Category: Prayer

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things… And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

Think about such things.

This passage is so powerful. If we lived it out our lives would truly be transformed. God’s Word says that we can be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of our minds. (Rom. 12) and THIS passage tells us how to do it.

Mindset matters.

And God’s Word confirms that what we think about is very powerful. Try reading and meditating on Philippians 4:4-8 for even 68 seconds and see if you can re-focus your mind. Get the negative broken records & lies of the enemy out of your head by REPLACING them with truth. You can do it!  But to replace the lies with truth you have to be FILLING YOUR MIND with truth!!

Think about such things…whatever things are true…and the God of PEACE will be with you.

Philippians 4:8 Printable

We need reminders. We need to write the Word. Pray the Word. Hang the Word around our homes. Carry index cards in our hands. Turn up the praise music. Speak the Word aloud.

Whatever is true printable PDF

Encouragement to Think About Such Things

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. Philippians 4:8

Behold Your God

We become what we behold. This passage brings us full circle. What are you beholding? Are you meditating upon the things of this world and all of your problems? Or are you meditating upon whatever is true, noble, lovely, right and pure?

The choice is up to you. What will you choose to behold in this life? Today? Right this moment? If you cannot physically make yourself change the direction of your thoughts, pull out your Bible and start reading the Psalms. Aloud. Turn them into prayers. Speak His Word. Pray His Word. Read the Word.

The enemy knows the way to steal our joy and steal our ministry is through our minds. We are tempted at every turn to become discouraged, defeated and belittled. But knowing this tactic of the enemy we must stand firm and CHOOSE to BELIEVE the Word of God. To believe what God says, we must be reading it. You may believe in God, but do you BELIEVE GOD?

Praying the Scriptures

Lord God, help me to take my eyes off of my problems and meditate upon whatever things are true, noble, lovely and right. Help me to fix my eyes on Jesus. Help my unbelief.

{read the rest of the series here.} 

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:1-11

Behold Your God

To abide is to wait upon, to remain, to dwell within. To abide in Christ is to receive the gift of beholding Him in all of His glory. When we abide in Christ, we behold God.

When we abide in Him, we behold Him, we stay close, we remain in Him, we bear fruit. And then? Our joy is full.

We’ve spent many days learning to behold God, to stay close to Him, to know Him through His Word. And when we do, we abide in Him and He in us…and our joy is full to overflowing.

Praying the Scriptures

Lord, You are the vine and I want to stay close to You. I wan to abide in You that You may be glorified in my life. Help me to remain in You, dwell in You, to see You in all Your glory…to behold You as I learn to abide in You.

{read the rest of the series here.} 

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

Behold Your God

I love the beatitudes portion of Scripture. It just goes against everything our culture seems to work for. You can be blessed and poor in spirit? The meek will inherit the earth? The pure will see God?

There is something beautiful about realizing that we don’t have to go with the flow in a world where popularity and wealth and “whatever feels good must be right” is the way many live. It is freeing to me to know that God’s ways are different. It is such a stark reminder that we are to be in this world but not of it. And you know what? That doesn’t feel like punishment or a boring life to me.

Abundant life.

Joy. Peace. Faith.

Hope.

If I can choose to see through the lens of Scripture and follow Jesus, living a life obedient to His commands, I will see Him. We will never reach any form of perfection while here on earth. We learned that early on in Genesis. But, God sees the heart. He sees the repentant, broken soul who comes to Him for forgiveness.

We are made pure and holy and righteous because of the blood of Jesus.

He sees our child-like faith and in return? We see Him.

Oh the mystery of it all. Oh the beauty.

Praying the Scriptures

Lord, I want to see You. I want to behold You. You have told us in Your Word that the pure in heart will see you…so I thank you that because of the blood of Jesus You see me as righteous and my sins are forgiven, I have been cleansed and made right and pure. Now open my eyes that I might see You in all Your glory.

{read the rest of the series here.} 

The Lord your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Behold Your God

What a beautiful promise we have been given in this passage. The Lord Your God is in your midst. He is might to save you! He rejoices over you. Even on the days you feel that there is nothing worth rejoicing over, He is rejoicing over you. You, dear one. He quiets you with His love. He sings over you.

Just picture that for a moment. The God of the universe quieting you with His love. Singing over you. What do you think His song selection would be today? A lullaby? A party song? A hymn about His holiness or His faithfulness?

Praying the Scriptures

Lord, You are in my midst. You are near. You are alive in me. You are mighty and You are my salvation. You rejoice over me with gladness, Lord, help me to believe this truth and walk in Your love daily. Your love quiets me, the stress, the anxiety, the worry and fear…perfect love casts out fear. Your love quiets me. And you exult over me with singing. What a good, good Father.

{read the rest of the series here.}