Practicing a Heavenly Perspective

We'll be continuing this morning in the letter of Paul to the Philippians in chapter 4 and this morning's

Passage is chapter 4 verses 8 and 9 Practicing a heavenly perspective

Practicing a heavenly perspective Philippians is often called the epistle of Christian joy

Although that is true. I think we could go beyond that. I think that that Really name is wrong or that label is probably too broad to talk about this letter

The overarching theme of this letter is the pursuit of Christ likeness in light of the return of Christ The tone is joyful.

The theme is pursuing Christ There are two perspectives in life earthly versus heavenly and Let's read for the sake of context.

We'll go back a little bit So our verses are chapter 4 8 and 9, but let's start back in chapter 3 earthly versus Heavenly chapter 3 look at verse 17.

We'll pick it up there Paul writes brothers join in following my example and look for those who walk according to the pattern you have in us for many walk of whom

I often told you and now tell you even crying as enemies of the cross of Christ Whose end is destruction whose

God is their stomach and glory is in their shame who set their thoughts on earthly things for our

Citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for a

Savior the Lord Jesus Christ Who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of his glory

By his working through which he is able to even subject all things to himself

Therefore my brothers loved and longed for my joy and crown in this way stand firm in the

Lord my beloved I Urge you odia and I urge Syntyche to think the same way in the

Lord Indeed I ask you also Genuine companion help these women who have contended together alongside of me in the gospel

With also Clement and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life

Rejoice in the Lord always again. I will say rejoice Let your considerate spirit be known to all men.

The Lord is near Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving Let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all

Comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus verse 8

Finally brothers Whatever is true. Whatever is dignified.

Whatever is right Whatever is pure whatever is lovely Whatever is commendable if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise

Consider these things the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me

Practice these things and the God of peace will be with you earthly versus heavenly

You know, we can think of maybe an illustration that's simple like the glass half -empty There are different perspectives, right?

You could look at that glass and say it's half empty or you could look at the same glass and say it's half

Full of water, but this goes beyond just a perspective Right.

It doesn't matter really about the glass or how much liquid is inside of it We can have a negative or positive attitude in life

But this kind of perspective is earthly versus heavenly and it transcends the objective reality

We see around us It's not about whether how much water is in that cup

It's about the one who made the minerals that make the glass Who who created the water who created the desk that the cup is on even thinking about going beyond just Circumstances, that's the perspective

Paul uses this negative positive contrast really throughout this whole letter the contrast of earthly versus heavenly flows throughout

Essentially the entire writing. Let's look at this just real quickly. We'll look at a few examples here.

We turn this on earthly versus Heavenly. Well, let's see if we can trace this through the letter without rereading all of these passages

Just look at chapter 1 verses 15 through 17 Earthly versus heavenly those with a pure motive of love versus those with a motive of selfish ambition even chapter 1 verses 27 and 28 living together for the faith versus those who oppose the faith

Earthly versus heavenly we can see in chapter 2 this theme goes all the way through verses 1 through 3 having affection sympathy and humility

Versus those with conceited and selfish ambition who only look out for their own interests

Look at verses 12 through 14 those who have a fearful reverence of God Versus those who grumble and complain against God earthly versus heavenly in Chapter 2 verses 23 through 20 or 20 through 22, excuse me being genuinely concerned for others

Versus those who only seek their own interest earthly versus heavenly a couple examples in chapter 3

Chapter 3 verses 2 and 3 those who think they're justified by works versus those who are justified by God alone and then finally from our passage this morning in the context chapter 3 verses 18 through 21 professing

Christians who revel in worldly liberties and don't pursue godliness

Versus true believers who pursue Christ likeness and demonstrating godliness earthly versus Heavenly, there are really only those two perspectives in life

And what you believe is going to determine how you live your life. What are you thinking about?

