Honey From The Rock

www.poeministries.org

Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

THINKING VIRTUOUSLY

This entry was posted on 01-22-2009 and is filed under MIND OF CHRIST.

DAY 13 - To know that we have the mind of Christ we must practice thinking virtuously. I don't know a better Scripture to share with you today than what Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi. "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true...honest...just...pure...lovely...of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Phil. 4:8 KJV). The Knox Translation says, "Let this be the argument of your thoughts." The TCNT reads, "There let your thoughts dwell." The Amplified N. T. has, " Think on and weigh and take account of these things - fix your minds on them."

Here is how it reads in The Message: "...you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse." Vice or virtue? The world chooses to fixate on vice. The Christian chooses to focus on virtuous things. A person is what he or she thinks about all day. Consciously choose to think on what is true, honorable, right, pure, endearing, high-toned, and excellent. Intentionally resist the things that stand opposed to these. Someone said, "Virtue is a state of war [another said, 'There is never an instant's truce between virtue and vice'], and to live in it we have always to combat with ourselves. Win the battle of the mind. God does not ask the impossible of us. We can give up and think like the world or we can man up and think like Christ. Think virtuously! Take each of the 7 elements of virtuous thinking Paul mentions and practice thinking about them each day of the week. Write them on your calendar: "Truth" for Sunday, "Honest" for Monday, etc. You can do it.

Prayer: Holy Father, help me this day to think on only those things that are virtuous and pleasing to You. Fill my thoughts with those that come from heaven. Through Christ we pray.