Psalm 1 - Meditation, Part 3

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253.874.4265 -- Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*



   *PSALM 1 - MEDITATION - PART 3 - 2009-02-27*

*SOUL NOURISHMENT FIRST - GEORGE MULLER - 1841-05-09*


 (From his Autobiography, p. 152). It has pleased the Lord to teach me a
truth, the benefit of which I have not lost for more than fourteen years.
The point is this: I saw more clearly than ever that the first great and
primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul
happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not how much I
might serve the Lord, or how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get
my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished. For I
might seek to set the truth before the unconverted, I might seek to benefit
believers, I might seek to relieve the distresses, I might in other ways
seek to behave myself as it becomes a child of God in this world; and yet,
not being happy in the Lord, and not being nourished and strengthened in my
inner man day by day, all this might not be attended to in a right spirit.
Before this time my practice has been, at least for ten years previously, as
a habitual thing, to give myself to prayer after having dressed myself in
the morning. Now I saw that the most important thing I had to do was to give
myself to the reading of the Word of God, and to *meditation* on it, that so
my heart might be comforted, encouraged, warned, reproved, instructed; and
that thus, by means of the Word of God, while *meditating* on it, my heart
be brought into experimental communion with the Lord.


 I began therefore to *meditate* on the New Testament from the beginning
early in the morning. The first thing I did, after having asked in a few
words the Lord's blessing upon His precious Word, was to begin to
*meditate*on the Word of God, searching as it were into every verse to
get blessing
out of it; not for the sake of the public ministry of the Word, not for the
sake of preaching on what I *meditated* upon, but for the sake of obtaining
food for my own soul. The result I have found to be almost invariably this,
that after a very few minutes my soul has been led to confession, or to
thanksgiving, or to intercession, or to supplication; so that, though I did
not, as it were, give myself to prayer, but to *meditation*, yet it turned
almost immediately more or less into prayer. When thus I have been for a
while making confession or intercession or supplication, or have given
thanks, I go on to the next words or verse, turning all as I go into prayer
for myself or others, as the Word may lead to it, but still continually
keeping before me that food for my own soul is the object of my *meditation*.
The result of this is, that there is always a good deal of confession,
thanksgiving, supplication, or intercession mingled with my

meditation, and that my inner man almost invariably is even sensibly
nourished and strengthened, and that by breakfast time, with rare
exceptions, I am in a peaceful if not happy state of heart. Thus also the
Lord is pleased to communicate unto me that which, either very soon after or
at a later time, I have found to become food for other believers, though it
was not for the sake of the public ministry of the word that I gave myself
to *meditation*, but for the profit of my own inner man.


 With this mode I have likewise combined the being out in the open air for
an hour, an hour and a half, or two hours, before breakfast, walking about
in the fields, and in the summer sitting for a little on the stiles, if I
find it too much to walk all the time, I find it very beneficial to my
health to walk thus for *meditation* before breakfast, and am now so in the
habit of using the time for that purpose, that when I get into the open air
I generally take out a New Testament of good size type, which I carry with
me for that purpose, besides my Bible; and I find that I can profitably
spend my time in the open air, which formerly was not the case for want of
habit. I used to consider the time spent in walking a loss, but now I find
it very profitable, not only to my body, but also to my soul. The walking
out before breakfast is, of course, not necessarily connected with this
matter, and everyone has to judge according to his strength and other
circumstances.


 The difference, then between my former practice and my present one is this:
formerly, when I rose, I began to pray as soon as possible, and generally
spent all my time till breakfast in prayer, or almost all the time. At all
events I almost invariably began with prayer, except when I felt my soul to
be more than usually barren, in which case I read the Word of God for food,
or for refreshment, or for a revival and renewal of my inner man, before I
gave myself to prayer. But what was the result? I often spent a quarter of
an hour or half hour, or even one hour, on my knees, before being conscious
to myself of having derived comfort, encouragement, humbling of soul, etc.,
and often after having suffered much from wandering of mind for the first
ten minutes, or quarter of an hour, or even half an hour, I only then began
really to pray.


 I scarcely ever suffer now in this way. For my heart being nourished by the
truth, being brought in experimental fellowship with God, I *speak* to my
Father and to my Friend (vile though I am, and unworthy of it) about the
things that He has brought before me in His precious Word. It often
astonished me that I did not sooner see this point. In no book did I ever
read about it. No public ministry every brought the matter before me. No
private intercourse with a brother stirred me up to this matter. And, yet
now, since God has taught me this point, it is as plain to mean as anything,
that the first thing the child of God has to do morning by morning is, to
obtain food for his inner man. As the outward man is not fit for work for
any length of time except as we take food, and as this is one of the first
things we do in the morning so it should be with the inner man. We should
take food for that, as everyone must allow.


