Spiritual Disciplines/Practices

Bible Reading/Meditation/Praying Scripture

Over the past few weeks, we have looked at prayer and last week we talked about fasting. In the past there have been a public call to fasting like when Esther called her people to a three day fast to call God to protect the Jewish people from destruction. Often churches call their people to a time of fasting.

There is also a private fast where we call on God for breakthrough, or we want to draw closer to God. There is always a purpose, it isn’t just to skip meals, but fasting and prayer go hand in hand. It can’t be forced, but we need to be open to the Holy Spirit.

Tonight, I’d like to look at the practice of Scripture reading. In my title, I’ve also marked down meditation and praying Scripture.

The Value of Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

The Purpose

The purpose of God’s word is so that we will be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We spent a fair bit of time in Ephesians 4 speaking about equipping for works of service.

Inspired by God

All Scripture is inspired by God,

2 Peter 1:16-21

2 Peter 1:16–21 NKJV

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Peter is speaking to the inspiration of Scripture just as Paul did.

We have translations of Scripture. Our Bibles are not the original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic. Our translations that we have have been taken from manuscripts. They have been studied and believed that they are giving the most accurate translation that we have.

The KIng James that many of us grew up with was updated in the mid 1800’s and even to 1900. In it’s original form, it was translated in 1611 by people that King James had do it.

Luther translated into German. Earlier there was the Latin Vulgate.

I believe that Scripture as it was given by God and written down as God inspired people, is absolutely inspired. In our translations today, you will find words that might be different from translation to translation, but we must be careful not to change the meaning. It is still inspired by God and it has power to change our lives today.

When Paul and Peter were writing, they had the Old Testament, but the Canon of Scripture had not yet been established.

Canon of Scripture

These are the books of the Bible.

In Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox Bibles, the New Testament is the same, but there are extra books, we call the Apocrypha. At the reformation they were placed in the Bible and put between the OT and the NT. In the 1800’s they weren’t published in most Protestant Bibles. The Roman Catholics have 73 books in their Bible and the Orthodox have 79 or 81, depending on their tradition.

There were more writings, but these are the ones that passed the test when they were deciding which ones were inspired by God.

Why read the Bible?

It is crucial that we read the Scripture because it contains the words of life. It has the power to change us.

2 Timothy 3:16

2 Timothy 3:16 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Profitable/Useful

Doctrine/Teaching

2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

If we believe something doctrinally, we must be able to back it up by Scripture. It’s not good enough to believe something because we are told to believe it. We need to search the Scriptures.

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2. Rebuking

The word of God confronts us. The Holy Spirit brings conviction for where we are wrong. God’s word has no need to apologize for where we are convicted about wrong belief and/or wrong actions.

It helps us know if we are being convicted by the Holy Spirit or being condemned by the evil one. Can be through legalism.

3. Correction

It corrects our way of thinking. Sometimes God uses others to show us a better way. That is one of the reasons why it is so important to be together. It is hard to receive from others if we are by ourselves.

But His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. When the Holy Spirit comes to bring correction, God will use His word to confirm. There is much safety in being people of God’s word.

Acts 17:10–11 NIV

As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

4. Training in Righteousness

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 NIV

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Meditation

This is not referring to Eastern meditation which comes out of Buddhism or Hinduism. With eastern meditation, a person empties one’s-self, where in Christianity, we are filled by God’s word.

Psalm 1:2

Psalm 1:2 NKJV

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

It’s one thing to read God’s word, but it’s another thing to take it and think about it and allow it to saturate us. It’s like the process of marinating. As we meditate on God’s word, it’s flavour gets into us.

Psalm 119:9-16

Psalm 119:9–16 NIV

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Praying Scripture

There is great value in praying God’s word. When we pray Scripture, we are declaring to God that we believe what He has promised in His Word.

God knows what His word says. He knows what He has promised, and yet He delights in us as we proclaim the truth in His word.

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.