today's online internet church services
I'm so happy that you're here why don't
you grab your Bibles and turn with me to
the book of proverbs chapter 10 verse 22
and it says that the blessing of the
Lord makes one rich and he adds no
sorrow with it Before we jump into
today's message let's honor the Lord
with our tithes and offerings and as we
do so let's meditate on that verse that
I would like for you to personalize and
claim it by faith and make it your own
in other words read it like this to
yourself the blessing of the Lord makes
me rich and he adds no sorrow with it
the Lord has no issues with you being
wealthy with you being rich he actually
would like for you to be rich because
then you can be a greater influence for
his kingdom and for the preaching of the
gospel and God even made Abraham very
rich who praised the Lord so God wants
you to be rich and his blessing is his
supernatural empowerment that takes you
into that place of overflowing
prosperity so what today is you honor
the Lord with your tithes and offerings
believe by faith that that blessing is
touching your life every aspect of your
life and you are moving forward into the
place of abundance and overflow and
prosperity that God has planned for you
where literally god makes you rich
praise the Lord and of course as he does
that because it's a it's a process that
he's taking you into you're going from
glory to glory financially as he does
that make sure that you give him all the
credit you give him all the glory and
you give him all the praise because he
is continuing to lift you higher and
higher and higher that's what that
blessing is doing is take you into the
greater dimensions of his blessing of
the manifestation of wealth and
provision in your life and God has
greater measures of abundance that he's
releasing into your life right now
praise God now keep that in mind as you
bring the tithe and the offering into
God's storehouse if you would like to
mail your tithes and offerings in please
send them to
Steven Brooks international peel box
seven-one-seven Moravian falls North
Carolina - eight six five four if you
want to bring the tithe and offering in
online you can do so by visiting the
ministry website at Steven Brooks org
there's a link on the home page called
tides and offerings and you can go there
right now and bring them into the
storehouse of God also on our website
there's a header that's called projects
we have two special projects that we're
working on right now the ministry hanger
and also the ministry fence to go around
the ministry property and if you would
like to sow into any one of those
projects as well as the general fund
that would be a blessing as well to the
ministry praise the Lord
all right you are blessed in the Lord
today Heavenly Father bless your people
with mighty overflow abundance make them
rich in Jesus name hallelujah now let's
go to the book of Philippians today
let's drop down the chapter four and
let's meet in verse six and talk about
the mind sandwich whoo hallelujah this
message might make you hungry for a
sandwich praise God Heavenly Father we
asked as we would now jump into today's
message that your Holy Spirit would
illuminate our understanding that our
minds be fixed on the things that you
have given us instruction to meditate
upon thank you father let us have good
understanding of these eight principles
in the name of Jesus in the name of
Jesus we all agree and say Amen
now Philippians chapter 4 verse 6 we
have that admonition not to be anxious
not to worry about things but to pray
and as we do the peace of God will sweep
into your heart so verse 7 is a very
powerful statement about the peace of
God peace that is actually so strong
that it can go beyond your understanding
you would think wow this peace I can't
even describe it that's how amazing it
is and then verse 8 tells us what we are
to meditate on what we're to keep our
minds on and
and verse 9 says the things which you
learned and received and heard and saw
in me these do this is the Apostle Paul
speaking and the God of peace will be
with you ok so verse 7 heavy emphasis on
the peace of God verse 9 Paul again
closes that mighty statement up again
describing the God of peace manifesting
when we do verse 8 well you'll see that
7 and 8 are like the pieces of bread - a
sandwich that closes it up and verse 8
is the interior of the sandwich just the
cheese it's the meat the tomatoes the
onions or the lettuce whatever you would
like to put on your sandwich is mention
there in verse 8 but it's 7 and 9 that
holds it all together
the peace of God so here's what the Holy
Spirit is highlighting that if you will
do verse 8 then the peace of God will
flood your heart it will flood your mind
it will actually surround you with a
with a hedge of peace woo glory to God
so we need to really understand verse 8
this is the meat of the matter a matter
of fact Paul says finally brethren
whatever things are true in other words
he says finally brethren so to the
church there in Philippi he is wrapping
it all up and he's going to boil it all
down to this very condensed teaching in
verse 8 so it's very very powerful and
it's surrounded on both sides by the
peace of God okay finally brethren
whatever things are true now he's going
to go through eight things okay say
eight these are eight things
eight is one of God's favorite numbers
eight represents new beginnings and as
you work these eight things your mind
will have a new beginning a new way of
thinking whoo hallelujah now this
relates very closely to the teachings of
Paul from the book of Romans chapter 12
verses 1 & 2 which talks about the
renovation of the mind the renewing of
the mind praise God
well this is how we do it I
I want to read the latter part of verse
8 just for a moment because it says
meditate on these things okay so these
eight things that we're going to discuss
today you are supposed to meditate on
them won't keep your mind on them now
let's look at them finally brethren
whatever things are true okay so number
