Reflections on What is True

A Devotional Series on Philippians 4:8

We must realize our thoughts are powerful and lead us in love or fear.

Our hearts are in a state of trust, or we are thrown into a state of anxiety and worry.

What we think about matters.

Whatever is true…dwell on these things. ~Philippians 4:8 NASB

The key to walking in truth is reflecting on the state of our hearts and minds.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail to meet the test~ ~2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV

Many people in today’s world are consumed by anxiety and fear. Yet, we are told His perfect love casts out fear.

So how do we move from fear to love and from anxiety to trust?

It Takes Intentionality to Walk in Truth

Hosea advises us to break up our fallow or uncultivated ground.

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you. ~Hosea 10:12 ~ESV

David calls upon us to cultivate faithfulness.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. ~Psalm 37:3 NASB

The Apostle Paul encourages our minds to be transformed by His Word.

Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. ~Romans 12:2 WEB

And the Apostle Paul advocates that we take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. ~2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB

It Takes Intentionality to Choose Life over Death

Every day, we make choices about what we listen to on the radio or which audiobook to listen to. We make choices about which social media outlets, videos, movies, and television shows we will or will not expose ourselves to, and how much time we will commit to consuming them.

Every day, we make a choice: whether to pause and listen for His still, small voice or to sprint through our day, avoiding stillness.

We can behold the beauty around us or refuse to acknowledge the glories of creation before our eyes.

Each of these decisions ultimately affects the healthiness of our hearts and minds.

So a thought, reap an action.

Sow an action, reap a habit.

Sow a habit, reap a character.

So a character, reap a destiny.

~Stephen R. Covey

It Takes Intentionality to Move Forward in Truth

Let us examine ourselves to see whether we are walking in what is true, and then adjust our lives to align with His Word.

What type of sensory input did you welcome into your heart and mind this week?

If it didn’t align with God’s truth, how can you intentionally alter what you consume this week?

References

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV text edition: 2016. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995), copyright 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

World English Bible (WEB) by Public Domain. The name “World English Bible” is a registered trademark.