Getting Rid Of Stinkin’ Thinkin’, Part One!

It's amazing the things your ears tune into when it's perfectly quiet.

I'm keenly aware of the air conditioner running. Praise the Lord since it feels like it's about 110 degrees outside!

I hear the refrigerator making some kind of noise. I sure hope that noise is normal!

The minutes on the clock sound as if they are ticking away right inside my ears!

I can hear the cars travelling back and forth on the busy road behind our house. I wonder where everyone is going?

I can hear the thunder beginning to rumble off in the distance. 

These are the days which are extremely difficult.

Not only is every little sound magnified as I sit in the quiet, but my mind is jumbled up and screaming all the wrong things at me.

Such things as, "Why?", "How much longer?", "What's next?", "Will I ever get better?", "Why can't Brian and I be enjoying a summer vacation like everyone else?"

Everything seems to be crashing in on me. I cry out to the Lord to give me a specific verse from His Word.

I desperately need a TRUTH to cling to.

I begin scanning over the many verses which are stored in a document on my phone. I read several of them but I don't feel any of these are the ones which the Lord knows I need right now.

But then suddenly I arrive at the following verse and I know God's Spirit is saying, "This is the one"! 

It's a familiar verse, but I'd like to share it with you and also "break it down" so we can learn together what the words actually mean and how to apply them into our lives.

"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."
Philippians 4:8

I'll go ahead and let you know that all the definitions for each word will be from The Webster's 1828 Bible Dictionary.

Okay, let's get started.

As we can see by the word, "brethren", Paul was talking to believers. This lets me know that I'm not the only one at times who struggles with "stinkin' thinkin"!

TRUE

Conformable to fact; being in accordance with the actual state of things. A declaration is true when it states the facts. Not counterfeit, adulterated or false. Not fraudulent. As a true copy; a true likeness of the original. Not false; real; as, Christ was the true Messiah.

"That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."
John 1:9

When I personally think of things which are true, of course the very first thing which comes to my mind is The Word of God.

There is absolute truth in the statement that I WILL be in heaven one day because of placing my faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and NOTHING else!

It is true that this chronic illness which I live with WILL come to an end one day, whether in this lifetime or in the one to come! Hallelujah!

It is true that I love Brian and he loves me. It's also a truth that our love has grown so much deeper over the years.

HONEST

Upright; just; fair in dealing with others; free from trickishness and fraud; acting and having the disposition to act at all times according to justice or correct moral principles; sincere; as an honest confession. 

"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." 
Acts 6:3

When I ponder upon the word honest, I think of telling the truth and being told the truth. 

I can tell you the truth that I honestly despise lying!  

Every where you turn in the day and age in which we are living, you'll find people who are constantly lying. In our government. At the workplace. Within our homes. Even amidst the congregations of our churches. 

But there's

one place

you'll never

find a lie,

and that's within

The Word of God!

I take great comfort knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that at times when I'm feeling absolutely alone, I know that I'm NOT, because the Lord has honestly told me in His Word that He will NEVER leave me nor forsake me!

Whenever I'm thinking wrong things, I'm not being honest with my Saviuor. I've made the choice to turn from the honest truth of the Bible and listen to the devil who is the father of all lies.

I have some very precious friends in my life, some of whom I've never met in person, but love them just as if they were part of my very own family.

What I appreciate most about these friends is that when I ask for their spiritual counsel, they will be totally honest with me. They don't tell me what I want to hear, they tell me what I honestly need to hear.

I take exceeding joy in knowing there is no lie in the following statement. It's completely honest to the core!

The Lord

DOES

hear me

when I pray! 

JUST

In a moral sense, upright; honest; having principles of morality; or conforming exactly to the laws.

In an evangelical sense, righteous; influenced by a regard to the laws of God; or living in exact conformity to the divine will.

"For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."
Ecclesiastes 7:20

When I mediate upon the word just, my first thought is,

"As it is written, The just shall live by faith."
Romans 1:17

Okay, Barb, that's great, but what exactly does that verse mean? 

Righteousness or being just in God’s sight cannot be attained by our own efforts, abilities, or achievements. God counts men as justified (righteous) not based on our goodness or works, but based solely on God's mercy and grace through Jesus Christ. 

Remember in God's eyes, our righteousness is as filthy rags.

“But we are all as an unclean things, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;"
Isaiah 64:6 

Our works

or religion

do NOT

make us just.

We are

made just

and righteous

ONLY

by having

a personal relationship

with Jesus Christ!

However, as a righteous, just individual we are called to live our life by faith.

Meaning, we don't trust Christ just to save us from going to Hell, and then live any way we choose.

As a just believer, we are to live unto the Lord every moment of every day in every area of our life. Thank the Lord we have the Holy Spirit Who lives within us as believers to lead and guide us as we live by faith a just and righteous life.   

WOW! I'm beginning to think better already!

Why?

Because I've turned my thinking away from me, myself and I, to thinking about things which are true, honest and just! 

Please join me

next week

as we tackle

the next

few words!

 

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May God Bless You,

Barb