Think Like This | YK Sunday

Devotional

Day 1: Fix your focus on pure, praiseworthy things.

Fix your mind on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable so that your default response to stress or fear becomes prayerful, measured, and anchored in God’s reality rather than your immediate feeling; practice the Write and Reflect (WAR) habit—write good thoughts as they come, write impure ones when they surface, then reflect on which one has more weight in your life and intentionally rehearse the pure thought to reset your thermostat of response. [05:18]

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Reflection: Today, when a negative or anxious thought arises, write it down and immediately write one Scripture truth that counters it; do this three times before noon and note how your emotions shift by the end of the day.

Day 2: Don't let fear make you run from God.

When fear or self-preservation pushes you away from God’s calling, words about worship mean nothing unless matched by obedient steps; honesty about running and the mismatch between claim and action reveals how impure thoughts steer behavior, and calling someone to accountability or taking one small obedience step dismantles the lie that running keeps you safe. [15:44]

Jonah 1:1–3, 8–9 (ESV)
1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
8 So they said to him, “Tell us, please, who you are and where you come from. What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

Reflection: Identify one assignment you suspect God has been asking you to do but you’ve avoided; write one concrete action (a phone call, an email, a meeting, a volunteer sign-up) you will take this week and schedule the exact day and time to do it.

Day 3: Persevere in prayer; God answers in time.

Persistent, honest prayer—especially when misunderstood or mocked—keeps faith alive across years, and continuing to pour out the soul to the Lord amid delay trains the heart to trust God’s timing rather than defaulting to discouragement or abandoning the request. [22:08]

1 Samuel 1:12–15, 20 (ESV)
12 Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 13 And Hannah was praying in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunken. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.”
20 So in the course of time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the LORD.”

Reflection: Choose a long-standing request you’ve been tempted to stop praying for; tonight set aside 10 uninterrupted minutes to write out the request and then write one practical, faithful thing you will do this month to continue seeking it (a conversation, a commitment, a step of service).

Day 4: Renew your mind to think like Christ.

Transformation happens when the mind is renewed—not by memorizing answers but by learning how to think biblically—so intentionally replace impure automatic thoughts with Scripture and pure reflections until your identity and responses are shaped by God’s truth. [12:04]

Romans 12:2 (ESV)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Reflection: This afternoon, use the Write and Reflect method: list three recurring impure or negative thoughts you had this week and then beside each write a specific Scripture truth to replace it; speak those replacement truths aloud now and again before bed.

Day 5: You become slaves to what you obey.

Whatever you habitually obey—fear, comfort, approval, or obedience to God—becomes your master; practice trading anxieties and negative patterns for God’s purity and obedience by deliberately surrendering one chain to Him and refusing to pick it back up. [37:40]

Romans 6:16 (ESV)
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Reflection: Make a list of the top three things you find yourself obeying (e.g., fear, the need for approval, comfort); pick one to surrender today—decide a symbolic act (a written note to tear up, a phone call to make, a public confession to one trusted person) and do it before dinner.

Sermon Summary

I began by blessing God for His protection and told the story of my truck losing steering in the rain—how the wheel locked, yet the Lord carried me safely off the road and into the shop. The tech said the car shouldn’t have been drivable at all, but God made a way. That experience set the tone: when I set my mind on the right things, fear doesn’t get the last word. From there, I called us back to Philippians 4:8—whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—think about these things. Many of us know what we’re supposed to think; fewer of us have learned how to think. Today was about fixing our focus, training a purified mind.

I walked through biblical definitions—especially purity: unmixed, not diluted. You don’t hold pure and impure together; one always displaces the other. Pure thinking is the runway for God’s restoring work; impure thinking is the leash the enemy uses to restrain. We saw the warning in Jonah: he clearly heard God, but he ran. That gap between saying “I worship the Lord” and living like it reveals an impure thought life that misdirects our steps. Then we considered Hannah: year after year she kept praying, even when the king misread her devotion as drunkenness. Pure focus perseveres through misunderstanding and keeps pouring out the soul to God, awaiting His timing.

I shared my own detour—years chasing a badge because I thought God would grant whatever I desired. The Lord corrected me: He gives the desires—He plants them—and then He guides them to their true form. What I really wanted wasn’t to wear a uniform; it was to stand with kids the way others once stood with me. Now, in education, I see how surrender purified my desires and clarified my calling.

We talked about your mental thermostat—your default when life’s door lets in a cold front. If your “set point” is bitterness, you’ll drift there every time. Reset it with purity. A simple practice: WAR—Write And Reflect. Write your pure and impure thoughts honestly; then reflect on which one weighs more, because that’s the one you’re obeying. We ended by making room to bring our burdens to the altar and stepping into a season of unusual unfamiliarity—trusting God when every other prop fails, guarding our peace, and choosing thoughts that are excellent and praiseworthy.

