1. Making The Application
Romans 10:17
Galatians 5:6

2. Making The Application
We come to faith through hearing, accepting the Word of God
But how do we go from hearing and accepting the Word of God in the Gospel to living the faith in love?
That is what we need to figure out

3. Applying The Message
The vast majority of discrepancy in faith and practice in religion is in terms of application!
The Bible was written to people thousands of years ago, to people in different cultures
“What do we directly absorb, What do we learn by example, and What should we avoid?”
Serious questions we should consider

4. Meditation Lost art – crucial to application of the Gospel to life
Deuteronomy 6:6-12; Psalms 1:2; 19:14; 119:15,48,78,148; Philippians 4:8
Law of Moses had an expectation of constant reflection upon God’s precepts
Paul expects Christians to think on that which is good, lovely, praiseworthy – Philippians 4:8

5. Meditation
Major part of the challenge is the “curse” of literacy/ever available technology
Literacy then Internet technology changes the way we think
Can read/think about things heard or read, but know if we forget we can access that information again later
Less emphasis on remembering & meditating upon what we have read

6. Meditation
Read more because we do not need to meditate anymore – move on to more information
Availability of Internet takes theme to new level
Now what is most important is knowing where to find information – always accessible whenever necessary

7. Meditation “READ YOUR BIBLE”
How much reading and study goes beyond the obtaining or reinforcing information and gets a chance to affect how a person lives?
Many read but never come to an applied understanding!
Most Christians in history were functionally illiterate
Yet they could be faithful Christians, practice righteousness, and apply the Gospel to their lives

8. Think of a Medieval Peasant:
Hear Scriptures read in the assembly
Might hear once a week (or a month!)
If he sought to follow the Lord Jesus, what would he do?
He would meditate upon those Scriptures he heard & the lesson he heard
He would meditate upon it while going about his life, at home, doing his work, etc.
Meditate on Good Samaritan- Luke 10:25-37

9. Think of a Medieval Peasant:
Meditate on Joseph’s fidelity to God- Genesis 39:1-23
If he was thinking of God’s will then found himself in a situation to observe it, would it not be that much harder to disregard it and rebel?
There is great value in meditation!

10. Meditation
One of the greatest challenges in the life of a Christian is making what is learned on Sunday work from Monday through Saturday!
IF we only think about the Gospel or the sermon on Sunday, it is much harder to apply the rest of the week
Meditating on what we have read and heard, filling our minds with God’s words, we find it easier to not only avoid temptation, but to do what God has said

11. Meditation
Consider other opportunities to apply it - Philippians 4:8 NKJV 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

12. Meditation No matter how good the preacher is, he is not you!
He might think of wonderful applications
But you are to put thought into what was said according to God’s will and how it will work in your life – Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17

13. We Must Meditate Upon: What we have READ What we have HEARD
What we have SEEN
We must have our THOUGHTS in the things of God
PRAY to God for WISDOM & DISCERNMENT – James 1:5

14. Meditation Is Important To Us
Psalms 119:97
NKJV 97 MEM. Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”
We have considered Discernment and Meditation
Next lesson will show how to apply both of these in our daily living