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Series Code: CW
Program Code: CW000043S
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00:04 Welcome everyone. We're excited to share some country
00:07 wisdom with you King Solomon had a thing 00:10 or two to say about the path to wisdom in proverbs 4, 00:13 he wrote let your eyes look directly forward 00:16 and your gaze be straight before you 00:20 keep straight the path of your feet and all your ways 00:23 will be sure join us now for Country wisdom. 00:36 You know, Janice did you know you can choose your thoughts and 00:38 think things on purpose? 00:42 I know the theory Jim and I fail far 00:45 too often. There is are there are too many 00:48 moments in the day when I'm not in complete control of my thoughts. But 00:52 you know, it's really true. We don't have to be held captive 00:54 to just whatever falls into her head 00:57 and be drug along that Direction with it. And that's 01:00 what happens with me. Especially if I get a 01:03 little worrying thought instead of conquering it 01:06 replacing it with positive thoughts turning 01:09 to a text or to a prayer too often. 01:13 I start building on that thought. It's like, oh that's 01:16 right. And then other thoughts come in 01:19 and pretty soon this one nagging little doubt or 01:22 one worry has just blossomed into 01:25 something that has completely taken over and there 01:29 goes, you know, the whole next hour 01:31 and too often that's happening about two in the morning. 01:34 I think about you talking about that I think about rolling a 01:38 little snowball just you know, kind of over the edge of 01:40 the hill and then it grows and grows picks up more speed and more 01:43 and picks up whatever crud maybe a body or no pretty 01:47 soon. You've got this monster thing rolling down the hill because you 01:49 didn't get control of it earlier didn't ask for 01:52 can help controlling it. Yeah. I've got 01:55 a good text. I wanted to read you in Proverbs 23:7 says 01:58 as he or a man or woman thinks in 02:02 So is he where the Mind goes then? Basically it's 02:04 saying the body follows. 02:08 And is the one that steers the ship? 02:10 Where my thoughts go there my 02:14 entire nervous system goes my blood pressure 02:16 goes that direction the whole limbic system 02:19 gets involved then all because of a 02:22 thought that came through I used to teach stop 02:25 smoking plans. 02:28 And it was kind of interesting because people you know, they reach 02:31 in they get that cigarette. They light it up. They puff 02:34 along they never even think about anymore. It's become this 02:37 habit and it basically begins steering their life that 02:40 little tiny thing becomes the whole Rudder 02:43 of their entire life. They're no longer captain of the 02:46 ship and that's really I think what you know Proverbs seeing 02:49 we need to become the captain of the ship again. 02:52 I was reading an article one time about you 02:56 know, losing weight maintaining that control 02:58 and it mentioned that little Habits Like just 03:01 sitting down to watch television too often 03:04 triggers. I need a snack because you've 03:07 sat down with a snack to watch TV. 03:10 So often that now just the act of 03:13 sitting it's like Pavlov's dogs. They hear the bell and 03:16 start salivating. Yeah. Yeah we 03:19 Basically, you know, we need to get out of 03:23 the conditioning that you're talking about. We can change those condition responses. 03:26 We used to tell people. Hey what 03:29 after dinner don't sit back and relax 03:31 in your same old easy chair that's full of smoke and everything 03:34 and you doing the same thing you used to do just automatically that 03:37 neuromuscular habit reach in light up don't even 03:40 have to think about it you begin needing to form new 03:42 patterns in the brain. 03:45 I reached for the Bible because I thought of a 03:49 You used to be far from God your thoughts 03:53 made you his enemies and you did Evil things. 03:57 But his son became a human and died. So God made 04:00 peace with you. And now he lets you stand in 04:03 his presence as people who are holy and faultless and 04:06 innocent that's Colossians 1 verses 21 04:09 and 22, but it's really verse 21 that 04:13 that I want you to think about. We used 04:15 to be far from God. Why because our 04:18 thoughts made us his enemies 04:21 and we did Evil things too often 04:24 people get that backwards. They're starting with 04:27 the evil things people think sin is out here. 04:30 It's in what I'm doing. Well this didn't 04:33 start. We're out here in my fingers. 