Take Note Podcast

With Thanksgiving

Philippians 4:4-8

• Our passage of the day makes some absolute statements
• Absolute statements we often find it difficult to digest
• The difficult statements begin early
• And while the passage is meant to and succeeds in encouraging us
• God gives us assignments and responsibilities in it

• We are to rejoice
• We are to demonstrate a reasonableness
• We are not to be filled with care for everything
• And to give thanks in all things
• Letting the peace of God rule in us

• He will enable us to do these things
• But God does it through truth, honesty, justice, the good, the virtuous, and the praiseworthy

• On a day when it might be more challenging
• Our passage of the day says we should do all things "With Thanksgiving"
• And that is our theme
• From Philippians 4:4-8

• We're approaching a very familiar passage today
• It is a passage we have discussed numerous times here
• The verses have a richness and a depth that will keep us coming back
• Let's read all five verses, then take a closer look at each...

Philippians 4:4-8

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

• We live in a culture and in a day that is deficient in many of the things mentioned here
• To begin with, rejoicing in the Lord
• Moderation or reasonableness
• Thanksgiving
• And peace that passes understanding
• But God provides victory for His children in these areas
• We'll talk about that...

Philippians 4:4

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

• Believers in Christ are to rejoice
• It tells us to rejoice in the Lord
• That word means to be glad – to be exceedingly glad
• Be glad in the Lord

• And in case we didn't hear
• Paul says again, be glad, rejoice in the Lord

• Gladness is in short supply
• And when many in the world rejoice
• We rejoice in ourselves, in other people, in experiences, or in things
• Instead, disciples are to rejoice in the Lord

• To embrace who He is to us
• To observe what He has done
• To walk with Him
• And to be glad for all of it
• On great days and hard days

• As the emphasis here is "always"
• That is the absolute statement
• There is never a time not to rejoice in Him

• There is more...

Philippians 4:5

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

• Moderation is a word we don't use often in this context
• It could also be translated reasonableness
• It is also translated patient or gentle in our King James Version
• It is to be equitable

• In everything we do
• Every day we live
• Before all people we encounter
• We should reveal a reasonableness
• One, no doubt, that is cultivated through time with the Savior
• Through time in His word
• Through concentration on good and right and true things

• Because, it says, the Lord is at hand
• The Lord is soon coming again
• What's more, He is currently present with us
• And our reasonableness helps reveal Him to those who are unaware
• His soon coming reminds us to show this moderation
• It is our responsibility

• You could call moderation and reasonableness a missing commodity in our society too
• We react without reason
• We act without moderation
• We show little equity in what we say or do
• This should not be the case with God's children

• But these are difficult days
• How should we approach them
• In this way...

Philippians 4:6

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

• Don't be troubled with care about anything
• Don't be anxious
• Instead
• In every thing
• Pray and ask with thanksgiving
• Let all of your requests be made known unto God

• This is truly rare – for all of us, it seems
• We let allow our gaze to remain on circumstances
• We begin filling with anxiety about them
• And we sometimes fail in turning to God

• Even when we do, thanksgiving is not always on our lips
• We forget the things we should be thankful for
• Concentrating on the hardships
• Fixating on the pain

• Another absolute statement
• Every thing
• In everything, pray, ask, give thanks, and go to God

• Results can be seen when we take action in this way...

Philippians 4:7

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

• Peace that is beyond any peace that the world offers
• Peace that comes from God
• It is rightly called the peace of God
• Which is beyond human understanding
• Will keep our hearts and minds
• That which is in us, which is troubled
• Through Christ Jesus

• If anything we've mentioned today is in short supply
• Certainly peace is at the top of the list
• Even believers do things to forsake and turn from peace
• Peace they have been given, freely

• But those who turn to Him in everything
• Casting their cares upon Him
• Remain in peace
• Not wondering what we can do about our troubles
• Wondering what He will do

• Finally, as we live in these difficult days
• What should our minds be fixed on?
• The next verse provides a list...

Philippians 4:8

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

• There are six things to think upon in our final verse of the day

• First, things which are true
• We should mention first of the word of God, which is the truth
• These are things which are truthful
• Which are not false
• Which have no falseness in them
• Think on these things

• Second, things which are honest
• These are things which are venerable
• They are honorable
• Persons or deeds that command respect
• Think on these things

• Third, things which are just
• That which is righteous, virtuous
• Things which observe both divine and human laws
• Think on these things

• And Fourth, things which are pure
• Pure from carnality
• Free from any fault
• Clean
• Those things which are not polluted
• Think on these things

• Fifth, things which are lovely
• That is, they are acceptable and pleasing
• They represent true beauty
• Not the false beauty of the world
• Think on these things

• Sixth, things which are of good report
• That is, auspicious
• Favorable or promising
• Things that give promise of success
• Think on these things

• If there be any virtue
• If there be any praise

• Cast your gaze on these things
• Things that come from God
• Found in the word of God
• And in the people that follow after God

• Then, no matter the circumstances, we can live with thanksgiving
• We can continue looking to Him
• And we can have peace