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Build the Bible Home to Your Heart · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to Reformed Thinking, the deep dive where we take your
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sources and really try to distill the valuable insights.
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Today we're taking a look into what it genuinely means to apply
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God's Word to our lives. It sounds simple, but maybe it's
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not always straightforward. The phrase we hear a lot apply
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the Bible, but unpacking what that really involves, how it
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actually changes us, that's key. Exactly.
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Our mission today is to understand how engaging with
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Scripture really reshapes our hearts and lives, maybe moving
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past some common misunderstandings about what
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Bible application truly entails. Yeah, misconceptions can
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definitely get in the way. We'll be drawing from insights,
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particularly from David Mathis Habits of Grace, which is
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excellent on this, alongside wisdom from figures like, well,
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James the Apostle, Paul the Puritan, Thomas Watson, and John
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Piper too. Lots of good stuff here.
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A good lineup, all focused on that practical godliness that
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flows from knowing God. So let's unpack this and uncover
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a clear path to, well, flourishing in our walk with
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God. Now I think we can all relate to
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this starting point. It's a common longing for many
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who follow Christ, right? We genuinely desire to be doers
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of the Word and not hearers only.
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Absolutely nobody wants to be the person James talks about.
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No one desires that feeling of spiritual failure.
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Or, you know, the thought of resembling someone who looks
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intently at his natural face in a mirror and goes away and it
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once forgets what he was like. That image from James, it's
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quite striking, isn't? It it really is.
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It captures a core problem so well, that fleeting moment of
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seeing something true about ourselves in God's Word.
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Maybe a conviction or an encouragement?
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And then poof, gone, distracted by the next.
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Thing exactly that vivid image from James 1 verses Tom 3 and
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24. It paints a picture that's both
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while striking and maybe a little convicting.
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For many of us, it describes a deep spiritual issue.
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We encounter God's truth, we hear it, maybe we even nod
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along, but then we fail to internalize it.
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It doesn't sink in. And so no real change happens.
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Right, leading to no real or lasting change in how we live
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our lives. Think about it.
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The person who glances in the mirror and instantly forgets
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their own appearance, Well, they haven't allowed what they saw to
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sink in, right? It didn't alter their self
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perception, let alone prompt them to, you know, fix their
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hair or adjust their collar. It's.
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Just surface level. Exactly In that same way, a
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person who hears God's word but doesn't genuinely take it in and
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act on it, they've kind of missed the point.
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They've treated a divine communication almost like
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background noise. Ouch.
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That stings a little. What?
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But it highlights a sincere desire that most believers have.
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We want God's Word to shape us not just intellectually, but in
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a significant, life altering way.
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We want to be different because of it.
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Which brings us right to the main question for this deep
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dive. Yeah, what kind of effect should
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regular Bible intake have on our hearts and lives?
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And maybe just as importantly, how does that happen?
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What's the process? We want to move beyond just, you
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know, reading words to something that genuinely alters us, making
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us different people. OK, but before we even talk
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about how to apply it, maybe we should back up a step.
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Why should we even expect the Bible to be applicable?
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Why is it so crucial to view God's Word as something that
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actively speaks to you today, right where you are?
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That's a great starting point because the foundation for our
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expectation of application it comes directly from Scripture
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itself. It makes claims about its own
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nature and purpose. So it's not just us wishing it
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applies. Not at all.
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We have solid scriptural warrant for this, a clear reason to
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believe God's words aren't just ancient texts for a bygone era,
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but living and active for us now.
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For instance, think about Second Timothy 3.1617, probably
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familiar to many listeners. All scripture is breathed out by
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God. The Omnosus God breathed.
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Exactly and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
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correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of
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God may be complete equip for every good work.
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OK, let's break that down a bit. Breathed out by God, that's
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powerful. It is.
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It means every word, every passage, every book carries
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divine breath, divine authority. It's not just human opinion or
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ancient stories. It's God speaking.
