MEDITATION

MEDITATION

As defined by the Dictionary: focus one's mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation.  To think deeply about something

What exactly are we meditating on and why?

Let's read Joshua 1 vs 8. Five different translations

Joshua 1:8 And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. (Message)

This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.

Joshua 1:8 AMPC

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful. (Amplified)

Yes, keep this book of the Torah on your lips, and meditate on it day and night, so that you will take care to act according to everything written in it. Then your undertakings will prosper, and you will succeed.
Y'hoshua (Jos) 1:8 CJB

The scroll of this law will not depart from your mouth; you will meditate on it day and night so that you may observe diligently all that is written in it. For then you will succeed in your ways and prosper.
Joshua 1:8 LEB

First,  the word should not depart from our mouths,  we should meditate on it day and night.
The message translation says we should not even for a minute let this Book of revelation be out of our mind.

Why?
The reason to meditate on the word every minute,  day and night,  every moment is so that we nay be able to observe all that is written in the word.  All of it,  not some or the convenient words,  All.

The LEB translation says so that you may diligently observe it

Meditation is a key to the word of God coming alive in us

To meditate is to stop reading,  focus and contemplate on every word,  sentence,  phrase,  searching deeply for deeper and Fuller meaning. Weighing each word with scripture

When you search on Google for the definition of a word in the dictionary,  it doesn't just bring the meaning.

Sometimes it gives you 3-4 meanings,  with synonyms for each meaning

It comes up with sentences for the usage of that word. It gives full context and meaning to that word

When we start meditating,  what we are doing is typing a word in our dictionary. 

Then the Holy Spirit (the search engine)  is the one that brings us the results or definitions.

 In meditation,  we unlock the riches of the word. All of the hidden riches of the word of God is unlocked in meditation.

The word of God has an unending depth. We could search and search,  dig deeper and deeper but there will be no end.

Just one word,  but we can dig for the rest of our lives and keep uncovering layers of understanding,  revelation,  truth and life.

I don't think any man has discovered all the depth and significance to not even one verse in the Bible.
I don't think any man has. This is why I implore us,  whenever you are to read to verse especially a common one you know very well,  don't just rush through it.

I used to do that,  sometimes I will even rush it out from my head. Don't do that. That revelation you've gotten from that verse is not all

with my heart I meditate and my spirit searches diligently:
Psalm 77:6b AMPC

This is what happens. We meditate and the spirit searches diligently. To do something diligently is to be constant in effort to accomplish it. To be attentive and persistent

For the spirit to make due diligent search,  we must stay on the word long enough.

If I search a word on an online dictionary and I close the tab immediately. I abort the work of the search engine

So it is for us.  We should not be in a hurry to leave that word. When we meditate, we are reaching out to the Holy spirit to speak to us. Without the Holy spirit we cannot uncover or unlock any riches in the word.

We will only be faced with surface knowledge. Knowledge that can be reached by anyone because it is not covered or locked. We have to rely on Him to reveal when we meditate

Now while meditating,  because the human mind is very inquisitive,  questions pop up. As usual,  the Holy spirit is waiting for those questions to pop up so he can answer them

So here are possible general questions our mind asked.

- Who is the writer and who was he speaking to?
(Remember those secondary school comprehension question.  "Who said this and to whom?". This format sticks when we study the word also)

- why is the author or verse saying that? 
(Eg Why did Jesus tell Peter "feed my sheep"?
Why did God order people to be killed?)

- What does the verse mean?
(Meaning of feed the Lamb?)

- Does the verse contain a spiritual principle? 
(Paul advice not to marry of you can.  Personal opinion or spiritual principle?)

- How does this truth or verse apply to my life?


These questions are constant for me and many more. Some of us might share same or even beyond this shared here. According to Bob Sorge,  there are 5 things to look out for when studying the word


Context
You cannot understand a verse unless you know the context to which it is spoken.

Word Meanings
Look up meanings of the word if you don't understand or as the spirit leads. Original translations help a lot.  So you can also find the Greek/Hebrew word.

