Biblical Meditation

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

One major key to experiencing the RE:FORMED life is learning to live with a renewed mind.

Today I want to talk a little more about living in the renewed mind…which is essentially living with the mind of Christ.

This will be the labor to enter into the rest that Hebrews 4 mentions.

You have the ability to literally change your life through changing the way you think. But it will not be easy.

It’s GOD’S POWER…but OUR RESPONSIBILITY and APPLICATION

Symptoms of living in the renewed mind (as outlined by Kris Vallotton in his book Spiritual Intelligence):

You are full of hope.

The impossible seems reasonable.

You live in peace and you don’t worry; your speculations are positive.

You like yourself and even rejoice in your weakness, knowing that when and where you are weak, God is strong.

You are quick to forgive, and you freely give other grace and mercy.

You are confident and thankful.

You believe in others and give them the benefit of the doubt.

If none of these are true for you, don’t be dismayed. There is now therefore NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1).

But it’s clear we all have some things to work on, and we desperately need to allow the Holy Spirit to work for, in, and through us so that we can live in the renewed mind.

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TRUTH

Before we move on, we need to understand how we think…literally.

Neuroscience principles:

1. NEURAL PATHWAYS

Caroline Leaf, Christian Neuroscientist can help you learn more about this if you’re interested: but our thoughts travel along a system of highways called neural pathways.

Wheel of Swiss Cheese example

The wider the highway or neural pathway, the easier it is to repeat the same thought.

The more we repeat the same thought, the wider the highway is cut through our brain…and it becomes a never ending cycle of thinking the same way over and over and over.

2. ENERGY CONSERVATION

Donald Miller has one of my favorite podcasts, and is an author and speaker. He did a ton of research on how our brains come to conclusions and figured out that our minds always take the path of least resistance…to conserve energy.

How many of you took the shortest route to the building?

Incorrect…the shortest route is the way the crow flies…but none of you flew here.

Just as it would be incredibly hard to train a bird to not fly the shortest route…it’s going to take a lot of effort to direct our minds to think in different ways other than what we are accustomed to.

3. PRINCIPLE OF FIRST MENTION

Basically…the first time you hear information on any subject or topic…that becomes the lens by which you view that topic.

Many people view sexuality through the lens of Hollywood and pornography because their introduced to the subject of sex in those ways before we as parents get to ‘the talk.’

Many of us approach finances and provision through the lens of lack because money was always tight growing up…therefore from then on, we have a viewpoint of lack rather than God’s provision always being there.

What I want us to understand today is that there is hope, and there are things we can do very practically that will get us onto our journey of renewing our mind.

It’s going to be hard work but it’s worth it.

HIKING TRAIL EXAMPLE

Proverbs 14:12 (NASB95)

There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Your current way of thinking is getting you results and many times they seem right at the time but you can see now that they’re leading to destruction.

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What I MEDITATE on, is MAGNIFIED in my life.

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APPLICATION

Meditate: English word means to think deeply, to contemplate,

Eastern meditation: Clearing the mind

Biblical meditation: Thinking on the right things

Psalm 1:1–3 (NASB95)

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Joshua 1:8 (NASB95)

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 success.

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What I MEDITATE on, is MAGNIFIED in my life.

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Mark 4:24 (NASB95)

And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. Principle of reciprocity…Law of sowing and reaping…what you give into something will be returned to you in greater measure.

Meditate: Hagah– to growl, mutter, speak, proclaim

It’s root word literally means to growl…referencing the sound of a lion over it’s prey.

Isaiah 31:4 (NASB95)

4 For thus says the LORD to me,“As the lion or the young lion growls over his prey, Against which a band of shepherds is called out, And he will not be terrified at their voice nor disturbed at their noise…

Biblical meditation isn’t quiet contemplation…it’s loud declaration. It’s not passive, it’s active. It’s the passionate seizing of the Kingdom realities.

This is what it’s going to take for you to re-route your thinking.

2 Corinthians 10:3–6 (NASB95)

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

This is the difficult part, because it requires consistency and persistence.

Most (if not all) of the ways of thinking that need to be re-routed have a root of fear.

· Fear of man

· Fear of lack

· Fear of rejection

· Fear of inadequacy

Each one of these has a counterpart in Scripture and I get to choose how I meditate.

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What I MEDITATE on, is MAGNIFIED in my life.

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Do I meditate on the FEAR, or do I meditate on God’s word as truth in my life?

If I know how to worry…I know how to meditate.

When a thought of fear comes into my mind, I have to take it captive. I literally put it in prison.

I REPENT…which literally means “to change your mind”

I have this fear-based thought that I’m not good enough or don’t measure up…I stop that thought…repent…and then change the meditation of my heart…BUT REMEMBER THAT BIBLICAL MEDITATION IS NOT SILENT!!!!!

Learned this from my wife:

Meditate on three things: God’s Word, God’s Nature, and God’s Ways.

Thought that begins with fear of lack (money)

Your word says you provide all of my needs according to your riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)

Furthermore I know your nature your name is provider (Jehovah Jireh)

And beyond that, I know your ways are the ways of a perfect heavenly Father who loves unconditionally and gives good gifts. I call to my memory all the ways you’ve provided for me in the past and you are faithful to do it again because you’re the same yesterday, today, and forever.

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What I MEDITATE on, is MAGNIFIED in my life.

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Every time I do this…I’m teaching my thoughts to obey Christ…literally beginning to think like Him because I have His mind, and I stop thinking according to the wisdom of man and enter into the divine wisdom of God.

LANDING

Philippians 4:4–9 (NLT)

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

APOSTLE PAUL’S GUIDE TO BIBLICAL MEDITATION

Table Time:

· What fears do you struggle with?

· What ways can you change your meditation?

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