MEDITATING UPON GOD'S WORD

God wants us to meditate upon His Word day and night. Obviously, you cannot meditate upon God's Word unless you know His Word. And, of course, you cannot know His Word unless you STUDY it as God’s Word clearly states.

II Timothy 2: 15 -- Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It is a commandment of the Lord that you study His Word by your own free will. You have to make up your own mind every day to obey God or not to obey God.

Most dictionaries define 'meditate' as "to reflect upon; ponder; contemplate" and these are good definitions. Now, when you perform your work or a hobby or something you are very adept at, you can think on or meditate on that throughout your day if you want to. Why? Because you are so skilled at this one interest or hobby, that you can do it 'with your eyes closed' so to speak -- or better yet, you know it by heart. You don't need to have a handbook or an instruction sheet with you any longer to REMEMBER how and what you need to do to accomplish the task. It took work and dedication for you to get to your present level of skill and it is no different with God's Word. You need to work at being able to meditate on God's Word. Remember, God is His Word and God is a respecter of CONDITIONS. You do your best and God will do the rest. When you've studied and applied the Word to such an extent that you have the Word of God in your heart, nothing can take it away from you whether you have your Bible with you or not. This should be the goal of every believer.

There are a number of Scriptures in the Bible about this subject of meditating on God’s Word. They are mainly in the Old Testament and a specific one in the New Testament. You need to understand that there are books in the Bible written for our learning and there are books written directly to us, the Church of the Body of Christ. You should study the teaching The Seven Administrations which will help you to understand this important key to understanding the Bible. Nowhere in the New Testament does it say that we are NOT to meditate upon the Word of God. So what's written in the Old Testament about meditating upon the Word of God still applies to us today. Now let's take a look at what the Word says and then the how of meditating on the Word.

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.

Here we see that God says to think upon His Word day and night. Why does God want us to do this? So He can make our way prosperous and He can see that we have good success. These are the first of many benefits.

Psalm 1: 2 -- But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate [say it to yourself] day and night.

Psalm 37: 4 -- Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

One of the ways to 'delight' thyself in the Lord is to 'meditate' upon Him. God will give you the desires of thine heart. This is one of my favorite verses as I go on long walks. I "say it to myself" along with many other verses -- [I don't have my Bible with me].

Psalm 63: 6 -- When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate upon thee in the night watches.

Psalm 77: 12 -- I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

Psalm 119: 15, 16 -- I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Psalm 119: 23 -- Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

SEE ALSO PSALM 119: 48, 78, AND 148. [Every verse in Psalm 119 mentions the Word of God.]

Psalm 143: 5 -- I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

'Muse' means to ponder or meditate; to consider or deliberate at length.

Psalm 19: 14 -- Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength [rock], and my redeemer.

Psalm 104: 34 -- My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.

If there is one thing that everyone searches for and needs, it's peace. Often, in my prayers to God, I pray for peace. The greatest cargoes of life come in over quiet seas. God's peace which passes all our understanding comes to us via His Word -- by a knowledge and application of it and by "staying" our mind on God.

ISAIAH 26: 3 -- Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

If you want to stay in perfect peace, think about God wherever you are. While the world does everything to distract you and make you unpeaceful, you simply stay put on God. If you're working at your job or out in your garden, what does the Word say you are to think? Now you are working so what does God say about this subject? YOU SHOULD LEARN WHAT THE WORD SAYS FOR EVERY CATEGORY OF LIFE. This takes time and a genuine desire out of a pure heart. Most people are deceived into living their lives for a second-rate cause never giving God Almighty the place that He deserves. Then they wonder why they are miserable, unhappy, and unpeaceful. God is last, not first! God works with those who seek after Him and when it comes right down to God's Word, you have no friends. You must be willing to keep God first regardless of what anyone may say or do. God will always protect us from harm or God would be a liar and God is not a man that He can lie. To keep this example simple, I've chosen an example about work. We are to concentrate on what we are doing WHEN WE ARE DOING IT. Look at:

Colossians 3: 23 -- And whatsoever ye do, do it [work] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

If you experience some doubt about your ability while doing a task, you can take a breath and say to yourself:

Philippians 4: 13 -- I can do all things through Christ which [who] strengtheneth me.

Then God expects you to get your mind back on what you are doing. Many times unbelievers will do their best to distract you. GET AWAY FROM THEM. Usually believers who keep God first are the best workers/employees because they are supposed to set an example. Most often people will not read the book -- they'll read you. This is just some common sense about staying your mind on God. Keep it simple and God expects you to use some old-fashioned common sense. Concentrate on the task at hand. That is staying your mind on God.