Well, what you're thinking about is what you're talking about what you're talking about is what you're doing So this perspective is important because it has to do with how you live

How do you live your life? There are two perspectives in life earthly versus heavenly practicing a heavenly perspective as We've seen from Paul's Contrast right in his logical flow of thought

What you believe affects how you live your perspective determines your reality

Your perspective determines how you live your perspective

Determines how you deal with adversity Right. We all go through storms or trials

Paul was in the middle of one yet. He had joy Joy is not possible without a heavenly perspective

And that is what God's Word has for us this morning Philippians was written by the

Apostle Paul to the believers in Philippi to communicate his thanksgiving and Rejoicing in their partnership in the gospel and to exhort them to walk in unity and Christ -likeness

As well as to remain loyal to the gospel while defending it against opponents of the faith

And Paul closed his letter with a final exhortation to the

Philippians to live in Unity to be joyful in their circumstances and to continue in prayer in all things in the passage today

The Apostle gives two life -changing commands for Christian living so that you may know how to focus your thoughts on heavenly things and practice godliness in your life to life -changing commands for Christian living number one heavenly thinking

Heavenly thinking in verse 8 and number 2 holy living verse 9 2 life -changing commands for Christian living number 1 heavenly thinking verse 8

Finally brothers, whatever is true. Whatever is dignified. Whatever is right. Whatever is pure.

Whatever is lovely Whatever is commendable if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise consider these things

Paul is using very specific examples of what a heavenly worldview looks like Whatever things are true as in a matter of fact the quality or state of truth

This is more than objective truth about reality. This is divine truth

Let's think about the way the word truth is used in the scriptures. What is Paul talking about?

Whatever is true? This is divine truth truth number one in God Look at what

Paul writes in his two letters to Timothy God who desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth first Timothy God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth second

Timothy How about knowledge of the truth in Christ? knowledge of the truth in Christ in Christ you also when you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and believed in him were sealed with the promised

Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory

Ephesians 1 and Then again Paul same letter Ephesians 4 you have heard about him and were taught in him as the truth is in Jesus How about the promised

Holy Spirit according to the words of Jesus? When the spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all the truth

For he will not speak on his own authority But whatever he hears he will speak and he will declare to you the things that are to come

John 16 How about whatever is true is in God's Word?

Jesus said sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth

So Paul's explaining the things that believers ought to be putting their focus on What should we be putting our focus on?

Whatever is true He's not talking about worldly philosophy or Greek rhetoric

He's talking about the revealed mind of Christ from the Word of God, whatever is true whatever is dignified is

Having the qualities that merit recognition in a specified way. This is honorable according a great deal of respect

Especially because of wisdom character or holiness. It is the idea of being above reproach

The Greek concept for honorable is literally worthy of respect a worldly perspective is

Not worthy of respect Earthly attitudes should not mark the believer

Whatever things are right is the idea of what is necessary Legally or morally in view of certain requirements of justice to be just fair Equitable not from a human point of view in what is right.

This is divine righteousness He is saying to contemplate God's divine standard of holiness

Those without Christ are stuck in an endless cycle of doom and gloom Ultimately in their own destruction in the long run because they don't have this viewpoint

Whatever is pure is wholesome and untainted by immorality to be free from contamination or Dedicated or consecrated by God think of the concept of being morally clean and undefiled in living

Believers should be different than the world Instead putting their hope and their thought life in heavenly things whatever things are lovely is a

Godliness causing pleasure or delight. It's pleasing and agreeable Paul is directing the believer to be gracious to focus on kindness

Whatever is commendable is the idea of a good report or deserving praise?

Think of something highly regarded or respected our Thought life and focus must determine how we live

What Paul means by worthy of praise is virtue as in uncommon character excellence of character or exceptional civic virtue

Anything praiseworthy means to express warm approval or admiration of something

But he is talking about behavior Behavior or action showing moral quality or usefulness

When thinking about character it is the idea of being kind courteous respectful to others and Paul ends the list of heavenly things with a command to focus your thoughts on them

He says think about these things and the word Paul uses here to meditate or consider comes from a word whose root meaning is to determine by mathematical process to reckon or to calculate

Paul is telling you to process these things He uses specific language to communicate the idea to give careful thought to a matter

To think about it to consider it to ponder To let the mind dwell on these heavenly things

We put what we put into our minds determines what comes out in our words and actions and Paul is telling you to reprogram

Reprogram your mind Reprogram your mind with thoughts that are true honest just pure lovely of good report virtuous praiseworthy is

Your mind ever filled with impure or unrighteous thoughts I should see everybody's arm going up.

