Philippians 4:8 - Thoughts for the New Year.
Philippians 4:8 (NLT) 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.
Philippians 4:8 (MSG) Summing it all up,
friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds
and meditating on things true, noble, reputable,
authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the
worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to
praise, not things to curse.
INTRODUCTION
How do we keep the peace of God in our lives?
Paul tells us to "be anxious for nothing"
(Phil. 4:6). Fret and worry indicate a lack of
trust in God's wisdom, sovereignty, or power.
Delighting in the Lord and meditating on His Word are a
great antidote to anxiety (Ps. 1:2). In
everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving requests." All difficulties are within
God's purposes. Gratitude to God accompanies all
true prayer.
"And the peace of God" (v. 7). Inner calm
or tranquility is promised to the believer who
has a thankful attitude based on an unwavering
confidence that God is able and willing to do what is
best for His children (Rom. 8:28). "Which
surpasses all understanding." This refers to the
divine origin of peace. It transcends human
intellect, analysis, and insight. "Will guard." A
military term meaning to keep watch over." God's
peace guards believers from anxiety, doubt, fear,
and distress. "Your hearts and minds." Paul was
not making a distinction between the two - he
was giving a comprehensive statement referring
to the whole inner person. Because of the
believer's union with Christ, He guards his inner being
with His peace.
And believers are to think on what is
true (v. 8), what is found in God (2 Tim. 2:25),
in Christ (Eph. 4:20, 21), in the Holy Spirit
(John 16:13), and in God's Word (John 17:17). They
are to think on what is "worthy of respect,"
whatever is worthy of awe and adoration, i.e., the
sacred as opposed to the profane. The believer is
to think in harmony with God's divine standard
of holiness and on what is morally clean and
undefiled. Believers are to focus on whatever is
lovely, "pleasing" or "amiable," and that which is
highly regarded or thought well of. If they follow
the truth of God proclaimed, along with the
example of that truth lived by Paul before them, the
God of peace will be with [them]" (v.9). God is
peace (Rom. 16:20; Eph. 2:14), makes peace with
sinners through Christ (2Co. 5:18-20) and gives
perfect peace in trouble (v.7). [MacArthur Daily
Bible 2003]
COMMENTARY PEARLS
The Path to Personal Peace
If you want to overcome fear and worry,
then you need right thinking. In other words,
think about what you think about.
Were told in Philippians 4:8, 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 (NLT). If you want personal peace, this is
where it begins.
Why is the mind important? Its command
central. With our minds we reach to the past through
memories, and we reach to the future through
imagination. We need to learn how to think properly and
biblically. As 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, We capture
their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey
Christ (NLT).
The next time youre troubled, you
might try talking to yourself. We need to tell
ourselves to think biblically, because it doesnt
always come naturally. For example, we see the
writers despair in Psalm 42: Why am I
discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? But then the
writer continues, I will put my hope in God! I
will praise him again - my Savior and my God!
(verses 5"6 NLT).
Many of the Psalms are songs and prayers.
They are honest. And as we read some of them, we
may think, I dare not pray that. But go
ahead and pray that. Go ahead and say, Lord, I
am hurting right now Im in pain right
now I dont understand this right now Im
struggling with this right now.
The next time youre feeling down, the
next time you think, I dont know how Im
going to get through this situation, quote the
Bible to yourself. Remind yourself of the truth of
Gods Word. That is what it means to think
biblically. [By Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com re Isaiah 26:3]
Winning the Battle of the Mind
In the movie Kung Fu Panda 3, Master
Shifu makes this statement: Before the battle
of the fist comes the battle of the mind.
How true. The spiritual battle were in
starts with the mind. Its command central. We
are the air traffic controllers of our minds.
Just as an air traffic controller decides what
plane flies where at what altitude, we decide what
thoughts will come into our minds.
The way were thinking will determine
the way well be living. We have to start with
the thoughts that come into our minds and be
very careful about what we let in.
As the old adage says, You cant
stop a bird from flying over your head, but you
can stop it from building a nest in your
hair. In other words, we cant stop whatever
random, evil, or strange thoughts that come knocking
on the door of our imaginations, but we dont
have to invite them in for lunch.
I love what the apostle Paul wrote in
Philippians 4: 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 (verse 8 NLT).
The Message puts it this way: Summing
it all up, friends, Id say youll do best
by filling your minds and meditating on things
true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling,
gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful,
not the ugly; things to praise, not things to
curse.
When those thoughts of fear or worry come
to you at three oclock in the morning, run
them through the grid of Philippians 4:8. Say,
This is not from God. This isnt true, and it
isnt helpful. I reject this thought, and Im
replacing it with another thought from Scripture.
That is how you win the battle of the
mind. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20191210-0849.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor
(recent): https://www.revelationnow.com/
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (recent):
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
