Author: J Mike Wills

I am a man of faith, a published author, and retired professional pilot. I am a devoted husband of 40 years to my first and only wife.

My Latest Novel Is Published

Join Captain JJ Wyatt as he plunges into a new direction in his aviation journey in “The Next Waypoint”!

I am pleased to announce the publication of the second book in the JJ Wyatt series. “The Next Waypoint” is now available in Paperback and eBook formats and can be purchased from this site or from Amazon.

The Story

When seasoned pilot JJ Wyatt begins to sense that his career is drifting toward something bigger, he has no idea how quickly that “something” will arrive. In the second novel of the JJ Wyatt trilogy, JJ is approached by senior leadership from a powerful Charlotte-based aviation department—drawn by his rare ability to see problems clearly and solve them without drama. What begins as a conversation soon becomes an offer he can’t ignore: Director of Operations for a global fleet of seven business jets, overseeing 28 pilots and 14 Cabin Attendants, with the world itself—Europe, the Far East, and everywhere in between—now within reach.

But JJ has long been viewed as something of an airline management antagonist. Will that reputation be enough to derail his chances, or will he rise to the challenge and try to make a real difference? Spoiler alert: JJ takes the job—and quickly discovers why the company has been plagued by turmoil and high turnover.

Along the way, JJ faces a level of conflict he never imagined, both professionally and personally. As his story unfolds, he struggles with internal doubts, health concerns, personal relationships that refuse to stay simple, and the relentless demands of leadership.

Thankfully, there is always Waypoint Ranch to return to. About once a month, JJ retreats to his home base in Eagleville, Tennessee—his own version of nirvana, a place to restore his mind, body, and soul.

If you enjoy aviation novels filled with conflict, resolution, and fast-moving, easy-to-read chapters, you’ll want to join the many readers already discovering The Next Waypoint.

Want to know more? Sign up for my free newsletter to get insider info on upcoming books, what motivated me, and how I plan to grow the franchise!

Purchase on this website by clicking HERE.
Purchase directly on Amazon by clicking HERE.
Visit my Amazon Author page by clicking HERE.

A New Beginning

As I move into retirement, I’m excited to share the new beginnings that lie ahead.

Time has a way of playing havoc with your plans. One day you feel as if you could conquer the world, and the next day you’re wondering what else is out there you may want to do.

Such is the case with me of late. I had planned to continue flying professionally until May of 2026. But circumstances dictated that my date with retirement would begin September 23, 2025. It was time to move on to the next chapter.

My wife is a true team player, having supported and been an integral part of my career for forty years. Having flown for five charter companies, three airlines, and two corporate flight departments, while raising three kids, two grandkids, and a small parade of dogs and cats, we’ve finally made it through to the other side—trading the working life for retirement—and I couldn’t have done it without her.

A New Horizon Ahead

Looking through the windscreen ahead, I can see a new horizon taking shape. I will be writing more books, serving more outside the home, and, most importantly, I’ll be able to spend more time with my wife. It’s a journey I’m eager to begin.

To create a more streamlined and centralized experience for my visitors, I’ll start with a few minor updates to my media pages. Below is a quick overview of what you can expect. I hope to have the site completely refreshed by January 2026.

The Southern Pilot

I’m excited to share that “The Southern Pilot” will soon become the new home for my books and publishing projects. It’s more than just a name change — it’s a new chapter that ties everything I write and create under one brand.

A newsletter is also in the works! It’ll offer a behind-the-scenes look at what’s coming next — updates, sneak peeks, and a few personal notes along the way. I’ll post a link to the sign-up page soon.

There will be new ways to buy books, too. You’ll be able to choose from bundle options, single titles, or even pre-buy upcoming releases.

And for those who follow me on YouTube, that channel will be getting a refresh as well. The flying videos aren’t going anywhere, but the focus will shift more toward storytelling — where the heart of The Southern Pilot really lives.

jmikewills.com
(My Main Site)

My main website, jmikewills.com, will stay right where it is. Think of it as the central hub — the place where everything connects. From there, you’ll be able to find The Southern Pilot site, book links, updates, my Logbook Tales site, and anything else that comes along the way. There’s still plenty ahead, and I’m looking forward to sharing the journey with you.

As I take this next step, I want to thank you — my readers and supporters — for being part of the journey. You’ve shared your time and encouragement more times than I can count, and I’m very grateful for that, and I don’t take it lightly.

If you ever want to reach out, it’s still easy — just send me a note at mike@jmikewills.com. I read and reply to every message.

Here’s to new beginnings, and to the journey ahead.

My Flying Story

When people find out that I fly airplanes for a living, I usually get asked “Hey Mike, how’d you get started in flying?” Read on and I will be glad to share my flying story with you!

