Think on these things...

Philippians
{4:6} Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
{4:7} And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

{4:8} 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.
{4:9} Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Think on what is...

True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
Good report
Virtue
Praise


truth (tr¡th) noun
plural truths (tr¡thz, tr¡ths)
1. Conformity to fact or actuality.
2. A statement proven to be or accepted as true.
3. Sincerity; integrity.
4. Fidelity to an original or a standard.
5. Reality; actuality.
6. Truth (tr¡th). Christian Science. God.

honest (òn´îst) adjective
1. Marked by or displaying integrity; upright: an honest lawyer.
2. Not deceptive or fraudulent; genuine: honest weight.
3. Equitable; fair: honest wages for an honest day's work.
4. a. Characterized by truth; not false: honest reporting. b. Sincere; frank: an honest critique.
5. a. Of good repute; respectable. b. Without affectation; plain: honest folk.
6. Virtuous; chaste.

just (jùst) adjective
1. Honorable and fair in one's dealings and actions: a just ruler. See synonyms at fair1.
2. Consistent with what is morally right; righteous: a just cause.
3. Properly due or merited: just deserts.
4. Law. Valid within the law; lawful: just claims.
5. Suitable or proper in nature; fitting: a just touch of solemnity.
6. Based on fact or sound reason; well-founded: a just appraisal.

pure (py¢r) adjective
purer, purest
1. Having a homogeneous or uniform composition; not mixed: pure oxygen.
2. Free from adulterants or impurities: pure chocolate.
3. Free of dirt, defilement, or pollution: "A memory without blot or contamination must be . . . an inexhaustible source of pure refreshment" (Charlotte Brontë).
4. Free of foreign elements.
5. Containing nothing inappropriate or extraneous: a pure literary style.
6. Complete; utter: pure folly.
7. Having no faults; sinless: "I felt pure and sweet as a new baby" (Sylvia Plath).
8. Chaste; virgin.
9. Of unmixed blood or ancestry.
10. Genetics. Produced by self-fertilization or continual inbreeding; homozygous: a pure line.
11. Music. Free from discordant qualities: pure tones.
12. Linguistics. Articulated with a single unchanging speech sound; monophthongal: a pure vowel.
13. Theoretical: pure science.
14. Philosophy. Free of empirical elements: pure reason.

lovely (lùv´lê) adjective
lovelier, loveliest
1. Full of love; loving.
2. Inspiring love or affection.
3. Having beauty that appeals to the emotions as well as to the eye. See synonyms at beautiful.
4. Enjoyable; delightful.

good report (noun)

repute: report, good report

repute

repute (rî-py¡t´) verb, transitive
reputed, reputing, reputes
1.To ascribe a particular fact or characteristic to.
2.To consider; suppose.

noun
1.Reputation.
2.A good reputation.

virtue (vûr´ch¡) noun
1. a. Moral excellence and righteousness; goodness. b. An example or kind of moral excellence: the virtue of patience.
2. Chastity, especially in a girl or woman.
3. A particularly efficacious, good, or beneficial quality; advantage: a plan with the virtue of being practical.
4. Effective force or power: believed in the virtue of prayer.
5. virtues. Theology. The fifth of the nine orders of angels.
6. Obsolete. Manly courage; valor.

praise (prâz) noun
1. Expression of approval, commendation, or admiration.
2. The extolling or exaltation of a deity, ruler, or hero.
3. Archaic. A reason for praise; merit.

verb, transitive
praised, praising, praises
1. To express warm approbation of, commendation for, or admiration for.
2. To extol or exalt; worship.

Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary

If we are to think on these things--

True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
Good report
Virtue
Praise

It stands to reason we are not to think on other things- their opposites perhaps.

Lies
Dishonesty
Unjust
Unpure
Unlovely
Bad report
Unvirtuous
Unpraiseworthy

Is it possible that when we do think on things that upset us, thoughts we know are at odds with the Word of God, that it is our duty to call upon Christ in prayer and to counter those thoughts with their opposite?

Think about it for a moment.

A thought slips into your mind about someone that isn't all that pleasant. You start thinking about how *they* think they're so much better than you, or you even start thinking that they're better and a seed of jealousy, of coveting start pricking at you. You know those thoughts are wrong, you recognize it's wrong, you ask for forgiveness and help to stop thinking that way but just looking at them, talking to them, the thoughts return. It's so easy to get caught in despair, so easy for the trap of Satan to rise up around us ensaring us in that old scenario of hopelessness. We have to be evil to think such things, there is no hope for us ever. Of course we know our hope lies in Christ and Christ alone and we should pray each and every time the thought sin arises in our lives. And because our Bibles tell us to, we need to think on good things. So we need to direct our thoughts to good things. Maybe we look at someone and think - if only I had their money, their skill, their appearance- as soon as we recognize the coveting nature of such thoughts we need to ask for forgiveness and clinging to Christ ask for help to think on things that aren't covetous. So instead of coveting their money, perhaps we need to counter it by asking ourselves would we covet their debt? Instead of coveting their skills we need to think on the fact that the only skill necessary for salvation is a contrite heart--

Ps. {51:17} The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

All the amazing skill any one can possess mean nothing if they're not used for the glory of God. And if it's coveting someone's skill who is glorifying God we have to realize that as long as we seek the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior and cling to Him we are doing all we need to do. We're not all going to have amazing skills, it's just not going to possible.

Eph. {4:11}
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers

While we might want and covet another's skill we have to be content within ourselves knowing that skill doesn't guarantee salvation, God will not just save those who have amazing skills.

Col. {4:10} But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the
last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were
also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. {4:11} Not that I
speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content. {4:12} I know both
how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where
and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be
hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. {4:13} I can do
all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Heb. 13:5} Let
your conversation be without covetousness; and be
content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

So when we start coveting no matter what it is we need to try and look at the big picture! Jesus.

A pretty voice, a pretty face, those things don't matter they are nice but they don't hold the promise of salvation, salvation does not lie within a pretty face or voice.

Eph. {2:8} For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {2:9} Not of works,
lest any man should boast. {2:10} For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.

The bigger picture demands we look from things temporal to things eternal. Think on those things, not temporary earthy things.

If you think you want to hurt someone, with the help of the Holy Spirit start thinking on helping someone instead.
If you think about anything you know in your heart is wrong, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts to whatever maybe good, think away from the evil to the good. And if the thoughts continue to plague you, increasing, keep praying and counteracting them with the instruction we find in God's Holy Word- think on...

Philippians
{4:6} Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
{4:7} And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

{4:8} 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.
{4:9} Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Think on what is...

True
Honest
Just
Pure
Lovely
Good report
Virtue
Praise


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and our Savior now and forever! In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.