 Now, what is the food for the inner man? Not prayer, but the Word of God;
and here again not the simple reading of the Word of God, so that it only
passes through our minds, just as water runs through a pipe; but considering
what we read, pondering over it, and applying it to our hearts. When we
pray, we speak to God. Now, prayer, in order to be continued for any length
of time in any other than a formal manner, requires, generally speaking a
measure of strength or godly desire; and the season, therefore, when this
exercise of the soul can be most effectively performed is after the inner
man has been nourished by *meditation* on the Word of God, where we find our
Father speaking to us, to encourage us, to comfort us, to instruct us, to
humble us, to reprove us. We may therefore profitably *meditate*, with God's
blessing, though we are ever so weak spiritually; no, the weaker we are, the
more we need *meditation* for the strengthening of our inner man.


 Thus there is far less to be feared from wandering of mind than if we give
ourselves to prayer without having had time previously for *meditation*. I
dwell so particularly on this point because of the immense spiritual profit
and refreshment I am conscious of having derived from it myself, and I
affectionately and solemnly beseech all my fellow believers to ponder this
matter. By the blessing of God, I ascribe to this mode the help and strength
which I have had from God to pass in peace through deeper trials, in various
ways, than I had ever had before; and after having now about fourteen years
tried this way, I can most fully, in the fear of God, commend it.


 In addition to this I generally read, after family prayer larger portions
of the Word of God, when I still pursue my practice of reading regularly
onward in the Holy Scriptures, sometimes in the New Testament and sometimes
in the Old, and for more that twenty-six years I have proved the blessedness
of it. I take also, either then or at other part of the day, time more
especially for prayer.


 How different, when the soul is refreshed and made happy early in the
morning, from what it is when, without spiritual preparation, the service,
the trials, and the temptations of the day come upon me.



 *HOW TO ASCERTAIN THE WILL OF GOD *

*1. HAVE NO PRECONCEIVED IDEAS, *Proverbs 3:5-6. I seek at the beginning to
get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a
given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here.
Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do
the Lord's will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is
usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.


 2. Having done this, I do *not* leave the result to *feeling or simple
impression.* If I do so, I make myself liable to great delusions, Genesis
27.


 *3. I SEEK THE WILL OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD THROUGH, OR IN CONNECTION WITH,
THE WORD OF GOD, *Romans 8:14. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If
I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great
delusions also. If the Holy Spirit guides us at all, He will do it according
to the Scriptures and *never* contrary to them.


 4. Next, *I TAKE INTO ACCOUNT PROVIDENTIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, *Revelation
3:7-8. These often plainly indicate God's will in connection with His Word
and Spirit.


 5. I *ASK* God in prayer to reveal His Will to me aright, Matthew 7:7.


 6. Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word, and reflection, I
come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and
knowledge, and *if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or
three more petitions*, I proceed accordingly, Colossians 3:15. In trivial
matters, and in transactions involving most important issues, I have found
this method always effective.



 *NOTE**:* The above, plus the article that follows, came into my hands in
1944 following my conversion at Passover time of that year. It appears in
the Preface to “Answers to Prayer” by George Muller, a Moody Colportage book
that at that time cost 29 cents.


 This I promptly memorized, plus his “Five Conditions of Prevailing
Prayer,m” which appeared in the Appendix of the same book - which I also
memorized, practiced, and shared throughout the following years. It was also
the beginning of my interest in George Muller.


 Later I purchased “George Muller of Bristol” by Dr. A. T. Pierson. Of the
many biographies I have read on this man, I have personally found that of
Dr. Pierson still to be the best


 Muller at the time of his conversion desired to be a missionary, but God
sovereignly closed the door when he was but 20. But when he was 70, for the
next 15 years, God sent him to 40 countries through 200,000 miles, majoring
on the 7 Motives for these Tours. In every address for these 15 years, he
always included Point 3, involving *Vocal Meditation*.


 This month Marie and I at 85 have just concluded 2 weekend ministries in
Abbotsford and Courtney, BC. Just prior to this, the Spirit most clearly
impressed me to take along notes I made in 1990 on Muller's strong
exhortation to *Vocal Meditation*. I shared this in both cities.


 It is my conviction that this must become a “Present Truth” in 70 cities of
Canada and 70 in the US. Each city needs an Eldership of 8 sitting in the
Gate of that city, composed of the 5-fold ministries of Ephesians 4:11, and
united vitally and vertically with God as individuals, and horizontally with
one another. As many local churches in each city as possible, should
likewise form prayer cells of 8, based much in the manner of John Wesley's
“Class Meetings.” *This* is the true basis for Prayer Multiplication, and
Spiritual Star Wars.


 Evangelicals of all backgrounds and persuasions should be able to unite on
the above challenge. - Jim Watt



 *FIVE CONDITIONS OF PREVAILING PRAYER* - George Muller

*1. ATONEMENT. *Entire dependence upon the merits and mediation of the Lord
Jesus Christ, as the only ground of any claim for blessing, Ephesians 1:3;
John 14:13-14; 15:16, etc.