one we are to keep our mind on those
things that are true we are to meditate
on the things that are true and honestly
if you stop and think about it I mean
really who would who would want to waste
their time meditating on a lie I don't
think anybody would do that
intentionally and you know even somebody
that believes a lie I don't think that
they were they're actually thinking this
is a lie and I'm just I'm just choosing
to believe a lie nobody would do
something like that intentionally you
would have to be in deception to do that
well we want to stay in the truth and
the truth is God's Word hallelujah and I
really believe that one of the great
challenges of the church in the last
days and we see this already is the
challenge to not compromise the truth
because culture if it drifts from God
culture will just begin to degrade and
will begin to accept anything and then
try to relabeled that as being true for
the perhaps the present generation but
just because culture has redefined
standards doesn't mean that God has
changed his mind on it you know stealing
is still wrong God said in the Ten
Commandments you shall not steal well
you know somebody might try to justify
it and say well you know we have new
standards today but new standards will
never change
you know biblical principles and the
eternal laws of God truth hallelujah
meditate on those things that are true
glory to God I know that with the moral
thermometer of America with you know if
you were to gauge the temperature of
morality of the nation you know if you
look at if you look at the median thing
like that you think well it doesn't it
doesn't look too good it looks like the
temperature is showing that the patient
is sick well you know we need to tell
people the truth if you lie to people
you know it says in the Old Testament
when God was dealing with the prophet
Ezekiel if you don't tell them their
Bloods going to be on your hands
and so when you have a person come up to
you and ask you what is the truth what
does God really say about this is this
is this actually wrong is this a sin you
know I've had people ask me certain
things and the best way to do it is just
open up the Bible and show them what God
says because God's Word is truth and if
a person is you know sexually confused
and maybe maybe they just really don't
know maybe they're actually seeking
answers they're looking for the truth
we'll take them the book to the book of
Romans chapter one well this is what God
said about homosexuality this is what
God said about lesbianism you know you
may have strong feelings but let's just
put feelings aside let's put hormones
and testosterone aside what did God say
because God clearly told told us
throughout the Bible in Romans chapter 1
is just a classic text on that what is
considered wrong in the eyes of God
what's considered truthful hallelujah so
let's just always go back to the word
and not try to redefine everything but
let God's Word set the standard and not
compromise that if culture happens to
not agree with it because you know
culture changes all the time so we want
to stay with the truth of God's Word
really you're going to find that these
eight these eight high standards that
God has given it's like it's like our
minds they have a we have the ability to
surf like maybe channel surfing is a
good example if you have a remote
control and you're sitting in front of
your TV you know you're clicking through
your channel well maybe you have
satellite maybe have cable but let's say
yet you have a hundred channels you
could just channel surf and go through
all of that but really what God wants us
to do is be very selective with our
thinking very selective with what we put
our minds on and the first thing that we
need to be very selective about
is meditating only on those things that
are true and it's listed first why it's
the most important thing because you
don't want to believe a lie and you'll
notice that the world is happy to push a
lie on you if you're gullible enough to
believe it you know I've been to New
York City many times I've been to
Manhattan a lot and you know you can see
Times Square and you know the first time
you go there it's pretty cool after a
while you realize hey it's it's just a
bunch of lights
you know competing for your attention
and you know if you're if you're
sensitive enough you'll also realize hey
um is it just me or does it smell like
sewage around here well everybody knows
that yeah so outside of the blood you
know the glazing lights the all the
glitter and the blazing lights you know
it's just it's you know you realize this
this is just a bunch of smoke and
mirrors in many ways but what's going on
there the the competing for your your
senses they will they want your eyes
okay and they want your eyes to pick up
certain sensory material and send that
straight into your brain and they want
you to buy this that's what they're
competing for they want your attention
and the whole world is competing for
what you think about because they want
you to buy their product they want you
to shop here they want you to spend your
money there and you're just going to get
hit with it left and right now maybe you
live somewhere that's not like a Time
Square Center but you know it's still
it's going to be reaching for you
through television through the media
through billboards and through signs and
things like that so you really can't
hide from it it's out there but you have
to filter the channels that you let your
mind you don't watch and you know
honestly you should do that with your
television anyhow but we're talking
about the mind where God gives you eight
channels eight channels that you can
watch and the first one needs to be the
channel of truth whoo hallelujah and it
and if it's not true you should not be
looking at it you should not be
meditating on it because look all that
junks gonna pass away
what's eternal what's of God's kingdom
is gonna be what stands
and so you need to build upon that rock
