Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  2024  Day 122

May 1;       Philippians 4:8;        178/260;        ‘Meditate on These’

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.  As we look at the list in this verse of things to meditate on it could cause you to wonder where can I find, in one place, all of these virtuous things?  The answer surely is not in this world.  The world majors on negative things and meditating on what they feed on will only depress you.  You find all of these powerful, positive truths in the Word of God.  We are told to continually renew our mind to God’s way of thinking by spending quality time in the Bible (Romans 12:2).  Jesus tells us it is up to us whether we make our heart good by what we put into it or make our heart bad the same way.  The Lord goes on to say that out of the abundance of the heart our mouth will speak (Matthew 12).  You cannot fill you heart with all of the negative and disturbing information the world consumes and then speak in a godly manner.  Notice that this verse teaches us not just to read about these godly qualities, but to meditate them.  By meditating these profound truths, we build them into our spirit and mind.  Then when we speak, we will speak uplifting, life changing biblical truths.  When you read the Bible you get questions.  When you study the Bible you get answers, When you meditate the Bible you get revelation.  We are told in Joshua 1:8 that when we meditate the Word we will do the Word and because we are doers of the Word, everything that we do will prosper.  The world is negative by design.  The devil does all he can to keep us majoring on his disquieting information.  Meditate on the Word and its truths and be uplifted and blessed.