Megan Evans, Women’s Ministry Director, LHBC
Philippians 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Our mind is an important battle ground area to protect daily. We live in a world that has an insatiable appetite for information. Our computers can search and click and post and share in a matter of seconds. Our mind can do the same. How can we stay focused on the things that matter? How can we protect our mind?
In Philippians 4:8 we are called to “fix our thoughts” on 8 things: what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable, things that are excellent and worthy of praise. These are 8 areas we can intentionally pray over our own thought life and the minds of dear dear brothers and sisters.
Incorporating scripture in prayer not only helps us pray with specificity, but also enables us to pray with the power of God’s own word. Additionally, memorizing this scripture allows us to store His Word in our heart and take it with us throughout our day. Because I struggle with memorization, I have found that using simple strategies taught back in grade school can be helpful for committing verses to memory.
Recently I used the following mnemonic to commit to pray Philippians 4:8 over myself and my family: “The Hungry Rabbit Picked Lettuce And Egg Plants” (Think of Peter Rabbit in the beloved children’s story by Beatrix Potter. He would have been wise to pass up McGregor’s garden). Tools like this help us recall God’s Word even when a Bible is not in reach. Make one up that works for you!
Daily routine is a great place for moments of intentional prayer. For example, I like to use the chore of laundry as another opportunity to pray in my day. The items I wash and dry call to mind the daily lives and activity of my family. Last week as I dumped out baskets of clothes to fold, my mind practiced recalling, “what were the 8 things I just read about?…I remember a rabbit…oh yeah, T-H-R-P-L-A-E-P.” Then as my hands began to fold the clothing, my heart began to fold in prayer. “Fix _____’s mind today on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. Remind him/her to be thankful for all things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
We don’t have to surrender our minds to the world and to our flesh. We can go to battle for the life and peace of the spiritual mind (Romans 8:6). Join me in prayer and ask God to protect our mind today.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father God, thank you for your Truth. Bring to mind any area that is taking my focus off of you. Let me not be easily swayed, instead fix my mind today on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. Remind me of what is excellent and all things worthy of praise, In Jesus Name, Amen
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.