Pastor A

As you seek to discover God’s will for your life, here are a few suggestions:

Keep the right heart attitude. Guard your affections. Watch out for anything that would keep you from loving Jesus Christ supremely. Be absolutely single-minded; your goal is to obey His will. Consider James 1:6-8, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James states that a person with a divided purpose in life will be unstable in every area of life. Nothing must be allowed to dim your eagerness and readiness to obey and serve the Lord.

Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.“

Another suggestion… meditate on God’s Word! Psalm 1:2-4, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.” God has promised that the person who meditates in His Word day and night will be stable, fruitful, prosperous, and always growing.

By thinking God’s thoughts, we become more like Him, and are more able to discern His leading through His Word. A God-controlled mind and yielded body lead to proving God’s perfect will.

Consider Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.“      

Yesterday we examined selecting the right passage; today, we will continue with two more steps necessary if we are to achieve success in our own personal Bible study.

Step 2: Read the Passage: This seems too simple, which is probably why so many people miss the mark in this area. A good rule to follow is: Don’t limit yourself to reading through the passage just one time. Read the entire passage at least three times. Each reading will reveal more to you; so search first for a general meaning, then a specific, then a personal one.

Step 3: Meditate: The serious student of God’s Word is not content to make just basic observations about the passage. He considers every word and thought, and weighs the importance of each one. In Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night,” this is called meditation. When Joshua assumed the leadership of the nation of Israel after Moses’ death, he did not fail to read and meditate on the Word of God both day and night. Consider Joshua 1:6-9:

“Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.“

Imagine the burden of responsibility heaved upon him at this crucial time. Imagine the physical fatigue resulting from leading two million people out of a wilderness they had known for forty years. Yet he still found time to not only read the Scriptures, but to meditate on them.

It is certain that we are without excuse for reading and meditating on the wonderful truths found in the greatest book on this earth, God’s Word!