foundation mmm thank you Lord Jesus so
it leads off by we are to meditate on
what is true and so if a person ask you
as a knowledge of believer what the
truth really is you don't need to
compromise you just need to tell him you
see you need to say this is what God
said this is what God said and God
didn't say it because he's trying to
ruin your fun God said it because he's
trying to he's actually trying to
protect you he's trying to help you he
loves you and he knows if you do it his
way it will go well with you and if you
deviate from that and you go into
falsehood into deception it's not going
to end well mmm
praise the Lord thank God for truth we
celebrate the truth of the Lord Jesus
Christ and His Holy Word now the second
thing that we are we are told to
meditate on the fix our minds on okay
after the truth would be those things
that are noble now when it says meditate
on those things that are noble noble
means that which adds dignity and honor
to your life those things that reflect
your own your noble standing in Christ
whew you need this you need to see
yourself as nobility I I don't know if
you're related to the King of England or
the Queen of England I don't know if
there's you know royal ancestry in your
blood but I do know this the moment you
became a believer a Christian and you
received Christ into your heart his life
flowed into you and now you are grafted
into that that divine lineage where
Christ is king of kings and Lord of
lords or who were the kings that he's
king over that that would be you and I
and his people who who is the who are
the lords that he is the Lord over that
that would be you and I and you need to
see yourself in humility humbly as a
servant of the Most High God with royal
DNA that you are now a king and a priest
in Christ glory to God
and
let that affect the way you think
because because really that that will
when that mind that noble mind starts
working in you you know what you may not
want to eat all of your food from the
from the from the dollar store
you look they'll affect all kinds of
things when you start thinking noble
thoughts I'm not I'm not saying there's
anything wrong with going to the dollar
store but I will say this if you there's
a there's a reason you should not be
eating meals or TV dinners that cost 99
cents because they're loaded with salt
and sodium and if you eat if you just
eat that stuff all the time you're
eating in a very very unhealthy way mmm
and as a child of God you need to take
care of your body your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit
you should not abuse your body well
pastor Steven I'm just trying to save
money it's it's ending up in the
emergency room is that going to save you
money or cost you money is having a
major operation because you've clogged
up your arteries with unhealthy food is
that going to save you money or cost you
money you have to look at the long-term
aspects of health not just not just
right now you know you know I like ramen
noodles sometimes but you know the good
ramen noodles like the Japan which I've
had before you know cuz when flying the
certain destinations I've had a lot of
lay overs in Japan and I love their
ramen noodles because they're good for
you they're actually healthy they're not
stripped of all the nutrients like they
are here in America and the little bitty
you know 30 cent pack that you get
that's loaded with sodium and you know
you know and just all kinds of other
weird preservatives and chemicals they
put into it
in Japan I love the ramen noodles but
here you know if you just you're trying
to live off that you're gonna you're
gonna end up you know causing some
adverse health effects but see it's
nobility its nobility noble thoughts and
I'm not saying you have to eat in a
gluttonous way but I'm just saying you
should take care of yourself and you
should you should treat yourself better
than that praise the Lord we're pastor
Steve
Yakut I can eat therefore I I can eat
therefore $4 I I worked in a sales
position one time at a very large
international agricultural company well
we sold agricultural equipment all over
all over the nation and I worked
directly under the senior outside sales
manager and he told me something very
important when he took me out on the
field with him we traveled all over
traveled all over Texas New Mexico
surrounding states that we were working
out of at that time and he said he said
Steven he said I used to try to save the
company money he's I'm very loyal to the
company I said well that's good he said
he said I was so loyal I would even
tried to save the company money by
eating at places that were cheap and so
I would eat you know fast food
restaurants all the time and I he said I
was gaining weight and just you know
blowing up and getting big because I'm
living off you know fast food because he
was full time salesmen so he's he's gone
about five days out of the week so he's
just traveling all the time and you know
eating at you know fast food I won't
call the names of the fast-food
restaurants but you could probably think
of the ones that's that's where he's
eating that for you know three or four
dollars a meal and he's getting he's
he's just he's losing his health and he
was he said they actually told me he
said Steven they told me from corporate
headquarters they said stop eating that
junk and they said treat yourself right
we're not a broke company we're an
international company we're the ones
paying for your meals stop eating that
that food that's destroying your health
and eat healthy meals we don't care for
your meal cost twelve or fifteen dollars
and you know this guy was not somebody
to abuse the credit card you know the
corporate credit card but they said eat
good food they said you're our best
salesmen take care of yourself we can't
have 4G we can't afford to have you sick
mmm and he said so he said from then on
I started eating healthy hallelujah he
had lost a lot of weight and you know he
got a you know got him an exercise suit
he was always walking in train you know
