8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
KJV
There are things in this life that we know are true...not supposition...we know.
But are these things pure and lovely?! Are they that which speak of a good report?! Is there any virtue or praise?!
No?! Then are they worthy of the time spent thinking on them?!
Certainly there are situations and issues which are a part of our lives and we have to deal with them. But to feast our time and attention on things which do not edify the spirit of a man or woman seems like a waste of vital time and energy.
How much more effective could we be if we thought on the things above...if we spoke life and not death...if we encouraged and not discouraged...if we built up rather than tore down...if we saw the glass as half full rather than half empty?!
What if we thought more about pleasing the Master than pleasing the flesh?! What if our desire was to freely give from a clean heart without thought of "what's in it for me?!"
What are we thinking about today...what or who has garnered our attention and thought process?!
Can we point to the virtue in it?! Do we recognize the praise to the Almighty?!
My prayer today is to cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (II Corinthians 10:5).
This begs the question, does time spent on online discussion forums such as this and others, contribute to "edifying" ones soul? Especially when discussions or conversations can, at times, verge on quite the opposite direction? Personally, after several years of forum time, I have considerably lessened my time online, for forums at least., and more on bible study sites.
__________________ You can tell more about people
by what they say about others...than by what others
say about them.
This begs the question, does time spent on online discussion forums such as this and others, contribute to "edifying" ones soul? Especially when discussions or conversations can, at times, verge on quite the opposite direction? Personally, after several years of forum time, I have considerably lessened my time online, for forums at least., and more on bible study sites.
While there is a point to be made in that direction, there are things on some forums which do edify...I, and most I would venture, would not be here at this appointed time otherwise.
The things we dwell on in the recesses of our mind are not contingent on anything other than a choice.
I can choose to think on that which uplifts my soul, or fall into the dregs of junk...it's up to me.
While there is a point to be made in that direction, there are things on some forums which do edify...I, and most I would venture, would not be here at this appointed time otherwise.
The things we dwell on in the recesses of our mind are not contingent on anything other than a choice.
I can choose to think on that which uplifts my soul, or fall into the dregs of junk...it's up to me.
TRUE< good points.
__________________ You can tell more about people
by what they say about others...than by what others
say about them.
This begs the question, does time spent on online discussion forums such as this and others, contribute to "edifying" ones soul? Especially when discussions or conversations can, at times, verge on quite the opposite direction? Personally, after several years of forum time, I have considerably lessened my time online, for forums at least., and more on bible study sites.
I'm understand you completely simplyme...
Barb, this is such a wonderful thought. I find that a lot of problems we deal with, (not all but many) are caused by our looking around and dwelling on the "stuff"...
Looking at the "stuff" and other people has got to be one of the hardest things on a persons faith.
When Peter took his eyes off of the Lord he wasn't looking at the pure, and the good report, but he looked at the strong waves and the impossible situations... and we know what happened to him.
But it's not the end all when we start to sink... we just have to re-adjust our focus.
Thank you Barb for this reminder today!
__________________ Mrs. LPW
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
YES it can be used like that., possibly like a "break" time to catch up with online friends, thats a lot of what I do, I am grateful for my online sister friends, for sure.
GOD IS SO GOOD!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sister Alvear
I work in my office all the time so AFF is usually a rest for me between taking care of things, meetings and this or that...I feel like it has been worth my time because many people have come to see that we missionaries are just down to earth people...
People seem to have become more mission minded...
To me it is worth it...I have a hook up that I carry with my laptop while I am waiting at offices or tied up somewhere I can get on the net...
So true! I find I get online when my husband isn't home and I need some adult conversation! Especially if he's kept late by work etc... if the kids are calm or sleeping it can keep one from getting lonely and "cabin fever"...
What I've done is made up my mind what discussions I will take part in, what discussions I won't.. and how far I'll go before I pull the plug on a discussion for myself...
In life we have so many things that can vie for our attention, just picking up the paper and dwelling too long on the mess of the world can weigh down our hearts. Makes me long for the coming of the Lord all the more!!!
