More on Memorizing and Meditating

(If you still need the study for this week it is directly below this post)

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97

Charles Spurgeon once said, "It is blessed to eat into the very soul of the Bible until, at last, you come to talk in Scriptural language, and your spirit is flavored with the words of the Lord, so that your blood is Bibline and the very essence of the Bible flows from you."

On memorization Dallas Willard writes,
"Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental way of filling our mind with what it needs. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth. Thats where you need it! How does it get in your mouth? Memorization."

John Piper wrote in his book "When I Don't Desire God" that memorization "offers us all day the immediate beauty of Christ in his Word, and it offers us all day the weapons by which we cut the nerve of sin's sweet deception...Memorizing Scripture is one of the surest routes to going deep with God and walking in communion with him. Which means walking in joy."

Charles Spurgeon wrote that John Bunyan had "studied the (Bible) till his whole being was saturated with Scripture; and ...his writings...continually make us feel and say, 'Why this man is a living Bible!' Prick him anywhere; and you will find that his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his soul is full of the word of God."

Last quote I promise:

John Piper on why he places so much emphasis on memorization in his ministry,

I spent this much time on Bible memory because I believe in the power of the indwelling word of God to solve a thousand problems before they happen, and to heal a thousand wounds after they happen, and to kill a thousand sins in the moment of temptation, and to sweeten a thousand days with the 'drippings of the honeycomb.' Christ will be seen as the fortune he is when we treasure his word more than money, and when the joy it wakens overflows with sacrificial love."


Let me challenge you to begin memorizing God's word this week so much say that you begin thinking and talking in "scriptural language."

Bible Intake: Meditating and Memorizing

Here is the study for this coming Sunday if you didn't get it. Have a great week.

Bible Intake: Meditating and Memorizing

The Discipline in Focus

If we only just read the word of God and hear it we may gain a lot from it, but in the long run it does not compare with meditating and memorizing on God’s word. The value of memorizing scripture is immeasurable. Donald Whitney gives us five rewards when memorizing the Bible.
1. Memorization supplies spiritual power – When we memorize scripture it is available for the Holy Spirit to take and bring to your attention when you need it. (Psalm 119:11, Col 3:2, and especially the example of Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11).
2. Memorization strengthens your faith – When you memorize scripture you are increasing your faith because you are constantly reinforcing the truth. (Pro. 22:17-19).
3. Memorization aids in witnessing and counseling – Scripture memory can prepare us for unexpected witnessing and counseling opportunities. (Acts 2:14-40, where Peter shares the gospel by quoting much of the OT).
4. Memorization is a means of God’s guidance – The Holy Spirit will bring scripture to our minds and provide guidance for us in times of need. For example anytime we wonder what we might say in a certain situation if we have Ephesians 4:29 memorized we will be able to proceed the best way.
5. Memorization stimulates mediation – When you have a verse memorized you can meditate on it whenever and wherever.

Mediation is often a buzzword that brings up images of Buddha, yoga, or new age movement. Many Christians are even uncomfortable talking about it. The kind of meditation done in the Bible is different from the world’s way. Mediation according to the world is about emptying your mind, but Christian mediation involves filling your mind with God and truth. Mediation, God’s way, involves prayer, and his word. Mediation is defined as deep thinking on the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture for the purposes of understanding, application, and prayer. Thomas Watson once said, “The reason we come away so cold from reading the word is, because we do not warm ourselves at the fire of meditation.” Mediation is key to Christian growth because it helps us to absorb the living water of God’s word. See John 15 and Psalm 1.


Getting Practical

Memorize Scripture
1. Have a plan. Select some verses on a particular topic where the Lord is working in your life at the moment. For example, memorize verses on faith or humility.
2. Write out the verses. Make a list and keep it with you. Use index cards.
3. Memorize it word for word. Make sure you know exactly what is being said in that verse. This will give you more confidence when sharing it with someone else.
4. Find a method of accountability. Meet with someone else and review your verses.
5. Review and meditate everyday. If you do not review verses you have previously memorized you will forget them. Review right before you go to sleep.
6. Don’t forget why you are doing this. Godliness.


Meditate on Scripture
1. Select the right passage. Choose a passage, phrase, verse, or word that gets your attention while reading. Choose verses that pertain to your circumstances.
2. Repeat the verse in different ways. Think deeply upon the truth that flashes into your mind each time you read a word.
3. Rewrite the verse in your own words. Paraphrasing a verse could help you understand the meaning.
4. Look for applications of the text. Ask yourself, “How should I respond to this text?” The outcome of mediation should be application.
5. Pray through the text. Pray as you meditate.
6. Don’t rush. Take your time. Make sure you have allotted yourself plenty of time to spend meditating on God’s word.