and stuff like that is really good what
had happened a change in his way of
thinking what is that noble thoughts
noble thoughts see any
thing that sinful is going to bring
dishonor into your life if you practice
sin that's going to it's going to bring
dishonor into your life but God wants
you to have that that thought life of
nobility the way you act the way that
you conduct yourself glory to God and so
God wants you to he wants you to just
have a life a life were happy this is in
your life thank you Lord Jesus something
that God is very concerned about where
there is honor and dignity in your life
glory to God you need to think like that
does this glorify the Lord does this
thing that I'm meditating on or I'm
thinking about doing does it bring glory
and honor to the Lord does it have a
noble expression woo hallelujah if so
meditate on that glory to God so those
things that are true meditate on those
things that are noble meditate on those
things that are just this one's good
this one's big meditate on those things
that are just those things that would be
just in other words those things that
that are your duty and your obligation
to carry out to your family to your
society to the church praise God in
other words if you have a job get your
job done
why that's a just thing to do to
meditate upon praise God let me say this
if it's just then you should always do
it by the book don't break rules don't
break laws don't do something illegal if
you found out unintentionally or
unknowingly that you have crossed a line
be quick to fix that and endeavor to
make it right and make sure that you
don't repeat it again praise God see if
you obey the speed limit when you're
driving when you're when you're obeying
the speed limit and I know there's a
little bit of a grace room if the speed
limit is 65 and you're going 68 or 69
you you you know you and I both know
you're gonna be okay but you know if you
go an 80 you know then you're gonna be a
little bit nervous always kind of
looking around for you know Highway
Patrol and stuff like that but look if
you're obeying the speed limit you know
and suddenly you see a police officer or
a highway patrolman you don't have to
slam on your brakes you don't have to
have some kind of knee-jerk reaction why
you're not doing anything
wrong you're behaving justly so your way
of thinking needs to be a just way of
thinking praise the Lord
and sometimes sometimes you even have to
go beyond what's legal and you have to
ask yourself it may be legal but is it
just in the eyes of God is it ethical is
it ethical for me to work this job see
it's legal to sell you know whiskey and
liquor and alcohol but just because it's
legal does that mean that you should be
doing it it's legal in many states to
sell pornography pornographic magazines
and books and stuff like that but you
look just because it's legal should you
be doing it well no pastor Stephen I
shouldn't be doing that but see these
are things you have to examine you want
to meditate on those things that are
just hallelujah is it just is it just to
go to war is there a valid reason that
we're doing this see there were some
really good Christians in Europe during
World War one that objected to you know
being involved in the fighting and I've
read about quite a few of them and I
could understand you know they were
called conscientious objectors in other
words they were Christian men and women
that said in our conscience we object to
fighting because there's really no valid
reason for this for this war now if
there were okay you know we're willing
to stand with our country and stuff like
that but when there's no reason and
really if you examine World War one
that's what I'm talking about in context
of World War one it was really a stupid
war that had no had no purpose there was
actually a mindset that had developed
during that time in the early 1900s
where war the concept the theory of war
had actually been glamorized it had been
romanticized and even taught that war is
good and leading universities and
leading scholars and some even very
misinformed theologians said that war is
good that it actually can elevate the
economic situation that war is good and
before you knew it there was a war there
was it was called World War one
and within just a few weeks the theories
of romanticized war and the glamour of
war it just got blown to smithereens
when people's legs start getting blown
off and hit start getting blown off and
people you see your friends get get you
know pumped full of bullets or blown to
pieces by a cannon suddenly the
romanticized view of war is good you
suddenly you realize your war is hell
war is hell you so you want to you
always want to do everything you can do
not to get into a war even the Apostle
Paul said as much as depends on you you
know be peaceful with all men now there
can be times when you do have to take up
arms and you do have to fight because
there are bad people in the world there
were the Hitler's does the Stalin's the
Mussolini's and you know you've got the
bad characters out there that would be
very happy to do you harm if you're not
willing to resist them but there's other
times when a you know is this thing just
if it's not just we need that we need
their really considerate because we need
to meditate on those things that are
just woo glory to God hallelujah things
that are your duty your obligation now
if it's not just okay then we we can see
that but if it is if it is we need to be
aware of that
praise God so meditate on those things
that are just hallelujah get just get
your stuff done get your job done get
your assignment done get your commission
done get your calling done fulfill your
ministry praise the lord whatever it
might be praise the lord it that is what
it means one of the aspects to be just
now meditate on that
now meditate on those things that are
pure while glory to God that's a big one
too because a lot of people think well
you know there's not many things Pastor
Steven that are pure oh that would be a
