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:
