The Outcome (1 of 2)

     Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
     Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9

Verse eight (underlined) shows us the outcome or the earmark of being in God’s presence and engaging in earnest effective prayer:  effective communion with God that produces a God-centered Praise WORTHY THOUGHT life. (4:8 underlined)

Then, because of engaging in effective earnest prayer and having your hear/mind guarded by the Prince of Peace you now have the ability and responsibility to FOCUS your thoughts on whatever is ...

  • True: true things are the opposite of lies or any words of the enemy that bring discouragement to the heart or any dishonest and unreliable thought that may produce anger, fear, or anxiety. (Eph. 4:15, 25).
  • Honorable or Noble: refers to something of high character or worthy of Pleasing God. It is the opposite anything that inflames the flesh. (1 Tim. 3:8, 11; Titus 2:2).

  • Right/Just: conformity to or in line with God’s standards and His word.
Paul does not begin by telling us to focus or thoughts.  Paul first tells us about effective earnest prayer.  Just like having a cart before a horse does not work, seeking in our own power to focus our thoughts first does not work.  We must first seek an effective earnest prayer life that will then give us a heart/mind guarded.  Only after we have sought an effective earnest prayer life may we genuinely focus our thoughts.
The Cart Before the Horse
by Emilio Labrador 08/06/2007

Are you seeking an effective earnest prayer life or have you put the cart before the horse?

--Michael Walker, Zine Smith

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