Don't hurt your your shoulder when that arm shoots up That's a rhetorical question. Of course.

The answer is yes This passage teaches us to examine what we are putting into our minds

And that might be through television through books movies even magazines. I Was gonna say newspaper, but they probably don't make those too much anymore

You know for for us in our contemporary time an improper use of the

Internet Instead replace harmful input with wholesome material

Most importantly read God's Word and pray

Ask God to help you focus your mind Help God to help you focus your mind on what is good on what is good and pure And I'm not saying that it's easy it isn't easy this this is not easy it takes effort

Paul says to be intentional about it think on these things

It takes practice, but it can be done You know if you're struggling in this area when is the last time you help you you ask

God to simply help you God will you help me today? Have you asked for God to help focus your thoughts

But we need to make a point here that the truth that you know Paul starts off with here in verse 8 it isn't secular philosophy

This is not worldly wisdom This is not the wisdom of the of the kings of the day or the elite people that rule society

No, this is the truth According to the word not according to the world the truth according to the word

Right God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth in Christ You heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation

As in the truth is in Jesus The Holy Spirit of truth has come and he will guide you into all the truth

And he will declare to you the things that are to come Remember Jesus is prayer for you

Right we looked at it. Jesus said sanctify them in the truth your word is truth

So we need to make that that is an important point we have to make This is the truth according to the

Word of God Not philosophy or the wisdom of the age to life -changing commands for Christian living number one

Heavenly thinking so that you may know how to focus your thoughts and number two.

Holy living verse 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me

Practice these things and the God of peace will be with you

Paul is making it clear that the things that God's Word teaches are what we should practice

When he's talking about what the Philippians have learned He is saying that they have gained knowledge or they have gained skill by instruction from God's Word Which he taught them

Paul is reminding the believers in Philippi of the things they learned from him and to practice that in their own lives to Practice them in their own lives what they had received from him was a fact of life the word to receive

Implies agreement or approval in regard to his teaching and preaching

So Paul has given them a real tangible Example of Christian conduct.

This is one they can they can look at they can see this they can grab it They can they can do this

Thinking determines belief and belief determines behavior Paul ends this reminder with a command to practice what he has taught

He is saying for them to bring about or to accomplish in their own lives

What he has shown them from his teaching and preaching of the gospel through activity

It is the idea of doing or accomplishing his teaching in their day -to -day lives

And this is a command given with a promise. The peace of God is promised again.

Paul repeats himself from verse 7 This is not a human peace

This is a state of well -being Perfect harmony in mind body and spirit it defies human understanding.

This is not human peace This is God peace. It is a profound inner contentment and spiritual calmness and Joy, that is divine and cannot be shaken by earthly circumstances.

This is not temporal. This is a real lasting happiness and inner contentment

Remember this teaching the most important perspective Today is what you think about Jesus, right?

What do you think or believe about Jesus? What is your perspective about Jesus and we can even ask the question like this.

What is your Jesus perspective? For God so loved the world that he gave his only son

That whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life

For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world But in order that the world might be saved through him

Whoever believes in him is not condemned But whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only

Son of God And this is the judgment that Light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light lest his work should be exposed

But whoever does what is true comes to the light So that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God John 3

An important passage here Say well that you can't just read that every time preacher and say that's the gospel.

Yes, I can Because that is the gospel. This is what the truth is.

