Meditating on God's word

Meditating on God’s Word

God says early on in His word "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may observe to do all that is written in it, and then you shall prosper and you will have good success" (Josh. 1:9).  In Psalms it says "I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways" (Psalm 119:15). This is not the type of mediation that the world gets into, because they try to empty their minds and filling it with sounds and hums and even positive thinking. When we meditate on God's word, we are getting actual power from God - "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to those who are saved, it is the power of God" (1 Cor. 1:18). The entire Holy Bible is the message of the cross, telling how Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior, so by reading, meditating on and keeping it in our minds, we have the power of God as our strength!

Praying God’s Word:

When Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness, He fought back with saying "For it is written". So when we are feeling unsure, overburdened, we can pray "For it is written 'Cast your cares upon the Lord, because He cares about you. Here are my cares, Lord. I trust in You". Or when we are scared, we can say "For it is written, You did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind". When we're feeling anxious, we can pray "For it is written, 'Do not be anxious about anything but instead let your requests be made known to God". Again, the message of the cross , i.e. scripture, God's holy word, is powerful! Next thing you will know, a peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds because you are trusting in the One who is "our strength, an ever-present help in time of need"! (Psalm 46:1)

Focus On Jesus:

If Peter had kept his eyes on Jesus while walking on the water, he might have reached Jesus. But like all of us, Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the winds and waves. That’s when he began to sink and had to cry out, “Lord, save me!” (Matt. 14:30). Of course, Jesus did save him and “reached out His hand and took hold of him” (Matt. 14:31). When you feel like you’re about to drown in trials, and it’s getting up over your head, cry out to Jesus and say, “Lord, save me,” and He too will reach “out His hand and” take hold of you. A great source of inner strength is to focus on Jesus!

Surrender to God:

In biblical times, God's people encountered actual battles, but today, each of us encounter our own battles. But we can do just what they did: rely on God for strength. Whatever you face, just say “I surrender. I give up.” When this happens, there is an overwhelming sense of peace that comes over you, when you finally realize that you could not fight this on your own. The Bible teaches, “Because you have sought the Lord and relied on Him, He has given us rest" (2 Chron. 14:7). Over and over, God's people would seek God first and prevail, or, when they would not, "they because you have relied on the king and have not relied on the Lord" (2 Chron. 16:7), they did not prevail. God tells us over and over "do not be afraid nor dismayed, for the battle is not yours, but the Lord's” (2 Chron. 20:15). Give it to God, and you soon find victory, but by the hand of God, not your own! Ironically, there is victory in surrender!

Storing Up Scripture:

The psalmist wrote, “I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11), which means he memorized or stored up the Word of God in his mind (heart) so that he would not sin against God. In other words, memorizing Scripture can give us an inner resource of strength that is found only in the Word of God and in the God of the Word. If you dwell on the Word, the Word will dwell in you!

Trust in God:

If we trust in ourselves, then we are building our house on sand, but when we build our house on rock, "and that Rock is Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5), we have a sure foundation!  Whoever trusts in the Lord, “will discover good” (Prov 16:20), and “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord” (Jer. 17:7). When you think about Who God is, that should renew your spirit because you know that He is God and there is no other, and what He says, cannot be changed!

Conclusion:

You can find strength for your battles and strength for your soul in meditating on God’s Word and by praying to your Father in heaven with His Word. Further, by keeping your eyes on Jesus, by surrendering to God, and by relying on Him as your good, good Father in heaven! 

All glory to God!

- shared from Christian Quotes by Pastor Jack Wellman