Cross references
Where else does the word occur in the Bible (for this search the original Hebrew word,  see how many times it occur and how it has been translated in each verse.  Some words have more than one meaning)

Repetition
If a word a repeated a lot in the Bible,  there is a need to pay attention.

Symbolism
Some words are symbolic and do not have direct meaning.
(Eg the Holy spirit as a dove.  This doesn't mean the holy spirit is a dove)

These 5 things have helped me a lot in understanding and interpreting Scripture correctly.


Luke 6 vs 45.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:45) KJV

“Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts, but bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:45‬ ‭CEVDC‬‬

When we meditate,  we deposit good treasures in our hearts.
And it doesn't stop there
The more we meditate,  the more we deposit.
The more we deposit,  the more we produce outward fruit and our speech and conduct is being change.

We become Christlike

Usually,  we see Christians that know the word very much,  they can quote anything but the fruit they produce is rotten. You even wonder how it happens.

It's because they memorize the word and know it but they don't meditate on it always! It is during meditation that the renewal of our mind happens.

And when our minds stay renewed constantly,  our lives are are transformed.
Meditation is not just your normal general Bible study meetings or word alive teachings,  it is Jesus feeding us directly through the Holy Spirit. In the place of meditation,  the word is customized personally for you and your situation.

 And it's not just a one time thing. 
When we stay meditating for a long while,  there is an appetite and hunger for more.

Appetite is an incentive to work; hunger makes you work all the harder.
Proverbs 16:26 MSG

The more you meditate,  the hungrier you get. You are filled,  the tasted uncovered layer is soooo sweet.  You hold it dear but you still want more

There is a mistake we Christians make. When the Holy spirit uncovers a layer,  we start jumping up and sometimes close the Bible. We are in a hurry to share on our whatsapo stories or social media out of excitement

There was a day I got a revelation in the word.  I had never seen that Scripture that way,  I started jumping in my room and shouting Hallelujah. The Holy spirit asked me after a while if I can sit down so we continue. If he had not,  the excitement of that day would have made me close my Bible as usual

That layer that excites you is not all that is to that word.  There is more food for your soul where that came from.

Revel in the revelation received but don't close up your heart. Continue the meditation.

You think you are full already? The one feeding you will enlarge your insides to have more space for more food to enter

Don't stop Him because you think you are full. Don't be in a hurry to run off with little or leave.

Meditation is gazing upon Jesus in His word,  stay there. Fix your gaze upon Him. Even when doing other things (work,  play,  on your way back home) , keep gazing on Jesus through His word

See,  when you gaze upon Jesus,  you see yourself. You see all His finished works have made you to be. If any part of your life is not aligned to it yet,  you are forced to adjust

Imagine me like this getting to know that Dangote is my father and I have all his wealth as inheritance,  the way my life will change ehn. From change of wardrobe to the way I talk sef

That is what it is like to gaze upon Jesus (through the word).  We see our true identity in Him and this causes a chance in our lives.

The Bible says in Him we have our being. Our identity is in Christ.  Gaze upon Him and see yours

This teaching today is an action point for all of us,  myself included.

I want us to take it serious. I didn't plan to teach this.  Never even thought of teaching it before but I believe the Holy Spirit has a reason for keeping me awake this midnight

ACTION POINTS

1. I need you to write down things you are struggling with as a Christian.  Search Scriptures concerning this struggle and what  Christ has made you to be which opposes the struggle.
Then meditate on the Scripture every time. While bathing,  cooking,  washing even before you sleep.
Do it every time till there is a change. Please make sure you write it down.  When you notice the change,  go back and mark it off that list. Pick the next struggle

2. 2. As we study daily here,  even if it is just one word,  let it stay in your heart all day. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about it. To teach you till it causes a change in you.