big hint that you have probably been
channel surfing on the wrong channel
okay so you want your mind to meditate
on the right channels these eight things
if you want your mind to be be developed
in these particular areas and it has to
be pure and if it's not pure you
shouldn't be camping there with your
thought life okay
pure means that which is clean that
which is wholesome that which is free
from stain don't turn the channel on me
this is from the Bible okay meditate on
those things that are pure those things
again that are clean that are wholesome
that are free from stain and free from
any form of defilement if it's not pure
why are you thinking about that so you
train your brain don't let you just
brain just channel surf and flip through
all the channels say no hold on hold on
a minute mr. brain
hold on mind these are the channels that
God said we are allowed to watch and
these are the channels these are the
mediums of meditation that we are going
to be thanking upon see if you don't if
you don't tell your mind or give your
mind the choices of what it's allowed to
view it'll go all over the place it'll
it'll start thinking about all kinds of
crazy things there is a spiritual mind
there's a carnal mind and you could be a
Christian and be carnally mind it but if
you do you're not going to be getting
you're not gonna be able to really know
the heart of God or get into the glory
of God or get into the real blessing of
God because you have to be able to work
with the Holy Spirit and to be able to
work with the Holy Spirit you have to be
spiritually minded oh this takes work
this takes intentional focus to not only
do it but also to not let your mind go
over here and get over there but to
bring it back to bring it back praise
God
look when you're praying stay focused in
your praying when you're praying in
tongues when you're praying for long
periods of time in the spirit have
something that your mind is focused on
don't just let your mind drift in the
so-called nothingness this you know the
land of Nirvana wherever you're just
gonna go off in the lala land
well empty ourselves and then once we've
emptied ourselves we'll let something
fill us up now something will fill you
up all right
evil spirit don't go into that no we are
told what we are supposed to do with
their minds we're told what we are to
meditate on hallelujah and it's not some
kind of a vague ethereal thing it's a
biblical thing that's very solid and
very concrete and that will keep your
mind from drifting praise the Lord let
your mind think and meditate upon those
things that are pure remember this is
the mind sandwich if you do this if you
do this this is the place of peace that
passes beyond all understanding this is
the realm of God of peace that God knows
and that we can know also glory to God
but so much of this peace revolves
around the way that we train develop and
discipline our mind and you have to work
on it from the moment you wake up to the
moment you go to sleep you have to work
on the development of your mind what
you're going to think on and what you're
not going to think on and you have to be
very intentional about it praise the
Lord glory to God the next thing that we
are told to meditate on with their mind
is that which is lovely a word that I
have to admit not used too often it
sounds kind of feminine doesn't it
meditate on those things that are lovely
doesn't sound very masculine doesn't
sound like maybe something that a guy
with the camouflage outfit on with a big
hunting rifle would maybe want to think
about but those things that are lovely
are for us hallelujah for men and for
women both
now the word lovely could also be
translated as the word pleasing think
about those things that are pleasing but
it's in a sense of those things that are
lovely what does that mean
the word lovely can be defined as
whatever would be attractive to souls
that are holy whoo and it's also that
attractiveness of God but it's also
something that would be stirring up the
love of God on the inside of you those
things that stir up the love of God on
the inside of you
I have found that the closer you get to
the Lord
that some things that were maybe
formerly like you you thought they were
just the rage they were the big thing
they were the thing that captured your
attention yet you start getting close to
the Lord and those things of the world
they start to lose their their glitter
they start to use their lose their shine
they start looking kind of dull they
actually start looking temporal they
start looking like and that's not that
big of a deal I used to really be into
that but it's just not moving me anymore
why you're beginning now to think upon
things that are lovely and it's these
things that are lovely that become
attractive to the souls that want to
please and serve the Lord
Oh glory to God so so you know sometimes
you know we can have maybe a hobby and
something something they maybe that
we're really into and I think there are
things that are pure and clean that that
we can do that are nice and that are fun
but sometimes there can be maybe a
hobbies that are a little bit grungy
they can have an edge to them where you
know they they can maybe lead into some
areas of darkness and you start walking
with the Lord and you know you think you
know what I'm gonna start to phase that
out because I I don't want to be
crossing the fence doing something that
leads me to a fence where it's very easy
to cross the fence and get over into
areas that just would not be good praise
the Lord so so let the Lord help you
with that those things that are lovely I
I think the materials that we read
particularly books can really have a lot
to do with that meditating on those
things that are lovely that would
inspire you to get closer to God
hallelujah
watch out you may have to change some of
the things that you're reading you may
have to clear out some of the books that
are on your shelf ladies those old
romance novels you know you're here you
