Coming to Jesus daily is the single most important thing that any of us can do.
Today, and over the next few Wednesdays, I want to remind you of the ‘Come to Jesus Daily Method’ of bible intake. This practice is well worth the extra time and effort that is required.
Many people struggle to read, understand, meditate on, pray out of and apply the Bible. The method we’ll be using today is a great tool that I think will be of great help to you.
COME TO JESUS DAILY BIBLICAL MEDITATION METHOD
Biblical meditation is to prayerfully read, repeatedly, a section of the bible and pray, worship and respond as God leads. Thomas Watson wrote,
“The reason we come away so cold from reading the word is because we do not warm ourselves at the fire of meditation.”
Here are a few tips and questions to help you when meditating:
PRAY
Ask for the Spirit to help you and to speak to you. Keep the goal in mind - having a relationship with God! Choose a text from the bible and then use the following points to help you to digest it.
If you can’t think of a text, use 2 Corinthian 3:18
‘And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate 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)
WRITE
Writing/journaling is often a great help as you answer the questions below. Remember, don't allow worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar, perfection... stop you from writing - it's between you and God.
GOSPEL
‘Gaze on the cross’- What does this text say about salvation through Jesus? Look for the gospel of grace in the text even when it’s not the obvious, primary meaning.
UP
What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?
IN
What does this text say about and to you? What does it teach about the church and how we are to relate?
OUT
What does this text say about non-believers and our mission? In this section make a commitment to pray through a list of non-believing friends that God has put into your life.
RESPONSE
Is there anything that you want to pray, worship God about, do, ask forgiveness about, ask God to help you to change…?
COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY - KNOWING LEADS TO LIKENESS
Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
Suggested opener/Ice-breaker
Growing up, who did you most want to be like and why?
Introduction - please share in your group
Knowing leads to likeness. Knowing God will lead to our transformation into the image of God increasingly over time. Paul wrote,
‘I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.’ (Philippians 3:10-11)