Key Takeaways

1. Fix your focus on purity Pure thoughts don’t share space with impure thoughts; one will always displace the other. The Holy Spirit renews the mind, not by stacking truth on top of compromise, but by replacing what restrains with what restores. Purity is not perfectionism; it is an unmixed devotion that changes what you desire over time. Set your mind where God restores. [11:25]
2. Integrity means words match actions Jonah could say, “I worship the Lord,” while running the other direction. When confession and conduct divorce, the mind has already compromised. Integrity is formed when thinking, speaking, and living all move toward obedience in the same direction. Let what you do confirm what you say. [17:14]
3. Persist when misunderstood by people Hannah kept praying when the king called her drunk. A purified mind can withstand mislabeling because it is anchored to the One who truly sees. God often matures desire through time, pressure, and silence, until what you’re asking for is also what He’s shaping you to carry. Keep pouring out your soul. [22:08]
4. Surrender desires to receive calling God didn’t rubber-stamp my dream; He refined it until I discovered the desire He had planted. Surrender is not losing; it’s trading in a partial picture for the whole. When we release our timeline and form, God reveals the assignment that fits both His glory and our true heart. Let Him give the desire before He gives the thing. [29:10]
5. Choose thoughts by writing and reflecting What you consistently write and review, you eventually obey. Use WAR—Write And Reflect—to expose the weight of your thoughts and re-align your default. You’re a slave to whatever you obey; make obedience to truth practical by tracking it on paper and praying it into practice. Train your “set point” toward praise. [35:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:15] - Car miracle and protection testimony
[03:51] - Theme: Think Like This (Philippians 4:8)
[06:38] - Defining true, noble, right, pure
[10:57] - Pure vs. impure thoughts contrasted
[13:07] - Jonah hears God but runs
[16:59] - Integrity gap: words vs. actions
[21:34] - Hannah’s misunderstood persistence in prayer
[24:27] - God answers: Samuel is born
[24:50] - My calling story: badge vs. purpose
[33:55] - The mental thermostat: resetting defaults
[35:38] - WAR practice: Write and Reflect
[38:41] - Invitation to trust: altar call
[44:18] - Corporate prayer and declarations
[50:11] - Unusual unfamiliarity and guarding your peace

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. [05:18]

Observation questions

Which specific qualities does Paul list in Philippians 4:8, and which one did the pastor emphasize as the primary focus for the sermon? [05:18]
How did the pastor define “pure” in the message, and why is that exact definition important for how purity functions in the mind? [09:56]
What two Old Testament examples did the pastor use to show how impure thinking misdirects while pure thinking perseveres? [13:07]
When the sailors question Jonah, Jonah answers “I worship the Lord.” Why did the pastor call that an “integrity gap”? What mismatch is he pointing out? [17:14]

Interpretation questions

How does Paul’s list in Philippians 4:8 act as a practical filter for daily thought-life, and which item would most quickly reset someone’s “mental thermostat” when life gets cold? [33:55]
The pastor said “pure thoughts displace impure thoughts.” What does that mean for how a person makes decisions under temptation? How would that look in concrete choices? [11:25]
In the Jonah example, what reason does the pastor give for Jonah’s failure — is it inability to hear, unwillingness to obey, or something else — and why does that matter? [17:14]
Why does the pastor use Hannah’s long persistence in prayer as evidence of a purified focus, and what does that persistence prepare a person to carry when the answer finally comes? [20:22]

Application questions

Pick one word from Philippians 4:8 (true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy). Which of these rarely guides your immediate response, and what one concrete action will you take this week to notice and choose that thought instead? [05:18]
Where in your life is there an “integrity gap” — saying you follow Christ but acting differently? Describe a recent specific situation and one measurable step you will take this week to close that gap. [17:14]
When people misunderstand you for doing what’s right (like Hannah), do you tend to withdraw, defend, or stop praying? Name a recent time that happened and one next action you will take to persevere in prayer instead. [22:08]
What is your mental “thermostat” default when stress or bad news comes (bitterness, fear, worry, sarcasm, withdrawal)? Write down that default and choose a simple replacement practice (short Scripture, 60-second praise, gratitude note) you will use the next three times stress hits. [33:55]
Try WAR this week (Write And Reflect): for three days keep a small notebook — each morning write one pure thought or truth you will pursue that day; each evening write one impure thought you noticed and how you responded. Who will you ask to check in with you after the three days? [35:38]
Name one desire you’ve held tightly that God might be reshaping (like the pastor’s badge story). Describe it briefly and one concrete way you will ask God to refine that desire this month (specific prayer, counsel appointment, 30-day waiting period). [29:10]
What familiar comfort or broken pattern are you likely to “pick back up” after leaving it at the altar? Identify it and name a practical boundary you will set this month (phone limit, remove an app, avoid a place, invite accountability) to keep from returning. [47:23]

Use these questions to guide your small group. Spend time on honest sharing, and encourage concrete next steps (who, when, how) for each personal decision.

