Today I wanted to share with you an example of how I meditate...using some verses from God’s Word. I'm still learning and experimenting in this area...so it won't be perfect...never will be actually!
If you're anything like me you like to see examples so you have some sense of where you're going...so I thought I'd share mine from today.
As I was reading this morning certain verses kind of jumped out at me…so I took a screenshot of each of them and then typed them out in my journal on my computer so I could see them all together and see what picture they painted.
Here’s what I wrote down—you can follow along with my thought process as I waited before the Holy Spirit to show me what point He was trying to make.
Proverbs 31:
20—She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
26—She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27—She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
30b—a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31—Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Psalms 1:
1a—Blessed is the man who walk not in the counsel of the ungodly...
2—But his delight is in the law of the LORD and in His law he meditates day and night.
3—He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth it’s fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
Proverbs 31 & Psalms 1 are like the male and female version of the same thing—those with ears to hear...with a God-listening, God-honoring heart...prosper and receive praise. They don't shy away from work and have learned to discern the difference between good and evil... Their heart is to Love and Serve others just as Jesus did when He walked the earth!
In my eyes Psalms 1 and Proverbs 31 echo each other and fill each other out... it doesn’t matter whether the pronoun is he or she...they fit together and create 2 sides of the same coin!
The man or woman who doesn’t walk in ungodly counsel but rather delights in and meditates day and night on God’s Word...will be like a lush, fruitful, and bountiful tree that is planted and rooted deeply into the Source. This tree continues to produce a prolific amount of fruit...each in its own season.
Fruits of Wisdom, kindness, and provision for the spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally poor and needy...s/he continually provides for the needs of those around her/him...directly from the Source—the River of Living Water—Jesus Himself.
John 7:38—He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
This Living Water brings life, healing, and health to all the parts—spirit, body, and soul—the mind, will, and emotions.
I want to pause and meditate and think on this last verse for a moment...because there’s a promise here that I can take and make my own. He who believes in Me... well that’s me! I believe in Jesus with all my heart!
As the Scripture has said... and if the Scripture says it, it is a FACT. We can take that to the bank and cash it!
The King James Version says out of his belly will flow... Belly = the innermost part of a man, the soul, heart as the seat of thought, feeling, choice.
Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water... this doesn’t say that it might flow...but that it will flow! And that’s not just a trickle either. Look at how Strong’s Concordance defines “flow”...the Greek word “potamos” ...a torrent, floods, freshet—the flood of a river from heavy rain or melted snow.
This isn’t just a trickle of water...this is a raging river of “living water” = having vital power in itself and exerting it upon the soul, to be in full vigor, strong, fresh, efficient, efficacious, powerful, to live.
When you take this verse... John 7:38—"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." ...and put it alongside the other verses I shared from Psalm 1 and Proverbs 31 you get a wonderful picture.
The man or woman who delights in and meditates day and night on God’s Word...will be like a lush, fruitful, and bountiful tree that is planted and rooted deeply into the Source ...the Living Water! This bounty-filled tree continues to produce a prolific amount...a flood of fruit...each in its own season.
Fruits of Wisdom, kindness, and provision for the spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally poor and needy...s/he continually provides for the needs of those around her/him...directly from the Source—the River of Living Water—Jesus Himself.
Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water... this doesn’t say that it might flow...but that it will flow! And that’s not just a trickle either. Look at how Strong’s Concordance defines “flow” ...the Greek word “potamos” = a torrent, floods, freshet—the flood of a river from heavy rain or melted snow.
This isn’t just a trickle of water...this is a raging river of “living water” = having vital power in itself and exerting it upon the soul, to be in full vigor, strong, fresh, efficient, efficacious, powerful, to live.
This creates an amazing picture! And then add in this verse from Isaiah 55:11 and you have a Word of tremendous POWER!
So shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it will not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
W-O-W! That is so powerful!
God said that His Word will accomplish and will prosper in the thing for which He sent it! Here is a cheque...written by God’s Own Hand, that we can take to the bank and cash. This is currency!
When we delight in and meditate on God’s Word day and night out of our heart will flow torrents of Jesus’ Living Water! And it brings life, health, healing, and fruitfulness wherever, and to whomever, it flows!
I don’t think it can get any more clear than this! God has said...and therefore it will be! This is His unbelievably incredible promise to us when we choose to meditate on His Word day and night! When we keep God’s Word forefront in our minds He promises to bless that Word and do amazing things through our hands, words, and life.
And what's really cool... We don’t have to be perfect! God isn’t expecting us to perfectly remember at all times to keep His Word in our hearts and minds. God sees the intent of our hearts and He blesses it...and He blesses others through us!
When we set our hearts and minds to follow after Him...to get to know Him through His Word...to take that Word with us throughout the day and let it guide our thoughts and actions...then He promises to use that Word and cause Rivers of Living Water to flow from us to others!
I don't know about you...BUT I can't think of anything more exciting than this!
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