"Brief Devotions For Busy Lives" by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson: Philippians 4:8-9

 April 19

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me-everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.'" - Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT)

When Paul wrote his letter to the anxious Christians in Philippi, he was attempting to help them overcome their fears. The Roman world, like ours, was a difficult place to live in, filled with wars, rumors of war, terrorist threats, and much division in towns and families. Paul knew what we put into our mind determines what comes out in our words and actions just as what we eat eventually influences how we look. Paul tells us to program our mind with thoughts that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

Do you ever experience anxiety, hopelessness, fear, or anger? If you want to feel better, take Paul's advice and try examining what you are putting into your mind through television, Facebook, internet, books, conversations, movies, and magazines. Replace harmful input with clean uplifting downloads. Our minds are much like our computers and need effective spyware to keep out malicious viruses, cookies, worms, and malware. God's Word is the best spyware we can ever have if we take time to read it daily. It takes practice and commitment but can be done.

We all need to ask God to help us focus our minds on what is good and pure around us and in our lives. It is easy to debate others when we disagree with someone's interpretation of an event or scripture passage. Yet it is much more difficult to see God's face in a Bible verse and live out that meaning. Try reading God's Facebook today in His written Word and "Then the God of peace will be with you."

Prayer: God, Cleanup my mind today and download your best programs for me so I can enjoy your Peace. Amen.

Meditation For The Day: Anger intimidates. Praise liberates.

Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring Renewal Paperback – February 21, 2017, by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson (Author)