psalm 27

Be of Good Cheer

Never Be Moderate in the Praise of God There are too many times when our praises of men and for man far exceeds our praises of God and for God. And why is this? What justification can we securely offer? Man, in his greatest feats of good, could never have accomplished them without God! We glory in the brilliance of men–the geniuses of our age. I am not an inspired man but I will say this in confidence before God and man. Greater is the righteous man whose intelligence is lost in the masses than the genius whose mental faculties shine as the noonday sun but whose unrighteousness shines as brightly. Are you gifted? Give praise to God! Are you bountiful in talents? Give praise to God! Are you wealthy because of business acuity? Give praise to the almighty for he gives the power to be rich! Are you poor this morning but thankful? Give praise to the Almighty! Is your health fair this morning? Give praise to God! You will note that I did not say–is your health perfect–but rather is your health fair. Can you get around? Can you do simple tasks? Can you walk? Can you make the bed? Can you drive to work? Can you feed yourself? Can you endure with your illnesses? Praise God!!! In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. I will say this before closing this morning’s thought. We marvel at the computer and the worldwide web. We marvel at satellite technology and the ability of man to communicate in seconds with anyone around the world. We are astounded to the point of almost counting such a thing as miraculous. But for all of its greatness, it is like a man walking along a great beach and stopping to stoop down in the sand to gather just one small grain. When he stands up and brings the grain of sand close to his eyes so he can better see it, he stops and thinks how insignificant this one grain of sand is to the entire beach. For miles he sees nothing but sand in both directions. He now sits down in the sand and thinks a thought. No one else is around. There is nothing about but several sea gulls flying over head. The thought is this. What I have in my hand is the sum total of man’s ability. What lies before me on this beach (regarding sand) and all the beaches and deserts in the world is God’s ability. He drops the grain of sand and glorifies God unceasingly.

The Narrow Gate

The Power of Righteous Prayer

The Helmet

August 13

August 12

Martin’s Morning Thoughts

August 9, 2014

Greater Mental Health

⁸ For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Philippians 4:8,9)

You are what you think! Your thoughts dominate your choices and the outcomes of those choices. Think about this for a moment. What you are presently, you have been becoming all along. Modify your thoughts to fit into Paul’s practical and spiritual format, and you will see a change that benefits you. Let us briefly look into those areas of verse eight.

• Whatever is true. God’s truth and all which flows from it. There is no pretense in God’s truth, no hypocrisy, and no failures.
• Honorable things. Those things which are carnally-based, frivolous, and offer no lasting value to the person ought to be avoided. There is no honor in them. We mus think on things that add value to the soul.
• Just things. We must do to others what we would have them do to us. We must be fair in all of our dealings. We must hate cheating, defrauding, and taking advantage of all men, just and unjust. Our dealings must be approved of God.
• Pure things. Clean thoughts should dominate our minds. Thoughts of covetousness and lust must be avoided like the plague. Deceitful thinking is impure. Defiled thinking is a destroyer of pure thoughts. Pure thoughts are the mothers of pure actions.
• Lovely thoughts. Winsome thinking is the kind that finds honor among good men. Thoughts which have a tendency to be peaceful and directed toward the good of mankind are lovable thoughts on a spiritual level.
• Virtuous thinking. To stand for what is right in the presence of what is wrong, to help the poor when all seem to abandon him, and to show forth spiritual excellence in an environment in which such excellence is a mere flicker of light is virtuous thinking.
• Praiseworthy thoughts. Would God praise your deeds? Would men praise your deeds? Would your family praise you? Are your thoughts the kind that gender praise or contempt? Hate contemptuous thoughts and love thoughts worthy of praise.
• Change your thinking and you will change your life!