I’ll never forget back in 1978, I had just graduated High School and my parents had taken me on a cool graduation trip to the Virgin Islands. On that trip I got to enjoy a window seat on an Eastern Airlines B727. As we flew from Miami over the Caribbean Sea on towards the Virgin Islands, I wondered what it would be like to get to fly one of these jets someday! Later that summer, I was sitting around watching soap operas with my mom, when my dad came home for lunch and saw me. With a bit of a miffed tone in his voice he said; “Son, you need to get off of that couch, go to college or get a job and go to work, but you aren’t going to be sitting around here doing nothing”! What I often joke about is that my dad said “Get a fellowship, a scholarship or some kind of ship ’cause you’re getting the heck off of my ship”! So begins the next steps that actually led to my becoming a pilot: My dear ole dad telling me to get up and get going!

“Son, get a fellowship, a scholarship or some kind of ship, ’cause you’re getting the heck off of my ship!”

Larry M Wills – July 1978
(From the theme: “Things my dad never said, but meant”)

I had heard that the folks at the local airport were looking for someone to fuel their airplanes. So I – a 17 year old with no real skills or motivations – went over to the airport here in Greenville to interview for a job making $2.65 per hour for a whole 30 hours per week! As I entered a one room building looking for the line shack manager, I walked into what turned out to be the Flight School. I will admit, with a bit of embarrassment, that I did get pretty lost in the two room building at the GMU airport. I suppose I had a somewhat bewildered look on my face as a young man walks up and introduces himself to me as “Ted” and asks me if I’m here for the demo. “Sure” I said not having a clue as to what that meant, “let’s do the demo”. He grabbed a clipboard and keys and we walked out onto the ramp. As we walked up to an aircraft sitting tied down in its parking spot, I was thinking that he was going to show me some neat stuff about airplanes that I needed to know for my fueling job. “Hop on in Mike”, he said! “Is it was required to know how to fly this thing just to put fuel in it?” I asked. “You mean you’re not here for the demo flight?” “Nope,” I replied, “I’m here to interview for a gas pumpin’ job!” He looked at me kinda funny and said “Well, you’re going for a demo ride now!!”. So away we went for a quick ride around Paris Mountain and back. We took off and then he gave me the controls and let me fly it some! That fellow turned out to be my first CFI (Certified Flight Instructor). I thought it was such a cool thing to fly airplanes, so I asked Ted how I could learn to fly! We went back into the school and he introduced me to Ray. Ray was the flight school manager, and he told me that he was running a special introductory offer of only $275 that would provide enough training to prepare me for my first solo! I was hooked and asked him to sign me up for flying lessons!

I hurried over to may dad’s office told him all about it and he was not only surprised, but supported me and paid for that part of my training! He was very proud, and relieved, that I finally decided to do something with my life. Over the next couple of years, I had odd jobs that earned me enough money to pay for the training needed to get me through my entire flight school and graduate with my Private, Commercial, Instrument, Multi Engine and CFI-I Pilots’ Licenses. There was a few months along the way where my dad helped me with some cash, which ended up being a huge help. My dad made me earn it though, and I’m thankful that he did as it made me appreciate my new vocation that much more.

My first logbook! I started flying on July 14, 1978, 44 years ago this day

But what about the job interview? On my way back through the building I came across this fellow that had a mullet, a bushy mustache and a bit of a wild look in his eyes and he had been looking for me. “Are you here to interview for the line service job?” he asked. “Yes sir I am!” I replied. “Step on in to my office and let’s talk.” As I was sitting at the desk interviewing, he told me that he already hired my buddy Wayne because he was already 18 but that he’d keep my info on file. As I was leaving the shack, He told me that one day he was going to be a famous country music star and a champion aerobatics pilot and to be looking for him! He shook my hand and introduced himself, “I’m Aaron Tippin!” Pretty cool stuff!

It has been 44 years since that day and I have flown many types of aircraft from small single engine planes up to large transport category jets. I’m still good friends with Wayne and we actually worked together at the same airline for a couple of years. The privilege of flying these airplanes has been both fun and enriching to my life and career. Currently I am operating a King Air 350 turboprop for a charter / management company based out of GSP. If all goes well, I’ll end my career flying this and similar aircraft in the years to come. I’m not ready to call it quits just yet, but if I had to, I’d say that I have had a pretty good run! Well, that’s my story – I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please feel free to leave me a message!

REMEMBER OUR BLESSINGS

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
James 1:17 (ESV)

We all have had those days where stuff adds up and so convolutes the day that you just feel like the world is all on your shoulders. At that moment, the last thing that we often do is remember just how good we have it. We often forget how many awesome blessings that we have in our lives!

Let’s pause and ponder on the call to remember blessings that are found in scriptures like Ephesians 5:20 and Psalm 102:3. It is fascinating how we often overlook them, right?

