Meditate on These Things

Today I would like to take a look at Philippians 4:8-9. "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, 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. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these and the God of peace will be with you.

Have you ever taken the things you like to do, or the music that is on your ipod, etc; and ran it by this sort of, well, check-list so to speak? Is it True? Noble? Pure? Lovely? Of good report? Is there any virtue in these things? How often do we ask ourselves this question? Well, I don't know about you, but for me, not very often. What do we meditate on? Let me back up a step, what does the word meditate really mean? I like the first definition on dictionary.com - To engage in thought or contemplation; to reflect - So, what are our thoughts engaged in? What do we reflect on? Colossians 3:1-2 "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." OK, so what if these things on our minds aren't the best, what do we do with them. Let's skip ahead to verse 5 "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." We are told to put them to death. Now, this doesn't mean, try our absolute hardest not to do them, and then just give in when we don't feel like working at it. This verse tells us to put them to death. Let me put it this way, it is like when there is an old worn out dangerous path. On the trail there are signs saying Do not Enter. Instead of just putting up signs saying don't do it, we are supposed to, just get rid of the trial, so there is no possible way to get back on it. Now, I'm not saying that it's going to happen just like that, in the blink of an eye, it is something to work at. Right now I am reading the book: A Sinners Guide to Holiness, by John Chapman, here are two quotes from it that really touched my heart - "If at any time or in any circumstance the thing or activity gets in the way of growing like Christ, it is , at that time, or in that circumstance. to be discarded." "Make sure that the good is not robbing you of the best." Even if we are doing something that is fun, or even "good", it can still be robbing of us of our holiness. Have we ever thought about that before?

Let me end with another verse and another quote, the quote being from the same book as above. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is not longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
"The more I grow like Jesus, the more successful I am. The less like Jesus i am the more I have failed in life. It has little to do with how much money I make, what my career is, how the family is. In the end, the real thing in life is "Are we holy as God is holy?""

Please, brothers and sisters in Christ, start meditating on THESE THINGS; today.