3. Whenever you are teaching here or anywhere about a Scripture,  don't search online for meanings.  Don't collect second hand feeding.  Don't be quick to eat digested food elsewhere. Stay still and meditate.  Tell the Holy Spirit to speak to you Himself,  even if it is just one word.  You want Him to do the search and give you something. And you are not leaving till He does (Note that it is not bad to read and listen to other preachers.  Just a part of our action points)

If we are able to do all of these action points and take it serious,  I'm very certain you will see a change. Please let's write all the action points down now and make a commitment to this. Let's watch our lives change before our very eyes

I leave you with these:

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Philippians 4:8‭-‬9 MSG


For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.
Philippians 4:8‭-‬9 AMPC

So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always. Follow the example of all that we have imparted to you and the God of peace will be with you in all things.
Philippians 4:8‭-‬9 TPT

Put into practice all we have talked about tonight,  and watch things change

ETERNAL SALVATION

So to our discussion from the week.

Those that are still waiting for a Messiah are not saved.

Those that no longer believe He is Messiah are not saved

Those that have never believed at all are not saved

So to start with, the answer to the 3 statements above is a BIG YES

This issue as actually been one the church has been going round on for years

Way before we were born

There are 2 extremes to it and I am not on either side.

Once Saved always saved Or If you say a lie and due right after,  you are definitely going to hell

I've been a recipient of these 2 teachings. I've leaned on both sides for some period. Both for very short periods actually. Even during those times,  I had my reservation.

The bone of contention was the second statement:

Those that no longer believe He is Messiah are not saved

Some of us were (are)  of the opinion that if a Christian goes on to become an atheist,  He is still saved because He was once a Christian

 Like I said during the week,  I get am before no be property

Who is an atheist? 

An atheist is one who doesn't believe in the existence of God.


Who is a Christian? 
A Christian is one who is Christlike. One who basically follows Christ


How does one become a Christian?

What makes us Christians, born again,  is our acceptance of Christ as our Savior.
Now,  an atheist is one who doesn't believe there is a God, talk more of coming to Him through Christ.

Now,  let's go back.

Can a Christian say they are not doing again? Does this mean they were never Christians?

Let's look at a couple for example.

Myself and Samson have been married for 20 years.  Today,  I wake up and demand for a divorce
Does this mean we were never in love? Or I was never truly married to Samson?

No.  It simply means I have made a conscious decision to end my marriage/relationship with Samson.

Samson wants to stay married to me.

He never wants to take away my position as his wife but what he cannot do is stop me from walking away

Cos it is by freewill I accepted to be his wife. I was not forced into the relationship so I cannot be forced to stay

Samson will beg me to stay. Even after I get the divorce papers,  because he loves me,  he will keep trying to reach me.

Because of his strong love for me,  the only time he will give up is when I'm dead. He will keep trying

Now let's go back to my marriage to Samson.

There are families in Nigeria that when you are married to them,  you get some privileges.

You are carrying the surname. It opens doors for you. But the minute you walk out,  those privileges end

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1 Timothy 4:1 KJV

If it is not possible to lose faith,  Scripture will not tell you and I to hold fast to our faith

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

2 Peter 2:20‭-‬22 KJV

These Scriptures here speaks of people that knew Christ.  They had a true relationship not mere head knowledge. Yet they went back

There are some, you know, who by relaxing their grip and thinking anything goes have made a thorough mess of their faith. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two of them. I let them wander off to Satan to be taught a lesson or two about not blaspheming.

1 Timothy 1:19‭-‬20 MSG

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Hebrews 3:12 KJV

This was directed at Christians,  believers. He wasn't writing to those yet to accept Christ

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.   And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.   And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.   But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:10‭-‬13 KJV

This is directly from Christ

A lot of believers will be led astray.  Many will fall away.
Jesus mentioned these things

So yes,  it is very possible for someone to be once a Christian

For someone to say they are not doing again with the same mouth they used to accept Christ.

Very very possible

Let's go back to our atheist friend,  right back to when he accepted Christ.  What exactly was he accepting?

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:1 KJV

This is one of the things our then Christian,  Atheist friend received when He accepted Christ.

No more condemnation....Eternal Life

“Martha,” Jesus said, “ You don’t have to wait until then.  I am the Resurrection, and I am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever.  And the one who lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25‭-‬26 TPT


One of the things our friend received was Eternal life.