are married or and also if you're single
you shouldn't be reading reading those
things either I found that the the
people that read those the ladies that
read those that are married there
reading those because there they have an
unsatisfied marriage and something's
missing well you need to get rid of the
romance novels that's not going to help
anything and you need to start reading
books on how to have a good marriage
specifically read books along that line
that will help you to get closer to the
Lord so then that your marriage begins
to reflect the marriage between Christ
and the church whoo hallelujah yes we
have to work on these things glory to
God those things that are lovely you
should be meditating on and if they're
not lovely then it could be a
disqualifying thing that you say you
know what I've been doing this but the
more I do that it actually pulls me over
to a carnality I really want to start to
cut that off with my thinking praise God
let the Holy Spirit help you with that
it's very very good those things that
are lovely those things that are of good
report good report glory to the Lord
I like that things that are of good
report meditate on meditate on that I I
drove the South Carolina just a few days
ago to record a well it's not so much
recording actually to do a live
television program for that part of the
state and after it was over I I was
getting ready to leave the television
studio and the lady that was running the
studio that night she said here
she said here Pastor Steven here are the
results of how many people got saved
tonight when you gave the call for
salvation and prayed for the loss to
receive Christ whoa glory to God she
gave me the numbers and look that's what
I that's what I live for for stuff like
that what is that a good report and
meditate on the things that are of a
good report somebody got saved a family
member got saved yeah and think about
that the value that we can take Souls
with us wouldn't we go to heaven mm-hmm
a good report you want to meditate on
those things over good reports in my
office in my desk I actually print out
certain emails that are just a really
good report
take them and I'll print them out some
of you you send them into me and these
wonderful emails that are just loaded
with a good report it encourages me
inspires me and I I don't want to lose
that I'll actually print them out
sometimes they come in by cards maybe
you'll write a card and you'll send it
to me and I just read it and I'm just so
blessed by it and it's such a good
report then I'll take it and I'll stick
it in my desk and I'll keep it there
I've got I've got good reports that have
been in my desk for years and it it's
just growing and it's growing now I
can't keep all of them but they're
really really good ones yes I like to
keep up and I'll go back and I'll reread
them and I'll think that's just
wonderful
I like meditating on good reports praise
God meditate on things that are a good
report meditate on that which would be a
virtue a virtue is a commendable quality
meditate on a commendable quality that
you would see in the lives of others and
you think you know what I like that
I think I'm gonna begin to do stuff like
that hallelujah one day I was going to
when I was in my in my 20s my mid-20s I
was gonna go out on those out on the
streets and you know witness to just
whoever was on the street about Christ
and so you know it's good to do that two
by two so I was going to meet a friend
and I came I was all prayed up and I met
him he said Steve and I'm ready to go I
said I'm ready to go to I've had some
good prayer time he said I've had some
good time in the word he just got
through it I should remember this like
it was yesterday he said I just got
through reading first and second Peter
first and second third John then I went
and read the little bitty letter of Jude
he said then I read the whole book of
James he's I've been in the word for a
couple of hours she said I'm ready to go
I said me too we just go out and
minister the people and you're so full
of faith you're so full of the love and
the joy of the Lord that is very easy to
minister the people but I thought you
know what he's reading a lot of the word
I want to read more of the word like
that so that virtue in him inspired me
and so shortly after that I took my
Bible and I sat down and I thought what
am I going to read today because I was
off work that day I thought what am I
going to read today and
just I just said I'm gonna read the Book
of Jeremiah and I sat down and I started
reading and I sat and I sat and I read
and I read and I read through the entire
Book of Jeremiah well III was real happy
when I finished reading it and my pastor
saw me walking by because I lived right
behind him he had the house and he had a
little rental house back behind it he
rented to me and he said brother Brooks
he said you look happy in your spirit I
said pastor I've just got through
reading the Book of Jeremiah he said
that's good he said which chapters well
I said I said all of them he said well
what do you mean all of me I said I read
the whole book he said you read the
whole book I said yes he said well how
long did that take you well I I think it
took about five five hours and 30
minutes something like a you know like
five and a half hours he said you really
actually read the whole book I said yeah
I said which I said when you read it all
the way through it just makes so much
more sense I said I really enjoyed it
I said I'm kinda I'm kind of hungry now
I'm gonna go get something to eat
he looked at me he just seemed a little
puzzled but he he seemed inspired and I
thought it was kind of funny because
when I drove by the park the next day
there he was sitting on a rock and he
had his Bible open and when I came back
later it was like two hours later he was
still sitting on the rock with his Bible
open reading I don't know what he was
reading but see virtue when you see that
virtue when you when you meditate on
that when you when you see that virtue
