Matthew 1.18-25: Whatever is excellent speaks to high moral virtue or a high heroism and extreme eminence. In Joseph, we see an example of a man dedicated to pursuing the most excellent, even though it brought potential great cost. As he considered what is excellent, it brought him to follow the higher law - that of faith-filled dedication to God. It raised him to a new level of himself, one that anticipated the gift of what Jesus would be for him and for the world.

Luke 1.5-17: In thinking on whatever is lovely, our attention might not be drawn to John the Baptist. He is somewhat of a rough character, yet he is one who 'calls forth love', which is what lovely means. John's whole mission is to 'call forth love' from God's people to God and his ways. His own devotion is significant to call people to that which is rightly to be most lovely - which is the glory of God we know in Jesus Christ. This was John's mission - that Jesus might become more, and that John might become less.

Psalm 8: The foundation of our thanksgiving is that God is mindful of us. Even in the places of nothing, we have a God who has not abandoned. From that nothing, the Spirit hovers and recreates life within us. Let us give thanks!

Philippians 4.8-9: Noble refers to a characteristic of something that exhibits within itself a higher order. Nobility speaks to higher principles of power, of benevolence, of sovereignty. To think on what is noble is to draw ourselves upward toward higher things than our mind normally might. These leads to Christ and Christ's reintegration of our whole selves in sanctification and eternal life.

Philippians 3: We look at what the Apostle Paul teaches about our citizenship and where our focus in life should be. In a world that is striving to gain this world, we as Christians live so as to gain the heavenly kingdom.