Respond
1. How important is memorizing God’s word? How important is meditating on God’s word?
2. Why are these things important?
3. Are the tasks of memorizing and meditating difficult because they take a lot of time or because you just don’t see why you should do them? (They are called disciplines for a reason).
4. What is holding you back from making a plan this week to memorize scripture?

Herme...what?

The hermeneutics and exegesis discussion is not something that you have to talk about when you teach on Sunday, but is mainly for your study. The following is a really really short explanation of hermenetics and exegesis (there are whole classes just on these words so we are talking really short). For further study check out these books: Gospel Centered Hermeneutics by Graeme Goldsworthy and Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible by Robert Stein.

When you study the Bible the basic components that help you do this are hermeneutics and exegesis. Hermeneutics is a scary word that describes the "practice or discipline of interpretation." Exegesis is a process that comes in under the umbrella of hermeneutics and is just a scary word that simply refers to the "process of understanding or interpreting a text or the careful, systematic study of Scipture to discover the original intended meaning." (Both defintions taken from Steins book). These two big words are centered around the basics of communication, meaning, and understanding? How can we understand what the Bible is saying? What does that verse mean? Everyone does hermeneutics and exegesis. The question is how well do you do it.

In all communication there are three parts: author, text, and reader. The main goal of interpreting the Bible is figuring out the meaning of the text we are reading.

The best way to approach finding the meaning is to find what the author intended to say when he wrote it. What did the author purposely will to get across to his readers? This is the basic foundation to all communication. Even as you are reading this very sentence you are seeking to understand what I (the author) am seeking to say to you. We use such things as context, languages, audience, and other things to help us understand the intended meaning.

In addition, often in the Bible we understand that what an author has willed to communicate in the past (2000 years ago) has implications for us in the present that the author was not aware of. These implications are a part of the meaning of the text. Stein gives us an illustration,

"When Paul wrote Ephesians 5:18, 'Do not get drunk on wine,' he was consciously thinking that the Ephesian Christians should not become intoxicated with the mixture of water and wine that they called wine. This saying however has implications that go beyond what Paul was consciously thinking. Paul gave a principle or patter of meaning that has implications about not becoming drunk with beer, whiskey, rum, vodka, or champagne. If asked, Paul would state that although he was not consciously thinking of these other alcoholic beverages, he meant for Christians not to become drunk by using them as well."

When we seek to interpret the Bible we are seeking to understand what the author is meaning to communicate as well as the principles or patterns of meaning he communicates. Often what we do when we study the Bible is try to understand what these implications are for us in the present.

In short, hermeneutics and exegesis are the processes we go through when reading scripture that help us understand what is being said. Ultmately "hermeneutics is about reading God's word with understanding so that we might be conformed more and more to the image of Christ" (Graeme Goldsworthy) The goal of hermeneutics and exegesis is knowing God through His word.

Because I have barely even skimmed the surface of these things please feel free to ask questions and read up on these terms and how we can use them to know God better through His word. Most of this blog entry was taken from the books mentioned above.

Reading the Word of God

Psalm 19:7-11

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is thy servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

From Pastor John Piper:

"If you decide that you don’t need to receive the word, you are like a person who decides he doesn’t need to breathe. If you are spiritually dead, you can carry through that decision. You can choose not to breathe. But if you are spiritually alive, you can’t.

"So the Bible is the Word of God, and the Word of God is no trifle. It is the source of life and faith and hope and freedom and guidance and wisdom and comfort and assurance and victory over our greatest enemy. Is it any wonder, then, that those who knew best said, "The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart" (Psalm 19:8)? "I will delight in thy statutes, I will not forget thy word" (Psalm 119:16). "Oh, how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119:97). "Thy testimonies are my heritage for ever, yea, they are the joy of my heart" (Psalm 119:111). "Thy words were found, and I ate them, and thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by thy name" (Jeremiah 15:16).

"We despise God if we treat the Bible as a trifle in our lives."

Jesus has the words of life. Where else are we to go to find life, joy, peace, guidance and love? Where can we turn to find our purpose in living? The Word of God.

The Jouney: Training Session #1

Hey everyone, here is our first lesson for the new "The Journey" study.

