Christian Growth2: Meditation

I'm making this page on Christian Growth2 because my former hub, The Basics of Christian Growth, only covered the bare basics of Christian growth (Bible reading, prayer, fellowship and witnessing) which every newborn babe in Christ needs to do. In this lens I want to take it a step further and introduce another step to be mastered once these basics have been. First let me say that if you are not sure of your salvation, you need to stop right here and make sure. To find out how, go here.

In this hub, I want to take the devotional part (Bible reading and prayer) of the prior hub a step further with what I call "Christian meditation." It is Christian meditation in distinction from Eastern meditation which endorses concentrating on nothing. By contrast, Christian meditation concentrates on the Bible, the Word of God, and results from a real relationship with God. For more on the meaning of Christian meditation in distinction from Eastern meditation, listen to Father John Bartunek explain it to Dan Burke in the video immediately below:

It is this type of meditation to which David was referring in Psalm 1:2. He speaks there of the blessedness which comes to the one who meditates day and night, comparing that one to a fruitful tree, planted by the river of water.

As you are having your devotions, either reading through a particular book of the Bible or using a devotional guide, perhaps a certain verse may pop out at you, so to speak. Or you may choose to use the key verse listed as such in your devotional guide. Take that verse and memorize it. It' s not really difficult if you try to get the main ideas down and then fill in the words. the resource below should be a great help with this. It highlights 52 of the Bible's greatest verses - a verse a week - and, using this system, each one can be recalled just when you need it! It includes: 3 audio CD's with Dr. MacArthur reading the verse-of-the-week, and providing a brief exposition of what that verse means and why it is so important to remember, A handy pack of printed cards, one for each verse, so that you can put one in your wallet or purse to refresh your memory of the weekly verse., A CD-ROM containing a dynamic desktop complete with the text of week's verse and a link to listen to the audio of the verse! Also contains a screen saver with each week's verse.

Once you memorize the verse, you can ruminate or mull it over in your mind, like a cow chewing her cud, thinking of ways that what it says can apply to you personally and your situation. Try to see your present situation in the light of what the scripture is saying.

The resource below.may help, as the author's goal in offering this unique Bible with her notes and comments is to build sturdy bridges between the words of the Bible and your everyday life. It includes the following;

Thoughts on why each book is important and how it relates to practical living.
Everyday Life Articles- to help you apply specific biblical truths to your life.
Short quotes & comments with encouragement & wisdom during challenging times.
Questions that enable you to evaluate your life in light of biblical truth..

Once you have a verse memorized, it's yours. Nobody, not even the Devil can take it from you. But then the fun part comes. Start to use your memorized verses to pray God's Word back to Him. Just pray the words of the verse, but make it personal. Insert your name where appropriate. Claim the promises He gives in the verse or ask for help according to the words of the verse. You could start with something like this: "Dear LORD God, you said in your Word that --------. I'm now asking you, on the basis of your Word to _____." Once you start, you'll get the hang of it. The resource above is helpful here too, as it also has Speak the Word--Verses adapted to be first-person confessions or prayers, bringing biblical promises to a new and personal level. In addition, also check out the one directly below: Ir's a daily guide to praying God's word. The author encourages readers to seek the mind of Christ through fervent daily prayer directly from Scripture.