the apostle Paul. Consider the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Consider the example of this church and their fellowship in the gospel. Consider their faith. their confidence in the workings of God and the power of God. Consider the strength that he gives in life for a conversation, a testimony to those round about. Consider these things. Follow after the example of our Lord Jesus. He is our model and example. Follow after the modern example of the Apostle Paul who evangelised the world and made a great impact and became the greatest missionary of all times. Consider these things and consider your own self. Stop and think. Now hold on a minute. The same God that was in the Apostle Paul is in you. Christ in you, the hope of glory, the same God, the same power, the same might, the same spirit, the same power of prayer. All these things are yours. All these things are available and to be used for God's glory. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Let's pray. Father, we thank you, Lord, for these wonderful thoughts tonight of our Lord Jesus. The directions to think on that which is pure and lovely, to get our minds into the beauties of God and His creation, His plan, to get our minds above the sewers of this world, our own failures and sins, to go to the cleansing fount, the blood of the Lord Jesus, to cry out for mercy and forgiveness and cleansing, and then to go forward for the Lord. I wonder tonight you're here in God's house and messing around with things that you're not intended to be involved with. And tonight you say to the Lord, Lord, I'm sorry. Help me to direct my mind and attention on the things that are pure and lovely, honest and just, the things that are of Christ. And maybe tonight you need to tell the Lord about that. Confess your need and ask the Lord for his forgiveness and cleansing. And ask the Lord to give you the mind of Christ that you would have the right outlook in life. Ask God to give you faith, positive faith, trusting him in and through it all. Commit your way to the Lord and your days and your future to him. The battle is fought in the mind. It's a battle of the mind. And tonight would you yield to the victory of Christ in your mind to take control. His spirit would take control of all things for God's glory. Yield to the Lord for that and he'll bless you and fill you with his spirit. Maybe you're here tonight and you never have received Christ as your saviour. You could come tonight and we'd love to show you from the Bible how to receive the Lord Jesus as Saviour. Please do business with God tonight. Let's stand together please for our closing hymn. Brother's going to lead us.