MEDITATE

Pastor Daniel preached an incredible, applicable message last night. It's something I've been pondering on to some degree lately, but haven't thought about. There are reasons other than "because God said we should" for why we should be spending time in God's word. 

Here are my notes from last night's sermon:

Meditate means to think deeply on God's word. Meditation is the action used to prepare our hearts to pray. Scripture is to be the foundation of our prayers.

How do we mediate on God's word?

1.  Meditate to focus: Psalm 119:15 "I will meditate in thy precepts [guidelines in the Bible; rules, principles], and have respect (nabat in the Heberw - to look intently; to gaze upon) unto thy ways." Satan uses many things to distract us. We are to fix our eyes on his ways. Focusing on God's word allows us to pray with clarity.

2.  Meditate to understand: Psalm 119:27 "Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works." Good questions to ask yourself when reading God's word:

·   Why is this passage important?

·   What do I need to know about the passage?

·   What does it say about God?

·   What does it say about me?

·   How does this point to Jesus

3.  Meditate to remember: Psalm 143:5 "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse [ponder] on the work of thy hands." We need to get in God's word and mediate on the scriptures so we can recall them when we need them. We also meditate to remove what God has done for us in the past. He has blessed us so much in our lives. It's always good to remember and reflect.

4.  Meditate to have discernment Psalm 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. [2] But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Discernment means looking through the outward appearance and seeing that something is not of God. We need to make good decisions in both the day and the night.

5.  Meditate to obey: Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." We need to get into God's word to understand it and obey it - not to find reasons why it's ok to do the things that we want to do.

6.  Meditate to share: Psalm 77:12 "I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings." We meditate to share what God has revealed to us do that we can share with others.

7.  Meditate to rise above conflict: Psalm 119:23 "Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes." In life we will always come across people who will do us wrong. The more we know about the examples that God provided for us in His word, the easier it will be for us to deal with confrontations and conflicts in our lives. 

8. Meditate to love God more: Psalm 119:48 "My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes." Lighting of the hands is a sign of praise. The more we know about God, the more we can grow to love him. 

9.  Meditate to keep a right spirit: Psalm 119:78 "Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts." Satan wants nothing more than for us to come into to church with a wrong spirit. We will get nothing from singing, preaching, fellowship, etc., if we have a bad spirit about us. 

10. Meditate to give more of ourselves to God: 1 Timothy 4:15 "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all." 

11. Make meditating a priority: Psalm 119:148 "Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word." Keeping all these things in mind, we must mediate and make it first in our lives. Our Christian walk will improve and because of that everything else in our lives will improve.