Bible Study: Meditating on God's Word Week # 5

Prayer:

Father God, please let the words of my mouth, the meditation of my heart be accept now and forever in Jesus' name. When I pray, Lord, help me to be open my heart to You in everything in my life. I pray that all who read these studies will do the same. Lord God, open the eyes of our hearts today, and Lord, help us to choose a time to spend with You, bless it to be a good quiet time with You. Father God, penetrate our hearts with Your Word as we meditate on Your Word, and as we study these studies. Bless our time with You every time we do set aside this time for You and Your Word. AMEN.

Scripture:         Psalm 119:15, 27; Psalm 143:5; Psalm 1:2, Joshua 1:8, Titus 3:3-4.

Lesson:    "How to Meditate on God's Word"        

Let's repeat this! It takes more than just reading the Bible to grow spiritually. When you learn how to meditate on the Word of God, you can move into a believing faith that always receives!

Let's look at six steps on how to mediate on God's Word:

1. Meditate to Focus
   
   I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. (Psalm 119:15) Whether we read the Bible in the morning, over our lunch break, or before bed at night, our schedules and responsibilities tend to assail us with distractions. In fact, distractions are a tool the enemy of our souls uses to take our eyes off Christ and to keep us from hearing God clearly in his Word.  Aleph says in Psalm 119 that he fixes his eyes on God's ways. As wayward humans with many pursuits, temptations, and people vying for our attention, we are greatly helped by meditation, which leads us to fix our eyes on the Lord and tune out distractions…even if only for five or ten minutes. Focusing on what we are reading in the Bible provides us clarity when we enter into prayer.
   
   Meditate to focus on how God is speaking to you through his living and active Word.
2. Meditate to Understand
   
   Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. (Psalm 119:27)
   
   When we meditate on the Word of God, we seek to understand how the God of the universe is speaking: about himself, about our world, and about our own hearts. We can begin our Bible reading by praying along with the Psalmist, "Make me understand your way!" God delights to answer this prayer.
   
   Some questions to ask during meditation include: Why is this passage important? What do I need to know? What does it say about God? What does it say about me? How does this reading point to Jesus?
   
   Meditate to understand what God is communicating to you through his Word.
3. Meditate to Remember
   
   I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. (Psalm 143:5)
   
   The whole Bible is one grand story that all the way through points to Jesus Christ. When we meditate on Scripture, we do so to remember all that God has done in his great redemption story and how he sent Christ to save a people from their sin. We ponder the work of God's hands.
   
   Remembering in meditation may also bring us to ponder all that God has done in our own lives: how he saved us in Christ, what opportunities he is giving us to share the Good News with others, and what we have learned about who God is throughout our days.
   
   Meditate to remember all that God has done through the gospel of grace.
4. Meditate to Worship
   
   …but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
   
   Once we have meditated to focus, understand, and remember, we will find our hearts inclined to worship! So we pause in meditation to lift our gaze to the excellences of Jesus Christ, to take our eyes off the world, and to express to him thanksgiving and adoration when we pray. Meditation leads to delight when the Holy Spirit inclines our hearts to understand how glorious our God is.
   
   Because of sin and its effects, there will be times when our hearts do not feel like delighting in the reading of the Bible. During these moments, the temptation is to stop reading, lose focus, and move on to other activities. So meditation is also keys to exhorting our hearts to delight in God's Word, which is necessary for our spiritual strength and joy!
   
   Meditate to worship the God who deserves all our thanks and praise for who he is and what he has done in Christ.
5. Meditate to Apply
   
   This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. (Joshua 1:8)
   
   Finally, we are better able to understand how to apply God's Word to our lives when we slow down to meditate on it. In meditating to understand we ask, What do I need to know? Here, in applying what we read, we ask, What do I need to do?
   
   Here's a brief example. Let's say you are reading Titus 3:3-4:
   
   For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray…But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy…
   
   From this passage, you might be led to confess specific ways you have gone astray or been disobedient; you might praise God for providing his undeserved loving kindness in Christ for you; and you might ask for his help in loving someone who has hurt you with the mercy you've received in Christ Jesus.
   
   Our desire in meditation is to "be careful to do according to all that is written" in the Bible. Then, we bring these points of application to God in prayer, asking for spiritual strength to obey, forsake sin, humble ourselves, and walk worthy of our calling in Christ.
   
   Meditate to apply what you have read in the Bible to your daily life and to ask for help in prayer.
6. Meditate by the Spirit
   
   It is no accident that the Bible often speaks about the value of meditation and its purposeful placement before the act of prayer. Consider that our time in the Word is like running a race: Meditation is the warm-up, and prayer is our sprint to the finish line. We cannot be effectual in our praying apart from engaging in the warm-up of meditation.
   
