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Yes! There Is Good News!

Bill Rollins has been publishing each week a column in the local Elk Horn, Iowa paper for the past several years.
Note the original publication date on each blog post

Yes! There is Good News!                               8,19,17

12/13/2020

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We have been looking at (what I have called) Paul’s remedy for sorrow and grief, found in his letter to the Philippians 4:4-7. In it, he tells us to rejoice. He tells us God is near. He tells us not to be anxious about anything. He tells us to pray and petition God with thanksgiving. And so now, He tells us what the results of these things will be! “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I was talking to a woman some time ago. Her life was not pleasant. She felt trapped in a horrible marriage. Her husband was a cheater and he was verbally abusive to her. She told me that when she felt she was at the end of her rope one evening, she dropped to her knees before God and told Him she didn’t want her life anymore, that He could have it and that she only wanted to serve Him. She related to me how at that moment she felt the greatest sense of peace envelope her. She knew that God was with her and had given her this peace – a peace that, as Paul expressed it, transcended all of her understanding. Her problems had not gone away but she now had God very near to her and she felt loved.

This story still brings a tear to my eye for I know some of the hurt and turmoil she had to endure.

But this story gives me hope. Hope for my times of trials and problems and hope for you in your times of grief and sorrow.

This God we serve, this God who cares for us and provides for us and protects us, will “guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Paul speaks no empty words here. His words are filled to the brim with “good news”. And yet, he does not stop here. He truly gives us the remedy for every problem, sin, grief, or sorrow we may encounter, in the very next verse. Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

Did you know that our minds are malleable? (Webster’s second definition: “capable of being changed, molded or trained; adaptable.) We all change our minds from time to time, so we know it is possible. But these eight terms Paul uses here; true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy will transform our minds in a Godly way. If we focus on these concepts and train our minds to muse upon “whatsoever is” true, noble, right etc, we will be godly people!

Do we need to change our minds? Do we need to transform them? In Paul’s letter to the Romans Paul uses an imperative to command us to do just this very thing. In Romans 12:2 he says, “Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.”

This society we live in strives to have us conformed to its pattern. Paul says no! God says no! We need godly minds. And that’s good news!
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    Author

    Bill Rollins resides in Elk Horn, IA, with his wife, Sally, and has pastored the Church of God of Omaha, NE for more than 35 years.

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  • Home
    • Spring Feast 2022
    • FOT 2018 >
      • Feast Schedule
      • Feast messages
  • Essays
    • Psalms of Ascent >
      • Psalm 120
      • Psalm 121
      • Psalm 122
      • Psalm 123
      • Psalm 124
      • Psalm 125
      • Psalm 126
      • Psalm 127
      • Psalm 128
      • Psalm 129
      • Psalm 130
    • Yes, There Is Good News!
    • Timely Comments - Blog
    • Christian Walk
    • Holy Days >
      • Passover >
        • children's lessons
      • Days of Unleavened Bread >
        • children's lessons
      • Pentecost >
        • children's lessons
      • Trumpets >
        • children's lessons
      • Atonement >
        • children's lessons
      • Feast of Tabernacles >
        • children's lessons
      • Eighth Day >
        • children's lessons
    • Holidays
  • Current Sabbath School
    • Sabbath School 2023
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  • Hebron
    • Hebron - 2014 >
      • April 2014 - Michael Deering's visit >
        • Photos from Michael
      • May 2014 - Tom Benzen's visit >
        • Gardening photos
      • July 2014 - Apples >
        • More Apple Photos
      • August 2014 - New orphans
      • September 2014 - Education >
        • September photos
      • October 2014 - Cyclone
      • December 2014
    • Hebron - 2015 >
      • January 2015
      • March 2015
      • April 2015 - Passover
      • October 2015 >
        • Ice Cream photos
    • Hebron - 2016 >
      • January 2016 photos
      • Passover 2016 >
        • Passover photos
      • Pentecost photos 2016
      • July 2016 - Evening Prayers
      • Apples - July 2016
      • Aug 2016
    • Hebron Building Project >
      • photos of building project
    • Hebron 2017 >
      • Pentecost 2017 photos
      • July 2017 lunch photos
      • Nursing/regular students
      • Lunchtime - Oct 2017
      • Feast of Tabernacles photos
      • October Thank You
      • Nursing Students
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2018 >
      • Passover 2018
      • Baby boy!!
      • Feast of Tabernacles 2018 >
        • Feast photos
    • Hebron 2021 >
      • Photos January 2021
      • February photos
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2022
  • Career Direct