“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”
2 Timothy 3:16
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:11
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;”
Romans 1:16
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:32
Introduction
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
Some Christians are wary of or reject meditation, on the grounds that the roots of meditation lie in non-Christian influences such as Buddhism. While meditation has been widely used in eastern spirituality for centuries, there is nothing inherently non-Christian about the practice of meditation, and, it is increasingly being accepted as a mainstream practice in the promotion of well-being and mental health. Without knowing it, you have enjoyed many periods of sweet meditation. Think back to the last funeral you attended for a very close relative or friend. While the comforting music was played and the fond remembrances were shared, did you not slip into a place in your mind when you and the deceased were enjoying good times in the past? You were meditating. Maybe not voluntarily, but you were meditating. It was a time of meditation that promoted comfort and healing didn’t it?
Christian meditation is nothing more than a time of peaceful focus on God, His Love, His Mercy, and His Grace. Christian meditation can focus on a single word, or as I prefer, a collection of verses from the Bible along with pictures and graphics that promote thanksgiving, devotion, and a desire to grow closer to God and to serve Him.
The Bible says in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing God and hearing God more clearly and completely comes through reading and studying His Word.
The Bible Is Holy
The Bible is holy because it was written by men under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). The Greek word translated “God-breathed” is Theopneustos, from theos, meaning “God,” and pneo, meaning “to breathe or breathe upon.” We get the English word pneumonia from this Greek root. So, our Holy God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, literally breathed the holy words of Scripture into the writers of each of the books through supernatural means. The divine Writer is holy; therefore, what He writes is holy.
God’s Word Is Undefeatable
Because it is God’s word, it is an undefeatable word. The Bible has all the essentials of the life and power of God to do his work! Isaiah says that the word of God does not return void; it does his work, powerfully so (Is. 55). The Word of God is powerful.
We Need The Word
Just consider a couple of implications here:
From the standpoint of your own sanctification or spiritual growth, you need this book every single day. You need to read it, meditate on it, memorize it, and delight in it. You need it preached each Lord’s Day and you need it singing in your head all day long. It is a powerful book.
From the standpoint of evangelism and mission: this is what we want to get out of our mouths and into the ears of our hearers. We want people to hear the Word of God. It is this that does the powerful heart work of conversion. Our stories are helpful and even moving; however, they are not powerful unto salvation like the word of God.
From the standpoint of apologetics: If you are defending the faith against a skeptic or a cynic you should never be afraid or embarrassed by the Bible; it is powerful. You are not going to a knife fight with a spork; this is a sharp, two-edged sword! One old preacher used to say, “This book is a lion! You don’t defend lions, you just open the cage and let them out!”
We Need To Meditate On The Word
The Bible mentions 23 occurrences of some translation of meditate: 19 of them appear in the Psalms, and of the 23, 20 refer specifically to meditating on the Lord in some way. We are told to meditate on his actions, law, or testimonies – all of which are found within his Word.
One of the greatest promises in the Bible is found in Psalm 1:2-3. This passage teaches that if we meditate on God’s Word day and night we will be “like a tree firmly planted by streams of water” (NAS).
Meditating on the word of God helps us understand how to apply it in our lives. As Paul told Timothy, the Holy Scriptures are “able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus … that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15, 17).
Meditating on the word of God involves focusing on one verse at a time, quoting it to the Lord and pondering each word. With each recitation of a verse, emphasize a different word. For example, if you are meditating on John 3:16, you would emphasize a different word each time you repeated the passage: “For God so loved the world… .”