you think that's a quality of Christ
that I want in my life and it inspires
you and inspires you praise God and see
meditate on stuff like that it's
contagious in a really really good way
I'll never forget another episode that
happened in my life were I was in
college and I went into the office of
one of the Bible professors his name was
Professor Talbert
and I said mr. tobert I said um what are
you doing he was he was pouring a glass
of milk from a little bitty a milk
carton like you know the paper milk
carton he was pouring it very slowly
into a glass and
to me I'm like you know boy you know it
seems like you're like pouring light
like liquid gold and they're like what's
the big deal I mean he was ported in
real slow and he said I said what are
you doing he said I'm just pouring some
milk in here I said well why why are you
drinking milk right now he said I just
finished a three-day fast and so he said
this is my first thing really to drink
besides water his wife she saw him
looking forward to my milk I said you I
said you fasted for three days see I was
in my I was in my early 20s raised in
church all my life all my life and I had
never ever heard one sermon on fasting
never now I had somehow heard that Jesus
fasted for 40 days and 40 nights but I
never thought anybody on the planet out
of all the millions of Christians on the
planet I never thought anybody even
fasted anymore and so here for the first
time in my life I'm meeting a man who
just finished fasting eating no food and
drinking nothing for three days but
water what happened I I came into
contact with virtue something that was
virtuous and this is a very rare word in
the Bible it's only used one other time
in the entire Bible and the entire New
Testament so it's a very rare word this
word virtue and I thought when I saw him
I didn't sense any pride
I sensed humility but somehow God wanted
me to know that prayer and fasting are
still for today and I just something
clicked in my spirit I would like to be
able to do that I think that would help
me and my walk with the Lord
Wow mm-hmm well I found out later that
mr. turbit who was a good influence in
my life I found that later that he was a
spirit-filled Christian thank you Lord
Jesus glory to God glory to the Lord
what is virtue commendable qualities the
qualities of Christ and you when you see
it you just like I like that I like that
I think I want some of that in my life
glory to God
meditate on that you'll see the Holy
Spirit highlighted at times highlight
it's standing out why why that's for you
to woo maybe this may be the spiritual
gifts you see somebody operating the
gift of prophecy and you think wow that
really blesses people Lord I think I'd
like to have that in my life
meditate on these things number eight
the last one remember they're sandwiched
in between the peace of God okay this is
the mind sandwich what we're supposed to
meditate on number one always a good way
to wrap it up that which is praiseworthy
meditate on those things that are
praiseworthy I love it well it wasn't
too long ago I was in London talking
with a very dear man of God mighty
apostle and he were talking we were
talking and he shared something with me
that I certainly thought was
praiseworthy
he said brother Stephen he said can I
show you a picture of my blessing I said
yes I'd love to see your blessing I said
what is it he said take a look at it he
said this is a castle a church built
like 150 years ago built by the King of
Scotland but no expense spared worth
millions of dollars and he showed me a
picture of it I said whew Wow
I said it would take a king to build
that he said it was just given to me I
said now come on
he said I'm serious he said he said God
touched the heart of a businessman and
gave that man a dream and in the dream
God told that man to buy that property
for me for my ministry and he actually
the businessman actually called me and
said God told me to do that and he said
he said let me pray about it and and and
as he prayed the Lord said it yes it's
me let him do that for you let him buy
that for your ministry and he actually
bought this beautiful castle church
building that is just absolutely amazing
and he said he said I'm brother Stephen
you're gonna come preach for me in that
in that church won't you I said Oh
hallelujah I'd be happy to do that
amen so
that's on the schedule for next year but
you know that's something that's
praiseworthy I meditate on that whoo
hallelujah that Lord you blessed my
friend you blessed my brother with a
with a an amazing property Lord I
meditate on that God you still do
miracles God just still opened blind
eyes I read a miracle today where this
one sister she was singing a song on the
platform she was the worship leader and
as she was singing a song she suddenly
came off the platform went over to a
lady that had her hand lifted in the air
she was in the congregation but she was
standing actually over by the side
because it was very crowded meeting she
went over to her and the lady had her
hand up in the air and she had her other
hand her other hand had a napkin like a
tissue and she had that hand on her nose
her nose was covered up with the tissue
and that lady came off the platform came
up to her and said in the name of Jesus
receive and touched her and the lady
lowered she lowered the napkin and a
nose begin to pop out because her nose
had been pre previously had been
completely eaten away with cancer there
was nothing there just a hole to two
little holes where the nostrils were had
been at and she was covering it up with
a napkin worshiping God and praising God
and that anointing touched her and she
dropped the napkin and people watched as
the cartilage formed first all the
cartilage just began the foam come out
and then the skin and the the flesh and
the skin came over the cartilage and she
got a brand-new nose in front of
everybody uh meditate on those things
that are praiseworthy God that makes me
want to praise you
you're a mighty God you do miracles for
