Philippians 4:8 KJV
[8] Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
The bible is filled with counsel and advice on the power of our thoughts. A few will suffice:
Proverbs 23:7a says "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he..." Another says in Matthew 12:34b: "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh". It is clear that there is power and effect in the things that a man thinks about. It has to also be emphasized that thoughts are not abstract things; they come from the things we have spent time on: the people we have spent time listening to and speaking with; the things we have spent time watching or listening to; the things we have processed with our human senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch or smell, and we have allowed them to settle on our minds. We will come across several things in the course of our lives, but it is not everything that comes to us that is good for us. It is by my life of discipline and diligence that I am able to decipher what stays and what goes.
It is in this light that the verse above is to be understood and applied to our lives. I have to subject everything that comes my way to the tests that have been laid out in the verse above. It is not a surprise that the first test, or the foundation of all that must remain, is if it is true. As we know, Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. Whatever must stay must align with his nature. Closely linked to this is that it must be honest. Just check out all the other bits, such as just, pure, lovely and of good report. Tell me, what part of the things listed above does not reflect God's nature, which then drives his expectations of and from us? God is pure, and all who will follow and serve Him must be pure. He is holy and He will not lower His standards for anyone. For the first and only time, God looked away from His son as he hung on the cross, in order to pay the price for my sin.
If God could do this, then, there is no one that can plead closeness to God as an excuse for unholy living. I have a duty to subject whatever comes my way to the tests laid out in the verse above. Life may claim to be in a hurry, and may want to push you to make a quick decision, but think of the eternal impact of whatever decision you make. Let the One who lives in you guide you to make the right decision, but this means that you have to be sure that it is the Truth who lives in you. You cannot get to the Truth by believing and following the lie of the devil. You cannot make the right decision by following the wrong path. God wants to help, lead and guide us, but we have to submit willingly to His authority and control. He does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. When you know the Truth, follow Him. He will lead you on earth, and bring you into eternal rest with Him. Nothing else works. God's time of favour is here.
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