With graduation, work and a wedding to plan for, I have had a lot on my mind lately. It got me thinking...
How much time to we spend thinking of things which have no spiritual application to them?
It is amazing how stressed out we tend to get when we lose focus on God. Satan has a way of taking our thoughts and twisting them around to pervert the Word of God. He has a way of getting us to focus on the world, when we lose sight of our Lord.
If there is one thing I can rely on, it is this...
Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
We are exhorted to get and keep a good name, a name for good things with God and good men: Whatsoever things are true and honest (v. 8), a regard to truth in our words and engagements, and to decency and becomingness in our behaviour, suitable to our circumstances and condition of life. Whatsoever things are just and pure,—agreeable to the rules of justice and righteousness in all our dealings with men, and without the impurity or mixture of sin. Whatsoever things are lovely and of good report, that is, amiable; that will render us beloved, and make us well spoken of, as well as well thought of, by others. If there is any virtue, if there is any praise—any thing really virtuous of any kind and worthy of commendation.
Observe, 1. The apostle would have the Christians learn any thing which was good of their heathen neighbours: "If there be any virtue, think of these things—imitate them in what is truly excellent among them, and let not them outdo you in any instance of goodness.’’ We should not be ashamed to learn any good thing of bad men, or those who have not our advantages. 2. Virtue has its praise, and will have. We should walk in all the ways of virtue, and abide therein; and then, whether our praise be of men or no, it will be of God, Rom. 2:29.
In these things he proposes himself to them for an example (v. 9): Those things which you have learned, and received, and heard and seen in me, do.
Observe, Paul’s doctrine and life were of a piece. What they saw in him was the same thing with what they heard from him. He could propose himself as well as his doctrine to their imitation. It gives a great force to what we say to others when we can appeal to what they have seen in us. And this is the way to have the God of peace with us—to keep close to our duty to him. The Lord is with us while we are with him.
Don't lose sight of our Lord and Savior. Always keep Him in your thoughts throughout the day. It is hard for Satan to get a foothold in your life, if your mind is always on God. Praise His wonderful Name for His promises are True!
Think about it...
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