I would like for us to consider reasons for the “Who, How and Why,” we often overlook the numerous wonderful blessings that God has given us! Once we reflect on that and gain a deeper understanding of our challenges, we can then shift our attention to scripture teachings about “Remembering Our Blessings!”

In this section of our chapter, we will focus on:

  • Who Causes Us to forget?
  • How Do We Forget?
  • Why do we forget?

Who Causes Us to Forget?
As mentioned earlier, the “Who” in this scenario is indeed the devil! We discussed how his aim is to disrupt our relationship with Christ, hinder our ability to be a witness, and impact our testimony to others. But why does he do it? Well, it’s because he knows he can’t claim our souls. We firmly believe that once we are saved, we are always saved. (John 10:27-29) Since the devil can’t snatch our salvation from Christ, his only option is to prevent us from having a close walk with Him. Additionally, he desires to hinder our ability to share the message of Christ and lead others to Him. Lastly, if he can divert our attention from Christ’s desires and distract us, we will inadvertently provide a negative testimony for Christ, which is his ultimate goal.

How Do We Forget?
So, what are the ways in which our adversary, the devil, distracts us and makes us forget about our many blessings? Personally, I believe that he uses various distractions in our everyday lives. This is why we started studying this chapter on distractions. Just think about it, if he can make you focus less on the goodness of God and instead worry about things like a driver who cuts you off on the road or a pile of bills that you’re unsure how to pay, then he has successfully diverted your attention away from God and onto your problems. This means that you’re not fully trusting Him! And let’s not forget about the other distractions as well.

Why Do We Forget?
One reason we often forget about the gracious blessing of our savior is because we become too self-centered. I strongly disagree with the old saying “If I don’t take care of me, then who will?” It’s a deceptive lie from the devil. All these distractions are rooted in our own egos and desires, diverting our affections away from what God truly desires for us. As mentioned in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” We must always be on the guard and ready to refute the devil and his demons! They are well aware of our weaknesses and how to exploit them. They know that if they can get us to focus on self-gratification, it becomes easier to distract us from our Savior. The best way to be on guard is to be in a state of submission to the Holy Spirit and as the attacks begin, remembering to refute the devil just as Christ did when He was tempted – by quoting scripture! James 4:7 is a perfect verse to make the enemy leave us. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”

Remembering Our Blessings

With an understanding of how we tend to forget our blessings, let’s focus on how we can remember our blessings. Christ’s desire is to always remember the source of our blessings and the reasons behind them. I have a suggestion or a “How To” idea that can assist us in getting started.

When I take a moment to contemplate all the things that God has graciously given me, it becomes evident just how abundantly blessed I am! Most importantly the gift of the Salvation He has freely given me is the greatest blessing I could ever have been given. Every time I jot down or contemplate blessings, I am continuously reminded of how amazing God is, and the more the list grows! Take a moment to pause and reflect on the countless blessings that God is bestowing upon you. Why not grab your notepad or a piece of paper and jot down a few things – maybe just one or two – where you feel God’s blessings in your life. I encourage you to set this book aside for now and focus on this task. Once you have completed it, you can return to where you left off in this chapter and contemplate the insights we have discussed.

Jot Down Your Blessings Separately and Then Return Here

As you started to reflect just now, were you amazed at the generosity of what He has done for you? I know that as I start to think about these things, I begin to realize that it is so much more than I at first thought! That’s the Holy Spirit talking to you directly, another blessing in itself! You can see now, just how many blessings we have and so many blessing in which to be grateful to God.

I would like to take this moment to talk about habits that I follow to prepare in remembering God’s blessings!

The first thing I do is to start by getting on my knees before God, thanking Him for each blessing and naming them one by one and asking for His protection.

Secondly, as anxiety and stress come upon my life and I see the events of the day starting to build up on me, that’s when I remember that God is in control. I ask God to immediately bring one thing to my mind that He has done, and I thank Him, praise Him and honor Him for that! You see by doing that, I have broken the routine of the attack on me and recognize it as an attack of the devil.

Thirdly, I share what has happened with a trusted believer, testifying how God has blessed me!

I encourage you, my friend, to share the story of how God rescued you to a trusted fellow believer. You can write it down and send it to them or share it with a phone call! I encourage to have a burden to find any means possible to share how God delivered you from the challenges caused by the devil’s attacks. Share how He granted you a vision to follow Christ, reminding yourself of what He has done for you, and as a result, you were able to firmly resist the devil. Remember to keep James 4:7 in mind, which I just shared with you! Claim it, Declare it, and Trust it!

Finally, in my personal life, whenever I encounter challenging situations or feel overwhelmed, I make it a point to express gratitude to God for even the smallest blessings. I often pray during these attacks; “God, all the glory belongs to you! The devil has been defeated, and I resist him in your name. I have faith that he will flee from me because the scriptures assure me so. Father, I surrender my life to you during this difficult time I’m facing.” And you know what? It always works! Do you want to know why it always works? It’s because God never fails us. He never abandons us. He is always by our side; we just need to trust Him. So, let’s express our gratitude, knowing that He has never forsaken us and never will. In fact, in Matthew 28:20, He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. As His children, we are truly blessed because He deeply cares for us.