   So what do we do when meditation seems impossible, when our focus is affected by outside circumstances and our hearts feel dulled to God's Word?
   
   
   
   We ask for and cling to God's gracious help, poured out through the Holy Spirit, and if we've not meditated before today, we realize it is never too late to begin! For it is the Spirit who helps us in our weakness, fixing our eyes on Christ, giving us understanding, bringing to mind God's wonderful works, filling us with joy, and leading us to walk in the truth. He is our great help and hope that we are never alone when we seek God through meditation, and he effectively prompts us to pray in response.
   
   
   
   When you meditate on God's Word you can discern:
   
   
   
   Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
   
   
   
   The Apostle Paul is saying, "Get involved in what you allow to happen in your mind." Worry and anxiety can be exchanged for the peace of God through the powerful process of thinking the right thoughts.
   
   
   
   Meditate on the right things, and you gain the best opportunity to overcome the evil things that the enemy would offer to distract us.
   
   
   
   The best way to get rid of bad thoughts is to replace them with good thoughts by meditating on God's Word.
   
   
   
   Your Assignment:   Questions:
   
   1).      Focusing on what we are reading in the Bible provides us with what?
   
   2).     Read Psalm 117:27, and answer these questions (Why is this passage important? What do I need to know? What does it say about God? What does it say about me? How does this reading point to Jesus?)
   
   3).     Spend some time right now and meditate on all the good things God has done for you.
   
   4).     What is your favor worship scripture?
   
   5).     What should be our desire in meditation?
   
   6).     what do we do when meditation seems impossible, when our focus is affected by outside circumstances and our hearts feel dulled to God's Word?    
   
   7).     Read Philippians 4:8; name and explain everything we are to think on.
   
   8).     What can be exchanged for worry and anxiety?
   
   9).     How to overcome the evil things the enemy bring to our minds?
   
   10).   Meditating on God's Word helps get rid of what?
   
   
   
   Setting aside a time: Week # 5
   
   
   
   Daily Exercises:      Personal Time with God
   
   
   
   Song:
   
   Prayer:
   
   Write down and meditate on one of God's Characters:
   
   Scripture Worship:
   
   Scripture Memory:
   
   Scripture Reading:
   
   Daily Devotion Reading:
   
   God's Promise Today:
   
   Spiritual Goal in life:
   
   Ultimate Goal in Life:
   
   Daily Goal Today:
   
   Speak it Now:
   
   Healing Confession:
   
   The Lord's Prayer:
   
   The Lord's Supper:
   
   Read Psalm 23:
   
   Read Matthew 18:18
   
   Pray Matthew 18:18 for someone:
   
   My Personal Confession Today:
   
   Prayer Focus:
   
   Ending Song:
   
   Pause:
   
   Record what God spoke to you:

Setting Aside A Time

Daily Exercises:      Personal Time with God

Song: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

Prayer: Speak to my heart Holy Spirit, I desire to hear from You today.

Write down and meditate on one of God's Characters: God's faithfulness

Scripture Worship: Psalm 97

Scripture Memory: Proverbs 3:3-6

Scripture Reading: I Chronicles 18

Daily Devotion Reading: Jesus Calling

God's Promise Today: Philippians 4:19

Spiritual Goal in life: Keep my thoughts on Jesus today

Ultimate Goal in Life: Worship God daily in my heart

Daily Goal Today: Hear, obey, and follow You Holy Spirit.

Speak God's Word: I am free! Jeremiah 29:11

Healing Confession: Psalm 107:20 says I am healed!

The Jabez's Prayer: I Chronicles 4:9-10

The Lord's Supper: I Corinthians 11:23-26

Read Psalm 100: Lord, You are my Creator!

Read Matthew 18:18 I loose confusion off me and my loved ones

Pray Matthew 18:18 for someone: I pray this prayer over my sons

My Personal Confession Today: I love You Lord Jesus!

Prayer Focus: I pray Numbers 6:23-26 over the nation of God's people

Ending Song: Love lifted me

Pause: It's a good feeling to know in your heart God cares, I meditated on that.

Record what God spoke to you: "My child I am always with you, follow my Holy Spirit, and never give up on Me.

Bible Study: Meditating on God's Word Week # 4

Prayer:

Father God, we honor and praise You or who You are today. We will not give up because of the way the world has turned. We come to You in Jesus' name asking for You to speak to our hearts today as You did before in bible time. We need to hear from You, especially in our hearts, Lord. You spoke to Joshua and many others, speak to us, Lord; thank You for hearing our prayers, and Lord, please help us to listen when You speak to us. Lord God, bless our time to meditate in Your Word. Give us a desire to do it more and more in Jesus' name we pray. AMEN.