We need to hold fast to the truth and For this connection here. It's kind of cool in verse 21 of This section we see another word for doing or practice to do or practice again

It's now remember verse 9 from our passage Paul said to do to practice to be engaged in and that's what

Jesus is saying at the end of this section in John 3 21 Jesus is literally saying to do or to carry out

Christian doctrine to execute or to perform the truth

See what you think determines what you practice and most importantly what you think or what you believe about Jesus Determines what will happen to you when you die

What will happen to you in the afterlife? This is so important He says the things you've learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things and the

God of peace will be with you Spend time every day in God's Word You know start your day with a morning devotion and a quiet time with the

Lord Listen to Paul's message here the things you have learned do the things you have learned practice

You know and even a morning devotion time with some with the word is is spending some time with the

Lord communing with him being in prayer with him a healthy prayer life is critical to godly living and Oftentimes the amount of time we're spending reading the scriptures

Correlates directly to how much time we're talking to God How much time you're reading the Bible will match up with how much time you're talking to God?

Read your Bible every day Make a reading plan give yourself a goal and stick to it

Don't have time too busy. I Mean, you know, that isn't true You know it you know, that's not true

No one's too busy to have a quiet time with the Lord and read the Bible. This has to be an important Intentional part of your day that's planned.

We all have phones and apps use your reminder app There's so many things that we have as resources

Make time This is the most important thing you can do every day

Read your Bible and cut other things out if necessary Just ask yourself.

How much time are you spending? Watching streaming shows on TV or the cable

Versus reading your Bible say well, I've read my Bible today. I've got my time in I'm so pleased that you spent 20 minutes today reading your

Bible and you spent eight hours watching reruns on Netflix Whatever your show is

You should ask yourself. Am I even spending even close to the right amount of time?

Am I even reading my Bible every day be real with yourself? But don't be hard on yourself.

There is now no condemnation in Christ start today start today

Read your Bible pray to God with all your concerns and requests leave nothing out read your

Bible if you do this consistently you will start to grow in your understanding of God's Word as The Holy Spirit begins to increase your understanding of the

Word. He will also increase your conviction That the Word is true an ever -increasing conviction that the

Word of God is the truth the the ministry of the Holy Spirit and Wow, what a ministry it is

When in the inner part of your soul and your inner being you read something from the Bible and you know that that's the truth

You can run through a brick wall when the Holy Spirit allows that understanding to happen

He always pairs it up with the conviction that it's true. It's not just theological acumen

No, this is real. I have to live my life according to what this says because why why would you need to do that?

Because it's true. It's the truth You know and this is a really important part of our daily walk as Christians what we're doing with our free time and You know as there's one finger out there.

There's three back at me. I need to say we and us here This is something that we all struggle with You know if you're not reading your

Bible every day and taking every thought to the Lord in prayer you are fooling yourself if you think you're going to miraculous

Miraculously start living a life marked by holiness or godliness on your own forget it

Forget about it only through the power of the Holy Spirit and His weapon of choice will that happen and the weapon of choice for the

Holy Spirit is the Bible The Holy Spirit's weapon is the Bible the sword of truth

So wield the sword and read your Bible. I Mean to try to have some kind of you're gonna start living a life marked by godliness on your own

Without the Word of God without the Holy Spirit He says the things you have heard in me the things you have seen in me

Do them practice these things? This is not some kind of a far -reaching unreachable esoteric weird abstract

No, this is something that's real that we can reach out and grab on to we can hold on to this we can live our life by this

Because if you try to live your life without without the Bible without the Word of God You're like a soldier going to war without a rifle

It's like you're out there. It's World War three and you're in your your shorts and sandals

Get armed get equipped get ready for battle Right. You're a soldier going to war without his rifle

If you think you're gonna automatically start living a certain way without God's Word This is what we have to remember.

This is what we have to live by two life -changing commands for Christian living number one

Heavenly thinking so that you may know how to focus your thoughts and number two

Holy living so that you can pursue godliness in your life

The context of Paul's argument and really his logical flow of thought here

Starts earlier in this letter Paul is making his point with a negative positive contrast.

