Fix Your Thoughts On What Is True, And Honorable, And Right, And Pure, And Lovely, And Admirable. Think About Things That Are Excellent And Worthy Of Praise.

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!

Fix Your Thoughts On What Is True,
And Honorable, And Right, And Pure, And Lovely, And Admirable.
Think About Things That Are Excellent And Worthy Of Praise. 

Scripture

Philippians 4

⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
 
⁹ Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. 

Then the God of peace will be with you.

Observation

The Apostle Paul, and of course I know that you probably already know this, is sitting in a jail cell writing this letter to his favorite church, the church in Philippi!

In this short letter from beginning to end the Apostle Paul challenges us to be filled with joy! Just count how many times in this small 4 chapter book the words joy or rejoice are used! Mark them in your Bible and count them! It is amazing how many times Paul uses them!

You see Paul has made the decision that he is going to fix his thoughts not on his circumstances (being chained to a guard in a jail cell) but rather he has decided to use his time writing other believers and encouraging them.

In the middle of his bad circumstances the Apostle Paul fixed his thoughts on the promises of God. If you find yourself in bad or maybe even terrible circumstances, bad like being up to your eyeballs in a swamp full of alligators, then Philippians 4 is just for you!

Here is what he tells us in verses 4-7 of chapter 4:

“⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Then he goes on later in the chapter to say this: 

¹⁸ At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.

 ¹⁹ And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

²⁰ Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

Application

I will focus and fix my thoughts on what is True, and Honorable, and Right, and Pure, and Lovely, and Admirable. I will think about Things that are Excellent and Worthy of Praise. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, it is so easy to get caught up in all the negative things that bombard us every day. Help me to focus on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Help to think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Help me to get beyond my circumstances. Help me to focus on all of Your promises that You have given me in Your Word. 

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13,14; Philippians 4

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!