04:36 It started here right here. Yeah right in 04:39 between right and if we don't get new 04:43 thoughts somehow if we don't get that 04:44 mind transplant, 04:48 We're going to just keep doing the things that are 04:51 out here the sin that's out here at our fingertips. It's true. 04:54 You know, I think about Philippians chapter 04:57 2. That's perfect for what exactly what 05:00 you're talking about. Matter of fact, there's a cool staircase in 05:04 the home here. I'd like to take you over there and and actually illustrate 05:06 the scripture. 05:11 Satan was constantly nipping at my heels and I just couldn't catch 05:14 my breath. I was grieving. I felt 05:17 scared confused anxious and depressed. 05:21 My life was literally turned upside down and 05:24 falling apart. I didn't know what to do. But I 05:27 knew who had the answers. Can you 05:29 relate? 05:31 This amazing study guide changed my 05:35 Are you ready for a dramatic change in your life? 05:38 This 12-week study guide will guide 05:41 you on your journey of transformation. This 05:44 study is packed with powerful content to 05:47 lead you on an encounter with Jesus. 05:50 Jesus will use this study as a 05:53 tool to change your life as he did 05:57 Order your copy today to experience your transformation log 06:01 on to talking donkey international.org. 06:05 All right, Jamie got me up the stairs, which is 06:07 you know, no easy feat. 06:10 That's a big staircase. It is pretty good. 06:13 And I assume that you have a purpose for dragging me 06:17 It wasn't just a stare at me. No, it 06:20 smells that's cute. No, it's 06:23 really it's about a chiastic structure. 06:27 Did I did I kind of leave you on that one? Do I look blanket? Yeah, 06:29 you do basically a chiastic structure 06:32 in the Greek. It's some informs an 06:35 X in this staircase is kind of that perfect situation and 06:39 what it's all that's right. There are some books that do that 06:41 the Bible exactly. It's coming 06:45 back to me now some old college classes about how 06:48 it will take you like on One path 06:51 and then come right back many riders. Not only 06:54 biblical writer many writers will do that type of thing, you know, but it's 06:58 so perfect here because Philippians chapter 07:00 2, isn't it just an astounding 07:02 chapter about God. 07:05 And it starts out in verse 5 let this 07:08 mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. 07:12 Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be 07:16 But made himself of no reputation took upon 07:19 him the form of a servant. 07:21 And he was made in the likeness Amendment. He humbled himself he 07:23 found himself. 07:27 Fashionism Manny humbled himself and became obedient unto death. 07:30 Even the death of the Cross. Now. Let 07:34 me take you down the stairs to kind of explain this and so 07:36 cool in my mind because here he is. He's God, 07:39 right? That's my on the stairs. You 07:42 can get high on the stairs you can get so he's God then 07:45 he empties himself takes a step down. 07:47 You take a step down to cool. 07:50 Then it became a man takes another step down big step 07:52 big step. 07:55 Became a servant takes another step. 07:59 becomes obedient to death 08:03 and then the biggest step of all the most humiliating terrible 08:07 He died on a cross the worst 08:10 death that you can have as far as what Humanity 08:13 figured at the time. That was the most horrendous of 08:17 death. It was used for the lowest of the 08:20 criminals and was also used because it 08:23 was complete humiliation. Yeah. Yeah. 08:26 So here is God. 08:29 Who wants to save Humanity? 08:32 First of all said let this mind be in you what mine 08:35 the mind of Jesus what kind of mind was that one that comes 08:38 down down. You know, 08:41 I think as humans. 08:45 We think of ourselves as being the top of the food chain, you know, 08:47 I adore my little dogs, 08:50 but they're way beneath me. Right? We think 08:53 we are the top look around the earth. There is no 08:56 creature better than we are and we don't realize how 08:59 far Jesus descended to get 09:02 to where we are. We think this is so great and it 09:04 was like no 09:07 matter of fact when you think of when he took on Humanity 09:11 Realized at that moment. He was 09:14 no longer the same God that he'd always been 09:16 for eternity forever. 09:19 Because he cumbered himself with human flesh. He 09:22 is now our elder brother. He can no longer 09:25 be in every place at once the father and the Holy Spirit can but 09:28 not Jesus Jesus gave that part of 09:30 himself up now. I doubt if 09:34 you can demand I certainly can't imagine. 