But You Shall Meditate Series

BUT YOU SHALL MEDITATE

Text: Joshua 1:8

Introduction

A. Read Joshua 1:8

B. Illustration: Have you ever gotten a song in your head and you couldn’t get it out?

1. Especially a song that you don’t like?

2. No matter what you do you can’t get that song out of your head.

C. Wouldn’t it be great if that thing that got stuck in our heads was God’s word?

1. Pleasant

2. Encouraging

3. Strengthens

4. Keeps us from sin.

D. Reading His word is good! Memorizing His word is fantastic! But we also need to meditate on God’s word.

THESIS: GOD HAS COMMANDED US TO MEDITATE ON HIS WORD!

I. WHAT IS MEDITATION?

A. Definition

1. “The Hebrew word translated “meditate” literally means, “mutter.” When one continually mutters God’s word to himself, he is constantly thinking about it” (Madvig, 257).

2. To meditate on God’s word is to slowly and reverently repeat God’s word to yourself.

3. Meditation “involves reflecting on God’s word and ways and applying them to every area of your life” (FLSB, 303).

4. God tells us in Joshua “you shall meditate…”

§ This doesn’t sound like an option to me!

§ God commands us to meditate on His word.

5. He also tells us the word of God “shall not depart from your mouth.

B. Application

1. It is not enough to read the word and then forget about it the rest of the day.

2. In order for God’s word to take root in our lives we must make it a part of our entire lives.

3. James 1:22-25 – “But if you keep looking into God’s perfect law—the law that sets you free—and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you in doing it” (NLT).

4. One of the best ways to be a doer of God’s word is to be a meditator of God’s word.

5. Illustration: If we are obsessed with a particular hobby we think about it constantly.

Transition: We need to become obsessed with God’s word!

II. MEDIATTION BRINGS OBEDIENCE

A. That You May Observe

1. One of the benefits of meditation is that it helps us to be obedient to God’s word.

2. “That you may observe to do all that is written in it…”

3. If you are meditating in the word, and the word is constantly on your mind and in your mouth it will keep you from sin.

B. Sin Protection

1. Ps. 119:9, 15-16 – How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your word. I will meditate on your precepts, and contemplate your ways. I will delight myself in your statutes; I will not forget your word.”

2. We can keep ourselves from stumbling into sin by meditating on the word.

3. If we are meditating on the word then the lies of the enemy will not have an affect on us.

4. Illustration: If a father is standing there with a belt in his hand it is a good deterrent to keep his son from doing wrong.

Transition: Meditation helps keep us from sin.

III. MEDITATION BRINGS BLESSING

A. Make Your Way Prosperous

1. “Those who know and obey God’s word and law will be prosperous and successful in that they possess the wisdom to live righteously and to achieve God’s goal for their lives” (FLSB, 303).

2. Being prosperous and successful in life is often times dependent upon knowing the right thing to do. Nowhere do we get more practical advice than God’s word.

3. Ps. 1:1-3

4. “Those who seek to live under God’s blessing meditate on God’s word in order to shape their thinking, attitudes, and actions” (FLSB, 763).

B. Streams of Living Water

1. A tree planted by the water always has everything that it needs.

2. A tree that is planted by the water never dries up!

3. A tree that is planted by the water never worries about the hot sun.

4. If you want to be like that tree you need to meditate on the word of God.

5. You may not always be successful in the world’s eyes, but you will always be successful in God’s eyes!

Transition: If you want the blessings of God then you need to meditate on the promises of God!

Conclusion

A. Restatement

1. Meditation means thinking on and pondering the word of God.

2. Meditation helps us be obedient to God.

3. Meditation brings us the blessings of God.

B. Do you meditate on the word of God?

1. Can you remember what you read this morning?

2. Can you remember what you read yesterday morning?

3. Have you considered how what you read applies to your life?

C. Meditating on God’s word just makes God sense.