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And because of the. Because of that, it's
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profitable. It works.
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It's useful for teaching, guiding us in truth, for
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reproof, showing us where we've gone wrong, for corrections,
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setting us back on the right path, and for training in
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righteousness, which is about shaping our habits, our
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character over time, and the. Goal of all that?
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The goal that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every
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good work. This verse alone sets a really
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high expectation, doesn't it? Yeah, complete equipped.
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That's comprehensive. It means God intends for
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Scripture to make us whole, competent, fully prepared for
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whatever He calls us to do. It's like a complete spiritual
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toolkit designed specifically for you.
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So it's definitely not just ancient history or, you know,
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abstract theology locked away in a book.
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It's meant to shape us now, practically equipping us for a
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living. Precisely.
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And the Bible keeps making this point.
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Think about First Corinthians 10.
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Paul talks about the experiences of Israel in the wilderness.
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Their struggles, their failures. Right.
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And he says in verses 6:00 and 11:00 that these things took
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place as examples for us and were written down for our
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instruction. Examples and instruction, so
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learning from the past. Exactly.
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The narratives of the Old Testament, the ups and downs of
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God's people. They aren't just historical
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records for scholars. They are models and warnings.
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They're designed to guide our choices and our affections
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today. They show us patterns, maybe
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consequences. Yeah, they provide insight into
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human nature, into God's character, helping us understand
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the consequences of certain actions and thankfully, the
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blessings of obedience, too. They help us avoid the same
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spiritual pitfalls. OK, that makes sense.
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What else? Well, then you have Romans 15.4.
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It assures us that whatever was written in former days was
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written for our instruction, that through endurance and
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through the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.
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Endurance, encouragement, hope. Those are definitely things we
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need today. Absolutely.
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Scripture is presented as a wellspring of steadfastness and
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comfort. It gives us solid ground for our
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hope, especially when life gets shaky.
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When trials come, it anchors us. So putting those together,
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Second Timothy, First Corinthians, Romans.
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They all consistently show that, as the sources say, the whole
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Bible is for the whole church. It is truly meant for us, every
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word for every believer in every age and every circumstance.
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It has current relevance because God Himself is consistent and
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His truth is eternal. This sounds very personal, then,
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which brings to mind that counsel from the Puritan
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preacher Thomas Watson. He famously said we should take
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every word as spoken to yourselves.
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Wow, that's pretty direct. It is indeed, and Watson doesn't
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leave it vague. He clarifies it, making it even
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more personal, more penetrating. He says when the word thunders
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against sin, think thus God means my sins.
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No hiding there. Nope.
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And when it presses any duty, God intends me in this, He
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really wants us to avoid that comfortable distance.
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You know where we read Scripture and think, oh, that's for
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someone else? Or that was just for back then?
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Or maybe we apply it to someone else's sins we see.
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Right. He's pressing us to bring it
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home, to allow it to Pierce our own hearts and minds.
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He uses this analogy of medicine which I find really helpful.
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Yeah, we'll see analogy. He says a medicine will do no
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good unless it be applied. Imagine having the perfect cure
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for an illness prescribed by the best doctor, but it just sits on
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the shelf. It does nothing useless exactly
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in the same way. Scripture, for all its divine
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truth and healing power, remains kind of inert in our lives if we
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don't actively apply it to ourselves.
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It's personal relevance isn't just an optional extra.
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It's it's very designed. It's meant to be internalized,
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taken into the system of our being, and to work its shaping
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effects from the inside out. Without that personal
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connection, the benefits, they just stay theoretical.
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Admired, maybe, but not experienced precisely.
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OK, so we personalize it. We take it to heart, like Watson
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says. But the source is also at a
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really crucial step. Before we immediately jump to
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what does this mean for me? What's this essential anchor we
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need first? Yeah, this is really important.
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Before bringing the Word home to yourself, there's this vital two
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step process. It helps ensure our
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interpretation is sound, that it's spirit illumined, and that
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our personalization is built on a solid foundation.
