Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
F. MATURITY - BIBLE MEDITATION - 2011-05-29
1. PSALM 19:14 (1-14) MEDITATION: PRAYED FOR BY DAVID. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in your sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer” (ASV '01). Words of our mouth emerge from the meditationof our heart. And even our meditationcan be softly vocalized like the cooing of a dove. Psalm 19 is a wonderful subject for meditationand vocalization.Hallowed be your :name!
2. Joshua 1:8 (1:1-9) MEDITATION: A CHALLENGE FOR JOSHUA. “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditateon it day and night, that you may observe to doaccording to all that is written in it: for thenyou shall make your way prosperous, and thenyou shall have good success.” Moses by the Spirit gives one of the strongest challenges for meditationthat can be found in the Bible. The wholeTorah or Pentateuch is to be Joshua's complete subject! It is to hold his attention day and night! The object is that through clear understanding he may then effectively doaccording to allwritten there. And only then does God give the following two extraordinary promises! Your :kingdom come.
3. Psalm 1:1-3 (1:1-6) MEDITATION: CONTRASTED WITH THE WICKED. “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stands in the way of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of scoffers: 2But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; and on his law does he meditateday and night. 3And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also does not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Possibly a son of Asaph wrote this psalm. How powerful! How great its contrast! How parallel to the word to Joshua. If any Psalm could be memorized - thisis certainly one of the very first! I memorized it when in Grade 3, and have kept it up through the years. Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.
4. Psalm 119:23 (119:17-24) MEDITATION: BASED IN THE LONGEST CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE. “Princes also sat and talked against me; But your servant did meditateon your statutes.” Again, the Spirit leads to make contrast between ungodly princes and a true servant of the Lord. Meditationbecomes his source of comfort, strength and encouragement in the midst of persecution. We allcould follow this exemplary pattern! Our :daily :breadgive us this day.
5. Psalm 119:97-99 (119:97-104) MEDITATION: ITS TREMENDOUS BENEFIT. “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditationall the day. 98Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. 99I have more understanding than all my teachers; For your testimonies are my meditation. 100I understand more than the aged, Because I have kept your precepts.” Just look at the benefits of meditation! Wiser than enemies! More understanding than teachers! More understanding than the aged! Who wouldn't want to be led in the paths of meditation? Just as a cow chews her cud - so we as believers should cause the Word to return to our attention - and permit us to pour over its marvelous mysteries! And forgive us our :debts, as we also have forgiven our :debtors.
6. Psalm 119:148 (119:145-152) MEDITATION: DURING SEASONS OF WAKEFULNESS. “My eyes have anticipated the night-watches, That I might meditateon your word.” We should not fret when lying awake at night! What an opportunity to meditateon what we have memorized of the Bible. Brother Yun, the Heavenly Man of China - utilized this opportunity again and again! We can too! And bring us not into temptation.
7. 1 Timothy 4:15 (4:11-16) MEDITATION IN DILIGENCE. “Be diligentin these; give yourself wholly to these; that your :progress be manifest to all.” Does the NT have insights on meditation- that parallel the strong emphasis of the OT? Yes, but seemingly it is in a more veiled state. “MeLEta” in the Greek is translated here as “Be diligent.” But it has the underlying thought of meditatingin diligence! It took prayer and diligence and study to dig this nugget out - but it is perfectly legitimate. And bring us not into temptation!
NOTE: I have been led to choose George Muller and George Whitefield as the true and great historical examples of meditation! Look at the fruitfulness. The first 10 years of Muller's Christian life were relatively fruitless from the years of 20 to 30. He was like a yo-yo! Up and down - up and down. But when he came across a biography on George Whitefield, and learned that Meditationwas the chief activity of his fruitful life, Muller immediately changed his entire devotional habit. Now he majored on starting out early in the morning reading the Word on his knees, and both praying over it, and praying it back to God in his own words. He ended up the last 10 years of his life by reading through the Bible in this manner4 times a year! Four to five hours a day prepared him for victory and answered prayer all the day long!
Men like Muller counted the cost - and paid the price! He who would count “With Eternity's Values in View” - will be sure to do likewise. Such is the picture of true discipleship. Such is the example of Jesus, the Son of man! Such is the example of the apostle Paul, one of the closest to Jesus, called by Him, “O greatly beloved of the Lord!” And Paul said to us - “Follow me, as Ifollow Christ.”
So - this example is not just for Jesus and apostles - it is for every believer - to become a disciple - to become a daily mediator in the Word of God!
Muller didn't feel he was in the victory at all times as he desired. Neither do I - but he didpress on in this direction as his daily habit, all apart from feelings. And so do I.
God revealed Himself to me at Passover 1944 as a sailor in the Navy. On a day's leave, a number of us wandered north of Victoria, and found a tavern. Over it's door was the verse, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord!” Psalm 19:14. Apparently the tavern had formerly been a chapel or church. I was deeply impressed upon coming upon this. I sensed God saying to me - “This is for you! This is My will for you! I want you to be like David in both speech and meditation! That was 67 years ago. It is as deeply ingrained upon my spirit as it was that summer day.
A friend suggested that I document for you where I found George Muller's personal testimony on his transformation through meditation. If you find “George Muller of Bristol” - a biography written by Dr. A.T. Pierson - then turn to p. 137, chapter 10 - “The Word of God and Prayer”. There he tells how through a biography on George Whitefield, he learned the secret of reading the Bible for hours on his knees - praying over it - and meditating it back to God in his own words. By this his life was transformed.
The abridged biography on George Whitefield by Arnold A. Dallimore - records in Chapter 2, p. 21, “Preaching that Startled the Nations” - how reading the Word on his knees and praying over it - released the power of the Holy Spirit in his life - that continued right up to his Home-call!
My closing word? Join me in walking in Psalm 19:14 and the challenge of Bible Meditation. It is an integral component part of God's organic Laser-Telescope. We will notbe a part of God's Spiritual Star Wars apart from having Bible Meditationan integral partof our life. J.A.Watt
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