SUNDAY
The Peace Of God
Philippians 4:8 begins, “Finally, brethren…” As we begin these devotionals on, “Think On These Things”, let’s look at the preceding verses, before the “Finally…” These are some great things for Christians to think about, not only those who lived 2,000 years ago, but also for all of us living today. Rejoice, don’t worry, and be thankful and the peace of God will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
“4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:4-9)
MONDAY
The Word Of God Is True
As we begin with Philippians 4:8 we are looking at the first thing to think on. “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.”
“Whatsoever things are true…” I see so many videos of people jumping over cliffs and landing on places that would be impossible to do, and you can clearly see that it is not real. I see photos and people ask that a certain person be removed from the photo, or the background be changed and these are not real. What good is a photo that is not true? A person can ask AI to create a picture or story and it has gotten to the point it is hard to tell what is true and what is false. I grew up watching Walter Cronkite as a news reporter and he told the facts, and didn’t change the truth like reporters do today. Okay, so what is true? God’s Word is always true. It doesn’t change with time. “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” (Psalm 119:160) We may have trouble knowing what is true in the world today, but God’s Word was true from the beginning and it will always be true. Just as things spoken by the prophets came to pass in the past, the unfulfilled prophecies will also surely come to pass. Read the book of Revelation. It tells us what will come to pass, and it’s true. Think on these things.
TUESDAY
The Only True God
Now that we have established that the Word of God is true, we can look into the Word and also see that there is only one true God. God gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, to die on the cross and give His life to pay for our sin. There is no other way to have forgiveness and a home in heaven.
“But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.” (Jeremiah 10:10)
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (I John 5:20)
WEDNESDAY
The Truth Shall Make You Free
Once we believe on the truth of God’s Word, and we believe that there is only one true God, then we can put our trust in Jesus and have freedom from our sin. We are all under the bondage of sin. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) When we turn away from the sin that binds us, and turn towards Jesus, He gives us hope, and peace, and joy, through His great love. He lifts the burdens of our sin and guilt, and He sets us free. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:22-23) Are you still carrying the debts of your sin and shame? Paul tells us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10) Think on these things. Has Jesus lifted your burden of sin and set you free?
THURSDAY
Whatsoever Things Are Honest
If I know that a person is not being honest with me, then I don’t trust them in anything, large or small. Honesty and integrity are very important to God and to others. We may be able to fool someone in a lie that we say to them, but God hears what we say, and also knows what we are thinking. Paul told the church. “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.” (II Corinthians 8:21) “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” (Colossians 3:9-10) And to the church at Ephesus, he wrote, “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” (Ephesians 4:25) In Proverbs 6 there is a list of things the Lord hates, and two are about not being honest.
“16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)
These are all wonderful reminders that we are to be honest. My favorite verses about honesty are found in I Timothy 2:1-4.
“1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
Seeing Clearly
FRIDAY
How To See Good When Life Looks Bad
During the times of the kings of Israel and Judah the Lord blessed the people when the king followed God, but often during the reign of kings who sinned against God, the people suffered famine, or war, or other hardships. Uzziah, called Amaziah in II Kings 15, was a good king. He began to reign at 16 years old and reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.” (II Chronicles 26:4-5) “Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.” (II Chronicles:22) This tells us that the prophet Isaiah was close to King Uzziah. After reigning 52 years, Uzziah died. Isaiah probably mourned the death of King Uzziah. He did not know if the new king would follow the Lord. I am reading in Isaiah and I have always liked chapter 6. It is an example to us of how to see good, when life looks bad. Instead of looking at the things that are bad, we need to look up and see the Lord sitting on His throne. God showed Isaiah that even though King Uzziah died and was no longer on his throne, God was still on His throne. No matter what comes our way, or how bad things look, we can trust the Lord because He never changes and He is still in control.
“1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” (Isaiah 6:1-8)
SATURDAY
When He Sees Me
For the last two weeks we have been looking at different scriptures that help us to see more clearly. I want to finish this series on how God sees us. We are sinful. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:… For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ” (Romans 3:10 & 23) “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6) To all who do not trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, He says, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23) When we ask Jesus to forgive us and cleanse us from our sin, then we become children of God. He sees us with the righteousness of Jesus. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) Paulette White wrote a song that gives us an idea of how God sees us in her song, “When He Sees Me.”
“When He Sees Me
1. Looking down through the ages God beheld the dying soul,
Sin had brought separation, nevermore could man be whole.
There must come a Lamb, one who's blood alone redeems,
Bringing gifts to the Father of our souls made white and clean.
CHORUS
And when He sees me, He sees the blood of the Lamb.
He sees me as worthy and not as I am.
He views me in garments as white as the snow,
For the Lamb of God is worthy and He washed me, this I know.
2. So He left that holy city, traveling on to the cross.
Just to bridge the gulf to glory and to rescue all the lost.
By His blood He entered into the throne room of our God,
And on the mercy seat He placed it, salvation for us all.”
