Jesse Randolph on Biblical Meditation

Eat Your Bible

It has nearly been a week since the new year began and I am sure many of you have made on progress in your Bible reading plan. Some of you may not even be doing a Bible reading plan which is fine. You are not more or less spiritual if you do or do not do a Bible reading plan.

Regardless of how you are reading the Bible, I believe that all Christians should eat their Bibles. Yes, you read it correctly, eat your Bible. Do I mean have it your plate on put ketchup on it? If you said yes, then your probably missed the metaphor. I do not mean put your Bible between two pieces of bread and have it for lunch. What I am saying is devour it as much as you can. This is based out of Jeremiah 15:16 which says:

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.

Christians have been known as people of the book, but we have not been. Not many Christians have read the Bible. We read books about the Bible but we do not read the Bible. We should as often as we can consume the word. How this accomplished? There are several ways.

First, the most obvious one, read the Bible. Get a good translation. I use the ESV. If you are an ESV user then read from another one to get how different the text can be translated. Other translations I recommend are the New American Standard Bible, King James Version, New King James Version, and the New English Translation. The first three are literal translations while the other is more of a thought-for-thought translation which attempts to translate the meaning of the text.

Second, listen to the word. One of the primary ways is through preaching. I hope that all of you who read this are part of a church where the Bible is preached. The Bible being preached is where we hear the word. Another way is to read the Bible out loud whether to yourself or someone else. Another way is through Bible reading apps or a website where you can listen to the Bible. Most apps have an audio version. The ESV website has it where you can read the text as it is read to you. One app that I have been using is Dwell. This is an app that has playlists of different verses as well as different Bible plans. I am currently using one in the Psalms which will take me 150 days. Yes, I will listen to Psalm 119 in one day which will take about 20 minutes. On Spotify, there is a daily reading in the ESV.

Third, memorize the word. Take time to memorize verses. If you are not at it, start small then work your way up. Scripture is good for when temptations come, we can recall what the Bible says in dealing with temptation just as Jesus did in Matthew 4. Scripture memorization is also good when witnessing when you don't have your Bible on you or your phone battery died.

Finally, meditate on the word. I am not using the term meditate like the world does where you empty your mind. Meditating on the word is fulfilling your mind with the Bible. Think about the verses your are memorizing, the ones your read in your Bible reading plan, and even the ones you heard in a sermon or Bible study.

My hope is that all of you will eat the Bible not just this year, but in the years to come. I pray these tools I have given you will point you in the right direction to accomplish it.

Book Review: God's Battle Plan for the Mind by David W. Saxton

Most Pastors in churches today, encourage their congregations in spiritual disciplines. The most you will hear in a sermon are prayer, memorizing a verse or two, and even journaling. One discipline that seems to be neglected is meditation. Biblical meditation is a lost art in the modern church.

Some have this idea that meditation is some new age thing where you try to empty your mind, which Biblical meditation is the exact opposite. Back in the days of the Puritans, they strongly encourage their congregations in the discipline of Biblical meditation. David W. Saxton takes a look at what Biblical meditation is as the Puritans taught in his book, God's Battle Plan for the Mind.The book begins with the purpose of rediscovering the joy of Biblical meditation. When Christians talks about meditating on the Bible, we mean fill your minds with God's Word unlike some mysticism that says empty your mind.

Saxton also give the definition of meditation from the Puritans such as Thomas Watson and John Ball. Saxton goes to explain what are the reasons and benefits for Biblical meditation. There is one chapter that I found a little odd at first, which is meditating on certain subjects. Saxton talks such things to meditate on the glories of heaven and overcoming sin. All of these things keep pointing us to the Bible which is where gives us a glimpse of heaven and the power to overcome sin.

Some of you might think this is a book that might be over your heads, however, this is book is not for super educated. It is simple and easy to read for those who want a better understanding. There are not many resources on Biblical meditation. I am now thankful there is one where it points to the Bible and teachings from the past that will help Christians understand the appropriate way to meditate on the Bible.

Thanks Reformation Heritage Books for letting me review this book.

Around The Web-November 14, 2014

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The Benefits and Methods of Meditation by Dave Jenkins

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Purpose of Meditation

Meditation on the word of God is of very great use and advantage for the attainment and practice of holiness through faith in Christ. It is a duty whereby the soul doth feed and ruminate upon the word as its spiritual food, and disgesteth it, and turned it into nourishment, whereby we are strengthened for every good work...(However) We must not rely upon the performance of a daily task of meditation, as a work of righteousness for the procurement of the favour of God, instead of relying on the righteousness of Christ; as indeed we are prone to do; to catch at any straw, rather than to trust only on the free grace of God in Christ for our salvation.

Walter Marshall, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification