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Philippians 4:8

Finally, Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble (honest), whatever is right (just), whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable (of good report) - if anything is excellent (virtuous) or praiseworthy - think about such things.

(the words in parenthesis are from the KJV)

TRUE

We are told to seek the truth. What is the truth? Jesus is the truth. The Spirit is the truth. How do we know something's true? We investigate it thoroughly and our conscience, (in the Holy Spirit), confirms that it is true.

"The church of the living God is the pillar and foundation of the Truth," I Tim 3:15. But, there are so many churches and they disagree. What's the "church of the living God?" There is a church, not a physical building, but a number of people who, "remain in me" (John 15), stay in the Spirit, who love God, and grow in their relationship with Him. People who believe that Jesus is the Christ and Son of God. They are the church. They are the body of Christ and that's what Paul was talking about in I Timothy. Jesus, and we as the body of Christ, is the foundation and the pillars, what supports and upholds the truth. We are the ones who seek God and through the Spirit and Word come to know what truth is.

The Holy Spirit is even called the Spirit of Truth. We'll know that He is in people and working in them if they listen to us (assuming that we're speaking in the Spirit).

So what does the Bible say is true? Well, everything in the Bible is true, so I just took note of the things that actually blatantly say they are true.

Here's a whole list of things that are true, some of which have a counterfeit:

true men

true words

true God

true laws

true judgments

true commands

true justice

true instruction

true riches

true light

true worshippers

true Bread

true vine

true gospel

true righteousness

true holiness

true tabernacle

true heart

true grace

true Anointing

true Jesus

true ways of God

Book of truth

City of truth

Spirit of truth

Some of these are obvious, like true words. We all know what false words are, but what about true men? Exodus 18 describes them as men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain. So what does that make false men? Men who don't fear God, who aren't trustworthy and who cheat.

There is the true God, and there are false gods, demons who try to make us treat them like God, and who often succeed. There are true laws, and then there are false laws, like the ones the Pharisees made up about not walking too far on the Sabbath because they were afraid that people might break the "rest on the Sabbath" true law. There are true judgments, and there are false judgments. The false ones convict the innocent and let the guilty go free. Sometimes God commands us to do things, sometimes other spirits or other people command us to do things that aren't from God.

The true riches are not of this world. They are invisible. The false riches are the money and items and status that this world values. Basically if the world considers it valuable, it isn't. True light. Satan presents himself as an angel of light. He pretends to be of God, he pretends to be holy. This is why we must beware of false doctrine. He doesn't come dressed up like Kiss, he comes dressed like a preacher, telling us that what he says is true and that it's from God. That's what the word means when it says he's the Father of lies. Convincing us that he's not Satan would be the best trick he could pull on us, but the Word says, "be obedient in everything....forgive....in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes" II Cor 2:10&11. That's big.

There are true worshippers, who worship in spirit and in truth, there's the true Bread (Jesus) and the false Bread which could be anything else that may try to satisfy us spiritually. Jesus is the true vine, we'll only grow spiritually if we're connected to Him. The true gospel is what Christ preached, and who He was. There are false gospels out there, presented by those false lights.

There is the true righteousness and holiness of Christ in us. We know that our own righteousness is false, it's just like filthy rags. We can't make ourselves be righteous! There is a true tabernacle, this is what I was talking about as the true church, we are the tabernacle of God. It's not a building, it's His people. The true heart is one that has a clear conscience, it is pure and clean, you can look directly into it because there is nothing to hide. True grace is the grace that God gives us, even the worst of us, because He loves us.

The true Anointing is interesting. This is the anointing that God gives us. If we have it we don't need anyone to teach us because the Holy Spirit is our teacher. Here again, in I John 2:27 we are reminded again to stay in Him. "Him" is the Anointing, the Holy Spirit, God's presence.

The ways of God are true. They're like the heart, they're clean with no evil agenda, but pure and clear and true. This brings me to the Book of truth, what's written in it is truth. Maybe all truth. But then, Jesus is the Word of Life. Finally, the City of truth is what Jerusalem is referred to when God returns to Zion and dwells in Jerusalem. This may be in the end when Jesus makes the new heaven and the new earth and there's a new Jerusalem. I really don't know, but it's intriguing.

There are other specific things that the Bible says are true, things people said and did, and what happened to them. Lots of Daniel's visions were specifically noted as true, and lots of stuff Jesus said and did was noted as true too.

Here's a few examples:

In Ps 132 "The Lord swore an oath to David, a true oath that he will not revoke: One of your own descendants I will place on your throne - if your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever." This is referring to Jesus!

Jesus is the Son of God.

Jesus' teaching about the way of God is true.

There is one God and there is none other but He.

No prophet is accepted in his home town. (this is important to realize, if you're running

into lots of resistance to the prophecy God gives you.)

One sows and another reaps (spiritually speaking, like in witnessing to people and seeing

them come to God)

Everyone who sins is a slave to sin....if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

It is good for you that I (Jesus) go away, unless I go away the Counselor will not come to

you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Paul's testimony is true.

There are religious false teachers.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. (this is not talking about

loving the world like you want to go get people saved, it's like you love the world,

the system, the fun and games, and the way of life.)

The rider of the white horse is called Faithful and True.

I am making everything new! -Jesus

Behold, I am coming soon! -Jesus

NOBLE

Now, on to noble. There isn't nearly so much written about being noble. Some people were referred to as noble, but only the Bereans came with a reason why they were called noble. They were of more noble character than the Thessalonians (that's what it says! Acts 17:11), for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. This should be an admonition to us. We are to do likewise so that we won't be deceived or confused.

Noble people hear the word and keep it and bring forth fruit with patience. They are full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, and they speak honestly.

RIGHT

What's right? We live in a very relativistic society. Right-ness isn't really popular, unless you're arguing with someone. There seems to be quite a clear line between what people think is right and what God thinks is right. (God's right, of course). There are many mentions to people doing what was right in their own eyes. These are all preludes to disaster. There is also "it seemed right to all the people" I Chr 13:4, which reminds me of the wide road and the narrow road. I figure, if it seems right to all the people, it probably isn't. Then there's the people who did right in the eyes of the Lord. That's the right that I want to do. It's important that your heart is right and that you're in your right mind. Thinking clearly, listening to God in your conscience. This is the only way that you'll be able to do what is right, according to God's idea of right.

Some of the things that are specifically noted as right are:

to obey His law that He commands

you

to shed blood in atonement (Jesus'

blood was the last needed)

to do all He instructs you

to assemble with the righteous

to give generously

to rejoice in the Lord

to praise Him

to nourish people with your words

to not trust in riches

to care for the needs of your animal

to hate what is false

to weigh your answers in your heart

to pray

to run to the name of the Lord

to be bold as a lion

to care about justice for the poor

to keep faith

The gold and oil refers to being clean and clear, like the heart that is true. It also speaks of them being purified for being presented to God. Whatever we offer God must be pure. And it is His purity that we rely on. Just like being righteous, we don't have it in us. We must rely on His grace to provide it for us. God is pure and what He says is pure. When we fear the Lord, it's a pure fear, it's not fear like being afraid while we watch a horror movie, it's like being afraid of the edge of the grand canyon. We fear God because we understand how big He is.

The pure water is clean water, but it's also the water of life that Jesus gives us. The pure river is that river of the water of life. Pure wisdom is the wisdom that God gives us through Himself. It's not just collecting information or knowledge, it's the wisdom that God's Anointing gives us through the Spirit. Pure minds. This one is difficult for our generation. We worship so many things in our minds. We think about so many things that we shouldn't. We condemn, criticize, make fun of, lust, and despair. The word says to take every thought into captivity to make it obedient to Christ. (II Cor 10:5). This is necessary to have a pure mind.

Not much at all is said using the word lovely. In II Sam 1:23 Saul and Jonathon are said to be lovely and pleasant. And In Song of Solomon 5:16 the girl is saying about her lover (God) "His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my lover, this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." Very cool. But then in Ez 33:32 Ezekiel says that when people don't act on the prophecies that God gives him. He says it's like people who come to hear a good singer, good songs, talented playing, but they don't do what He says. It's like he's putting on a lovely show for them, but they don't get it. I think lovely is mainly up to our own interpretation of what we deem lovely or not, but at least we know that God is lovely.

The same brevity goes for admirable. There were a few people who were called admirable, but only a few that really gave me any definition of what it is to be admirable. Solomon's works and wisdom were admirable. One who is full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom is admirable, and it is admirable to have faith.

Excellent just means that it is better than other things. It surpasses the others in it's category. For example; God's sword is excellent. That means that it's the toughest, best, sharpest, greatest, most accurate sword ever. It's also wonderful because the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Our Bibles are God's sword. The words that He speaks to us are God's sword. We are very well equipped to fight the enemy.

So that just about sums is up. God's the best! Everything about Him is the best! Even His people! Crazy!! There is also a description of an excellent woman in Pr 31:29. There is the excellent wisdom of the writer of Proverbs (Pr 17:7). Abel's sacrifice was more excellent than Cain's, and Daniel had an excellent spirit and wisdom. We are to excel. We are called to be those saints of God that are excellent. We are called to be women of God that are excellent (well, those of us who are women are).

Alright, this is the last bit. What is it to be praiseworthy? Those who do right are praiseworthy. (I Pet 2:14). A noble wife is praiseworthy. In Proverbs 31:28 it says why that woman was praiseworthy. It's because she was excellent and everything else they mention in that chapter. Of course, the Lord is praiseworthy. Judah was even praiseworthy (at least for part of the time).

So there you have it. I hope this encourages you and admonishes you to think on these things. Remember, Take every thought into captivity to make it obedient to Christ. This is what He said. This is what we are to obey. Think on these things.