Scripture:         Joshua 1:8;     

Lesson:    "Meditating in Prayer:

Christian meditation is a form of prayer in which a structured attempt is made to become aware of and reflect upon the revelations of God. ... Christian meditation is the process of deliberately focusing on specific thoughts (such as a bible passage) and reflecting on their meaning in the context of the love of God.

Biblical meditation involves taking a phrase, verse, or passage of Scripture and thinking carefully about it, pondering, and letting the Holy Spirit slowly make it alive within you. Then you pray it back to God. Meditation creates faith and expectation. Meditation focuses our thinking on God's Word. Through meditation we come to know God, not just about Him. Through meditation we grow in our love for God's Word. Meditation helps us:

Meditation helps us pray more effectively. Psalm 119 speaks over and over again about the value of God's Word and the importance of meditation. Meditation on the Scriptures will cause us to understand something of the mind and heart of God. Meditation changes us deeply, freeing us from negative thinking because we are dwelling on the positive truth of Scripture. It touches the deepest part of our soul and transforms us. Meditation should always result in a response to God, whether it is repentance, thanksgiving, worship, obedience, or a change in attitude.

In personal prayer, we speak to God, but in meditative prayer, we allow God to speak to us through his Word and his Spirit. What do we mean by meditative prayer? Is there such a thing as Christian meditation? Isn't meditation non-Christian? According to Richard Foster, "Eastern meditation is an attempt to empty the mind; Christian meditation is an attempt to fill the mind." Rather than emptying the mind, we fill it with God's Word. We must not neglect a vital part of our Judeo-Christian heritage simply because other traditions use a form of meditation.

Steps for Meditative Prayer:

Designate a quiet place. In a world full of distractions, we need a quiet place where we can allow God to speak to us. Businessmen and women are comfortable in their offices for work. In the same way, the most effective place to pray is in your quiet place.

Give yourself 20-30 minutes. Many people only spend a few minutes each day in prayer. Very few people actually spend time in meditative prayer. It takes time to drown out the cares of the world, sit and prayerfully meditate on God's Word, and then allow Him to speak to us.

Choose a scripture to prayerfully meditate. Prayerfully select a passage of Scripture that means something to you. Let it focus on the goodness of God, the promises of God, or the worship of God.

Allow time for God to speak to you. This is the hardest part. Many people never hear the Lord speak to them simply because they don't allow Him to. We need to allow time to sit and listen for the voice of the Lord. This was the difference between Eli and Samuel (1 Samuel 3). Samuel was open to hearing from the Lord. He said, "Speak, for your servant hears."

Let's talk about determine your mindset:

Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." We have the power to set our minds. We train our minds to think in Christian terms. We determine not only what enters our mind, but what is not allowed to enter our mind. We do this when we meditate! Thinking "Christian-ly" is the substance and spirit of what it means for the follower of Christ to grow in the mind of Christ. It would be absurd to affirm that Jesus Christ is the Lord of all, yet then not allow Him to lord over our thinking!

Nowhere is the Lordship of Christ and the power of the Gospel more needed today than in the renewing power of the Christian mind.

Your Assignment:   Week # 4 Questions:

1).      Christian meditation is a form of what?

2).     Christian meditation is the process of deliberately ___ on ___ ___ such as a ____ passage, and ____on their meaning in the context of the love of God.

3).     What is focusing?

4).     What is reflecting?

5).     Biblical meditation involves taking a ____ , ____, or ____ of ___ and thinking ____ about it.

6).     Meditation creates _____ and ______.

7).     Biblical meditation focuses our thinking on ____ _____.

8).     Meditation helps us ____ more _____

9).     Through meditation we _____ in our ___ for God's ____.

10).   Read Psalm 119, explain what you feel this scripture is talking about.

11).    What is the different between personal prayer and meditative prayer?

12).   What do we mean by meditative prayer?

13).   What are some steps for meditative prayer?

14).   How long do you spend time with God in your quiet time?

15).    Choose a scripture to prayerfully meditate on.

16).   How do this scripture focus on the goodness, promises, and worship of God?

17).    Read 1 Samuel 3, explain.

18).   Do God speak to you? Explain

19).   Read Colossians 3:2

20).   How do we set our minds on thing above, and not on things on the earth?

