From Richard B

Be a God Thinker

Good morning! Did you sleep well? I hope so…and what are you thinking about this morning? Just put that away – let’s turn to Philippians and read this passage together.

Philippians 4: 8-9

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Well, in this chapter we’ve looked at rejoicing in all circumstances (speaking to ourselves – instead of listening to ourselves), giving our anxieties to Jesus and experiencing His peace.

Now first things first; have you done that this past week? Have anxieties borne down on you? The Lord understands – so get back to what the Lord is saying here through Paul. Don’t stay in Anxiety Street.

Here in our reading Paul hammers home a key truth. You see the battle for the Christian is in the mind. You will know that when you start getting anxious, you start thinking all sorts of things – maybe revenge, maybe how you can make yourself look good, how you can extricate yourself from a difficult situation. And all of this occurs in the mind.

Now our culture essentially says – you are what you feel. So therefore your thinking follows your feelings. So you should go with what you are feeling and there’s nothing you can do about it. Rubbish!

Your feelings will follow your thinking. So get your thinking right and your feelings will eventually follow. It might take a bit of time though.

So what should we think about? Look at what Paul says:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

You see what Paul is saying? Don’t let these little anxieties or irritations get in. Yes – tell them where to go. But don’t wait in a vacuum; fill that mind with what Paul says here. Feed and nourish your minds with high notions of God.

And get on and do what God wants you to do. It’s amazing when God takes all the rubbish away – and we fill up with God – we then find ourselves on what is God’s agenda and you will find yourself with all sorts of situations that you were blind to because of these anxieties and irritations. Seek satisfaction in doing His will. God will provide strength – just ask. Speak to God plainly – asking for his help in all manner of situations. Just ask – as situations present themselves.

And guess what – same again as when we leave our anxieties with the Lord – something remarkable happens – we can find the God of peace is with us.

Isn’t that wonderful? That in our weakness, in our anxiety, in our thinking and in our doing – we can experience God himself – that peace in our lives.

So why not take these few verses we’ve looked at over the past few weeks and make it your goal to apply them to your life?

Will you pray with me…

Heavenly Father, as Paul has written in this chapter you are near. Help us to draw near to you so that we may know you and experience your peace each and every day.

In Jesus’ name we pray

Amen


Category: The Bridge , Thought for the week