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It was in 1929 that a German scientist by the name of Hans Berger proved what many scientists had suspected for years... that there is electrical current in the human brain. He might have proved that some of us run on 220 volts while others are running on about 110! Just kidding there, folks!

"Daring to Dream Again: Establishing Godly Goals" Jack Keating Cicero United Methodist Church March 4,2007. Phil. 2: 1-16a

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But his discovery led to the development of the (and pay attention now because this might be the largest word I've ever attempted from the pulpit) elec-tro-en-see-fala-graph. This device enabled medical personnel to measure and record activity in the human brain and, because no one else could easily say that word either, became known as an EEG. This new device was found to be very helpful in diagnosing disorders and malfunctions of the brain. For the first time in history doctors were able to take a look at what was going on I inside the human brain. Today we have many modern devices which allow us to take an even closer look at the brain. Things like CAT scans and brain scans are all very helpful to doctors today.

But while we can see the function of the brain, we cannot know the thoughts that are inside the brain. We cannot know what another person is thinking. And this, of course, is possibly for the better. You can only imagine what would happen if we were able to read each others thoughts! Perhaps you remember that old Gilligan's Island episode where they ate those berries that allowed them to read each other's thoughts? It wasn't pretty!

But, just for a few minutes let's say it was possible for them to open up your mind and see what was in there. What would they find? I would say that they would probably find some very good stuff, but they would also find some stuff that might bring some embarrassment and shame. I know they would with me.

If they could open our minds up and have a look, Paul tells us that they would find in the mind of a Christian something vastly different than they would find in the mind of a non-Christian. Paul tells the church in Philippi what they should find in the mind of a Christian is the mind of Christ!

In our scripture passage today from Philippians 2:5, we find these words as recorded in the New Revised Standard Version, "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus..."

What does it mean for us to have the same mind of Christ? As we think about Daring to Dream Again today and establishing Godly Goals, let's start by taking a look today at what some scientist might find if they looked into the mind of a Christian. Let's look at what the word of God says about what it takes to have the mind of Christ.

Now we'll be looking at several different verses so you might find it helpful to jot them down on the Sermon Notes page in your bulletin and look them up further later during the week.

As we begin I think it's fair to say that when we look inside the mind of a Christian we should see that the Christian has the attitude of Christ. The Christian should have the "likes" that Christ has. The Christian should have the -dislikes" that Christ has, as well. The mind of Christ is the mind that asks, .What would Christ do in this situation? It is the mind that seeks to imitate Christ in all that it does and all that it thinks.

The mind of Christ would be the one that is found to be asking questions like, .Would Christ watch this movie? Would Christ watch this TV program? Would he act the way I act at my job? Would he treat his family the way I treat my family? The mind of Christ is that which continues to ask itself, .What would Christ do?" And if you ever need to find out the answer to that question, just look it up in the Word of God. I can guarantee that you will find the answer there. So the mind of Christ is the one that has the attitude of Christ and seeks to imitate Christ.

Another thing the scientist would notice if they could look into the mind of a Christian is that of a renewed mind. It is a mind that is not clouded by sin and a mind that does not have it's thoughts centered on this world, but on the things that are above!

In Romans 12:2 we read, .And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--- what is good and acceptable and perfect." You see a renewed mind as the scripture states is not that which is conformed to this world, but a mind that is concerned with the perfect will of God. It is a mind that does not agree with the immorality of this world just because society states that it is OK. It is a mind that knows what is good and acceptable according to the will of God.

All too many times we do allow society to shape how we feel about things, we allow ourselves to be conformed to this world. I'm thinking specifically here about the things they show on TV each day. The swearing, the nudity, the violence. If you showed these same things on TV 20 years ago you would have had a tremendous outcry. Today, there's little or no outcry. We just accept it as how society is. And we accept it because we have allowed ourselves to be conformed to this world. In order to Dream Again and make Godly Goals, we need to first have our minds renewed so that they are repulsed by what we see and we refuse to take part in it.

Another thing which a scientist should see when he looks into the mind of a Christian is a mind that is full of the love of God. Love that is found in every part of the mind and love that just oozes out!

