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Joshua 1:8 - Meditate Continually.

Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of the Law 
continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be 
sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then 
will you succeed. 

INTRODUCTION

In the days of the wilderness wandering the 
Lord had made abundant provision for His children 
to keep in remembrance the words of His law. 
After the settlement in Canaan the divine precepts 
were to be repeated daily in every home; they 
were to be written plainly upon the doorposts and 
gates, and spread upon memorial tablets. They were 
to be set to music and chanted by young and 
old. {PK 464-465}  [Remnant SB] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   One of the highest priorities in order to 
stay spiritually fresh is to cultivate the art of 
Scripture meditation.  
   For some reason, Bible meditation has 
become a lost art in our day. A survey conducted 
among Christians in the United States showed that 
only one in ten thousand knew how to meditate on 
the Scriptures.  
   What, then, is the art of Scripture 
meditation? Is it reading parts of the Bible as slowly 
as possible so that every word sinks in? No. Is 
it studying a passage with the aid of a 
commentary so that one understands exactly what the 
Scripture is saying? No. Is it memorizing certain 
texts and recalling them to mind whenever one has 
a spare moment? No. You can do all of these 
things and still not know how to meditate.  
   Andrew Murray describes it as "holding 
the word of God in your heart and mind until it 
has affected every area of your life." My own 
definition is this: meditation is the process by which 
we place the Word of God into the digestive 
system of the soul, where it is transformed into 
faith and spiritual energy.  
   Psalm 1:2-3 paints a picture of amazing 
freshness and vitality: "His delight is in the Lord's 
instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is 
like a tree planted beside streams of water that 
bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not 
wither." What is the secret of this amazing 
freshness? It is simple - meditation. To draw from 
Scripture the inspiration and power we need to stay 
spiritually fresh, we must do more than read it, study 
it, or even memorize it - we must meditate on 
it.  
   O Father, I want so much to learn the art 
of meditation. Quicken my desire to hide Your 
Word in my heart so that it becomes the hidden 
springs of action and determines my character and my 
conduct. In Jesus' name. Amen. [Every Day With Jesus 
Bible with Selwyn Hughes devotional re Psalm 
119:97, 99] 

COMMENTARY

Benefits of Meditation
   The June 2010 issue of Mind, Mood and 
Memory, a newsletter published by Massachusetts 
General Hospital, carries a lead article entitled 
"The Neuroscience of Meditation." Here the author 
reviews findings from several studies that appear to 
agree that meditation, no matter the type, has 
huge health benefits. Some of the most notable 
are (1) protecting working memory from the 
negative effects of stress, (2) lowering the levels 
of the stress hormone cortisol and reducing 
tension, (3) reversing memory loss, (4) increasing 
tolerance to pain, (5) increasing ability to pay 
attention and ignore distractions, (6) decreasing the 
density of gray matter in the amygdala (a brain 
parameter associated with reduced stress), (7) and 
thickening of the prefrontal cortex and right anterior 
insula (regions that normally thin with age and 
that are known to be involved with processing 
sensory input as well as memories, thus helping us 
focus attention and make decisions).  
   Hundreds of studies have sought 
scientifically to determine the benefits of meditation. But 
vigorous debate surrounds their validity. Though many 
of the studies are peer reviewed (meaning that 
others in the field have checked to see that they 
are done right), a strong vein of skepticism 
persists in scientific circles. How do we know that 
the meditation training is any better or any 
different from any other kind of training, such as 
learning how to control your heart rate and blood 
pressure?  
   The best test is obviously to see what 
works for you. God asks us to prove Him. In this 
highly stressed modern age, where can we turn for 
peace? Where do we go to find meaning in life? 
Where did I come from? Where am I going?  
   God's Word is true and honest. It 
declares, "Great peace have those who love your law, 
and nothing can make them stumble" (Ps. 119:165, 
NIV). When you put this together with the text 
above, it is clear that biblical meditation should 
be carefully and honestly tried. I recommend it 
to you as one that will produce positive 
results.  
   Lord, You made me, so You know what 
works. Give me the courage to put You to the test. 
[God of Wonders by David Steen] 