So it's kind of think about our illustration this morning a Negative and positive and that he uses these contrasts throughout the letter and he's building this case

So first he gives the negative Here's the first the negative contrast earthly mindsets and unbelief

Right we saw this in chapter 3 brothers join in Following my example and look for those who walk according to the pattern you have in us for many walk of whom

I have often told you and now tell you even crying as enemies of the cross of crop of the cross of Christ Whose end is destruction whose

God is their stomach and glory is in their shame who set their thoughts on earthly things

For our citizenship is in heaven from which also we eagerly wait for a

Savior the Lord Jesus Christ who will Transform the body of our humble state into the conformity with the body of his glory

By his working through which he is able to even subject all things to himself

So this is this is more than destruction or waste This is the idea of annihilation

Annihilation complete obliteration and total defeat earthly mindsets and unbelief

Glory can mean fame recognition renown honor or even prestige The ones who have their minds set on earthly things are

Renowned or recognized for their disgrace or shame they are famous for their painful feeling of humiliation or Distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior

This is the result of earthly thinking earthly or worldly thinking with the implication of personal gratification earthly mindsets and unbelief now he's going to give the positive a

Heavenly perspective that only comes from belief in the Christ Jesus heavenly thinking and holy living

Finally brothers, whatever is true. Whatever is dignified. Whatever is right. Whatever is pure.

Whatever is lovely Whatever is commendable if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise

Consider these things the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me

Practice these things and the God of peace will be with you what a person thinks determines what they believe a

Correct perspective is the difference between life and death

The most important perspective in context of Paul's writing is the return of Christ Everything Paul writes about must be placed under that view from beginning to end

Paul has the return of the Lord in mind Paul has eternal things in mind look at just some of the references here

Philippians 1 10 for the day of Christ Philippians 2 10 and 11 at the name of Jesus Philippians 2 16 in the day of Christ Philippians 3 14 the goal for the prize

Paul has eternal things in mind Everything he's doing all of the the contrasting he's using this earthly versus heavenly perspective the negative positive contrast

Everything in the letter falls under this Really the the overarching theme the return of Jesus the return of Christ Paul has eternal things in mind to life -changing commands heavenly thinking so that you may know how to focus your thoughts and Holy living so that you can pursue godliness in your life

Paul's thinking is saturated with the reality of the return of Christ and the future glory

Right the body of his glory. This is a heavenly perspective

The most important perspective is is really what what do you think about Jesus?

Who is Jesus to you? Right? What do you think or believe about? Jesus Whoever believes in the

Son has eternal life Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him

John 3 a little bit later. You thought I was done with John 3. We're just getting started and we're gonna do

John 3 next week I'm just kidding. I don't know if we're gonna do John 3 next week You know, what does a person think about Jesus?

What do you believe about Jesus? Because nothing else matters except that question and how you answer that question

Jesus is the source of a heavenly perspective You cannot change the way you think without Jesus and you cannot have a heavenly perspective without Jesus last week we looked at the

Antidote to the problem of anxiety as we looked at verses 4 through 7 of chapter 4

I just wanted to point this out the application of Philippians 4 4 through 7 are

The life -changing commands and this additional promise from verses 8 and 9

Two commands for everyday living so that you can know how to focus your thoughts on heavenly things and practice godliness in your life the commands of heavenly thinking and Holy living and the repeated promise of the peace of God in verses 8 and 9

The the promise of the peace of God in verse in verses 8 and 9 are where Paul lands the plane

Really like he's he's coming in on his his conclusion to what he's he's writing here

This is important. So he's he's said this this promise in In verses 4 through 7 and now he's gonna land the plane and say this is how you apply these verses

This is what you do with it essentially verses 8 and 9 are the application of those verses in verses 8 and 9

Paul explains that by focusing your thoughts and being

Intentional in pursuing holiness you can be free of anxiety There's a connection there

It's bring it all to the Lord Bring all your prayers all your petition with Thanksgiving bring them to the

Lord and the peace of God will be with you But then look at what he's saying Think about what is good.

What is true practice those things and the peace of God will be with you So 8 and 9 are simply the application of verses 4 and 7

Their life -changing commands and it again goes with the promise in verse 8

Paul is using very specific Examples of what this worldview looks like Right.