The Why and What of Spiritual Disciplines

Focus
Spiritual Disciplines are those personal and corporate disciplines that promote spiritual growth. These spiritual disciplines include bible intake, prayer, worship, evangelism, service, stewardship, fasting, silence, journaling, and learning. The most important feature of any discipline is its purpose. Without purpose there will be no desire to continue any discipline. Take an Olympic athlete for example. If their training did not have the purpose of making it to the Olympic Games and winning a medal then there would be no reason to continue the training. The purpose of the spiritual disciplines is godliness aka Christlikeness. These disciplines are the God-given means we are to use in the Spirit-filled pursuit of becoming like Christ. Godly people are disciplined people. God seems to use three things that help us become more like Christ: other people, our circumstances, and spiritual disciplines. The disciplines are a way that we can further the process of holiness by God’s grace. God has given us the spiritual disciplines as a means of receiving His grace and growing in godliness. When we practice the spiritual disciplines we are placing ourselves before God for Him to work in us.

Think of these disciplines as a river out of which flows God’s grace to us. If we do not practice these disciplines we run the risk of God’s transforming grace being held back and as a result bearing little fruit. Once we begin to practice these disciplines, however, the river of grace flows and we are changed. Many times students and adults will ask, “Why can’t I change?” or “How can I become more like Christ?” Our best place to look for these answers is in the spiritual disciplines. The great Baptist pastor Charles Spurgeon once said, “I must take care above all that I cultivate communion with Christ, for though that can never be the basis of my peace yet it will be the channel of it.”

God expects us to practice the spiritual disciplines. This is implied in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” The same is true in this offer of discipleship: “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me’” (Luke 9:23). These verses tell us that to be a disciple of Jesus means to lean from and follow Him. Learning and following involve discipline, for those who only learn accidentally and follow incidentally are not true disciples. Godliness is a life long journey. The spiritual disciplines should always have the goal of godliness in mind or they will become boring and drudgeries. But if we follow the example of Jesus we will find that he was the most disciplined man who ever lived and the most joyous and passionate man to ever live.

The Word
1 Timothy 4:7, 1 Peter 1:15-16, Matthew 11:29, Luke 9:23, and Galatians 5:22-23.

Respond

1. Name some of the spiritual disciplines?

2. What is the goal of the spiritual disciplines? (Why discipline yourself to read the Bible, pray, fast, meditate, serve, evangelize, give, worship?)
3. Did Jesus practice the spiritual disciplines? (prayer, worship, bible study and etc.)
4. What is more valuable? A healthy and fit body or godliness? Read 1 Tim. 4:7-8. (We know the Sunday School answer to this question, but what do you place the most value on in your life? Comfortable life, fun, sports, friends, girlfriend or boyfriend, or godliness?)
5. How much TV do you watch? Why does this matter? How does this relate to godliness? (You can often see what you value most by how you spend your free time).
6. How much do you value godliness?

Activity Response

This week pay attention to how you spend your time. Read 1Timothy 4:7-8 and believe it as the word of God.

One God: Celebration

"Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love. justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'" Jeremiah 9:23-24

A.W. Pink wrote that "God is only truly known in the soul as we yield ourselves to Him, submit to His authority, and regulate all the details of our lives by His holy precepts and commandments."

In other words a knowledge of God that does not leave our heads and flow into our hearts is not transforming knowledge. A knowledge of God that does not lead us to a love for our Father characterized by obedience to the Father is only knowledge that puffs up.

This week select a few of God's attributes from our study (or even some we didnt cover) and meditate on these. If anything is worth our time it is our Creator. Focus on the passages that describe our wonderful God. Think about Him. Think about how these passages should affect the way you live. Begin your times of prayer by telling God how great he is. Focus on him and not yourself in times of prayer. Ask him for a transforming knowledge of His character and that His word would capture your hearts.

More Thoughts

Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. The apostle Paul loved his Lord. Everything else paled in comparison.

When you look at the way you live your life, what do you value above all things. It is easy at church to say, "I love Jesus more than anything and he deserves all my praise." But when you look at your normal day to day life what do you see about what you love? Can someone on the outside looking in say "He counts all things as loss compared to knowing Jesus." Or is it more like, "He counts all things as loss compared to knowing/having ______________." (respect, money, easy life, nice stuff, friends, family etc.)

The point of "One God: Celebration" is to point ourselves and the students towards Jesus Christ by saying, "Hey, God is worth knowing and loving above all things in your life! Don't just think this but believe it and live like it."

Here are some of the attributes that we have talked about over the past few months. Pick one or two and meditate on them in Scripture. Be ready Sunday to share the impact these attributes have had on you.

God is faithful.
God is holy.
God is patient.
God is immutable.
God is all-powerful (omnipotent)
God is all-knowing (omniscient)
God is all-present (omnipresent)
God is loving.
God is gracious.
God is wrathful.
God is wise.
God is sovereign.
God is Father.
God is Son.
God is Holy Spirit.
God is good.
God is self-sufficient.
God is merciful.

At the end of our time on Sunday we will transition into a time of encouraging the students to continue their quest to know God and the best way to do this is through the Spiritual Disciplines (which we start on April 13.)