09:36 What it's like to give up that kind of 09:40 No, I fantasize about having some Powers, 09:43 you know in our family sometimes my daughter 09:46 and I'll joke about what superpower we would want and and 09:51 I said at the end of one conversation 09:53 I said, you know, it's probably a good thing that I don't have any superpowers. 09:55 I cannot guarantee that I would use my powers 09:58 for good and can you imagine having that 10:01 superpower? 10:03 and giving up 10:06 being able to use it doing it all up. Yeah for eternity 10:07 forever. 10:10 And and he did that for us that's that descent to 10:14 that Heavenly staircase that he came down, you 10:16 and then I think about 10:20 What kind of mine was that that that self-humbling mind? 10:23 I want to go up. You know, 10:27 I want to turn the staircase around. We're always trying to make ourselves look better. 10:29 Yeah, exactly. I want to send the staircase a lot of times, 10:32 you know and matter fact I think about well, 10:35 there's been many times but I will 10:38 probably even go ahead and all of them, but but you know, 10:41 I've I've been preaching some place like man pretty good. 10:44 You know that good job, Jim and I remember 10:46 one preacher one time. 10:49 He just come off the pulpit. He's out shaking hands with people 10:52 and the laser. You did such a good job. You did Brother. You did 10:55 a wonderful job. You said why thank you. He said the devil told me the same 11:00 I oh that's good. That's good. Well, you know the verse 11:03 in the Bible that says Pride goes before a fall. It's assuming 11:06 that Pride you're up above you can't 11:09 fall if you're already as 11:12 low as you can get there's no Pride involved with already being on 11:15 the ground. Yeah now juxtapose this 11:18 with the Devil the devils in heaven. 11:21 He says I want to be like the most high he's already 11:24 higher than any of the other created being 11:27 created being. Yeah, and that's not good enough. Yeah. I 11:30 will send to the sides of the north. I will do all these 11:33 things. I I he had a real eye problem. 11:36 You know, he only saw himself when he looked in the mirror only saw 11:40 But there's something else that's even more exciting now 11:43 Because it's the second half. 11:46 And the second half is pretty incredible because God the 11:48 Father steps in. 11:51 Verse 9 of chapter 2 wherefore. God has highly 11:54 exalted him and we begin taking 11:57 the stairway. 11:58 other side 12:00 that's the chiastic structure you're talking about he descends 12:03 but God exalts him. 12:05 That's what God's looking for. 12:07 You know in us, too. 12:09 And being exalted is alright, if 12:12 it's God who's exalting you? 12:15 Because he wouldn't do that to someone where. 12:18 Going back to the superpower. 12:20 God's not going to give you a superpower that's going to 12:23 destroy you. Yeah, and so exalting Christ 12:26 obviously was not going to hurt him. 12:29 He had already proven that he could handle that. 12:32 Yeah. Yeah. So let me take you on the 12:36 journey up the other side and through the text here. It's pretty incredible. All right, I really 12:39 get excited because this is where the father gets 12:41 involved. He takes Jesus over here to 12:44 the stairs. Listen to this in verse 9. 12:47 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted 12:50 him Jesus and given him a name 12:53 which is above every name that at the name of Jesus 12:56 Every Nation bow things in 12:59 heaven things in the earth things under the Earth and that every tongue 13:03 should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to 13:05 the glory of God the Father. It's amazing all this 13:08 is to the glory of God the father now, so 13:11 just kind of reiterate. What do we do? We we go 13:14 from this this position of the cross. 13:17 And he gives him a name which is above every 13:19 name takes him up the stair. 13:22 Then he says every knee will bow takes 13:24 him up again. 13:27 Things in heaven takes him up again another stare. 13:30 And under the Earth everything under the Earth 13:33 takes another step and finally he gets to 13:36 the point The Next Step where all the universe confesses 13:39 that truly Jesus Christ is Lord to the 13:41 glory of God the Father. 