LEARNING DAILY

Philippians 4:8, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Isaiah 26:3, You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.

Another way a Believer can avoid distractions is to control what they think about. The battle for the mind is very real. If the enemy can get you to think about “stuff” that is contrary to what the Word of God tells us we are to think upon, we are more likely to be successful in what we do. Paul is writing for Believers to control their thoughts and their thought life should be on what is good and uplifting. God guards our heart but Believers are commanded to focus their thoughts on what pleases God.

It has not been difficult to write on verses that encourages Believers to live the way God desires they live, to walk the narrow way with Him. I have written on each of the things Paul writes to think on before. The desired effect is the same for each. This idea of understanding the distractions and deceptions of the world is about you and me living good, positive, biblical, godly, and encouraging lives that honor and give glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, as Believers we live in a world that is constantly bombarding us with images, messages, false teaching, deceptions, and distracting worldviews that are not compatible with what the Bible teaches. These last pages of the blog have been an attempt to remind the readers that we must do everything to reject those things that distract us and draw closer to the Lord as we walk the narrow way.

Thinking upon “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise,” applies to every area of the Believer’s life. It is certainly a guide to what we read, watch, and consider. That does not mean everything watched needs to be clearly Christ-centered; it does means it should draw us closer to Him and increase our desire to obey Him.

Isaiah 26:3, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.” Do you remember when we wrote on drawing near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8)? When we “set our mind on things from above,” “seek the kingdom of God first,” and think on the things He approves he draws near to us and keeps us in perfect peace. The verse from Isaiah is a wonderful reminder of God’s peace. This peace is not going to keep Believers from conflicts; it is a knowledge of security as we walk the narrow way. Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This peace God gives is supernatural and unexplainable. The “mind” in the verse from Isaiah is referring to the Believer’s thoughts, feelings, and desires. For all this to happen the Believer must trust in God and His promises. Set your mind on the things from above, think upon that which Paul writes for us to think on, seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first and surrender your worries, fears, and anxieties to God, believing He will keep you in His perfect peace.