                       

Daily Exercises:      Personal Time with God

Song:

Prayer:

Write down and meditate on one of God's Characters:

Scripture Worship:

Scripture Memory:

Scripture Reading:

Daily Devotion Reading:

God's Promise Today:

Spiritual Goal in life:

Ultimate Goal in Life:

Daily Goal Today:

Speak it Now:

Healing Confession:

The Lord's Prayer:

The Lord's Supper:

Read Psalm 23:

Read Matthew 18:18

Pray Matthew 18:18 for someone:

My Personal Confession Today:

Prayer Focus:

Ending Song:

Pause:

Record what God spoke to you:

My Assignment: Week # 3 Questions/Answers:

1).     According to this lesson how many steps are there in meditation?

In this lesson there are three steps to meditation.

2).    What are those steps

The answer is observation, interpretation, and application.

3).    Explain each steps briefly.

Observation:

Observation is the action or process of observing something or someone carefully or in order to gain information. We take the Word of God and examining it closely, we don't just read it.

Interpretation:

We are to mediate on the Word long enough to explain its meaning of what is written in that verse.

Application:

Application means to act on and put something into operation. Just as God desire His people to do concerning His Word. We must act upon God's Word.

4).    Read James 1:1-4

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.² My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; ³ Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

The testing of our faith produces endurance.

6).    Meditation is a gratifying and rewarding experience that increases our intimacy with the Lord and our fascination with the Bible as we hear Him speak to us personally through His Word.              

7).    To you, what is disciplining your mind?

I believe that just as self-discipline is self-control, so also is the mind is to be control by God's Word. When we fight against things that comes in our way of studying God's Word, we are disciplining our mind through God's Word.

8).    Read 1 Peter 1:13, explain.

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" I believe it is telling us to stay focus on God's Word, and don't let anything get in the way of meditating on God's Word, and then we can we can have hope in the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen.

9).    Read 2 Corinthians 10:5, explain.

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" I love this scripture! It was explain very well in the lesson, "I want to have a controlling interest in what crosses my mind. I am not going to feed my mind with things that will be destructive to me, or will not be positive or beneficial to me."

10).  When mediating on God's Word, what is required on our part as to disciplinary of our mind?

It will require action on our part, conscious discipline will help us to meditate on God's Word daily. We can control our minds with the Holy Spirit's help. I am a witness!

Setting aside a time: Week # 3

Daily Exercises:      Personal Time with God

Song:            God's Life, Nature, and Ability

Prayer: Father God, bless Your people everywhere with a strong mind to meditate, amen.

Write down and meditate on one of God's Characters: God's Lovingkindness

Scripture Worship: Psalm 90

Scripture Memory: Matthew 6:19-21; memory scriptures last a month

Scripture Reading: I Chronicles 3-11 Good reading!

Daily Devotion Reading: Daily Little Blessings by Oral Roberts, and others

God's Promise Today: Jeremiah 29:11

Spiritual Goal in life: Keep my mind focus on Jesus

Ultimate Goal in Life: Worship God daily in my heart

Daily Goal Today: I want to hear, obey, and follow the Holy Spirit.

Speak it Now: I am set free in Jesus!!!

Healing Scriptures: This has changed from confession to scripture reading on healing (Isaiah 57:19).

The Lord's Prayer: Matthew 6:9-12

The Lord's Supper: I Corinthians 11:23-26

Read Psalm 23: Lord Jesus, You are my Shepherd!

Read Matthew 18:18 I bind peace to my mind, soul, and spirit

Pray Matthew 18:18 for someone: (my son Tony I prayed for today to have peace while taking a test).

My Personal Confession Today: I love the Lord Jesus!

Prayer Focus: Numbers 6:22-26; I pray for the peace in Jerusalem, amen.

Ending Song: My hope is in You Lord Jesus

Pause: I thought on the goodness of Jesus while meditating on what He has done for me through-out the pass years, I am so grateful for His lovingkindness.

Record what God spoke to you: God personally spoke to me Jeremiah 29:11, so grateful to hear Him speak to my heart.

Bible Study: Meditating on God's Word Week #3

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are my peace and my stay.  I come before You with open heart and mind to receive from You what I need for today. Bless my mind and whosoever follow these studies to learn more from Your Holy Spirit. We ask You for entry to Your presence right now; we know that You are always with us, but there are times when we need a closer relationship with You. Bless this time we pray, help us to meditate on Your Word today. If we are doing anything wrong please help us to correct it, so we can enjoy Your presence this day. Open up our hearts so we can see You high and lifted, shinning in the light of Your glory. AMEN.

