Pastor Scott Hogle
January 31, 2021 - W2105

Mindsets of the Master

WWJT - What Would Jesus Think? 

Pastor Scott Hogle

January 30 & 31, 2021

Welcome, New Hope Oahu--Everywhere and Anywhere!  It's so great to be back in the house of the Lord!  There's no mistaking when we're in God's presence.  What could be better than seeing our younger generation worshipping in the house of the Lord!  Matthew 19:14 NKJV says: "But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.'”  We are all like children to our Father in heaven.

Today, I want to talk about the Mindsets of The Master. A mindset is an attitude: A way of thinking; your brand in the marketplace; your destiny; your reputation in heaven; and your actual thinking apparatus.  Pastor John Tilton said that when it rains, some people see cloudy skies, and some see rainbows.  How do you see your circumstances? Is it based on how you feel or on what the Word of God says about it?  Our attitude goes before us and prepares our future; but it is possible that with the wrong mindset or attitude, we could actually prevent God from working in our life! Some people think that God will do everything in our life without our cooperation, but that’s not true--there are laws that He will not violate!

There’s a story about two salesmen who arrive in Africa.  They both observe that nobody there wears shoes: One salesman phones headquarters, and says, "I’ll be back in a week; the other phones and says, “I’m not coming back for months!”  One sees dead end; one sees opportunity! 

In 2020, COVID isolated and sheltered us in place.  How were you able to use that time to your advantage? God wants you to look for opportunities and use that time to take advantage of them: to think the way that Jesus thinks which is more practical than the way we think! Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right!”  

1. Use What I've Already Given You to GO FORWARD. 

Make an inventory of your skills. Answers to prayers don't always come in the way that we expect.  

In Exodus 4, God is with Moses on the mountain and He is laying out a plan for him to go to Egypt and perform ten miracles. But after a few sentences, Moses interrupts God and gives Him reasons why he can’t go.  Moses said, "What if I go to the Pharaoh and say to him, 'Let my people go,' and he doesn’t listen to me?" God asks him, "What’s that in your hand?"  "A staff."  God says, "Throw it on the ground."  Moses throws it on the ground, and it becomes a serpent and Moses runs away. 

Is it possible that God has given you something to get you through the current storm (an answer to your prayer) that makes you afraid at first?  The Lord tells Moses to pick up the serpent by the tail; and Moses picks it by the tail, and it becomes a staff again!

Moses is now at the Red Sea, with hundreds of thousands of people trying to escape Pharaoh's pursuing army; but there’s nowhere to go--the army is coming closer!  God says to Moses, "Why are you crying to me? What's in your hand? Use the staff that I’ve given you and part the Red Sea! Move forward on dry ground! Tell the children of Israel to go forward!"

We must take hold of what He has given us. What's in your hand?  We’ve all been given things that are hidden in Christ, such as, ideas or opportunities requiring responsibility or initiative on our part, by cooperating with God to solve problems that come in our life.

He can take a godly man or woman and work through them in ministry or in the marketplace to fulfill His will. He can also use a problem to advance your career, but you cannot run from doing things His way! God wants us to move forward in life.  It may require less complacency and more courage on our part; it may require leaving something behind so you can take hold of something else--this is The Mindset of the Master!  His answer is always yes and amen to whatever you pray.  

2 Peter 1:3-4 NKJV says: "³ as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us... ⁴ which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises."

WHAT HAS GOD GIVEN YOU?  To Moses He gave a staff, to David a slingshot, to Joseph dreams, to Samson super strength; to Solomon wisdom; to Elijah a mantle to pass on to Elisha, to Joshua and Caleb courage, to Paul He gave Timothy.  What has God given you--a talent, staff, or slingshot? Make an inventory of all the things that are inside of you, things that you can draw out. God will whisper something to you and show you what He gave you, but it could come to you in a way you didn't expect! 

The Law of the Prospector says that as you develop the potential within you, you will discover the opportunities around you!  And the higher you go up, the more you will see and develop the potential within you.  

There’s a story of a couple who owned an old farm during the gold rush years of the 1800s.  They heard tales of people selling their farms and getting rich, so they sell their farm and after many years, they discover they are not striking it rich, and decide to go back to their old farm, but they can’t get to it because it is surrounded by government fences.  The farm they sold in search of riches and opportunity had become one of the largest gold reserves in North America!