As a reflection on remembering blessings, I often think on the old hymn 1“Count your many blessings”. I love the 2nd verse which reads:

“Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.”

The chorus sums up perfectly our proper response to remembering our blessings as commanded by Jesus:

“Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.”

1Author: Johnson Oatman, Jr (1897)
Music: “Blessings” by Edwin O Excell 1851 – 1921
Arranged by: Evelyn Simpson-Cureton 1953

Note: This blog post is from a book I am helping write titled: “How to live the commands of Jesus”. It is written primarily by Larry M Wills (my dad), and I’m helping him in some of the chapters. We hope to have it published this summer of 2024. I’ll post the information on my blog when it’s available. Mike W

It’s all in the wind!

We have seen over many years famous preachers, theologians, athletes, and celebrities pass on only to be remembered for a short time then forgotten. What will the epitaph on our gravestone read?

It was a smooth ride at 33,000’ a few years ago on a trip from Atlanta, Ga to Newport News, Va. I was scanning my instruments and noticed an unusual reading, my ground speed was 551 knots and my crosswind component (a heading to keep a direct course), was pointing 20 degrees off to my left. I looked and saw the wind readout from our computers was showing the wind blowing from a direction behind us at a speed of 205 knots. In case you are wondering, that is 236 mph! I guess in a physical sense I was “striving after wind”, trying to take advantage of and use the wind for my benefit. As I reflect on that day now some 10 years later, it reminds me of what King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:2, 6. “Vanity of vanities says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. … The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.” “All is vanity and striving after the wind.”

The strongest crosswind and winds aloft that I’ve ever seen in my career!

What is “Striving After WIND” ALL about?

Although many biblical scholars may differ in their interpretations to the meaning, there does seem to have a common agreement. That is one can have everything; Wisdom, Money, Possessions, Fame, Power and Control, but it means nothing at the end of this life. Our lives are literally just a vapor, meaning now you see it and then you don’t. When King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, he had the same sort of thoughts in his mind.

12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. (Eccl 1:12-15)

But as we read further, we get a bigger picture as to perhaps what his thinking was at the time. He was looking at himself and all that he had, and he realized it was worth nothing. It wasn’t until the end that he gains understanding realizing he was putting his hope in what he had done – not what God had given him. He begins to share all he has learned so the reader can learn from his mistakes. There are several verses in the subsequent chapters that talk about the fool and how he lives his life yet in the end he is in Sheol with nothing.

As I reflected in this moment, I realized that many of us have fallen prey to putting ourselves first. It’s a struggle we must confront and deal with daily, constantly reminding ourselves of whose we are and what our purpose is. Still in the end, we face the grave and the consequences that follow. What choices will we make? Read on to see how King Solomon set an example for us to learn from!

Work vs Personal Life:
The Vanity of Self Indulgence!

I have seen countless numbers of people in my industry put an emphasis on their job and creating a “lifestyle” and income for “themselves” to enjoy. The sad result is that they are eventually left with broken families, divorce(s), stockpiles of possessions and a life of things which they learn really has no meaning. Their lives reflect an emptiness full of misery and self-contempt from poor choices. They spent their lot in life seeking only after those things that make them look good and make them happy, seeking after their own desires. When I encounter someone who lives a life of self-indulgence, I remember King Solomon’s lament: “It is vanity of vanities and striving after the wind.” A life of selfishness really is striving after wind!

Godly Life or Evil Life?:
The Vanity of living the life of a fool.

King Solomon came to realize that whether a person lived a life of a wise man or the life of the fool, the result was going to be the same.

In Eccl 2:16-17, we read, “16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.”

A Godly life reflects the relationship with Christ and faith in Him alone. Walking in such a way that glorifies Him in our lives. Contrast the Godly life with how we see many people today. They are living a life of debauchery, recklessness, self-indulgence, making lots of money and investing for a future that they are never guaranteed of having. (Living the life of the fool) They scoff us for trying to live a Godly life, yet the final ending will be the same for us all – and that is death.

Scripture sums up these thoughts accurately.

“10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going…”

Ecclesiastes 9:10

So, what’s the use of living a Godly life if we all end up in the grave, one may ask??? Is it really all just vanity and striving after the wind? There is an answer – read on!

