<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Philippians 4;8&amp;9<div><br></div><div><b>8. &nbsp;Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.</b></div><div><b>9. &nbsp;What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.</b></div><div><br></div><div>Our struggle against sin begins in our own heart and mind. &nbsp;(Remember, they are connected.)</div><div><br></div><div>Truth, honor, justice, purity, beauty, graciousness, excellence, and all things praise worthy, are the fruits of the tree of Life. &nbsp;Just as a diamond which is&nbsp;turned to reflect light, acts as a prism, revealing all the colors which together make up white light, so too we know that these fruits from the tree of life are components of God and reflections of&nbsp;his holy righteousness.</div><div><br></div><div>In essence, Paul is saying ‘All that is truly&nbsp;good comes from our God. &nbsp;Your mind now is cleansed by God&nbsp;to ponder and behold the goodness of God. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Our sin nature continues to seek to focus on all things evil and dark. &nbsp;Do not let your forgiven and cleansed mind be misused, filled with&nbsp;false and unclean thoughts. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div><i>“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself temps no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.</i></div><div><i>Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death. &nbsp;Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren”. &nbsp;</i><span>(James 1;13-16)</span></div><div><br></div><div>Sin and death then are the products of the corrupted&nbsp;mind and heart. &nbsp;Therefore, directing our own thoughts to the goodness of God, disarms the evil which still resides in our flesh.</div><div><br></div><div><i>“Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. &nbsp;Of his own will he brought us forth by the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.” &nbsp;</i>(James 1;17&amp;18)</div><div><br></div><div>In essence, James is saying the same thing as Paul in today’s verses. &nbsp;Our minds, what we choose to think about, is the first spiritual war zone. &nbsp;The Holy Spirit has been given us in baptism into Christ, so that sinful thinking, lustful thoughts, passions, and desires may be taken captive to Christ.</div><div><br></div><div><i>“We destroy arguments and every&nbsp;proud &nbsp;obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to Christ.” &nbsp;</i>(2 Corinthians 10;5)</div><div><br></div><div>Like Elijah, we too are to listen for the still small voice of God which is His own Truth and Life revealed to us in His Word, and not be swept away by the evil desires and corrupting passions still that seek to&nbsp;rage&nbsp;in our minds and hearts, or those which assault us from<span>&nbsp;this world. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Like the innocent person who foolishly wanders into a sleazy bar and is captured by the darkness, we must not allow our own minds to entertain&nbsp;</span><span>dark thoughts. Take&nbsp;them captive. &nbsp;<i>“Sin shall no longer have dominion over you.” &nbsp;</i>(see,&nbsp;Romans 6;11-14)</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, grant us wisdom and discernment to put to death the deeds of the body, beginning between our ears. &nbsp;Bless us to hear your Word of Truth and abide in Your peace,&nbsp;in Jesus we pray, Amen.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Love,</span></div><div><span>Dad/Baba/Eric</span></div><div><span>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</span></div><div><span>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</span></div><div><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Philippians 4;8&9
8.  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.9.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.
Our struggle against sin begins in our own heart and mind.  (Remember, they are connected.)
Truth, honor, justice, purity, beauty, graciousness, excellence, and all things praise worthy, are the fruits of the tree of Life.  Just as a diamond which is turned to reflect light, acts as a prism, revealing all the colors which together make up white light, so too we know that these fruits from the tree of life are components of God and reflections of his holy righteousness.
In essence, Paul is saying ‘All that is truly good comes from our God.  Your mind now is cleansed by God to ponder and behold the goodness of God.  
Our sin nature continues to seek to focus on all things evil and dark.  Do not let your forgiven and cleansed mind be misused, filled with false and unclean thoughts.  
“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself temps no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.  Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren”.  (James 1;13-16)
Sin and death then are the products of the corrupted mind and heart.  Therefore, directing our own thoughts to the goodness of God, disarms the evil which still resides in our flesh.
“Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  Of his own will he brought us forth by the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.”  (James 1;17&18)
In essence, James is saying the same thing as Paul in today’s verses.  Our minds, what we choose to think about, is the first spiritual war zone.  The Holy Spirit has been given us in baptism into Christ, so that sinful thinking, lustful thoughts, passions, and desires may be taken captive to Christ.
“We destroy arguments and every proud  obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to Christ.”  (2 Corinthians 10;5)
Like Elijah, we too are to listen for the still small voice of God which is His own Truth and Life revealed to us in His Word, and not be swept away by the evil desires and corrupting passions still that seek to rage in our minds and hearts, or those which assault us from this world.  
Like the innocent person who foolishly wanders into a sleazy bar and is captured by the darkness, we must not allow our own minds to entertain dark thoughts. Take them captive.  “Sin shall no longer have dominion over you.”  (see, Romans 6;11-14)
Prayer:  Merciful Father, grant us wisdom and discernment to put to death the deeds of the body, beginning between our ears.  Bless us to hear your Word of Truth and abide in Your peace, in Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”

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