It's hard to keep the negative from invading your mind though.. anyone else find that? Maybe it's just my personality.. I tend to expect the worst possible when negative things come along... I have to fight that every day it seems. Am I the only one like this???
__________________ Mrs. LPW
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
So true! I find I get online when my husband isn't home and I need some adult conversation! Especially if he's kept late by work etc... if the kids are calm or sleeping it can keep one from getting lonely and "cabin fever"...
What I've done is made up my mind what discussions I will take part in, what discussions I won't.. and how far I'll go before I pull the plug on a discussion for myself...
In life we have so many things that can vie for our attention, just picking up the paper and dwelling too long on the mess of the world can weigh down our hearts. Makes me long for the coming of the Lord all the more!!!
It's hard to keep the negative from invading your mind though.. anyone else find that? Maybe it's just my personality.. I tend to expect the worst possible when negative things come along... I have to fight that every day it seems. Am I the only one like this???
Its normal, we are after all still mere humans with our frailties, we DO get scared..we DO panic, and we Do "overreact" like this
when news of impending crisis is heard., I try NOT to listen to the news on t.v. (almost always depressing) not even the weather anymore, and I have stopped watching those forensics/crime shows on cable t.v., that although interesting at times, are also sad and definitely, scary!
Only good thing about those is that one CAN at least learn about things not to do or do, to avoid being a crime victim., funny none of those ever mention PRAYER or leaning upon the LORD., though so that is yet another reason to avoid such topics, 'cause as some of us know, our LORD is our protector., if we abide in Him, He abides in us, and we have nothing to fear., (but fear itself of course)
WE DO have a humongous responsibility to ourselves to avoid the bad, embrace the good, while not being completely ignorant of what is going on around us., a fine line to walk, indeedy!
__________________ You can tell more about people
by what they say about others...than by what others
say about them.
As I read Sis. Barbs excellent post, I thought of this passage. May our "body-living' minds" grow as small as a hickor'nut. And may our "spirit minds" grow as big as the tree from which the nut came.
"Gramma said everybody has two minds. One of the minds has to do with the necessaries for body living. You had to use it to figure how to get shelter and eating and such like for the body. She said you had to use it to mate and have young'uns and such. She said we had to have that mind so we could carry on. But she said we had another mind that had nothing atall to do with such. She said that was your spirit mind.
Gramma said if you used the body-mind to think greedy or mean; if you was always cuttin' at folks with it and figuring how to material profit off'n it...then you would shrink up your spirit mind to a size no bigger'n a hickor'nut.
Gramma said that when your body died, the body-living mind died with it, and if'n that's the way you had thought all your life there you was, stuck with a hickor'nut spirit, as the spirit mind was all that lived when everything else died. Then, Gramma said, when you was born back- as you was bound to be-then, there you was, born with a hickro'nut spirit mind that had practical no understanding of anything.
Then, it might shrink up to the size of a pea and could disappear, if your body-living mind took over complete.
....
Gramma said that the spirit mind was like any other muscle. If you used it it got bigger and stronger. She said the only way it could get that way was using it to understand, but you couldn't open the door to it until you quit being greedy and such with your body mind. Then understanding commenced to take up, and the more you tried to understand, the bigger it got."
-The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter
__________________
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him...." -Psa. 37:7
Waiting for the Lord is easy... Waiting patiently? Not so much.
Barb, this is such a wonderful thought. I find that a lot of problems we deal with, (not all but many) are caused by our looking around and dwelling on the "stuff"...
Looking at the "stuff" and other people has got to be one of the hardest things on a persons faith.
When Peter took his eyes off of the Lord he wasn't looking at the pure, and the good report, but he looked at the strong waves and the impossible situations... and we know what happened to him.
But it's not the end all when we start to sink... we just have to re-adjust our focus.
Thank you Barb for this reminder today!
Absolutely, sis...over and over the Word admonishes us about our mind and how we are to think.
Hybrid Mode