Life Now vs Life Ahead

The answer dear friends is our faith in Christ and spending eternity with Him. If we had no other future to look towards, or have a savior to care for us, then there would be no reason to live without purpose by putting our own selfish desires and goals above everyone and everything else. But as believers, we have the hope of a future in Christ, spending eternity praising Him and being in His presence! We must realize that our priority is that God – not us- has given us everything that we have! We are deserving of death and hell, and it was only because of His great love for us that we received the gift of salvation that He freely offered, and we accepted, by His grace and mercy. (Romans 10:9-13) Our purpose in life is to lead a Godly Life, being obedient to the one who saved us and to share this great gift with others. We need to realize that chasing after a fools life is striving after wind!

What will your epitaph
say about you?

We have seen over many years famous preachers, theologians, athletes, and celebrities pass on only to be remembered for a short time then forgotten. One of these days each of us will pass on from this life to eternity somewhere. What will the epitaph on our gravestone read? Will it reflect a life dedicated to Christ or will it reflect a life of selfishness and no hope?

My hope in writing this blog and specifically this post, is that others will read what I have written one day and not think about how wonderful I am or was, but that they will see Christ in my life. I pray that in the years and decades to come something I have written will make them stop and think. Perhaps even make a life decision to follow Him.

Think On These Things (Conclusion)

It comes down to the basic fundamental of Christian living.. Turn your eyes upon Jesus!

A summary of our series

We have looked at the 8 things that Paul commands us to think on:
1) Whatever is true: “The Word of God”
2) Whatever is honorable: “A mental consciousness that strives to harmonize with God’s truth”
3) Whatever is just: “My thoughts immediately go to the only One who is Just”
4) Whatever is pure: “We see the perfect, sinless and Holy Lamb of God dying for our sins and raising again.”
5) Whatever is lovely: “An ‘acceptable and pleasing’ part of Lovely is that we renew our minds and our thinking to what honors God.”
6) Whatever is commendable: “Let our thoughts drift to how we respond towards others when going through trials.”
7) If there is anything of excellence: “Is the thought that is in your mind an example of “excellence or merit”? Does it honor God and reflect upon His excellence?
8) If there is anything worthy of praise: “Unceasing praise to the just and gracious God. From morning till evening the grateful tongue should talk and sing, and glorify the Lord.”

Beach Scene with scripture
Photo Courtesy: Shirleen Wills

Once we have an understanding of the things that Paul is wanting us to think on, what should we do and what will we see. Well in verse 9 he says “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil 4:9 ESV) It’s pretty clear that we are to practice these things. Practice involves 1: Dedication , Maturity, and Repetition. It takes a level of commitment that drives us to perfect the achievement we seek. It also means that we can’t do it alone! We must depend upon the work of the Spirit in our lives to direct us and allow Him to help us focus on these things. We are to “fill our minds” with these things when “stinkin’ thinkin'” raises its ugly head. One commentary aptly summarizes it like this “As the Philippians practice what they have seen Paul doing they will make progress. They will see that it is not simply the “Peace of God” that they will find, but “The God of Peace” Himself will be with them.

Photo Courtesy of Shirleen Wills

When I look at the 8 things that Paul is directing us to practice, I began to notice one very common theme, and that is that when temptation is causing us to have “Stinkin’ Thinkin'” we are to turn our eyes thoughts and attitudes directly to Christ. Directly to His Word and listen to His Holy Spirit. Below is lyrics from an old hymn that I think is a good way to sum up this entire series!

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Helen Howarth Lemmel (1863-1961)

O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace

Alan Jackson version of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus“!
Music and Lyrics

I hope that you have found this study helpful to you as you come across times of Stinkin’ Thinkin’ and that you will memorize Philippians 4: 8-10 and recall it to your memory when you are troubled in your thoughts.

Think On These Things (Pt 4)

If there is any Excellence and Worthy of praise
Beach Scene with scripture
Photo Courtesy: Shirleen Wills

The last two things that we read as Paul is instructing us in how I like to phrase “Stinkin’ Thinkin'”, is to think on things of excellence and worthy of praise!

I have taken excerpts from “Precepts Austin”, which is an online commentary source that I believe to be accurate. The link to this website is listed below for your reference as well and to be able to go into even more depth on this subject.

1“Excellence (2703) (arete) refers to any preeminence (moral, intellectual, military). Arete is a term denoting consummate ‘excellence’ or ‘merit’ within a social context. To the Greek philosophers, it meant “the fulfillment of a thing.” Arete came to mean quality of life which made someone or something stand out as excellent. Arete never means cloistered virtue or virtue of attitude, but virtue which is demonstrated in life.”

When a thought enters your mind, you may begin to start wondering and questioning a situation. Use that opportune time to evaluate whether or not this thought is “Excellent”! Is the thought that is in your mind an example of “excellence or merit”? Does it honor God and reflect upon His excellence? If it does not, you know that you need to rebuke that thought and the devil who put it into your mind. 4Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you! (James 4:8)

1“Worthy of praise (31868) (epainos from epí = upon + aínos = praise) is literally “praise upon” and denotes commendation, praise, or approbation (an act of formally or officially approving). It means something which is worthy of being commended. The word can describe the act of expressing admiration or approval, praise, approval, recognition.”

