“WHATEVER IS TRUE…DWELL ON THESE THING”-{Phil 4:8}. 

THE WORD “Dwell” means “to Consider, to Evaluate, to Calculate.” It is a command, and is a continuous, that SHOWS us how we are to think, and what we are to… think upon…  does matter, in order to develop a Christian Mind, so that we know Him and practice His will for us. His Word is our means to knowing. The Holy Spirit our Guide to lead us into truth. -{Read John 16:13-14}.

GOD IS TRUE, HIS WORD IS TRUE, JESUS IS THE TRUTH; So thinking on God, His character His Word and His Son, are great and glorious themes to occupy our mind with and we are to continually choose to think on Truth!  If we continue in His Word then we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.- {Read John 8:31-32}. Indeed the devil is opposed to truth, he is a liar, and he opposes us with thoughts of  lies, fears, anxiety’s, doubts as when tempting Adam and Eve…all to seek to trip them up and sin against God! We are constantly bombarded with lies and temptations to choose them. Indeed we read in Scripture there is pleasure in sin for a season, that is why we are often attracted to different types, but as a sports season ends or the four seasons end, so the pleasures end and then what? Often we are hooked line and sinker like a fish caught on the end of a sharp bait, on its way to death. Sin kills, destroys, distorts, dishonors God.

TEMPTATIONS; Some temptations and suggestions to the mind are more subtle, …

A. – the temptations to materialism as the ultimate goal, end in itself, where the pursuit of pursuing, achieving and seeking to acquire becomes all consuming of the mind!

B. – Then there is the subtlety of boasting of heritage, {though if traced all the way back to the beginning our “family tree” begins with Adam and Eve… and Adam’s disobedience, rebellion, that is who we come forth from!}.

C. – The subtlety of education accolades. Have you ever noticed that it is not enough for some that they went to college, university but which one, there is the pride of hierarchy. It can be the same with the pride of how someone looks, athletics… the list goes on, vanity on top of vanity all the time capturing peoples mind and diverting them further from God and the Truths God would have us contemplate, evaluate in order to liberate, build us up in our faith and knowledge of Him to influence, motivate living lives of eternal value!

We need to expose our mind to TRUTH and be careful what we take in through our ears and our eyes, be alert! Be on guard. Where will we find such truth to meditate upon? His Word! His Spirit will guide us into truth {John 16:13-14} We are responsible to meditate on truth-{Psalm 1:2} and as Paul lays our before us, truth is necessary if we are to have right and Godly relationships, dealing with anxious thoughts, right praying. Feed your mind on Truth. Listen to it, Read it. Meditate upon it, perhaps taking a  verse writing it out and carrying it with you and when you have free moments looking at it word for word, phrase for phrase. Or perhaps place it on a mirror in your bathroom or over a kitchen sink so you can see it several times a day, and as you meditate upon It, you will find the Holy Spirit can recall to your mind even Years later from the vault of your bank – your mind, to guide you through His WORD! Pray it for yourself and others. NOTE IS THERE ANYTHING IN IT TO THANK Him for.

Truth is not optional. It is commanded and you or I are no exceptions!

Think on these– God is True.{Rom 3;4}; Jesus is Truth {John 14:6}; His Word is True {John 17:17}. If we continue in His Word then we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.{John 8:31-32}…. The Holy Spirit is True and “Guides us into all truth”-{John 16:13-14}, We are commanded to continually THINK on Truth -{Phil 4:8}, We are to “…speak the truth in love…”-{Eph 4:15}; and John said “I have no greater joy than to hear my children {believers} are walking in the TRUTH!”-{3 John 1;4}; And we are to “Hold forth the Word of Life.” Which is the Word of TRUTH!

 

SO HOW DO WE OBEY THE COMMAND TO CONTINUALLY THINK AND DWELL ON TRUTH? 

Immerse yourself in the Word of God to study to know Him as Ezra did {Ezra 7:10} and to feed on His Truth, {Matt 4:4}..to obey Him and He will change us from the inside out and we will have discernment through His Word to walk in truth! {Read Rom 12:2; Heb 5:13-14}.The Holy Spirit our Teacher will “guide us into all truth…”- {John 16;13}.The Holy Spirit uses The Bible, His Word as the means to Knowing GOD and the Truth about Him, His Son, people’s true spiritual condition apart from Him. The truth about those who are “In Christ,” and to be “filled {controlled, dominated} with a knowledge of His will in all wisdom” to know how to live in a manner worthy and pleasing in Him in all aspects -{Col 1:9}. To know the truth about about Heaven, Hell, eternal realities. To read His Word and pursue knowing Him and “the unsearchable riches of Christ” should fill, thrill our mind for a lifetime and more-{Eph 3:8}. “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”-{Col 3;16}.

ASSIGNMENT;

TO HELP YOU TRAIN YOUR THINKING ON TRUTH TO TRANSFORM YOUR MIND and live the Christian life;

  1. – Read Philippians and note three TRUTHS about the character of God. Read and note three Truths about the LORD Jesus…
  2. – Read Ephesians 1:3-15 and write down some truths that are true of you “In Christ,” as a Christian. Note the phrases”In Him.., in Whom…in Christ…”
  3. – Read Psalm 19:7-11. Note several truths abut God’s Word…
  4. – Read again the book of Philippians and underline the word “mind, attitude,”note what type of mind we are to have in Philippians 2…
  5. And if you do this assignment you will have your own small catalog of TRUTH to mediate upon.
  6. THANK Him for TRUTH and SHARE these TRUTHS with others to Encourage others.

CONTINUALLY THINK ON “Whatever is TRUE…on these things.”- {Phil 4:8}

“DWELL ON THESE THINGS.”