Are you facing a difficult, an impossible situation right now? Are you stressed? Overwhelmed? Just not knowing what to do? What I’m going to show you today has helped me on some of my darkest days. I believe it will help you too.
At different times, we all face crises, emergencies, and circumstances that overwhelm us. Satan wants to steal our hope and snuff out our life. But your Father is greater than any problem, any emergency, and any devil you will ever face. He wants you to have rock-solid confidence that He will be there when you need Him.
Take a few minutes to read these different translations of Psalm 34:17.
Why different translations?
Words can be poor carriers for meaning. Over time, the meanings of words change, cultures change, and the way we see the world is certainly different from the farmers, fishermen, kings, priests, etc. who wrote the Bible. Different translations can help us grasp God’s revelation – the fullness of His message to us and His heart for us.
Read each translation of this verse out loud, thinking about the meaning of each word, each phrase. Let God “open” His Word to you, let God connect you to His heart, let Him deepen your understanding – your revelation of Him, and let Him build your faith.
When we read one scripture again and again, wanting to know God more, wanting to be closer to Him and to more deeply understand His words to us, that is Biblical meditation.
Joshua 1:8 commands us to meditate on God’s Word:
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Meditate - Christian meditation is to concentrate on God's Word, again and again, letting the meaning of each word soak into your spirit.
As you meditate on God's Word you will be transformed into a new person as God changes the way you think. (Romans 12:1-2)
Meditating on Scripture builds your faith (faith comes by hearing God (Romans 10:17). We meditate on the meaning of scriptures until faith rises in our hearts.
And meditating on Scripture brings us closer to God as we take time to deeply understand Him and His message to us.
**Activation
Today’s activation is to overcome fear of “meditation” and begin to use it to draw near to God and have Him open the deeper meanings of His Word to us.
Many Christians are afraid of meditation because of Eastern religion and New Age practices which they call “meditation.”
While living in Hong Kong, I was reading the Bible and praying early one morning, it was just getting light when I looked out our living room window and saw into the living room of the apartment across from us. I saw the old woman who lived there, a devout Buddhist, praying with her prayer beads. That’s when it hit me. I was praying to God and she was praying to a devil. And we both thought that we were praying to the real God.
My point is: Eastern religions pray too, but that doesn’t keep us from praying. Satan often creates imitations to keep us from the real thing. That means the real thing is important.
The Fake: Eastern meditation is for the purpose of emptying one’s mind allegedly to “connect with Nature/the universe.” Eastern meditation empties you and opens you to evil spirits. Don’t do it.
The Real: Biblical meditation is filling your mind with God’s Word for the purpose of connecting with God. Biblical meditation involves none of the breathing techniques, specific postures while meditating, advice from gurus, etc of Eastern meditation.
The two activities are polar opposites. You don’t have to worry about getting confused and doing the wrong thing. If you are meditating on Bible scriptures and want to know God more and to experience His presence, that’s Biblical Mediation.
Over the last 10 years I have been meditating on one specific scripture most mornings. I begin reading the Bible until a verse hits me emotionally. I’m not going to study it, I’m going to meditate on it, letting God reveal Himself through that verse. I want more of Him, His presence, His heart. God most often speaks to me through His Word.
I go to BibleGateway.com and search for that particular scripture. For example: Joshua 1:8. Just below the scripture there is a link: “Joshua 1:8 in all English translations.” Press the link. Now you will see translations of that verse. Choose several which are different and read them out loud, looking for deeper meaning and deeper connection with God.
Daily, God reveals things about Himself and His precious message to us that I never would have known if I didn’t meditate on His Word.
Your turn. See the step by step instructions at the end of the video.