Surely, we've established from the Word that it is His Will for us to 'meditate' upon Him. Finally, there is only one scripture in the New Testament that mentions the word 'meditate' and that is in:

I Timothy 4: 15 -- Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

The phrase "meditate upon" means "to care for, take care for anything, so as to be able to perform it." How are you going to care enough about God's Word to be able to perform it? Well, there's really only one way. For some people this is difficult, but it really shouldn't be. The key is that the blessings follow the action! If you don't ACT by making an effort to meditate on God’s Word, then you will not see the blessings and benefits.

In the mid-seventies, I had the privilege to sit through a class that taught me how to deal with the adversary. The class coordinator, during a break, helped us to learn something written on small green cards, about the size of a business card. For some reason, I became adept at this and learned every card as soon as possible. I thought "what a tool to fight off the devil" and I learned to utilize this tool for many years up to this very day. What was written was THE WORD OF GOD on scripture retemory cards. On about 20 to 25 cards, was written an emotion and then the scripture for that emotion. That's it -- that's how simple it is. This is the best way and most effective way to meditate upon God. You learn scriptures BY HEART word for word. Now, if you don't have your Bible with you, YOU HAVE THE WORD OF GOD IN THE FLESHLY TABLES OF YOUR HEART WHEREVER YOU GO AND YOU CAN THINK ON GOD AND STAY YOUR MIND ON HIM ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. Remember to always APPLY God’s Word with 'Agape' -- the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation.

Example: You are experiencing some discouraging thoughts and begin to wonder if your efforts are really worth it. Write the following on a card or something that you can carry with you.

DISCOURAGEMENT: Galatians 6: 9 -- And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. -- Galatians 6: 9

Where do we faint? We faint in our minds. The battlefield is between the ears. God is exhorting us NOT TO QUIT because at the right time, according to God's timetable, HE WILL REWARD US. Be faithful -- study and apply the Word and you will absolutely reap the rewards.

You learn the Scripture by heart. You'll eventually see why you should write it out exactly as above with the reference at the beginning and at the end. There seems to be nothing more frustrating than knowing the Scripture by heart, but not knowing where it is especially when witnessing to someone or preparing a teaching. Do your best. A few more examples should help.

Let's say you would like better health. There are two Scriptures here that I have learned by heart for about 20 years. I must have meditated upon them (said them to myself) thousands of times. The first one takes a little time to learn. By the way, these Scriptures, once learned, will just seem to pop up in your mind when you need them.

HEALING: I Peter 2: 24 -- Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were [past tense] healed. -- I Peter 2: 24

III John 2 -- Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. -- III John 2

Many times, I do not have any emotion or category on the scripture retemory card since it is self-explanatory.

Proverbs 16: 24 -- Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. – Proverbs 16: 24

Philippians 4: 13 -- I can do all things through Christ which [who] strengtheneth me. – Philippians 4: 13

Learning Scriptures by heart is work -- there's no doubt about it, but there are great rewards. At last count, I have in front of me, 116 Scripture retemory cards. I know about 100 Scriptures by heart, probably more. I must have used them many thousands of times, especially when I am in difficult situations. I still take my cards with me on walks, at times, and learn them as I walk. Now God showed me how to study, get peaceful in nature and to exercise at the same time. Some of the greatest leaders I've met were strong in learning scriptures by memory. The Word says we are to imitate others who stand fast on God's rightly divided Word. We are to imitate their habits that line up with the Word. We are always to be ourselves as far as our personalities are concerned.

If you have a difficult time memorizing scripture, then simply try to think about a scripture or about something that pertains to God. God wants you to remember Him during the day. God made, formed and created us so that we would love Him by our own free will. Scripture retemory will strengthen your mind by allowing you to stay your mind on God whenever and wherever you are whether you have your Bible with you or not. Scripture retemory is RENEWED MIND and renewed mind is your KEY TO POWER.

Here are some suggestions to help you get started memorizing Scripture:

Philippians 4: 13	Romans 8: 37	Acts 5: 29
Romans 10: 9, 10	Ephesians 6: 12	Romans 12: 1, 2
Philippians. 4: 6	James 2: 1	Romans 12: 19
Galatians 6: 9	Psalm 37: 4	Romans 8: 1
Ephesians 4: 4	Romans 12: 21

Psalm 103: 2 -- Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

No one can remember all of God's benefits. He simply doesn't want you to forget all of them. Having the Word embedded in your heart means you cannot forget them.

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