Sermon Clips

``Pure thoughts versus impure thoughts. I like to teach it this way because Paul lays it out. One always replaces the other. You cannot have pure and impure thoughts. How do we know this? Because the Bible also says you cannot serve God and money. It also says you cannot serve God and the world. No man can serve two masters, so you cannot live with pure thoughts and impure thoughts. One will always try to take over the other. Pure thoughts is what allows God to restore. But impure thoughts allow the enemy to restrain. [00:11:23] (33 seconds) #ChoosePureThoughts

If there is anything still impure in you, that's fine. I am not suggesting that you are going to be this person that every single day, you just backhanded people with the Bible, pleading the blood of Jesus everywhere you go. That's not how it works. But when you are pure, there becomes less of a desire to satisfy the flesh and more of a desire to satisfy the spirit. So all I'm getting at is when you get to a place where you no longer allow those impure thoughts to restrain you, you allow the pure thoughts that God places inside of you to restore you. [00:12:24] (34 seconds) #PursueSpiritualPurity

You trust the Lord with what you feel is best for you and let him show you what is really best for you. Amen. Man, you let him show you what is really best for you. Five years now I've been in education and I'm not looking back. I will retire in education because I love these kids. Even the ones that get on my nerve, even the ones that drive me crazy, even the ones who mamas I got on speed dial, it's because I now understand this is what I was supposed to do. This is what I was called to do. [00:30:24] (31 seconds) #CalledToTeach

God truly cares enough about you to give you the space to figure things out on your own. Just so he can sit back and tell you, well, I was right here the whole time. How much, how loving would a God be if he forced your hand into every single thing you did? That's not love. That's being a dictator. The Bible says the choice is yours. There is a right choice and there is a wrong choice. There is the, but there's a scripture that says there is a way that seems right unto man. But the end thereof is death. [00:31:07] (34 seconds) #GodRespectsYourChoice

I feel that at times we get so lost with the idea of renewing our minds that we choose to stay with what's broken because what's broken is all we know. We stay with what we've known for the last 20, 25 years because it's all we know. And we stay with what we know because what we know is familiar. And what's familiar is comfortable. And how dare I break out of my comfortability to try something new when I don't know what this new thing is going to present. [00:32:56] (30 seconds) #ChooseGrowthNotComfort

You might not realize that when you can switch your mind onto what you know is true, bringing it right back to Philippians 4, when you can fix your mind onto what is noble, when you can fix your mind onto what is right, onto what is pure, that pure mind is going to help you get rid of everything else because I'm telling you, we want so badly to just try to have scripture and prayers and fasting on top of our impurities. It has to go in the place of your impurities. [00:34:57] (36 seconds) #FixYourMindOnTruth

Writing and reflecting is every time a good thought comes into your head, every time, like Sister Candy suggested, every time you remember something good that happened, simply write it down. As soon as a bad or a negative or an impure thought or a decision happens, I need you to write that down too. After you write them, I just need you to reflect which one weighs more than the other, because that's the one you're submitted to. Romans 6 does not say we're still slaves to sin. It says you are slaves to whatever you choose to obey, because whatever you obey, you're consumed by, and whatever you're consumed by controls you. [00:37:00] (36 seconds) #WriteDownYourThoughts

I don't want you to be controlled by your impure thoughts anymore. I don't want you to be controlled by the bad thing that happened to you anymore. I don't want you to be controlled by the worst thing about you that you keep hoping that nobody ever finds out about. I want you to only be controlled by the purest form of the Word of God, because when you continue to let the Word of God sit inside of you, it's only a matter of time before every negative thought flees. [00:37:36] (28 seconds) #ControlledByTheWord

I feel strongly that it gets hard for us at times to trust God because of how things look. And I feel that it gets even harder at times to believe that the God who sees is also the God who cares. I think sometimes we force ourselves to believe that God will do one or the other, that He's either going to see us or that He's going to help us and care for us. But we don't think that both are possible. And I'm saying we because everything starts with me. [00:38:24] (44 seconds) #GodSeesAndCares

Gone are the days where we can worry about how others view us when we know what we're doing for Christ is all that matters. All that matters is what you do for Christ. And no longer can we concern ourselves with what we're seeing to the left or to the right. I encourage all of you to start putting parameters around your peace. My peace comes with parameters. That's how I was taught. My peace comes with parameters. The Bible says the peace which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart. So if God's peace can guard your heart, you can set up some parameters to protect that peace. [00:52:12] (37 seconds) #PeaceWithParameters

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