Read the Bible for Life by George Guthrie (Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sun PM/April 21, 2013)
“Reading the Bible for Personal Devotion” Chapter 13
1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
Opening Thoughts
Ø Biblical illiteracy hurts our personal devotional life.
Ø Our personal walk with the Lord and our times of prayer will be greatly enhanced by being saturated with God’s Word.
Key Question:
Why is it so hard to maintain a consistent devotional life of Bible reading and prayer?
Delighting in God’s Word
o Problem: merely reading to accomplish a task.
o Solution: meditating on Scripture.
Ø How to Meditate on Scripture
o Mediate=thinking deeply about the meaning and application of Scripture.
o Meditation is not merely a suggestion, but lifted up in the Bible as the normal part of a believer’s devotional life.
Psalm 77:12
I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.
Psalm 119:15
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
Ø How to Meditate on Scripture
o Slow down and linger over the meaning of passages, verses, phrases, and words.
o Probe the passage by asking key questions: what, who, where, when, how, and why?
Ø What if you are too busy?
o Don’t skip meditation.
o Read shorter passages.
o Select key verses or passages.
o Schedule “slow down” times.
o Use creative times.
o Remember: It’s not a to-do-list task.
Ø Balancing Meditation and “Big Picture” Bible Reading
o Both “cover much ground” reading and “slow down” meditation are important.
o Have a plan to read through the Bible.
o Use a plan that includes variety.
Integrating Mediation and Prayer
- Thoughtful biblical meditation leads to fuller and more enjoyable prayer life.
- Pray through passages of Scripture (eyes open).
From Drudgery to Delight
o Pray through a passage of Scripture with yourself and others in mind.
o Psalms are a good place to start (also NT letters).
Ø Bible-saturated Prayer
o Brings variety to stale, repetitive prayers.
o Awakens imagination.
o Provides new themes and vocabulary for prayer.
o Anchors our prayers to biblical truth.
o Brings our prayers in line with God’s will.
o Reminds us of relationship with God: God speaks to us through his Word; we speak to God through prayer.
Bible
Prayer
Closing Thoughts
Ø Consistent Bible reading, meditation, and prayer is doable.
Ø It is also enjoyable, when we view it as part of a relationship with God who is our true source of joy.
Psalm 119:16
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Comments (0)
To leave or reply to comments, please download free Podbean or
No Comments
To leave or reply to comments,
please download free Podbean App.