The very opportunity you’re seeking may be within reach right under your feet!  You have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness; but you have not recognized it.  "Lord, enlighten the eyes of my heart that I may see."

2. Apply the Mind of Christ in every situation--you have been given the Mind of Christ. 

You can actually hear the thoughts of Jesus as He whispers things into your life and gives solutions to the things you may be praying for!

1 Corinthians 2:16 RSV says: “...who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

Proverbs 4:23 NIV says: "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

Our brains have the ability to receive 11 billion inputs a second, but the mind can only process about 50 of them. There’s so much that we must guard and manage! Brian Tracy said, "Ninety-five percent of what you say about yourself (self-talk) determines how you feel about yourself." Your voice is very important. God has given you complete authority over your life; but you must train your voice on what to say, train your mind on what to say, so you can learn to think like God. 

The world was created with words.  Faith is voice activated.  The word of God is known as the Sword of Truth.  Words said to you in the past that were either affirming or condemning, may be a memory that torments or mentors you.

2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV says: "...casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,"

We are to cast down imaginations, so grab your sword (the word of God) and cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself above the knowledge of God; and bring into captivity (you're a Roman solder) every thought through the obedience of Christ. Is it easy?  No.  Can it be done?  Absolutely.  Does it require any work and introspection?  Yes, it does.  This is the Mindset of the Master.

Paul is saying to audit your thought life and "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" because some thoughts turn into hatred, jealousies, and injuries. We must get rid of them!  It's the voice of the enemy whose goal is to steal, kill, and destroy you!  We must audit our thoughts and be aware of what’s going on inside of us.  

Some days you may suddenly feel depressed, even though nothing has happened, and you have no idea what’s causing it!  When that happens to me, I get quiet and observe the thoughts in my head (take an inventory) and audit as scripture tells us to.  If something doesn’t line up with the word of God, I take my sword and cut through whatever doesn’t line up with the Bible.

About four years ago, I’d just gone through radiation on my voice box battling cancer and spent a few months when I couldn't speak and lost my confidence. One day, Pastor John Tilton came to me and said, “Scott, I want you to speak to this group.” I had made a decision that I was done and said, “No, no, no.  I don’t do that anymore." 

But Pastor John doesn’t know when to stop or give up, and finally, I relented and said, "Okay."  As I prepared for the message, I prayed to the Lord: "I don’t know what to do.  I have feelings of insecurity, self-doubt, and uncertainty." And I’ve learned to take my sword (the Word of God) and say, “Lord, what do you have to say about this?”  And God says, “Pick up your sword and say, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.  I am more of a conqueror because of Him who loves me.”

You must make a decision who you will listen to in your life--the voices of condemnation or the Mindsets of the Master. When I was battling cancer, one other thing I felt the Lord say to me was, “I am healing you.  I will heal you.  Call for the elders of the church to lay hands on you and pray for you.”  I did.  But at other times, I would still be uncertain, and when I was walking through pain, I had to ignore those feelings, and cling to my faith and quote the Word:

2 Kings 20:5 NASB says, “I have heard your prayer and I have seen your tears; behold, I am going to heal you [says the Lord]."

What are you facing today?  What’s the giant (the Goliath) that you’re facing?  What’s the slingshot that God has given you?  You may be facing a medical problem and need healing or facing a financial problem and need a miracle. It’s about faith, not fear!  

3. Conquer Your Fears, Doubts, and Insecurities with: 

Forward Action Inspired Through Him

Romans 10:17 NASB says: "So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.

The source of fear is focusing on self! So, the next time you are feeling fearful, apprehensive, or insecure, grab your sword (a scripture) and take the focus off yourself and put it on Jesus, and say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." When you say what God says about you, you'll feel the way God feels about you.  Faith is voice?activated.  You've got to get your heart and your mind right, and then speak it out!

STUDY QUESTIONS: 

1. What are some of the fears that you haven’t let go of?

2. Name some of the times when you used what God has given you to overcome obstacles.

3. How did God comfort you while you were going through a trial or difficult time.

4. What is something that you are self-focusing on?