ministers you do miracles for your
people hallelujah
Lord I'm meditating on this because I
believe you're gonna do great miracles
in my life and so your praiseworthy
mmm your praiseworthy you have to tell
your mind just stay on that channel we
are staying on the channel of being
praise worthy we're not going to grumble
yes we can have challenges and the enemy
can throw up many roadblocks in our life
but as we continue to meditate on God's
Word and keep our mind on these things
that he has told us to meditate on we
just keep conquering we keep moving
forward we keep taking larger portions
of our inheritance in Christ and we keep
doing those things God has called us to
do hallelujah trials our difficulties
notwithstanding we still keep moving
forward and we are blessed on every side
my friends do you really want to be
engulfed with the peace of God on your
left and on your right as verse 7 and
verse 9 would reveal if you want to be
engulfed with that peace and be
sandwiched into the peace of God then
just work verse 8 and have that as the
contents of your mind sandwich and here
they are are you ready those things that
are true those things that reflect the
noble character of Christ in your life
those things that are just those things
that are right and would be your
obligation to do those things that are
pure clean and wholesome with no stain
or any form of defilement those things
that are lovely those things are of good
report those things that are our
virtuous and have commendable qualities
and those things that are praiseworthy
glory to God meditate stay on that
channel meditate on those things praise
God Heavenly Father I pray for your
people today that these eight qualities
of the Lord Jesus Christ of his way of
thinking that they would become our way
of thanking hallelujah that they would
intentionally stay away from the wrong
channels and they would keep their minds
on the right channel whoo hallelujah
thank you Father God for stealing the
minds of your people like steel like
metal hallelujah unbreakable steel bands
of strength of purity hallelujah they
were not allowed their minds just to
float randomly off into areas that they
do not belong we thank you Father God we
thank you for staying the course we give
all of the praise let our mind be stayed
upon you which means to be fixed upon
your word we give you praise thank you
in Jesus name Amen the Lord always
establishes parameters and boundaries
not only for the natural but also even
for our thoughts
praise God as we do that we will be
engulfed with the peace of God now let's
take holy communion together today glory
to the Lord glory to the Lord God is
helping you to renovate your mind whoo
thank you Lord Jesus and because of the
renovation you're going to go higher and
higher and higher in the spirit praise
the Lord
mmm you're gonna come into new realms of
health new realms of prosperity are
opening up to you as you renovate your
mind with proper biblical thinking and I
know what it is to take off old garments
and old layers of old tradition old
religious tradition and wrong thinking
and wrong teaching and put all the
garments of Christ and clothe our minds
with the scripture with the Word of God
but I tell you what it is so worth it to
make those necessary adjustments and
changes praise God Heavenly Father we
thank you for the bread and the juice we
consecrate and now bless this this is
now the flesh and the body and the blood
of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ
hallelujah father we thank you for the
Lord's body we receive it by faith with
great Thanksgiving knowing that this is
the way that we are supposed to think
thank you Father God let us dive in and
find much joy and freedom for our minds
in the name of Jesus let us gauge
everything that we think about by these
eight standards father in Jesus name
Amen
let's receive now
praise the Lord the blessing of the Lord
making you rich the blessing of the Lord
working in your thought life hallelujah
glory to God mmm thank you Lord Jesus
the thoughts the thoughts of the
diligent lead only to plenteous nests
whoo hallelujah that's what it says
thoughts of plenty thoughts of more than
enough not thoughts of lack in
insufficiency but thoughts of more than
enough
hallelujah blessed be the name of the
Lord thank you Lord Jesus father thank
you for the blood of Jesus we ask that
you would forgive us from any wrong
thoughts impure thoughts unholy thoughts
unclean thoughts unbiblical ways of
thinking hallelujah thank you Father
washes with the blood of Jesus we
receive now the complete forgiveness of
all sins in the name of Jesus we pray
amen
whoo there's somebody watching right now
you you have wanted to be filled with
the Holy Spirit and you've wanted to
speak in other tongues now now is your
moment the moment that you receive the
Holy Communion the blood of Christ begin
to open your mouth and speak in other
tongues let's receive now Lord we thank
you if that's you you've never spoken in
other tongues but you would like to just
open your mouth right now the Holy
Spirit will give you the utterance and
speak it out right now I'll do it with
you just go ahead and let it come out
hallelujah
you shut up a soul cut out of the out
those of you that are already filled
with the Holy Spirit just begin to speak
with me
yes Shira Bob Bob Bob Bob Bordeaux su
Correa speak in tongues yeah ba ba ba ba
su Correa now's your time receive this
by faith
Yashiro ba ba ba ba open your mouth let
it come out yeah ba ba ba ba soukara yah
yah suka ba ba ba ba ba hallelujah
hallelujah hallelujah glory glory glory
to God now I want to encourage you that
now that you're speaking in other
tongues just
that flow I'm going to conclude the
program at this time but let that
speaking in tongues continue to flow
just continue to speak it out let that
beautiful utterance of the spirit come
out
hallelujah let it flow hallelujah my
friends thank you for watching I look
forward to seeing you back next time
till then you be richly blessed bye-bye