Jesus' words in Luke 10:27 are .You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." The love of God should be found in our minds. Now notice that the scripture states that we should love God not with half our minds, but with all our minds. Let me ask you, when was the last time that you told God you loved him? When you pray do you tell him how much you love him? If you don't, you need to. You need to let the love that you have for God fill every corner and crevice of your mind. And the love that you have for God needs to affect all your thoughts, in fact, if we do love God with all our minds as we should, everything that comes out of or into, our minds should be affected by that love. True Godly goals are made out of a love for God and all that God has created. In truth we are told that we love because he first loved us. That truth that guides the goals we set is that truth that we should love God with all that we have.

Now another thing our scientist would find if she looked into the Christian mind, or I should say something she would not find, would be anxiety. The worry that is found in most human minds would be absent in the Christian mind.

In Luke 12:29 Jesus tells us "and do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink and do not keep worrying."

The Christian mind, the mind of Christ, is one of trust. It is a mind that trusts the Lord. The unbeliever really has nothing to trust in other than himself or herself. And we all know what that leads to... worry. The Christian mind will place its trust in God, because it is God that controls all things. It is His world, He created it, He runs it, He is in charge. And that Christian mind is not an anxious mind because it trusts the one who is in charge. Godly goals are based on the belief that God is capable of doing that which we cannot imagine. It is God who can bring the longed for reconciliation in our relationships, it is God who can bring about healing, and it is God who can bless that which He chooses. Because it is God who created us and continues to create in the first place! And that should be a great release of the anxiety that is found in a non-believers mind.

Now our scientist friend would also find that the Christian mind is a mind set on humble things. It is not a thing that is obsessed with the things of this world, it is not a mind that is concerned with keeping up with the Joneses. It is not a mind that wants power and authority, but it is a humble mind. Paul wrote to the church at Rome in Romans 12: 16, "Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.”

When you live, as we've already talked about, with a renewed mind, controlled by the Spirit, a mind that loves God, and puts God first, and a mind that does not worry because it knows that God is in charge, it shows that you have a humble mind. That scientist would discover that in every Christian mind he looked at, he sees minds that are the same. We would all have the same traits, the same concerns, and the same purposes. We might have different ways to accomplish our call but our call would be the same none the less. Our scientist would see that Christian minds are all like one another. Paul also offered us this blessing in Romans 15: 5-6, “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." In all the references in the bible that deal with the Christian mind, the one theme that is repeated over and over is that we are to be like-minded, that we are to have one mind, one voice. And, of course, that mind is the mind of Christ.

Now of course this idea of a scientist looking into our minds is pure folly. After all, there are only two beings who know what is in your mind. That is you and God. No one else knows for sure. So, since the scientist can't see into your mind, you'll need to look into your own mind to begin setting some goals. The question is... what do you see? Do you see in your mind the mind of Christ?

Do you have a mind that has been renewed by the Holy Spirit of God? Do you have a mind that is full of the love for God? Do you love him with all your mind? Is your mind set on humble things, the things of above? Or is it set on things of this world, the riches of this world? Is your mind like that of other Christians? Are you like-minded with other Christians?

Only you have the answers to these questions. The rest of us can only guess at what kind of mind you have by your actions.

During the height of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln often found refuge at a Presbyterian church in Washington, DC. He would go with an aide, sit with his stovepipe hat in his lap, and never interrupt the meeting because he knew the congregation would be all a dither to know that the President had come to sit in that midweek meeting. He would sit off to the side, near the pastor's study, as the minister would open the Scriptures and teach God's Word and lead the congregation in worship. The war was tearing the nation apart and tearing at his soul, as well. Having just lost his own son, Lincoln was on the bottom, and he needed both solace and sustenance.

As the pastor finished his message and the people began to leave, the president stood quietly, straightened his coat, and took his hat in hand. The aide stopped him and said, "What did you think of the sermon, Mr. President?" He said, “I thought the sermon was carefully thought through, and eloquently delivered." The aide said, “You thought it was a great sermon?" “No", the president said, “he failed." “He failed? Well how? Why?" Lincoln answered, "He failed because he did not ask of us something great.”

Today, as we come to think and dream about the goals God desires for us, I can promise you that God wants something great for you. Over the years of my life, I've discovered something: that to know the will of God is the greatest knowledge I’ll ever have and to do the will of God is the greatest work I’ll ever do.

I want to encourage you today to ask yourself: What's on my list of goals? Are the God-given or self-centered? As you commit all of your heart and soul and strength and mind to knowing God's will for your life, “I dare you" this week to think about those questions, and to use the answers to start developing Godly goals for your future. I'm daring you to dream again and then do something great! AMEN.