For the believer, there is no greater call than to praise the Father, thanking Him, loving Him, and trusting Him in all circumstances. So when tempted to ponder something that is attacking your mind, think on what is praiseworthy and give the thoughts over to Him to ease the pressures that you face with those thoughts.

Charles Spurgeon noted just how important it is to praise the Father all day long. In Psalm 35:8, the psalmist uses the Hebrew word 1 “tehillah”, which means hymn or song of praise, praise in general – all day long. Spurgeon says: “Unceasing praise is here vowed to the just and gracious God. From morning till evening the grateful tongue would talk and sing, and glorify the Lord. O for such a resolve carried out by us all!”

As we come to the last of these 8 things, Paul reminds us to “Think on these things”! What does the bible refer to when we read “Think”? According to Strong’s Concordance, (G3049) defines the word used here as follows:
A thing is reckoned as or to be something, i.e. as availing for or equivalent to something, as having the like force and weight:

1) To reckon inward, count up or weigh the reasons
2) To deliberate by reckoning up all the reasons
3) To gather or infer
4) To consider, take into account, weigh, meditate on
5) To suppose, deem, judge
6) To determine, purpose, decide

So my fellow believer, when we are called to think on these things, we see the true remedy of “Stinkin’ Thinkin'” defined clearly in God’s word, right here! Determine to make the change in your (my) thinking today to use these definitions as we ponder “..whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent or worthy of praise”! The good news is that there is a promise after this teaching, and I’ll cover that in our last post in this series!

References:
1 Precept Austin Commentary
2 Blue Letter Bible (Definition of arete)
3 Blue Letter Bible (Definition of epainos)
4 James 4:8

Think On These Things (Pt 3)

When thinking on whatever is Lovely and whatever is Commendable, we will be filling our minds with things that inspire the worship of God Almighty.

“Things that are lovely and
things that are commendable.”

True, Honorable, Just and Pure are the first four things that we are to think on in our study of Philippians 4:8-9. When trouble comes and the schemes of the devil are all around and we find ourselves in a battle with spiritual forces, turn to God to change your Stinkin’ Thinkin’! This next section calls us to think on things that are Lovely and things that are Commendable. As we start to examine these characteristics, ask God to let your mind ponder what those could be for you!

Beach Scene with scripture
Photo Courtesy: Shirleen Wills

Lovely (Acceptable and Pleasing)

We are next told to think on things that are “Lovely”. What does the Bible say regarding “Lovely”? How is it used and how do we think on it? Well, Strong’s Concordance defines Lovely (G4375) as “Acceptable and Pleasing”. We can certainly gain a lot of insight from what the Bible teaches us about what is acceptable and pleasing. An “acceptable and pleasing” part of Lovely is that we renew our minds and our thinking to what honors God. By asking ourselves that, we test what is from God to know that it is Lovely. (Romans 12:2) We continue to ask “Is what we are thinking about honoring Him, does it bring Him glory or does it focus on ourselves?” If it is God centered, it’s pleasing and Lovely. If it is not, we know to immediately reject that thinking and go directly to God for direction.

Questions that help us know if our Thinkin’ is Stinkin’ !
Ask yourself 3 questions:
1) Are my prayers “God-Centered”? (Psalm 62) (Psalm 16:1-2)
2) Is there un-confessed sin in my life that is allowing this thinking? (Psalm 66:18) (Bible.org Commentary) (1 John 1:9)
3) Am I hearing and responding to the Word of God in my life? (John 10:27)

As I’ve read and prayed through Psalms, it has helped me know God’s will better and has always provided the comfort and direction I’ve needed.

Eugene Peterson wrote about the Psalms in his book “Answering God”. I felt that the quote below was very helpful in my understanding the right perspective in my prayers to God. It is applicable today as it helps us relate to the questions we ask ourselves when seeking the right way to think on the things commanded by Phil 4:8.

“The Psalms were not prayed by people trying to understand themselves. They are not the record of people searching for the meaning of life. They were prayed by people who understood God had everything to do with them. God, not their feelings, was the center. God, not their souls, was the issue. God, not the meaning of life, was critical.”

Eugene Peterson, from his book “Answering God”

Commendable / Good Report

We are also to think on things that are “commendable or of good report”! What does that really mean we may wonder? Used in this context in Philippians, (Strongs G2163) we see that the concordance defines the word or phrase as  “things spoken in a kindly spirit, with good-will to others”. Interestingly, Commendable only appears in this context once in the Bible. Perhaps that characteristic could have a meaning we can use to apply to our thinking.

