Finally

“Finally, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.” Philippians 4

The end of the year brings with it a sense of finality. Even though, actually, Barry Manilow is right…it is really “Just another New Year’s Eve, another night like all the rest…”. Most of us take stock of the end of one season and the new possibilities that come with the next.

I spent the day with some children today. One was learning to play tic tac toe. The older sibling was the ‘teacher’, and the teacher was thumping the learner…every time.

The older grew bored and went on to the next thing.

The younger held back and said, “Mr. Richard, do you want to play tic tac toe with me?”

“No”, I replied, “but I will teach you how to play, and you will never lose again.”

“Really?” she asked, wide-eyed and hopeful that the thumpings were coming to an end.

“The main thing is…you have to go first. Whoever goes first wins the game.”

And I showed her how to play the game… and win.

Do you ever wish that you had the advantage of knowing the secrets of the game?

Paul, the person who wrote most of the New Testament, gives us the secrets to successfully maneuvering through this life.

Finally, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things (that are):

1. true
2. noble
3. reputable
4. authentic
5. compelling
6. gracious
7. the best, not the worst
8. the beautiful, not the ugly
9. things to praise, not things to curse

“As a person thinks in their heart, so they are.” Proverbs 23:7

A person can say one thing with their mouth, but reality is in the heart. When pressure comes, the truth of what is in your heart will come out.

So, what we think matters, because it is forming the basis of what we ARE.

Proverbs was written by Solomon, the wisest person that the world has ever known. He knew that if the thoughts of the heart were bad, eventually the action of the person would be bad.

We call this hypocrisy. The word “hypocrite” literally means “actor”.

When someone acts differently than their words, we call them “hypocrite.”

What do you think about most of time?

Base things, or beautiful things?

Common things or noble things?

Eventually, whatever we think will become what we believe in our heart, and then become how we act.

We have all heard of people who live seemingly great lives but, in the end, hypocrisy is exposed.

FINALLY, end this year receiving the gift of new thoughts. This is the secret to life.

Stop and practice right now.

Think of something true, noble, reputable and authentic.

FINALLY, change the way you think.

You have been prayed for today.