 *2. NO UNCONFESSED SIN.* Separation from all known sin. If we regard
iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us, for it would be
sanctioning sin, Psalm 66:18.


 *3. COVENANT. *Faith in God's Word of promise as confirmed by His oath. Not
to believe Him is to make Him both a liar and a perjurer, John 15:7; Hebrews
11:6; 6:13-20.


 *4. GOD'S WILL.* Asking in accordance with His will. Our motives must be
godly: we must not seek any gift of God to consume it upon our lust, 1 John
5:14-15; James 4:3.


 *5. IMPORTUNITY. *Importunity in supplication. There must be waiting on God
and waiting for God, as the husbandman has long patience to wait for the
harvest. James 5:7; Luke 11:5-13;18:1-8; Daniel 10:1-21.



 *SEVEN MOTIVES FOR GEORGE MULLER'S TOURS*

1. To *preach the gospel *in its simplicity, especially to show how
salvation is based, not upon feelings or even upon faith, but upon *the
Finished Work of Christ;* that justification is ours the moment we believe,
and we are to accept and claim our place as accepted in the Beloved without
regard to our inward states of feeling or emotion,.


 2. To *lead believers to know their saved state, *and to realize their
standing in Christ. There are great numbers not only of disciples, but even
preachers and pastors, themselves destitute of any real peace and joy in the
Lord, and hence unable to lead others into joy and peace.


 3. To *bring believers back to the Scriptures, *To search the Word and find
its hidden treasures, to test everything by this divine touchstone and hold
fast only what stand this test; to make it the daily subject of *vocal
meditative* and prayerful examination in order to translate it into daily
obedience. See Joshua 1:8.


 4. To *promote among all true believers, brotherly love;* to lead them to
make less of those non-essentials in which disciples differ, and to make
more of those great essential and foundation truths in which all true
believers are united; to help all who love and trust one Lord to rise above
narrow sectarian prejudices, and barriers to fellowship.


 5. To *strengthen the faith of believers, *encouraging a simpler trust, and
a more real and unwavering confidence in God, and particularly in the sure
answers to believing prayer, based upon His definite promises.


 6. To *promote separation from the world* and deadness to it, and so to
increase heavenly-mindedness in children of God; at the same time warning
against fanatical extremes and extravagances, such as sinless perfection
while in the flesh.


 7. And finally to *fix the hope of disciples on the blessed coming of our
Lord Jesus;* and, in connection with this, to instruct them as to the true
character and object of the present dispensation, and the relation of the
church to the world in this period of the outgathering of the Bride of
Christ.


 SUMMARY: These seven objects may be briefly epitomized thus: Mr. Muller's
aim was to lead sinners to believe on the Name of the Son of God, and
so to have
eternal life; to help those who have thus believed, to know that they have
this life; to teach them so to build up themselves on their most holy faith,
by diligent searching into the word of God, and praying in the Holy Spirit,
so that this life shall be more and more a real possession and a conscious
possession; to promote among all disciples the unity of the Spirit and the
love which is the bond of perfectness, and to help them to exhibit that life
before the world; to incite them to cultivate an unworldly and spiritual
type of character such as conforms to the life of God in them; to lead them
to the prayer of faith which is both the expression and the expansion of the
life of faith; and to direct their hope to the final appearance of the
Lord,so that they should purify themselves even as He is pure, and
occupy till He
comes. Mr. Muller was thus giving himself to the double work of
evangelization and edification, on a scale commensurate with his love for a
dying world, as opportunity afforded doing good unto all men, and especially
to them who are of the household of faith. (p. 246, “George Muller of
Bristol,” A. T. Pierson, Revell, 1899).



 *URIM AND THUMMIM* - Jim Watt

Aaron the High Priest wore a breastplate of judgment upon his ephod, which
was tied about his neck by two golden chains, and fastened to two shoulder
stones. This breastplate was fastened over his heart, and had the twelve
tribes of Israel inscribed upon twelve precious stones. Inside this
breastplate of judgment was the Urim and Thummim (Lights and Perfection), by
which Kings of Israel and Governors could always know God's exact will for
their nation. The spiritual interpretation of this marvelous instrument is
found in Proverbs 3, especially 3-6. Here Urim and Thummim is *grace* and *
truth*, the special characteristics of our Lord Jesus in John 1 and
Galatians 2:20. In Proverbs 6:20-23 we see another unusual spiritual
counterpart for Urim: *Guidance, Keeping power*, and *Communion*. Both
George Muller and Smith Wigglesworth in unusual ways knew this spiritual
secret. Each City Church and City Church Presbytery composed of corporate
apostles, local pastors, leaders and believers - ought to avail themselves
of this powerful help (Acts 13:13; 15)



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