By David Feddes

 

Psalm 119 (excerpts)

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word… I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you… I meditate on your precepts… I will not neglect your word… Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors… Turn my eyes away from worthless things;  preserve my life according to your word… May your unfailing love come to me, Lord,  your salvation, according to your promise… Do good to your servant according to your word, Lord... Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens… give me understanding according to your word! Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts… Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.

 

Amazing Bible

  • Food
  • Light
  • Alarm
  • Weapon
  • Foundation


Feeding on
 God’s Word

  • Read
  • Memorize
  • Meditate
  • Listen
  • Apply
  • Write


Read

The king is to read it all the days of his life. (Deuteronomy 17:19)

Have you not read…? (Matt 12:3, 5; 19:4; 21:16, 42; 22:31 etc)

  • Read in private and as family.
  • Schedule a daily time.
  • Follow a reading plan.


Memorize

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you... I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119:11, 16)

  • Choose verses you need most: truths, praises, promises, guidance
  • Find frequent time slots
  • Keep verses nearby (phone, paper)
  • Review regularly; meditate on verses


Meditate

On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. (Psalm 145:5)

  • Dwell upon, keep thinking about, run through mind over and over
  • Healthy meditation ponders the Lord, His works, and your ways.


Ponder the Lord

Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. (Psalm 48:9)

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. (Psalm 63:6)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. (Heb 12:3)


Ponder God’s works

I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. (Psalm 77:12)

Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. (Psalm 111:2)

I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. (Ps 143:5)


Ponder your ways

Ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. (Psalm 4:4)

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. (Haggai 1:5-6)

Think of yourself with sober judgment. (Romans 12:3)


Meditate

  • As you meditate on the Bible, the Spirit shows applications to life events. Christ enters more deeply into your life.
  • As you meditate on your life events, the Spirit will bring Bible truths to mind. You enter more deeply into Christ’s life.
  • The Spirit shows your spirit which thoughts and emotions are from Christ.


Listen

Ezra read it aloud… And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law… The Levites read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. (Nehemiah 8:3-8)

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Rom 10:17)


Apply

Ask the Holy Spirit:

  • How is your grace touching me in this?
  • What truth do you want me to discover or believe more clearly and firmly?
  • What attitudes need correcting?
  • What action steps should I take?
  • As the Holy Spirit applies the Word to your heart, take action in the Spirit’s power.


Write: journaling by biblical writers

  • Most of Job is a journal of conversation, inner struggle, and encounter with God.
  • Many Psalms are feelings, thoughts, and prayers that have been written down.
  • Ecclesiastes is a journal of mid-life crisis.
  • Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and other prophets write questions and personal struggles.
  • Epistles share personal experiences.


Write: benefits of journaling

  • Remembering rather than forgetting
  • Clarifying impressions and insights
  • Getting realistic and knowing yourself
  • Setting goals and evaluating progress
  • Tracking God’s activity in your life
  • Seeing how God answers your prayers
  • Supporting other spiritual disciplines


Bible is amazing, but must be used in order to help us.

  • Food must be eaten.
  • Light must be used.
  • Alarm alarm must be heeded
  • Weapon must be wielded.
  • Foundation must be built upon.


What hinders you from feeding on God’s Word?

  • Too little time
  • Too many distractions
  • Too little desire for God
  • Too much sin and sloth
  • Too negligent of healthy habits


Train for godliness

  • Spiritual fitness = close to God and resistant to evil. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:7-8)
  • Spiritual fitness grows through training. “Train yourself for godliness.” (1 Tim 4:7)
  • Nutrition is vital for fitness and training.


Feeding on 
God’s Word

  • Read
  • Memorize
  • Meditate
  • Listen
  • Apply
  • Write

 

Last modified: Thursday, April 25, 2024, 11:20 AM