To focus on this one word “Commendable”, we can let our thoughts drift to how we respond towards others when going through trials. We must be careful to avoid the temptation to look for ways to get even or “one up” in our trials. We should know immediately that it is Stinkin’ Thinkin’. Jesus is our perfect example in how to respond to those who wish us trouble. Even as He was beaten, crucified, humiliated and was suffering a horrible death, He never lashed out towards those who were cruel to Him. Let’s follow HIS example and remember that it is God who will judge. Remember, we are called to think on how we should love those who cause us enough pain to have anger, animosity or harshness in our thinking. Read below where we see Peter pointing out what Christ did as He suffered for us.


1 Peter 2:20-23 (NKJV)

20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously..

When thinking on whatever is Lovely and whatever is Commendable, we will be filling our minds with things that inspire the worship of God Almighty. If we are in anguish, think about how we can best serve others, all to bring the praise and glory to Him. Worship Him in God-Centered prayers confessing our sin and responding to His call on our lives. Pray through the Psalms and lift Him up in your praises. Keep our thoughts on what He has done for us, not lashing out at others but praying for them and seeking ways to minister to them as Christ leads.

Thank you for sharing part of your day with me as we think together on ways to change our “Stinkin’ Thinkin'”! In our next study, we will examine what it means to think on “things of excellence” and “things that are worthy of praise”.

Think On These Things (Pt 2)

Thinking on the purity of the Son of God and what He did for me is the quickest way to thwart an attack of the devil.

..Whatever is just, whatever is pure,..

In our first study of the characteristics of things we are instructed to think on, the first two were: “things that are true and honorable“. We became aware of the need to start finding those things in our lives through scripture and apply them in our thoughts. We remember that truths such as Scripture, Salvation and our eternity with God came as some of the first thoughts to meditate upon. We know that honorable things are such that we change our thinking to align with Christ and what He wants for our lives and to think thoughtfully on how we can go about doing that. In this second of five parts we begin to think on whatever is just and whatever is pure.

Beach Scene with scripture
This part covers Just and Pure!
Photo Courtesy: Shirleen Wills

Our second characteristics study: Just and Pure

Just / Righteous

We look closer now on those words right before Just and Pure, which are: “Whatever is..”. “Whatever is”, is a pretty big phrase and could encompass a very broad area of thought. So what does he mean when he says “Whatever is Just“? A word study finds that the Greek word is “dikaios” (Strong’s Concordance G1342) and is used 33 times in the bible. It also means Righteous and that definition is: “One who is upright, virtuous, keeping the commands of God. One who is used of Him and whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God.” I would say that this is a very broad explanation as to “Whatever is”!

So when we ask ourselves to think on Whatever is Just and Righteous, where does scripture point us? Perhaps it’s not just Whatever, but more aptly “Whomever”, is where our thoughts should be! My thoughts immediately go to the only One who is Righteous and Just: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit!

I might phrase it this way: “Think on whatever are characteristics of the Just and Righteous God. Meditate on who He is and what He has done, is doing and will do in our lives. Think on the ways that we should honor, worship and praise Him.”

Here are some references we can reflect upon when thinking on Him:
God the Father: John 17:25, 1 John 1:9, Rev. 16:5
God the Son: Matthew 3:16-17, 1 John 2:1, 29, 3:7
God the Holy Spirit: Romans 8:10, 14-17

What are some other ways to think on what is Just? I’d like to hear your thoughts as well.

Pure

Beginning our search on what is “Pure”, we see the word in Greek as “hagnos“. (Strong’s Concordance G53). When I think of “Pure”, I think about what it means to be innocent, modest, perfect, chaste, clean, and holy. I have listed a few scriptures below that help me in forming thoughts as to what is “hagnos” when temptation comes my way.

References to apply to the meaning of Pure:
Wisdom from Him: James 3:17
Our hope in Him: 1 John 3:3
Our conduct in Him: 1 Peter 3:2

I think it important to allow our minds to ponder what examples we see in scripture on what is “Just and Pure”. We should cling to those things when the battle for our minds begins.

How I Try To Stop Stinkin’ Thinkin’: Mike Wills


Here are my tips when thinking of “Pure”:
• I try and focus on things like the innocent baby Jesus in the arms of Mary and why He came. (Innocent)
• I remember how Jesus lived a pure life having never sinned. He lived modestly and worked as a carpenter in a small village. Certainly not how the world would view a savior or King! He did this and set the example for all of us. (Perfect, Innocent)
• I think most importantly I see the perfect, sinless and Holy Lamb of God dying for my sins and raising again. He paid the price for me so that I can be with him forever. He offered salvation to any who would simply receive it and all I had to do was repent, believe and confess.(Holy)

Thinking on the purity of the Son of God and what He did for me is the quickest way to thwart an attack of the devil. It changes my perspective immediately and I’m sure that when you are confronted with the temptation of Stinkin’ Thinkin’ that you too will see a remarkable difference when you think on the purity of Christ.

