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JOSHUA 1:8 NKJ 8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
The Hebrew word (hagah) translated as "meditate" in the above verse is translated in the KJV by many words, including meditate, speak, imagine, study, mutter, utter, roaring, and talk.
Here are some verses where hagah is translated as speak. It is obviously not just an inner thought, because lips, tongue, and mouth are the subject of hagah in these verses.
JOB 27:4 KJV 4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
PSALM 35:28 KJV 28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
PROVERBS 8:7 KJV 7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
Isaiah has an interesting verse where hagah is translated as roaring.
ISAIAH 31:4 KJV 4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
This verse does not picture a lion chasing his prey, but already possessing his catch, unmoved by any attempts to get him to turn loose.
Instead of translating hagah as "roaring" here, it could make sense to translate it as ingesting, or obtaining nutrients. This is what we do when we meditate on God's Word.
A roar can also be thought of as bold speech. When we find God's Word, we should be bold as a lion, confidently speaking God's Word, refusing to let go regardless of opposition.
The Good News Bible says "No matter how shepherds yell and shout, they can't scare away a lion from an animal that it has killed."
We should have the same bold commitment to keeping and devouring our spiritual food, the Word of God.
Here is a verse where hagah is translated as imagine.
PSALM 2:1 KJV 1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
The only way a human can see the past or the future unaided, is through their imagination. Memory uses the imagination. Much of our thinking, whether planning or "jumping to conclusions," involves our imagination. Both fear and faith operate in the realm of imagination.
Imagination is part of Bible meditation. But what are we to imagine?
God's Words are meant to paint a new picture in your thinking -- the picture of reality as God sees it.
Bible meditation is not emptying your mind, but filling your mind -- and your mouth -- with God's Word. It is focusing on God's thoughts, until they also become your thoughts.
So meditation is to help us see things the way God sees them.
SAY THIS: I will meditate on God's Word.
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THE WORD OF GOD WORLD OUTREACH
You Must Ask for Eternal Life... Matthew 21:22 - And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. John 16:24 - Here to have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy…
ContinueCreated by Bishop Dr. Joshua Smith Oct 18, 2011 at 3:47am. Last updated by Bishop Dr. Joshua Smith Mar 21, 2014.
He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
Jesus is LORD! He's not just our LORD as Christians, but he is LORD of all (Acts 10:36). God's plan was "purposed in Christ"; centered on Christ coming at the right time (Romans 5:6; Galatians 4:4), to bring unity in Christ by making him LORD of all and to have everyone acknowledge his lordship (Philippians 2:9-11). This also brings God great pleasure. Jesus is both our Savior and our LORD. Our hearts seek to honor him because he has done so much for us. We also honor him as LORD because he is worthy of that honor. Those options, Jesus as Savior and LORD, are available to all people who come to him. So, let's ask ourselves, "What area of my life, my heart's priorities, and my secrets have I not submitted to his lordship?" Then, let's commit today to bringing these under Jesus' rule and authority!
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O Precious Father, I know my heart can be deceitful. Sometimes I even deceive myself. As I kneel in your presence today, I do so because I am convicted by your love, grace, and purpose for our world in Jesus - to bring everything under him and unify in him. As I consider these blessings, I realize those areas I have not yet fully submitted to your control and Jesus' lordship. Please, dear Father, use the Holy Spirit to show and convict me of my self-deceptions so that I may be wholly yielded to Jesus. In his name, Jesus, I yield and pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Ouch! Most of us hate taxes. But we should also admit that we enjoy many of the privileges and blessings those taxes provide. Paul reminds us in Romans 13 that civil authorities are God's tools to hold back anarchy, chaos, and lawlessness. Oh yes, I know, and Paul knew that some government officials abuse their positions. As Christians, most of us are immune, or should be, to most laws because our faith in Jesus and love for others are going to regulate our behavior far more strictly than any civil legal code. We obey them because we first obey Christ, who calls us to a higher standard. But I do have a responsibility - we "owe" it, Paul says, to our governments to be good citizens, respectful neighbors, and people who willingly honor those who have merited it and deserve it by law. Even when they don't, we are called to reflect the character, grace, and strength of Jesus and the righteousness that he calls us to live.
Almighty God, I pledge my allegiance to you. You alone are Sovereign, Ruler, King, and God. Because you have called me to honor the government authorities, I will, as long as they do not call me to disobey or dishonor you. Because you have lavished your grace on me so richly, I commit to live today in a way that honors my allegiance to you. In Jesus' name, I pray to live up to these commitments. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant — not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
God "has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant." God has willingly entered into a new covenant of love, grace, and purpose with us, his adopted children. He sealed that covenant with the blood of his Son Jesus and LORD. Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit to give us the power to live the life of this new covenant.* God has made a covenant of love and grace with us. The Almighty has then turned around and made us worthy and "competent" to share that covenant with others. God's covenant with us is life-giving because it brings life to us and life to others, through us!
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate and reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
O holy and majestic God, thank you for your grace that has saved me from sin and has redeemed me from the law of sin and death. Thank you for sending the gift of your Son and for the Son giving me the gift of your Spirit so that I can live with you in a covenant of life, grace, and love. While I confess my weaknesses, I also commit to live to honor your sacrifice, love, and covenant with me. I pursue Jesus, knowing that he is at work through the Spirit to transform me to live under this new covenant. I trust that you will empower me to be what you are calling me to be as I live in covenant with you. In Jesus' name, I pray and give thanks. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
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