Growth Papa's Pious Ponderings & Prayerful Pontifications

[Papa Zoom]

Consider Philippians 4:8

'Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. '

Philippians 4:8 https://www.bible.com/bible/100/PHP.4.8

I like the way the Amplified version puts this verse:

8 Finally, brethren.believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. AMP

We focus on alot of negative things in our daily lives. We complain about things that aren't right or fair. There's plenty to choose from. But consider this: We ought to focus more on what is good and right. We ought to be out front in efforts toward solutions to problems rather than being out front in being critical of others or critical of issues.

Center your mind on the good things of God. Those things that are honorable and wholesome and pure and right - those things ought to occupy our minds. Whatever brings peace to our lives and the lives of others, that is what we should be all about. We are told to continually think on these things. So let's do that.

May God give us the wisdom to discern that which is good from that which is not and may God give us the heart to focus on the good things of God. And may God infuse us with His Spirit of Power to live our lives as we ought and to serve others in love and kindness.

Papa


Your thoughts on this?

 

[stovebolts]

Great thoughts on such a basic understanding of how to look at life.

It's so easy to get caught up in our differences that we fail to see not only the good in ourselves, but the good in others.

I think sometimes when we think of ourselves badly, we throw metaphoric rocks at others. We get really good at taking the focus off our frailties, our insecurities, and we pick apart those around us.

Jesus says that before we take the splinter out of our Brothers eye, we have to take the plank out of ours first. Why? Because we need to share with others what God has done in our life, which can encourage others in their walk.

Paul says he's the chief of sinners... he killed Christians... he was a very bad guy. But he is an example of how God can transform a human being, and that's something good.

Instead of focusing on the bad things we've done, understand that like Paul, Gods grace is sufficient for us. Accept it, relish in it, share it.

 

[Tessa]

We all have good points and we all have bad points. Reading scripture convicts us of our faults and sins. That is what we should see, our sins not somebody else's.

If someone has wronged me I am aware of one of their faults. To take this away from my mind I immediately try to think of one of their good points, particularly one that I haven't got myself but should have. Then I decide I want to have that good point. My feelings towards that person change because I am admiring one of their qualities.

 

[for_his_glory]

Jesus walked in the perfect will of God and spoke the words God gave Him to speak, John 12:44-50. We as a child of God indwelled with the Holy Spirit that is God's Spirit we also need to walk in the command of God as we represent Christ here on this earth and need to let that light of Christ shine out from us as we walk in love and compassion for others as we bring the good news of the Gospel to them. None of us are worthy of Gods grace, but in His love He gives it freely to all who will accept it.

 

[Willie T]

Interestingly, according to how he and almost all good Jews understood and lived their religion (which they thoroughly believed was God's perfect will) Paul was not doing bad things. He believed he was doing only good, and was defending God.

 

[Papa Zoom]

So in reading some devotionals on prayer by E M Bounds, I ran across this:
"Meanwhile, as every day demands its bread, so every day demands its prayer. No amount of praying done today will suffice for tomorrow’s praying. On the other hand, no praying for tomorrow is of any great value to us today. Today’s manna is what we need; tomorrow God will see that our needs are supplied. This is the faith which God seeks to inspire. So leave tomorrow, with its cares, its needs, its troubles, in God’s hands. There is no storing of tomorrow’s grace or tomorrow’s praying; neither is there any laying up of today’s grace to meet tomorrow’s necessities. We cannot have tomorrow’s grace, we cannot eat tomorrow’s bread, and we cannot do tomorrow’s praying ."

A good reminder that as we eat every day, so too ought we to pray every day. Prayer is not like putting money in the bank. It's an ongoing communication with the Creator of the universe!

 

[Razeontherock]

Consider Philippians 4:8



I like the way the Amplified version puts this verse:


We focus on alot of negative things in our daily lives. We complain about things that aren't right or fair. There's plenty to choose from. But consider this: We ought to focus more on what is good and right. We ought to be out front in efforts toward solutions to problems rather than being out front in being critical of others or critical of issues.

Center your mind on the good things of God. Those things that are honorable and wholesome and pure and right - those things ought to occupy our minds. Whatever brings peace to our lives and the lives of others, that is what we should be all about. We are told to continually think on these things. So let's do that.

May God give us the wisdom to discern that which is good from that which is not and may God give us the heart to focus on the good things of God. And may God infuse us with His Spirit of Power to live our lives as we ought and to serve others in love and kindness.

Papa


Your thoughts on this?

As a young man when I was reading KJV God gave me an ... (what's the word, anagram?) for this:

Thjplgrvp

It is possible to say that, but it sure is a funny sounding word, lol.

The battleground is the mind.

 

[Razeontherock]

So in reading some devotionals on prayer by E M Bounds, I ran across this:
"Meanwhile, as every day demands its bread, so every day demands its prayer. No amount of praying done today will suffice for tomorrow’s praying. On the other hand, no praying for tomorrow is of any great value to us today. Today’s manna is what we need; tomorrow God will see that our needs are supplied. This is the faith which God seeks to inspire. So leave tomorrow, with its cares, its needs, its troubles, in God’s hands. There is no storing of tomorrow’s grace or tomorrow’s praying; neither is there any laying up of today’s grace to meet tomorrow’s necessities. We cannot have tomorrow’s grace, we cannot eat tomorrow’s bread, and we cannot do tomorrow’s praying ."

A good reminder that as we eat every day, so too ought we to pray every day. Prayer is not like putting money in the bank. It's an ongoing communication with the Creator of the universe!

This is part of what God was saying with gathering manna

 

[Papa Zoom]

Read this tonight:
"We will, however, never fully know God. He is infinite and we are finite. “His greatness is unsearchable,” too great to ever be fully known (Ps. 145:3). “His understanding is beyond measure” (Ps. 147:5). God’s knowledge is “too wonderful” for us; it is so high, we “cannot attain it” (Ps. 139:6), and if we could count God’s thoughts, we would find them greater in number than the sands of the earth (Ps. 139:17 – 18). While we will never fully know God, we can personally know God. Jesus said eternal life was found in knowing him and knowing “the only true God” who sent him (John 17:3). This is far better than simply knowing about God. In fact, in Jeremiah 9:24, God says, “Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me”"

Grudem, Wayne A.. Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know (Kindle Locations 201-207). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Good stuff