13:44 And that's the chiastic structure exactly you threw me 13:47 when you first said it because well, it's be honest. How 13:50 often do you throw the word chiastic into your daily conversation? Never 13:53 but you know, the the brain cells 13:56 have been waking up here. 13:59 isn't isn't the root of that word the letter X it 14:03 is that the key from the Greek from the 14:04 Greek and 14:07 I remember thinking the first time I ever heard I understand the whole 14:10 concept of the the mirror image, you 14:13 know the down and then back up but always seem to me that that's 14:16 a v not an ex and I was objecting 14:19 my literal little brain was going that's a 14:22 v that's not an ex, but I understand. 14:25 And that's a big symbol if you 14:28 go to Rome. 14:30 Yes, it is. Right. You see that symbol all 14:33 over on early Christian artwork and 14:36 architecture. 14:39 You think about this in you know, 14:41 it's God the Father Who exalts? 14:45 God himself all God came down down 14:49 down and then the father lifts him 14:52 up the same thing that he wants to do in each 14:56 Amazing stuff. We have to have the mind of Christ 14:59 that's willing to First be lowered. Yeah willing. 15:03 There it is. Yeah, our will our will is 15:05 the only thing that can get involved to stop this whole amazing process 15:08 because otherwise we'll just keep going down. 15:11 You know and when we think we're going up. 15:13 I mean that's that is the interesting thing. We 15:16 can we can strive for everything in this world everything in 15:19 this planet and it gets us and look pretty 15:22 high up there to the world. Yeah. Yeah, but 15:25 we're really down low. We don't 15:28 have the mind of Christ and all of 15:31 that is just going to drag us down you think about it? How long 15:34 is a new car going to last? 15:36 Not long enough. Yeah, how long is a 15:39 House going to last in this world. 15:41 You can drive around see all kinds of dilapidated homes. 15:44 You know, how long is the gold in the silver 15:47 going to last not too long? But I think about there's 15:50 there's a another amazing text still in Philippians. 15:53 I can find it here. Let's see. 15:59 Verse 13 for it is God which works in you both 16:02 the will and to do his good pleasure. 16:06 It's God's pleasure to lift us up. It's God's 16:09 will that each one of us will be lifted Higher and 16:12 Higher and it's only three we can't do it ourselves. I think 16:15 humanity is proven that we cannot improve ourselves. Yeah. 16:18 It's only Christ in us that gives 16:21 us a brand new mind that mind transplant. And what 16:24 does it take? It takes that surrender that Jesus surrendered to 16:27 go down the stairs step by step by step 16:30 and the payoff is marvelous because God is 16:33 gonna lift this higher and higher and higher. 16:36 Welcome. I'm Steve Hicks director of podcast 16:39 Ministries for talking donkey International a media 16:43 I'm inviting you to watch and share our new daily 16:46 podcast called something's happening here Monday 16:50 through Friday at 3 pm Pacific Standard 16:53 On this podcast, we will examine the big headlines 16:56 of the day and try to understand them the way that God 16:59 does we'll talk current events spiritual principles 17:02 biblical prophecy and practical 17:05 takeaways. 17:07 We want to equip our audience with the knowledge that 17:10 we need to navigate the mess of today and get 17:12 to the hope of tomorrow. 17:15 And we'll do it in 15 minute chunks. 17:19 So come check it out friends on Facebook YouTube and talking 17:22 donkey international.org. Join 17:26 us on some things happening here because 17:28 there is truly Something Happening Here. 17:32 Subscribe today and I will see you then. 17:35 When we were inside we were talking about we need 17:38 the mind of Christ basically to replace our mind. 17:41 We need a new mind and my husband's 17:44 a surgeon and I was thinking of mine transplants. 17:47 I have joked that you 17:50 know, oh finally had someone else's brain, you 17:53 know, do they do brain transplants yet? 17:57 But in a transplant, you know, you don't go in for a 18:00 kidney transplant and less you recognize 18:03 that your kidney is not functioning the way 18:06 it's supposed to you have to first recognize my kidneys 18:09 bad before you ever follow up 18:12 on getting a new kidney and with 18:15 us, it's the same way if you don't recognize 18:18 just how twisted how evil 18:22 our minds really are. 18:25 You're never going to need or ask for that transplant. You're 18:28 never going to go to where you the power 18:31 that you need to replace the Mind 18:34 thoughts that you have right. Now it very true. It's 18:36 very true I think about 18:40 You've got to compare to see if we are 18:44 And here's where it tells us, you know, whether we're sick or 18:47 not and we talked about this mind to Christ. Well, what really was 18:49 that mind? 18:52 Let me read you one in Matthew 20 verses 26 to 28 says 18:55 but whoever desires to be great among you let him 18:58 be your servant. 