Philippians 4:8 - Stress Management Starts in the Mind.
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 (NCV) Brothers and sisters,
think about the things that are good and worthy of
praise. Think about the things that are true and
honorable and right and pure and beautiful and
respected.
WORD STUDY
KJV; true; honest; just; pure; lovely; good
report; virtue; praise
NKJV; true; noble; just; pure; lovely; good
report; virtue; praiseworthy
NIV; true; noble; right; pure; lovely;
admirable; excellent; praiseworthy
ESV; true; honorable; just; pure; lovely;
commendable; excellent; praiseworthy
NLT; true; honorable; right; pure; lovely;
admirable; excellent; praiseworthy
NCV; true; honorable; right; pure;
beautiful; respected; good; praiseworthy
COMMENTARY PEARL
The battle with stress in your life
begins between your ears. Its in your thought
life. What you fill your mind with determines your
level of stress. If you want peace of mind, you
have to control what you allow into your mind.
For most people, the mind is like a
freeway. They let anything drive through it. They
watch shows that are full of junk and nonsense,
scroll through social media sites that are
polarizing, and listen to gossip that makes them
envious. Then theyre surprised when their minds
freeway becomes polluted with all of these things.
And they wonder why their stress is so high.
The Bible offers another way. Philippians
4:8 says, Think about the things that are
good and worthy of praise. Think about the things
that are true and honorable and right and pure
and beautiful and respected (NCV).
To lower your stress, change what you
think about. In this verse, the Bible gives you
eight tests for deciding if you should allow
something in your mind. Ask yourself:
1. Is it good?
2. Is it worthy of praise?
3. Is it true?
4. Is it honorable?
5. Is it right?
6. Is it pure?
7. Is it beautiful?
8. Is it respected?
Think about the course of your week - the
conversations you have, the books you read, the songs you
listen to, the websites you scroll, the TV and
movies you watch, and the things you do with your
free time. How do all of these things hold up to
that eight-question test? Are the things youre
putting into your mind all week good, worthy of
praise, true, honorable, right, pure, beautiful, and
respected?
If not, its time to start filling your
mind with different things.
Each one of those eight attributes
actually describes God. So when you think about
things that are good, worthy of praise, true,
honorable, right, pure, beautiful, and respected,
youre really picturing God.
Isaiah 26:3 says, You will keep in
perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose
thoughts are fixed on you! (NLT).
Corrie ten Boom - a Dutch Christian
during World War II - knew the truth of that verse.
She and her family hid Jews from the Nazis and
were eventually sent to death camps, where her
sister and father died. But through that horrible
time, she discovered the secret of living with a
mind at peace. She said it like this: If you
look at the world, youll be distressed. If you
look within, youll be depressed. But if you
look at Christ, youll be at rest.
Whatever is going on around you, and the
things you choose to think about, determine how
much stress you feel. If you fix your thoughts on
God, he will keep you in perfect peace. [Daily
Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Philippians 4:8 - Thinking That Leads to Joy
in Jesus.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211126-1031.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210523-1035.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
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
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
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
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
