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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