   "Only then." Sure, there are plenty of 
ways to prosper in this or that area of life, but 
God's instruction to Joshua is more comprehensive 
than that. Prosperity as He defines it goes 
deeper and lasts longer, applying to everything His 
people do. So what is the condition for this great 
guarantee of certain prosperity? How was Joshua - and 
how are we - supposed to receive successes from 
the God of victory? Step one: Be strong and 
courageous. Step two: Meditate on His Word day and night 
for the purpose of implementing it in life. 
That's it. An attitude and an action. That's how, 
real success comes. 
   We are designed to live in a Kingdom of 
victories. We know life isn't that simple; we've all 
experienced failure, and we've all known of instances 
when the right approach didn't yield the right 
results. God is not a formula, after all, and we 
can't treat Him like one. But we can position 
ourselves to receive whatever He has promised us. We 
may not prosper every way we expect to if we are 
faithful to His Word, but we certainly won't prosper 
meaningfully without it. We have to be people whose lives 
are consumed with hearing and following His 
voice. 
   That's a key approach into any promised 
land, a foundational truth for experiencing the 
best of God's Kingdom. We can't afford to waste 
time trying to love God without also loving His 
Word. The relationship doesn't work that way. If 
we love Him, His words will matter to us. If 
they don't, were deceiving ourselves. 
   There's a difference between meditating 
on God's words a few minutes each day and being 
so consumed with them that we apply them to 
every area of life. One helps to keep us aware of 
Him. The other keeps us anchored in Him and 
moving in His will. The all-of-life approach to His 
voice rivets our attention on what He is doing and 
captivates us with His purposes. And it comes with a 
life-changing promise. [The One Year Heaven On Earth 
Devotional by Chris Tiegreen] 

   For more than 100 years, researchers have 
studied the effects of summer break on students. 
While summer means lots of fun, no homework, and 
few responsibilities, it also means learning 
loss. You actually lose ground academically. 
Lower-income students are hit the hardest, losing an 
average of two months of reading achievement during 
the summer. Many of these students have few 
books at home and aren't encouraged to read 
outside of school. As a result, by fifth grade some 
children are nearly three grade levels behind their 
peers in reading. 
   Research also shows all students 
typically score lower on standardized tests at the end 
of the summer than on the same test taken at 
the end of the school year. Math abilities 
decline as well. What's the solution? No more summer 
break? 
   Don't worry. Summer break isn't in 
jeopardy. The solution is actually quite simple: You 
must engage your brain. Just putting away video 
games, turning off the I'V, and reading a book can 
make a huge difference. Play a strategy game with 
your family or a friend. Put together a puzzle. 
Your mind is like a muscle. You have to use it to 
strengthen it. 
   Learning loss doesn't only hinder your 
academic abilities. It can affect your walk with 
Christ. If you "take a break" from God, your 
relationship will suffer. On the other hand, by engaging 
with God through reading the Bible and going to 
church, you'll know what he expects and grow closer 
to him. In Joshua 1:8 the Israelite leader 
says, "Keep this Book of the Law always on your 
lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you 
may be careful to do everything written in it. 
Then you will be prosperous and successful." 
Joshua wanted God's people to talk about God's 
Word, think about God's Word, and follow God's 
Word. If they did that, the results would take 
care of themselves - the people would be 
prosperous and successful. 
   The same thing is true for you today. 
Make a plan to get into the Bible on a regular 
basis. Maybe you'll try to read the Bible in a year 
(there are lots of plans online). Perhaps you can 
begin a Bible study with your friends. When you 
keep learning about God, you'll never be at a 
loss. [Case For Christ For Kids by Les Strobel] 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

God made some extravagant promises to 
Joshua. He knew that Joshua would face fierce 
enemies and overwhelming obstacles and therefore 
would need to remember these assurances in tough 
times. We need to be able to hang on to God's 
promises as well. Praying Scripture back to God is a 
valuable tool to assist us in our spiritual growth - 
"reminding" him of his promises, as it's sometimes 
called. Repeating the assurances of God's Word in 
prayer elevates and guides our requests. By praying 
God's words back to him, we have assurance that we 
are praying effectively. [NIV Once A Day Bible 
re Jos. 1:1-9] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE


http://www.abible.com/devotions/2007/20071018-1724.html 

EXCELLENT SERMON ON THIS TOPIC (sermon 
starts at 52:20 into the program) 


https://livestream.com/accounts/14425139/events/8801211/videos/195725302 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON 28 REVELATIONS OF 
JESUS 

1st of 28: Divine Dining: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_7j1QIKqmY