Read, Meditate, Pray
Notes
Transcript
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Is there anything much better than vegetables right out of the garden? Green beans, new potatoes, fried zucchini and squash, a thick slice of tomato with plenty of salt and pepper, and an ear of sweet corn. Have I got you hungry yet? Now, to get to the point where you can harvest from the garden what has to happen? The soil must be tilled, the seed must be sown, there must be a little fertilizing and watering, and we must tend to the garden - guarding it from disease, insects, weeds, and critters. Then we wait for nature to take it’s course, the seed germinates, the plant grows, it sets fruit, and we reap the reward. But who caused the seed to germinate? Who allowed the rock to break down and soil to form? Who sends the rain, the sunlight, all that is needed for us to see the reward? I could even go so far as to say, who is the one who is truly responsible for the harvest? Of course, we know God is the one who is responsible for it all, He gives the growth, even though we receive the benefit.
Paul reminds the Corinthians 1 Corinthians 3:6-8
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.
I outline these things because I want us to take a look at our lives and how we grow in God. Last week, we talked about the ground being prepared - when we hear the Gospel, but this week I want us to look more at how we truly grow. You see, we can plant the seed, and others can water, but it is God who gives growth.
But let’s take that a step further, with a little more attention. As a Christian, WE also have to invest in our spiritual growth. (I hope) we know the seed has been planted within us, but we have to keep those seeds growing by watering them consistently and with enough water that they will grow. We all know, during this heat there is no way a tablespoon of water will suffice. So, how is it when we face times of spiritual drought, that we want to do the least amount possible just to keep us alive? And then, complain that God didn’t give an increase!
Not only do we need to have that water, but we need spiritual nourishment. Just as a plant needs fertilizer, we need to be fed, too! How many of us are still satisfied with a meal of baby formula? Have we graduated to baby food? You know that puree of bland nastiness? Could it be that we are trying to feed ourselves with food that we have outgrown, and we are tired of this food and eat it only because we have to? Could that be why we don’t enjoy reading or studying the Bible? We are still trying to stay on the milk and not move on to more sustaining and filling food? What might cause this? Paul again reminds the Corinthians:
2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,
3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
Notice these words “for you are still of the flesh”. In this case, some “church members” were fighting over who they were devoted to: Paul, or Apollos. This turmoil was brought about, not because of two teachings (milk and meat), but instead both Paul and Apollos were preaching the same gospel, preaching from the same Word, but some had paid attention, studied, prayed, and served Christ more than others. They, in return, knew more about the Word and God’s Will - what it truly means to pray and walk in Christ. You see, there were those who were spiritually mature, and others who were spiritually immature and had to be fed the very basics.
So how is it that we are able to Grow in God? In the same manner, we have to read, study (meditate), pray, and then serve Jesus.
Read
Read
Jesus says NINE times in the New Testament “Have you not read”, implying those who claimed to be believers, the LEADERS in the temple, should have read and also UNDERSTAND what has been written in the Scriptures. They missed the big picture of what the were reading and teaching and as a result missed out on the knowledge of who Jesus was!
Often times I think we glance over, or scan the words without truly searching for the meaning when we read the Word, and as a result we run the same risk of missing out on knowing Jesus!
Reading can be described as a task requiring effort and devotion of time and attention to acquire knowledge. So, be definition reading is not just scanning through words on the pages of a book.
Let me ask a question, if you had a major blockage in a vessel in your heart, would you be willing to place your life into the hands of a surgeon who had only read how to perform bypass surgery in a book? Of course not! It’s our life he or she is dealing with, and we want someone who has not only read about the procedure, but has studied the methods, trained with those who were successful, AND had practiced the procedure until they were proficient.
Now comes the tough question - are we content flipping through the pages of our life manual, the Bible, and scanning through a few words when it comes to our eternal life? Of course, we should not be, we should be willing to diligently read, meditate and study, pray, and then practice what God has written for us in His Word.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The word used for study means to set your heart upon - be diligent in seeking knowledge and therefore the approval of God. This is how we receive approval from God. Not only does it take study/reading, but it also takes being a worker - one who does what God has called us to do. I think the Amplified Bible does a good job in its translation and explanation of this verse:
15 Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.
We are given warnings against merely scanning over the reading without mediation and prayer.
27 For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.
You see, we are to search out the truth written in the Word of God, not merely scan over a few pages when it’s convenient. We should be reading for understanding/comprehension and have others explain when we do not understand, just as Philip did to the Ethiopian eunuch.
28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
THIS IS DISCIPLESHIP! No, it’s not the reading that brings salvation, but the reading, meditation and prayers will increase our understanding and draw us closer to our Savior. But reading alone is only partially beneficial, we must also meditate on the Word.
Meditate
Meditate
Studying/Meditating - moves us beyond elementary teachings & grows us with understanding so that we can apply the Word of God.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
It takes not only reading the words, but also meditating on those words, studying them, understanding not only the words but the intent, the purpose, and God’s plan for these words in His Word and how they apply to our lives.
Remember the milk? Some “Christians” need to be weaned and allowed to move towards meat and taters! DO NOT be the Christian who goes from milk straight to Ensure and Geritol! We should be constantly growing and seeking the Will of God.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Not only do we meditate on His Word, but we should also pray to seek His Will and a closer relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Pray
Pray
Often we want to go straight from reading to praying, without meditation. We often hear of the power of prayer. The Bible records the power, answers to concerns and needs, protection granted, we are even told that whatever we pray for, gaining wisdom, happiness, all these things can be asked for and if it is in God’s Will, it will be granted to us.
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
While lifting up our needs and petitions to God are one of the perks of being adopted into the family, it is not the intended purpose of prayer.
Prayer is not for God to find out what WE need (He already knows), but instead it is for US to find out what GOD wants us to know.
3 that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do.”
This is a critical step in knowing and growing closer in our relationship with Him. Reading, Meditating, Praying so that we know what the Lord OUR God wants us to do. But the last act is the most critical, we must DO what He calls us to do - which is the heart of serving Him.
Serve
Serve
How many of us, or our kids, enjoyed doing chores? Even today, most of us don’t like having to do chores, laundry, cleaning, cooking, mowing, upkeep and maintenance on vehicles or the house. It seems like it is never ending, and we go about our chores with about the same amount of enthusiasm as going to the dentist for a root canal. The same thing happens in our spiritual life, and at times service - the chores God calls us to do - is the part most of us are most hesitant of. Would you like to take a venture as to why? Because it requires us to make a commitment to…work. I’m sorry to use a four letter word in church like that, but sometimes it just has to happen. No, seriously, many of us want to come to church, throw a few dollars in the offering plate, and feel like we have done God a favor. But God has a different view of what He requires of us. You see, we are to SERVE Him. But, it’s not only service, but it is service with a smile.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
Service is an act of obedience, and we are to do so with a joyful, glad heart.
It truly is a JOY to serve the Lord, and to grow closer to Him through the reading of His Word, the time we spend in meditation thinking of what God is speaking to us and how it applies to our daily walk with Him, praying not only to understand but to walk obediently and gladly serve Him as our Lord and Savior.
My question for you is, where are you in your spiritual growth? Are we still stuck on the bottle, tolerating spiritual milk when Jesus has a plate set for us at His great banquet table full of the meat that can give us growth and satisfaction like we could never imagine?