It's more than objective truth about reality. This is divine truth as in truth in God Knowledge of the truth in Christ the promised

Holy Spirit according to the words of Jesus Whatever is true is in God's Word So Paul is explaining the things that believers ought to be putting their focus on Right a worldly perspective is not from God earthly attitude should not mark the believer

Paul is saying to contemplate God's divine standard. Look at God's standard of holiness

Right. We don't want to be like unbelievers who are stuck in an endless cycle of doom and gloom Ultimately, it's their own destruction in the long run because they don't believe in Jesus Believers should be different from the world.

Our belief should match up. There should be something that's different about us Instead we should be putting our hope and our thought life in heavenly things not being distracted by the earthly realities

Paul is directing the believer to be gracious to focus on kindness our

Thought life and focus must determine how we live because Paul is talking about behavior

You know Paul ends the list of heavenly things with the command to focus your thoughts on them

He doesn't just list all of these things and then leave it there. He says these are the things that I want you to think about He's saying to process them and he uses very specific

Words here to I to express the idea to communicate to give careful thought to a matter to consider something right

We say don't dwell on that something bad happens to us. You need to let it go. Don't dwell on that Paul is saying

I want you to dwell on this You know park your car here plant your tent here

Don't move on Dwell on these things spend some time here thinking about this

Don't move on too quick from this What we put into our minds determines what comes out in our words and actions.

This is very important Paul is telling us to reprogram our thoughts to reprogram our thoughts and to focus on the things that are true

What do we know? Well what we know is true is from the Word of God Assurance and salvation the promise of a sin -free glorified body

That's what Paul wants them to think about verses 8 and 9

Teach you to examine what you are thinking about and what you are allowing into your mind what you are putting into your mind

Ask God to help you focus in this area and Paul says to be intentional about it reckon these things

Calculate these things he says to think on these things The command of heavenly thinking so that you may know how to focus your thoughts

In order to know how to focus your thoughts. You need to know what you're supposed to be thinking about Paul isn't just saying hey rethink something else.

He's saying this is what you need to think about. Whatever is true in Verse 9

Paul is making it clear that the things that God's Word Teaches are what we should practice

Thinking determines belief and belief determines behavior He is saying for them to accomplish this in their lives his activity

Accomplish the activity you've seen in me, which of course goes back to teaching and preaching of the gospel It's the idea of doing his teaching in their everyday lives

This is a command given with a promise again. This piece of God is promised again

Listen to Paul's message what you have learned do it what you have learned

Practice it pray to God with all your concerns and requests leave nothing out

The command of holy living so that you can practice Godliness in your life and notice there's a there's an order there

First you can control your thought life. Then you can control your life If you're if you're out of control with your thought life, you're out of control

Paul is saying focus your thought life and then you can focus on how you're living the command of holy living so that you can

Practice godliness in your life and the promise that the God of peace will never leave you nor forsake you

Seeking God through prayer is important to remind ourselves that God is sovereign

You're acknowledging God's sovereignty Every time you open your mouth to talk to him and when you're in the middle of a storm or a trial or adversity

You're demonstrating your faith by talking to your father Go to God seeking

God through prayer is important to remind ourselves that God is Sovereign he causes everything in the long run for the good of his people

Right, we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love

God and are called according to his purpose for them Romans 8 Another thing you can do is pray through the

Psalms Praying through the Psalms and dwelling on the glorious truths of God's strength and provision is important in battling anxiety and fear

Because God is a fortress of strength It is to him to which we should or to whom we should flee in times of trouble

Psalm 42, but each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me and through each night

I sing his songs praying to God who gives me life Ultimately our relationship with God and focusing on his love and not ourselves will remove worldly fear

Yet the fear of the Lord is wise Proverbs 1 fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline

Worldly fear is not wise But perfect love from God in terms of our love and trust in God casts out fear first John 4 such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear if We are afraid it is for fear of punishment and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love

Having the wrong attitude about life can lead a person down a spiral of destruction

Just your focus, what are you thinking about? What is your focus on today

Do you have an earthly perspective or do you have a heavenly perspective an earthly perspective leads down a

Heavenly perspective leads up because it forces you to look up a life focused on Jesus can enable you it can enable you to have a heavenly perspective and Change the way you live your life and how you deal with the storms of life

Have you experienced a trial in your life? I'm sure that's a yes for all of us.

Are you in a storm today? Well, what does a heavenly perspective tell you about it, what does

God's Word say, right? Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father, but through me Focus your thoughts on heavenly things and experience the peace of God Practice godliness in your life and enjoy the peace of God Entrust yourself to the

Father and you will have the peace of God Pray to the Father and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding

Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ The source of all good gifts is your heavenly

Father. Are you content today with what God has given you? God has given you the best gift

Imagina, I mean, it's beyond comprehension Just so we can stay in John 3 a little longer he gave his only begotten

Son You don't need anything else. You have everything you will ever need from God Are you grateful with what you have?

Because God has already given you the best gift you could ever have there is no greater gift than the forgiveness of Christ Are you constantly unhappy with life?

Are you unhappy with life? Are you unhappy with life and thinking about how you can get more out of life?

I want more. How can I get more an earthly pursuit and thinking Friends put your hope and your trust in Jesus put your hope and your trust in Jesus today

So that you can have joy and inner contentment that cannot be shaken So that you can correct wrong thinking and have a heavenly perspective

These commands from Paul end with the promise God's peace It is not possible to dwell on Worldly things while living an ungodly life and experience

God's peace the word of the Lord today is for your benefit that God's Word might fill your mind and Change your perspective and the way you live your life

The way you live your life. We should be living for God's glory for the benefit of others and your own benefit heavenly thinking with heavenly reminders

Remember God is for you not against you So, how do you think about God is your life marked by a heavenly?

Perspective if not that can change today it can change right now

God is good and he does good That is what

Paul is teaching us here in this passage. The Apostle Paul gives to life

Changing commands for Christian living so that you may know how to practice a heavenly perspective in your daily life heavenly thinking so that you may know how to focus your thoughts and Holy living so that you can pursue godliness in your life

Let me pray for you God we thank you for this day

We acknowledge that you are the creator Thank you God for the provision.

You have given us this day. Thank you for your mercy and grace Your move your mercies are new for us every day

Thank you for your grace and making us aware of our sin And our need for a

Savior We praise you father for the glorious gospel of grace and your son Thank you

Lord Jesus for glorifying yourself by redeeming us Thank you for the salvation that you have freely given to us

We don't deserve your favor, but you bestow your grace on us for your name's sake Father we ask you to encourage our hearts with the wonderful truths from your word

Help us to not get stuck in worldly thinking Help us to not feel fear and anxiety as we are going through intense times of difficulty or adversity

Father enable us through the power of the Holy Spirit to persevere in times of trouble and to not give in to feelings of despair and hopelessness

We ask that you enable us to focus our thoughts on the truth of our eternal salvation and your promises in the gospel

For future glory as co -heirs with our Lord and Savior Jesus. I Ask you to help us to think correctly about the struggles of this life to think biblically about our trials and the earthly circumstances of adversity to think with a right perspective about Our struggles with sin and the feelings of fear and anxiety that sometimes feel too strong for us

Father sometimes we feel far from you and we wrestle with earthly pleasures. We know the enemy is out to destroy us

Please protect us God from the devil and enable us to stay the course of our lives and our calling in the gospel

Please God have mercy on us and remind us that you have allowed men to write the truth of your goodness in the gospel to us who believe in the name of the

Son of God that we may know that we have eternal life and This is the confidence that we have toward you because of Jesus that if we ask anything according to your will you hear us?

for those in the middle of the storm this morning, I pray that through prayer a heavenly perspective and a pursuit of godliness you will lavish your peace upon them and Guard and protect their minds in Christ Jesus.

I pray for the peace of God We ask all these things in the name of our compassionate high priest and the