There are many more examples that I could site here, but I think it important to allow our minds to ponder what examples we see in scripture on what is “Just and Pure”. We should cling to those things when the battle for our minds begins.

Part three of our study builds on the first two parts as we begin to think on “Whatever is lovely and whatever is commendable”. Be in prayer over this next part and ask God to open your eyes to what He is saying.

Think On These Things (Pt 1)

When temptation comes, resist it by thinking on these things.

..Whatever is true, Whatever is honorable (Phil 4:8)..

In our last post we talked about “Stinkin’ Thinkin’” and how our thoughts can wander and lead us into bad decisions. In a study of King David (2 Sam 11-18), we can see how his Stinkin’ Thinkin’ got him into serious trouble which ended in adultery, murder and the destruction of people’s lives. King David gave in to temptation because he didn’t flee from the opportunity. As believers, we know that in 1 Corinthians 10:13, God has given us a promise that we will never tempted beyond what we can stand and He will always provide a means of escape. It’s up to us to accept that means and obey what He is leading us to do. God’s word also points out in Numbers 32:23 that no matter how hard we try, our sin will always find us out. You can’t hide your sin from God and there is punishment for disobeying Him.

One of the most recited verses in the bible is found at Philippians 4:6-7 which tells us that if we are anxious about anything, to bring it before God and His peace will comfort us. If we read on however, we see that we are called to take matters one step further and to think and practice on a list of 8 things that will aid us in resisting and fleeing temptation. This verse says that we will not just have the “Peace of God” but also the “God of Peace” with us!

Beach Scene with scripture
Photo Courtesy of Shirleen Wills

I’d like to begin a brief five part study with you to better understand what these eight things are and how we can identify them in our lives. We will base this study on verse 8 which says; “Finally brothers whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things….” If we can begin to apply these characteristics to our lives, I am convinced that we will grow in our sanctification in Christ. I would like to add that this study isn’t intended to be comprehensive, but rather a resource that can be easily read and applied to our lives.

Our first characteristics study: True and Honorable

Let’s begin with whatever is true. We know that without a doubt that the Word of God is true. Think about it! There is so much written in the word of God about the word of God. Psalm 119 explains in great detail about the truth of God’s teachings. Here are a few verses that you can click on to see how the psalmist explains the truthfulness of the word.
vs 105: Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
vs 130: The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
vs 165: Great peace have those who follow your law; nothing can make them stumble.

The gift of salvation that God has given to those who trust in Him is another truth we can think on. We read in Roman’s 10:8-13 a picture of the perfect love of God and His gift. We know it’s true that if we are saved, we will spend eternity with Him. We get to praise and worship Him and we get an eternity to thank Him for what He has done.

Another truth we can count on is that our savior will never leave us or forsake us! Deuteronomy 31:6 is a promise from God to the people of Israel where He tells them He will never leave them. We are His people and He will never leave us if we are saved. Jesus Himself promised us that if we are His people, no one can snatch them out of His hands. (John 10:28-30)

There are certainly many, many other things that are true in our lives that God has given to us. I would suggest that you build a list of the truths that He has given you and practice those also.

What does God’s Word say about honorable? I found a great reference that I thought I’d share with you here: 1 “It is a mental consciousness that strives to harmonize with God’s truth as found in Scripture and Christ. It transforms the content and habits of our thinking by aligning our values with God’s will. When our minds are renewed, our desires agree with God that his will is good, pleasing, and perfect (Rom. 12:2).” I believe that if we honor God in thinking about what His will for us is in the trials and temptations we face, we will be better equipped to stop the Stinkin’ Thinkin’!

Photo Courtesy of Shirleen Wills

Paul concludes this section by reminding us to practice these things and the “God of peace” will be with you. We started today by taking these first two characteristics and we learned to practice them daily. When temptation comes, we will be ready by thinking on what is true and what is honorable because we are prepared!

Remember to:

1) STOP and Think On What Is True:
- The Word of God – quote your favorite scriptures.
– Your salvation and Your Eternity with Him! Dwell on these things in your mind and the temptation will leave you.
– There is an endless supply of things that God has given us that is true. Use your own thoughts to remember those things and practice doing them.

2) STOP and Meditate On What Is Honorable:
– Align your thoughts with His.
– Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and He will!
– Ask Him to show you how to recognize and escape the temptation, and He will!

These are the first two characteristics for us to study in this passage. We will find that there are six more we can focus on when the temptations come.

Our next post will be on “Whatever is just, Whatever is pure”. If you have thoughts or an experience you would like to share, I’d love to hear about it. You can post it in the comment section or send to me directly via my email address: mike@jmikewills.com

References:
1https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/think-about-honorable/?amp
Pastor Steve DeWitt, Nov 19, 2021