Whatsoever Things are Pure

In the list of things to think about (Phil 4:8), it’s easy to understand why we should think on whatsoever things are true. Who wants to think about lies? It’s a little less obvious why we should think on things that are honest and just. But with the fourth thing—whatsoever things are pure—we are back in “that makes perfect sense” territory. Pure is an easy word to picture. It means clean. Are all my thoughts pure or clean?

I see an obvious correlation between thinking on things that are pure and being pure. Here’s a powerful thought: Jesus came to earth, suffered injustice and death on the cross, rose again the third day and is alive in heaven right now. Why did He do all that? Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:14) He looked ahead at my life and yours, if you know Him as your personal savior, and He pictured people pure for Him to accomplish His good works through us. Pure vessels. That’s what He wants.

How do we be pure, besides thinking pure? Pure religion and undefiled before God… is to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27)

The motivation to be pure is the second coming of Christ. If we know for sure He’s coming back, and we are counting on it and thinking about it, we will want to live pure lives. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)

So again, to be pure, we have to think pure—and the best place to find pure things to think about is the Bible.

♦The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (Psa. 12:6)

♦The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. (Psa. 19:8b)

♦Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. (Psa. 119:140)

That’s why it’s a great idea to get into the Bible each morning and look into the face of God and ask for something to hang on to for the day. It can be a verse of praise, a commandment to follow, a sin to avoid. With a heart eager to get something from God, it would be hard to come away from 15 minutes or a half hour in the Word without something pure to dwell on. Remember, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2Tim. 3:16)

If you’re having a hard time with motivation to get into the Bible each day, pray and ask God to put a person on your heart that you could call and ask if you could be accountable to them to read your Bible each day. I did that once many years ago. As I was praying and asking God who I could be accountable to, I thought of one friend, and as I thought of her, she called me. Before I could tell her how amazing it was that she called me right at that moment, she asked me a question. She said, “Jody, can I be accountable to you to read my Bible each day?” That goes down as one of the most amazing things to ever happen to me. We started an accountability relationship. One of us called the other each morning to make sure we were out of bed and ready to start reading the Bible. It worked!

Besides thinking on the Bible, part of thinking on pure things is not letting impure things into our minds. We may have to give up some viewing material that prevents pure thoughts.

One thing is for sure, God wants pure lives and thoughts. He’s worthy of pure vessels to accomplish His will on this earth. Let’s not lose sight of that.

Jody

Whatsoever Things are Just

There is so much injustice in this world, we almost have to think outside this world to come up with just things to think about. We are looking at Phil. 4:8, which gives a list of things to think on, and “just” is the third thing in the list.

It reminds me of the phrase “To look around is to be distressed; to look in is to be depressed; to look up is to be blessed.”

That may be the point to thinking on just things. For a good understanding of what “just” means, look at these 4 verses:

♦If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

♦And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.” (Isa 45:21b)

♦Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. (Zech 9:9)

♦And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. (Rev 15:3)

God and Jesus are just, and from reading these verses, the word conjures images of holy righteous and lofy. So yes, looking up at Him is a good place to start in thinking of things that are just (righteous, holy and lofty) because we aren’t going to find anything like that to think on if we focus on things around us, and certainly not if we are focused on the news and anything having to do with the upcoming presidential election. We can’t look to our country for just things to think on. We can’t expect a presidential hopeful to usher in justice. Everyone around us is a sinner and brings with them unholy thoughts, ideas and actions. To place any thought on them is futile.

Our most righteous, holy thoughts will be those focused on God, Jesus and the Bible. So here are a few verses to think about, and maybe to memorize or frame and put up in the house.

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. (Deut. 32:4)

The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame. (Zeph. 3:5)

As we go through our days, let’s accept the challenge to think on things that are just—righteous and holy. When we do that, we will probably find that our actions follow, and we become better people to be around.

Jody

Whatsoever Things are True

What change, what victory could happen in my life if I had just one verse that I focused on and lived out every day—for a year? I’m about to find out. My verse for the year is Phil 4:8. This is an action verse, and it’s one I need.  

Phil 4:8 is a list of “approved” thoughts to dwell on as one way to keep me from being anxious. (The other way to keep from being anxious is in the 2 verses ahead of verse 8. You should read them.)

Will you go on the Phil. 4:8 journey with me? It would probably be a good idea to examine each of the thought types listed to capture as much meaning from them as possible. So, we will do that. But also, memorizing it is a grand idea, so that when our Bibles aren’t right in front of us, we still have the wisdom of what to do with our minds.

Here we go with the first approved thought:

Whatsoever things are true…think on these things.

What is truth? Jesus is true and “the truth” (Matt 22:16, John 14:6); God is true (John 3:33, Rom 3:4); the anointing we received when we got saved is true (1 John 2:27); and God’s word is true and the truth.

So when I’m told to think on whatsoever things are true, I can think about God and all that He is and does, and thank Him for it while I’m thinking about it. I can think about Jesus and all He did and still does (He’s my intercessor at the right hand of God right now, Heb. 7:25). I can think about the Spirit who helps me know and understand the truth (1 Cor. 2:10).

When you were growing up, did your parents ever tell you they were going to wash your mouth out with soap for saying something inappropriate?

As a loving parent, God has a similar, but more palatable, idea for washing our minds before we spout ugliness. He does it with the water of His word.

Here are some soul-cleansing swigs about the truth of God’s word:

♦“Sanctify (consecrate or make holy) them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)

♦“…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” (Eph. 5:25b-26)

♦“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.” (Psa. 119:9)

While we consider thinking on “whatsoever things are true,” we should understand that this involves corralling random thoughts that float to the surface and comparing them with truth. It also involves our “dwelling” thoughts—or those we muse over. They also need to be captured and held up to the “whatsoever things are true” standard.

Some of the things we ponder are untrue imaginings, and we know what God says about those:

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

And finally, if we want to be overcomers, we have to think on the truth. It’s partly how we get victory in our spiritual battles.

 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth” (Eph. 6:13-14a).

You probably already know all this, but let’s practice it together. Today and tomorrow let’s hold up our thoughts to the truth we know and turn our minds around wherever we need to. It will make us different people.

Tell me what you think.

Jody