A. INTRODUCTION: JOSHUA 1:8
1. Not as the unsaved. "God is not in all his thoughts" (Psalm 10:4).
2. Realize. "Thou (God) understandest my thoughts afar off" (Psalm 139:2).
3. God’s thoughts. "For I know the thoughts, that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil" (Jer. 29:11).
David Factor . . . Considering God’s creation & might.
Mary Factor . . . Pondering Jesus.
St. Paul Factor . . . Focus on excellence.
St. John Factor . . . Thinking on the cross.
Timothy Factor . . . Meditation on your calling & gifts.
Joshua Factor . . . Thinking on principles of Scripture.
Asaph Factor . . . Considering God when in trouble.
Korah Factor . . . Contemplating God’s intimacy.
Malachi Factor . . . Meditating on God’s names.
Haggai Factor . . . Thinking through moral failure.
B. THE JOSHUA FACTOR: THINKING ON PRINCIPLES OF SCRIPTURES
1. Biblical principles. "Keep the Scriptures in your thoughts and words, meditate on them constantly to accomplish three things; you will do God’s will, you will grow as a believer, and you will be successful in life" (Joshua 1:8 ELT).
2. Memorize. "These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart" (Deut. 6:6).
3. Four times. "Shall talk of them (Scripture) when you sit in your house when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up" (Deut. 6:7).
4. Posters. "You shall write them (Scriptures) on the door post of your house and on your gates" (Deut. 6:9).
C. THE ASAPH FACTOR : CONSIDERING GOD WHEN IN TROUBLE - Psalm 50: 73-80
1. In emergency. "But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped" (Psalm 73:2).
2. Our strength. "When I am in trouble, I will remember the years when the right hand of the most high helped me, I will remember the things the Lord did for me in the past. I will meditate on your works when I am in trouble" (Psalm 77:10-12 ELT).
3. Give future hope. "That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God" (Psalm 78:7).
4. Your victory and their defeat. "When I thought . . . it was too painful for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God: then understood I their end . . . how are they brought into desolaiton" (Psalm 73:16-19).
D. THE KORAH FACTOR: CONTEMPLATING GOD’S INTIMACY
1. Need. "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee O God" (Psalm 42:1). "My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh creith out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest . . . even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God" (Psalm 84:2,3).
2. Intimacy. "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God" (Psalm 42:2)?
3. Protection. "Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen . . . the Lord of host is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (Psalm 46:10,11).
E. THE MALACHI FACTOR: MEDITATING ON GOD’S NAMES
1. Book. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name" (Mal.3:16).
2. Look Back. "Remember ye the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel" (Mal.4:4).
3. Security. "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall" (Mal. 4:2).
F. THE HAGGAI FACTOR: THINKING THROUGH MORAL FAILURE
One of the key phrases of Haggai was "consider your ways" (1:5,7). God is motivating the people to self criticism.
1. Think of consequences. You have sown much, and bring in little, . . . he that earneth wages, . . . to put it into a bag with holes" (1:6).
2. Think of God’s house. "You live in houses with good ceilings, but God lives in a house with holes in the roof" (1:4 ELT).
3. Think of God’s past work. "Who is left among you who saw this house in her former glory? This house doesn’t compare with it at all" (2:3 ELT).
4. Think of the future. "Consider from this day and upward" (2:15). "The glory of the latter house will be much greater than the former glory" (2:9 ELT).
G. TO TAKE AWAY
1. Prayer for honesty. "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me" (Psalm 139:23,24).
2. Our prayer and acceptance. "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