19:00 Oh that little different than we see in the 19:03 world isn't it? And whoever desires to be Chief among 19:06 you let him be your servant but it's at 19:09 a double time. So within scripture when it hits the same thing a 19:12 couple times, it's really pounding and home here. 19:14 Because I think we all have a tendency to want 19:17 to be the served not the one doing the serving. We 19:20 don't even respect people who 19:22 serve 19:24 You know look at Society, who do 19:27 we honor more the blue collar workers who are really 19:30 doing the work or the CEO and the air 19:33 conditioned office, you know, making half a million every other day. 19:36 Yeah with which one are you going to dress up for? You 19:39 know, if you have an appointment, is it the Burger King worker or 19:42 like say the CEO and the Ivory Tower we tend 19:45 to do that all the time. It continues on says 19:49 but the son of man did not come to be served but to 19:52 serve whoa that totally different mindset. 19:55 So if you find myself thinking oh, 19:59 somebody else can do 20:01 that that that's kind of beneath me. My pride won't let 20:04 me do that job or take on that particular task. 20:09 Right there. I can go. I don't think I've got the mind of 20:11 Christ right now. Yeah matter of 20:15 fact I think about it talking about that. You'll see 20:18 sometimes they'll write up about an actor an actress and say 20:22 They just seem so human they they you know 20:26 were out here eating with someone or they came out of their trailer and 20:28 ate with the crew and I'm and it's 20:31 like should that be so amazing but it is because 20:34 the crew who's making them look good, but because it's the 20:37 kind of world we live in you know, it's where we are. Now, here's 20:40 the last part of that in Jesus came to give his life 20:43 a ransom for many. Now the mini in 20:46 this case. Is anybody who wants to I think you you mentioned one time 20:49 but anybody who wants to accept the ransom right? You have 20:51 to recognize your prisoner. 20:54 You know and want to be ransomed you have 20:57 to accept being ransomed. Yeah, because we 20:59 are captive down here. 21:02 We really are whether we want to admit it or not. Yeah. Yeah, and 21:05 it it's a situation that the 21:08 devil so controls our minds to turn everything in 21:11 a different direction that we never recognize, you know. 21:14 What really is that mind to Christ? Well, there's 21:17 on the stairs you brought up the point of he was 21:20 so willing to Humble himself to lower himself. So 21:23 if I'm not willing to do that, I don't have 21:26 the mind of Christ yet and we talked here about 21:29 being willing to serve which I think is quite related 21:32 to being willing to humble yourself, but there's another 21:34 verse that 21:37 I have to look it up because I'm not really good at quoting things 21:39 on the Fly. 21:42 Acts 20 verse 35 21:46 I've shown you all things that working in 21:49 this way. We ought to help the week and to remember 21:52 the words of the Lord Jesus now if it's something that he said 21:54 himself probably fairly important. So 21:58 the words of the Lord Jesus that he 22:01 himself said, it is more blessed to give 22:04 than to receive, you know. 22:08 We've all used that on our kids and I'm sure when we were kids and 22:11 we were making these huge long Christmas lists. You might 22:15 have had, you know, Grandma say, you know, it's more blessed to 22:17 give than to receive and nobody believed it when you're eight years 22:20 old, but it really is I've experienced 22:23 that where when you have given something 22:27 to someone else especially if maybe it 22:29 was a little bit of a sacrifice. 22:31 But you're still happier afterwards, then 22:34 you were before oh and it's not just money. I 22:37 think we think of that verse as applying to to money, 22:41 you know to giving offerings at church or 22:42 supporting charities. 22:45 But it is so much easier to write a check than to give 22:48 some of your time. I remember you are the 22:51 one who talked me into going on my very first mission trip, and I 22:54 didn't want to go you wanted Steve. I can 22:57 remember you said what can I do? Right? I understood how 23:01 you wanted Steve because you were doing some medical work, but 23:02 it's literally 23:05 Okay, I'm you couldn't drag me into a medical clinic. 23:07 I'd be useless. 23:10 And you were building it was a church or a school building a 23:13 church and doing my career read. 23:16 Yeah. I am not known for my construction skills. And 23:20 then I was thinking well, 23:22 I suppose I could work in the kitchen and help feed people. 23:25 Well, you know in those two weeks. 23:28 I strapped on a tool belt and I learned how to 23:31 lay rebar and build these cement block 23:34 walls and I was having a blast doing 23:37 it and at the end of those two weeks we had 23:39 this beautiful little church. 23:42 That was built people were so grateful. But I 23:45 distinctly remember feeling like I need 23:48 to do that again. Do you got the book? Yeah, 23:51 you just kind of hope. I hope that that meant as 23:54 much to them as this whole experience is meant to me 23:57 that's that's the real key is is in giving 24:00 we really receive and that's really the 24:03 mind of Christ. I mean, what did he spend all of his 24:06 time doing you're giving going up Healing The Sick cleansing 24:09 the lepers raising the Dead really and sharing the 24:13 love of God because everybody that 24:15 he came to had a misconception who God was he 24:18 came to share that with everybody? 24:21 I felt like Satan was constantly nipping 24:24 at my heels, and I just couldn't catch my breath. I was 24:27 grieving. I felt scared confused anxious 24:30 and depressed. 24:33 My life was literally turned upside down and 24:36 falling apart. I didn't know what to do. But I 24:39 knew who had the answers. Can you 24:41 relate? 24:43 This amazing study guide changed my 24:47 Are you ready for a dramatic change in your 24:51 This 12-week study guide will guide you on your 24:54 journey of transformation. This study is 24:57 packed with powerful content to lead you 25:00 on an encounter with Jesus. 25:03 Jesus will use this study as a tool to change 25:05 your life as he did mine. 25:09 Order your copy today to experience your transformation log 25:13 on to talking donkey international.org. 25:17 Jeremiah 17 verse 9 tells us 25:20 that our hearts are hopelessly deceitful 25:23 and sick. We're all in desperate 25:26 need of a heart transplant. 25:28 The good news is that a new heart is 25:31 available free of charge with no waiting list. 25:34 You can have it here and now simply for 25:36 the asking. 25:38 This little pamphlet a gift for you 25:41 is our free gift to you about God's 25:44 free gift to all of us the gift 25:46 of a new heart. 25:49 Go to Talking Donkey international.org and request 25:52 offer number 125 a gift 25:54 for you. 25:59 Such it feels like a storm's coming in. 26:03 I think of everything we've talked about today. It's found in John 26:06 15 versus 13 to 16 says 26:09 no one has greater love than this speaking of 26:12 Jesus that a manly down his life for 26:15 his friends. You are my friends. If you 26:18 do whatever a command you no longer do I call you service 26:21 for servants? They don't know what the master 26:24 does but I have called you friends for all 26:27 things that I've heard from the father. I'd be known to 26:30 you and this is really the key part. You have 26:33 not chosen me, but I have chosen. 26:37 And if you respond to his choosing and you 26:40 choose to be a friend of his to accept that 26:42 friendship. 26:45 You're on your way to getting that chiastic structure in 26:48 your own life because we are all down here and he 26:51 promises I will grab you and I 26:54 will lift you up. I will literally lift your mind up. Yeah, 26:57 you know and folks this is 27:00 a real key. This was what God wants to do with each 27:03 one of us. First of all, he wants to be our friend right 27:06 our best friend. He wants 27:09 to take us and draw closer and closer and closer just like 27:12 me disciples. He walked with them for three and a 27:15 half years sharing everything with them. 27:18 He wants to share with you. He wants to walk with you. He wants 27:21 to change your life. He wants to give you that mind transplant 27:25 the mind of Jesus Christ. And who 27:27 does it? It's the father. 27:29 The father will take a step by step by step closer 27:32 and closer to him, please today choose 27:35 him choose this life. I mean we can 27:38 sit here you and I can talk all the time and urge. 27:41 People it doesn't do any good if you don't respond personally, 27:44 right it comes down to saying I need that 27:47 mind transplant. My mind is not doing any 27:49 good for me get me a new one. 27:54 Choose the new mind of Jesus Christ today. 28:02 Thank you for watching join us again for another exciting country 28:04 wisdom. See you next time. |
Revised 2023-04-13