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Meditate on These Things
Jan 01 3:17 AM

Meditate on These Things

Jan 01 3:17 AM
Jan 01 3:17 AM

Meditate on These Things

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8

With all that is going on in the world, it is easy for your mind to be filled with all sorts of negative images and worries. If you spend too much time watching the nightly news and the political pundits, you will get the sense the world is falling apart. The constant bombardment of negativity may be taking a toll on your psyche. It is difficult to experience God’s peace, joy, and truth when you are constantly confronted with the world’s chaos, misery, and deception.

There are few things more satisfying than making a delicious dish for friends and family, but if you put the wrong ingredients into a recipe, the resulting meal will not be what was desired.  Even if you use the necessary ingredients but in the wrong proportion, the result will not be what was desired either. This principle is also true in our spiritual lives. If you put the wrong things into your mind and spirit, you will not produce the fruit that God desires for His children. For this reason, you must be careful that you are not filling your mind with unhealthy ingredients. Instead, you must fill your mind with things that are true, holy, and good.

Take care that you do not allow seemingly innocuous activities, habits, behaviors, and thought patterns to interfere with your spiritual growth.  Instead, focus on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.  Fix your mind on things of God and extract from your thoughts things that do not please God. Notice that Paul’s instruction in this verse is in the affirmative. In other words, setting your mind on the right things does not happen without effort. It requires intentionality to direct your thoughts on what is healthy and away from what is harmful. The best way to do this is by committing yourself to prayer, Bible study, meditation, worship, and authentic community with other believers.

Make sure you are filling your mind and spirit with the right mix of ingredients that are profitable for your soul. Divert your attention to things that are holy, healthy, and helpful so that you might grow to become more effective in your walk with God.

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Keshia Billups

I was just speaking with a friend about our thoughts. How there is power in our thoughts and how it is important to think positive even when it is extremely hard and everything surrounding you is negative. This is devotion is confirmation and encouragement for me. In encouraging others to be positive I realized my thoughts in my life were becoming negative. I was tired and needed refueling. I am so excited for this fast! I need the refueling for my spirit, mind and body. Thank you Derin!

Posted on Fri, Jan 1, 2021 @ 12:14 PM CST

Victoria Clegg

Great start to the year!!!

Posted on Fri, Jan 1, 2021 @ 2:36 PM CST

Victoria Clegg

Great start to the year!!!

Posted on Fri, Jan 1, 2021 @ 3:28 PM CST

Deanna Kelly

Great Word

Posted on Fri, Jan 1, 2021 @ 3:31 PM CST

Cathy Austin

I was casting down the wrong imagination before I started reading this scripture. I commend you in the way you made it so plain to understand. I got to intentionally direct my thoughts to healthy thinking. Great point to highlight.

Posted on Sat, Jan 2, 2021 @ 8:13 AM CST

Brenda Madison

Thank you so much for those words so well spoken. We input so much information in our heads on a day-to-day basis that for me it gets to be overwhelming. So I have to shut down my brain to the news, radio and other modes of repetitive communication. I don't need to hear the same news over and over again in the same day. I change the channel and put on something more light and uplifting. What we put in our minds definitely has an impact on our well being. Thank you for that message. God Bless.

Posted on Sat, Jan 2, 2021 @ 6:14 PM CST

Barbara Love

How blessed to start consecration off meditating on the goodness of Jesus Christ our Lord! I was truly blessed with this devotional... Thank you Minister Dickerson

Posted on Sun, Jan 3, 2021 @ 3:20 AM CST

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Be Still
Jan 31 12:46 AM

Be Still

Jan 31 12:46 AM
Jan 31 12:46 AM

Author: L.B. Cowman

Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10

When we have doubts or are facing difficulties, when others suggest courses of action that are conflicting, when caution dictates one approach but faith another, we should be still. We should quiet each intruding person, calm ourselves in the sacred stillness of God’s presence, study His Word for guidance, and with true devotion focus our attention on Him.

We should lift our nature into the pure light radiating from His face, having an eagerness to know only what God our Lord will determine for us.  Soon God will reveal, by His secret counsel, a distinct and unmistakable sense of His direction. It is unwise for a new believer to depend on this approach alone. He should wait for circumstances to also confirm what God is revealing. Yet Christians who have had many experiences in their walk with Him know the great value of the secret counsel of the Lord as a means of discerning His will.

Are you uncertain about which direction you should go? Take your question to God and receive guidance from either the light of His smile or the cloud of His refusal. You must get alone with Him, where the lights and the darkness of this world cannot interfere and where the opinions of others cannot reach you. You must also have the courage to wait in silent expectation, even when everyone around you is insisting on an immediate decision or action. If you will do these things, the will of God will become clear to you. And you will have a deeper concept of who He is, having more insight into His nature and His heart of love. All this will be your unsurpassed gift. It will be a heavenly experience, a precious eternal privilege, and the rich reward for the long hours of waiting. DAVID

Keep still! When trouble is brewing, keep still! When slander is getting on its legs, keep still! When your feelings are hurt, keep still till you recover from your excitement at any rate! Things look different through an unagitated eye. In a commotion once I wrote a letter and sent it and wished I had not. In my later years I had another commotion and wrote another long letter; my life had rubbed a little sense into me, and I kept that letter in my pocket until I could look it over without agitation, and without tears, and I was glad I did—less and less it seemed necessary to send it. I was not sure it would do any harm, but in my doubtfulness, I learned reticence, and eventually it was destroyed. Time works wonders!

Wait till you can speak calmly and then perhaps you will not need to speak. Silence is the most powerful thing conceivable, sometimes. It is strength in its grandeur; it is like a regiment ordered to stand still in the mad fury of battle. To plunge in were twice as easy. Nothing is lost by learning to keep still. HANNAH WHITALL SMITH

I do not believe we have even begun to understand the wonderful power there is in being still. We are in such a hurry, always doing, that we are in danger of not allowing God the opportunity to work. You may be sure that God will never say to us, “Stand still,” “Sit still,” or “Be still,” unless He is going to do something. This is our problem regarding the Christian life: we want to do something to be Christians, instead of allowing Him to work in us. Think of how still you stand when your picture is being taken, as the photographer captures your likeness on film. God has one eternal purpose for us: that we should be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29 KJV). But in order for that to happen, we must stand still. We hear so much today about being active, but maybe we need to learn what it means to be quiet.  Perhaps we simply need to learn to be still and watch God work out the details that challenged us so greatly and caused us so much distress.  You will find that He works wonders if we can just still our hearts and sit before Him until He speaks.

PRAYER

Oh Lord, You know my heart better than I know it myself. You know my struggles and You hold each hope and fear in Your caring hands. Teach me, LORD, to be still and to know that You are God.  I trust in You alone.  In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

An excerpt from the book: "Streams in the Desert: Morning and Evening"

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