He had life before but then according to Biology , every living thing must die

It is a cycle.. You don't stay alive forever.

A sacrifice had to be paid for eternal life to be available for all. It was paid by Jesus. He is the source of the eternal life. He is the eternal life himself.

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Acts 17:28 KJV

This eternal life our friend had is not  just given by Christ but it is IN Christ.

What happens when our friend decided that He didn't want Christ anymore?

The presence of Christ was the Eternal life itself.  Rejecting Him is also rejecting Eternal life

What happens if he dies in this rejection?  

We read that there is no condemnation for they that are IN Christ.  Not they that Christ gave eternal life (Christ is the Eternal life)

Now that he is no longer in Christ,  He will face condemnation as everyone in the world. But till the very minute that he dies,  The love of God will keep trying to pull him out and reach out to him. It will never force him into acceptance.

If God could force us into acceptance of Him,  then the whole world is going to Heaven
Or you think God delights in people going to hell?

Definitely no.

So yes,  if an atheist regardless of his former belief or stance dies,  he is not going to heaven.

There is no sugarcoating it (except there is another way outside Christ)

If as Christians we sin or do wrong things then die,  are we going to hell?
No

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8 KJV

Christians do sin,  it is actually very possible to. But as Christians we are not characterized or identified by a life of sin. No matter how many times we make mistakes and sin,  we are forgiven

But it gets tricky.  Our lives are not to be controlled by sin.

And it is either we are controlled by the flesh or by the spirit.

Now here is my take.
If we continually choose to reject the work of the spirit in our lives and cling to the flesh,  our hearts harden.
It is very possible that we derail from here. It is very possible that stop holding honour belief from here.

The life we've received is in Christ and the Holy Spirit is the maintenance of this life.  If we constantly reject him and his works,  we reject Christ and his work too.

Let's look at John 15.

It says Abide in me, and I in you

He didn't say now that this branch is part of the tree,  that is all. Here Christ notes our choices and decisions to stay continually. To stay in continued fellowship with him. (Note that fellowship is not same as relationship.  Though fellowship  affects relationship)

He is asking us to do thongs which exposes us to Him more and more. To make the decision to stay always

Now what happens to those that do not abide in Him,  that choose to branch out

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15:6 KJV

Let's note here that he didn't say "if anyone refuses to bear fruit, I will cast them out"

He says if they refuse to abide. A branch has no life unless it is on the tree. The tree is the source of life for it.

At what point of continually rejecting the Vine (tree)  is the branch cast out?

I wish I had the answer to this one but I do not as the Bible does not give a specific time.
5years,  10years?

But one thing I know for sure is that God doesn't want anyone casted out. His love is all up in our face always.  He'd prefer we have life than death

People will come on that great day and say, I casted demons in your name but the Lord will tell them I do not know you. Of course,  they accepted Christ but something happened along the line.
Remember the parable of the sower. The ones that believed but temptation came.

I think only Christ knows at one point anyone stops being truly in Him.

But one thing we all know is the road that leads to that place,  which is continual rejection of Christ nd the works of the Spirit.

When someone becomes so controlled by sin,  we say the person's conscience is dying or is dead
In our case,  what the person is killing is the spirit of God in Him

For those of us here,  I don't think we plan to reject Christ.

And if we've been living a life characterized by sin,  now is the right time to stop.
This is why we have the Holy spirit. Allow Him help you.  You can't fight the flesh on your own.

Finally,  we have Christ so we have Eternal life.  We actually have already started living it

God loves us so much He couldn't wait for us to come join Him,  He brought Heaven here (right inside our little hearts). Enjoy Him. If His presence is boring to us now,  then why do we look forward to Heaven?

What makes Heaven is not the streets of Gold, the precious stones or pearls,  it is the Presence of God and it is now in you and I.

Let us pray.

Lord,  we thank you for your word and all we've learnt today.
Help us to abide in you forever.  Let us not seek a life outside you.

For those of us that do not understand or agree with some things,  speak to us directly.  Teach us your truth now and always.

Amen