Scripture:         Joshua 1:8, James 1:1-4, 1 Peter 1:13, 2 Corinthians 10:5

Lesson:    "Meditation includes three Steps"

Using James 1:1-4 as an example, we can learn how to meditate on a passage of Scripture by following three steps.

1).     Observation. Begin by asking these questions: Who is the writer? To whom is he writing? What is the passage saying?

Verse 1 says the letter was written by James, who was probably Jesus' half-brother. He wrote to the twelve tribes who were dispersed abroad. Although these people lived a long time ago, Scripture was written for every generation, including ours. James gave clear instructions regarding what God desires to accomplish through our trials and how we should respond to them.

2).    Interpretation. What does the passage mean, and what can we learn from it? By focusing on these verses, our entire perspective regarding trials will be changed. Instead of being consumed by the hardships, we will understand what God is trying to achieve in our lives through them.

Verse 2, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials." In the midst of difficulties or suffering, we want relief from pain and a way out of hardship, but James says the solution is a change of attitude. Instead of becoming bitter or resentful, we are to count it as joy, not because we enjoy the experience but because we know God is sovereign over it and promises to walk through it with us. Our joy is in the Lord and His purpose, not in the situation.

Verse 3, "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." The reason we can consider trials joy is because of what we know to be true. Whatever God sends or allows in our lives is not a random event but a test of our faith. His purpose for testing is approval not defeat. This is how we become strong and are able to endure. We'll never develop this quality if life is always easy, and if we lack endurance, we may quickly yield to temptation or give up and walk away from God's will. This verse teaches us that God is up to something good even when our circumstances look bad.

Verse 4, "And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." If we refuse to endure our trials, we short-circuit God's purpose for allowing them. He has a perfect result in mind—that we may be perfect and complete. The word perfect does not mean sinless but complete, strong, and mature. The Lord loves us so much He doesn't want us to lack any of these qualities.

3).    Application. Based on what we've just learned, how should we respond? How does God want us to think about our trials? The following are a few specific practices to help us rejoice even in trouble or suffering:

Continue meditating on this passage until it becomes real in our thinking and belief system. Once we truly believe this, we'll be able to confidently face whatever we're going through.

Continually affirm that God loves us unconditionally. Knowing that He always does what is best for us increases our trust in Him.

Ask the Lord to show us what specific areas of our lives He's targeted for spiritual growth. Each trial is designed to strengthen us in a particular area of weakness.  

Agree with God that the end result is worth the pain. Whatever He allows us to go through is for our benefit.

Meditation is a gratifying and rewarding experience that increases our intimacy with the Lord and our fascination with the Bible as we hear Him speak to us personally through His Word. God has also given us His indwelling Holy Spirit who enables us to interpret Scripture rightly and empowers us to apply it to our lives.

Let's talk about discipline your mind:

1 Peter 1:13 says, "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, and be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5 puts it this ways, "Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

We are called to get rid of extraneous things, the things that get in our way, and be proactive about the use of our minds.

The screen of your mind is totally under your control. Make choices. As much as it is possible, I want to have a controlling interest in what crosses my mind. I am not going to feed my mind with things that will be destructive to me, or will not be positive or beneficial to me.

This is more difficult today, in our culture, than ever in human history. We are bombarded by so many impulses from so many different places-the internet, the media, even the news.

Screening out the negative will not happen naturally. It will require action on our part, conscious discipline will help us to meditate on God's Word daily.

Your Assignment:   Week 3     Questions:

1).      According to this lesson how many steps are there in meditation?

2).     What are those steps

3).     Explain each steps briefly.

4).     Read James 1:1-4

5).     What does the testing of our faith produces?

6).     Meditation is a ___ and ____ _____ that increases our ____ with the Lord and our _____ with the Bible as we ___ ___ ___ __ __ _____ through His Word.                  

7).     To you, what is disciplining your mind?

8).     Read 1 Peter 1:13, explain.

9).     Read 2 Corinthians 10:5, explain.

10).   When mediating on God's Word, what is required on our part as to disciplinary of our mind?

Setting aside a time:

Daily Exercises:      Personal Time with God

Song:

Prayer:

Write down and meditate on one of God's Characters:

Scripture Worship:

Scripture Memory:

Scripture Reading:

Daily Devotion Reading:

God's Promise Today:

Spiritual Goal in life:

Ultimate Goal in Life:

Daily Goal Today:

Speak it Now:

Healing Confession:

The Lord's Prayer:

The Lord's Supper:

Read Psalm 23:

Read Matthew 18:18

Pray Matthew 18:18 for someone:

My Personal Confession Today:

Prayer Focus:

Ending Song:

Pause:

Record what God spoke to you: