Yesterday, we saw how to have the peace of God that passes all understanding.  Once you have that peace, how do you maintain it?  These next verses give us things to think about.

When Paul wrote, he gave us eight areas to contemplate.    In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul dealt with the theme of having control over what we put into our minds.  He said, Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 

The first thing we should think about is what is true.  This word reminds us of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the Truth.  He sets the standard for truth, for everything that He is, does, or says is true.  He is the “I Am” of all truth.

Our second word is honest.  There is so much falsehood in the world today that we must seek the things which are honest.  This tells us that we need to focus on the Word of God.  Honesty is seen in every page of the Scriptures.  Even when some biblical characters did not always live with integrity, the Word gives an honest account of what they did.  For example, when Jacob stole his brother’s birthright,   it was not right, yet he is shown later in the Scriptures to change.  The Word details his life and shows the changes that caused him to become Israel, a prince of God.

The third word is just. This refers to those things that are right.  These are thoughts which are excellent in character.  We should strive to be just in the way we live and think, not like Jacob at the beginning of his life when he was known as a deceiver.  This thought process helps us to avoid false speaking which is gossip.  We always want to think the best of others, and when we are just, we will do that.

Fourth, are the things that are pure.  We should seek to be pure in every area of our lives.  Purity in speech, purity in morals, purity in thoughts are some of the areas this involves.  Pure speaks of having nothing that is false.  When an ancient sculptor made a vase and wanted to sell it as pure and with without flaws, he would say that it was sincere.  The word “sincere” comes from the Greek language which means without wax.  When a man wanted to cover up a flaw in a piece, he would fill the flaw with wax.  The wax would seal the bad place and make it look good, but when it was held up to the light, the flaw could be seen.  To have a piece that was pure, it would be one without flaws.  This is an example of what we should strive to be in Christ.

Tomorrow, we will look at the rest of the thought patterns we need to develop.  Until then, remember these things to think about.

July 14^th, Psalms 19-21; Acts 19:21-41