Things we "should" be thinking about

In our bible study on Stress,worry,fear etc & the Christian We were looking at some verses where we are told what kinds of things we should be thinking on instead of worrying and having fearful or depressing thoughts. Barbara suggested that we should have a thread where we could list the good things we could think about to replace the sinful thoughts.

In preparing to start this thread I started reading what the commentaries said about Philippians 4:8 and was shocked to find that they say exactly what we've been talking about in our study! So to help us think up "good thoughts" I'm including these commentaries since they break it down more and that can give us more ideas. Plus they'll show you that I'm not the only one that has realized that this is God's prescription to living in peace and joy

First though, here is the main passage we're working from:

Philippians 4:4-8 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, 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.

Here are what a few of the commentaries had to say about this:

Character and conduct begin in the mind. Our actions are affected by the things we dwell on in our thoughts. Paul cautions his readers to concentrate on things that will result in right living and in God’s peace Spirit filled life study Bible.

Finally. In conclusion.
Whatsoever. Whatsoever introduced six adjectives picturing old-fashioned Christian ideas.
True.Resting on reality and aiming at reality.
Honest. Honorable, dignified, worthy of reverence, the combination of gravity and dignity.
Just. Righteous relations between man and man, and man and God. Pure. Stainless, chaste, unsullied.
Lovely. Lovable, endearing, amiable, gracious, charming, pleasing, winsome.
Of good report. Attractive, fair speaking.
If there be any virtue. Mental, moral, and physical excellence.
If there be any praise. Anything praiseworthy, deemed worthy of praise.
Think on these things. Meditate on them with careful reflection, not casually and superficially, but constantly and logically. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov 23:7). Noble thinking produces noble living; high thinking produces high living; and holy thinking produces holy living. All these noble qualities were exemplified in Christ and are produced by the Holy Spirit. KJV Bible commentary.

Right Thinking (Phil. 4:8)

Peace involves the heart and the mind.“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee” (Isa. 26:3). Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling, and before long the heart and mind are pulled apart and we are strangled by worry. We must realize that thoughts are real and powerful, even though they cannot be seen, weighed, or measured. We must bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

“Sow a thought, reap an action.

Sow an action, reap a habit.

Sow a habit, reap a character.

Sow a character, reap a destiny!”

Paul spells out in detail the things we ought to think about as Christians.

Whatever is true.Dr. Walter Cavert reported a survey on worry that indicated that only 8 percent of the things people worried about were legitimate matters of concern! The other 92 percent were either imaginary, never happened, or involved matters over which the people had no control anyway. Satan is the liar (John 8:44), and he wants to corrupt our minds with his lies (2 Cor. 11:3). “Yea, hath God said?” is the way he approaches us, just as he approached Eve (Gen. 3:1ff). The Holy Spirit controls our minds through truth (John 17:17; 1 John 5:6), but the devil tries to control them through lies. Whenever we believe a lie, Satan takes over!

Whatever is honest and just. This means “worthy of respect and right.” There are many things that are not respectable, and Christians should not think about these things. This does not mean we hide our heads in the sand and avoid what is unpleasant and displeasing, but it does mean we do not focus our attention on dishonorable things and permit them to control our thoughts.

Whatever is pure, lovely, and of good report. “Pure” probably refers to moral purity, since the people then, as now, were constantly attacked by temptations to sexual impurity (Eph. 4:17–24; 5:8–12). “Lovely” means “beautiful, attractive.” “Of good report” means “worth talking about, appealing.” The believer must major on the high and noble thoughts, not the base thoughts of this corrupt world.

Whatever possesses virtue and praise. If it has virtue, it will motivate us to do better; and if it has praise, it is worth commending to others. No Christian can afford to waste “mind power” on thoughts that tear him down or that would tear others down if these thoughts were shared.

If you will compare this list to David’s description of the Word of God in Psalm 19:7–9, you will see a parallel. The Christian who fills his heart and mind with God’s Word will have a “built-in radar” for detecting wrong thoughts. “Great peace have they which love Thy Law” (Ps. 119:165). Right thinking is the result of daily meditation on the Word of God.

The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"

So, now that you have an idea of what we're talking about, what are some of the things you think we could dwell on that would meet the requirements of what Paul tells us in that passage in Philippians?

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