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Not just our own feelings or assumptions.
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Exactly because those can easily lead us astray.
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So the first step is crucial. Seek to understand first how
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God's words fell on the original hearers and how they relate to
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Jesus person and work. Original context in Christ.
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Right. It's a critical anchor.
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It means we don't just grab a verse out of context and
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immediately ask, what's my take away?
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Instead, we pause. We ask, what did this mean to
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the people who first heard or read it?
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What was their situation, their culture?
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What was God doing and his larger plan at that time?
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Thinking about the genre too, I guess.
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Poetry, History, Prophecy. Absolutely.
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Genre matters hugely. Understanding the historical
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setting, the literary context, it helps us avoid
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misinterpreting passages wildly. And Justice Key is asking how
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does this passage point to or relate to Jesus, His life, his
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teachings, his death, resurrection, his ongoing work?
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Because all scripture points to him.
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Ultimately, yes, understanding its place in God's bigger story
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of redemption centered on Jesus is non negotiable.
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This makes sure we're grasping God's intended communication
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within its original setting and seeing its fulfillment in
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Christ, rather than just imposing our own ideas or
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missing the main point. OK, so we do that careful work
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first understand the original meaning, see how it relates to
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Jesus, and only after that foundational understanding do we
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bring it home to ourselves. Precisely only after that
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initial discerning step can we then bring them home to
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yourself. It's at this stage that we can
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rightly expect application to your life as God speaks to us
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today through the spirit illuminant understanding of what
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the inspired human author said. So it's not just our own
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intellect figuring it out. The Holy Spirit is involved.
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Vitally involved, this recognizes the ongoing work of
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the Holy Spirit. He takes that timeless truth,
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understood properly, in its context and through the lens of
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Christ, and makes it speak directly to our hearts, our
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lives, our specific circumstances right now.
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That makes it living and active today.
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Yes, it's a dynamic process, not some rigid formula.
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The Spirit opens our eyes to how these ancient truths resonate
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with our modern challenges, how they comfort our specific
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griefs, how they guide our decisions today.
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This careful Spirit LED approach keeps us from twisting scripture
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to fit what we want it to say and.
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Instead, allows it to genuinely shape us according to God's
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will. Exactly.
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All right, so moving into the how many of us, and I'll put my
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hand up here. Sometimes we approach Bible
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reading looking for that specific item to add to our
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daily To Do List. You know, concrete action to
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perform. I think that's very common.
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And I think it comes from a good place, right?
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A desire to actually do something, to obey.
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But the sources suggest this might be a bit limited, a narrow
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way to think about application. You're right, that impulse
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definitely comes from a good place.
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There's a sincere intention behind wanting to find a
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specific task. It presses us to be doers and
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avoid just being hearers like James warned against.
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And you know, sometimes good teachers even encourage finding
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at least one specific application point from every
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Bible reading for that very reasoned push towards concrete
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action. Which isn't necessarily bad.
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Not necessarily bad in itself, but the sources call it a
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simplistic approach to application.
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Overall. It tends to overlook the, well,
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the more complex nature of the Christian life, and it overlooks
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how true and lasting change often happens in a less
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straightforward way than just checking off a daily task.
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Less straightforward, How so the?
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Christian life isn't just a series of isolated moral choices
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we make based on a list. It's more organic than that.
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It's a flowing reality, a dynamic process of growth and
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change that impacts our entire being, our thoughts, attitudes,
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desires, reactions, not just our specific out of the behaviors at
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certain moments. It's more about becoming than
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just doing. OK, less straightforward.
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How does the Christian life operate then?
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Outside of that clear daily checklist?
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I can imagine people asking, if I'm not looking for a specific
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action item to my Bible reading, what am I supposed to be looking
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for? Well, think about this.
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The vast majority of our lives are lived spontaneously.
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Just consider your own day. Yeah, true, most of it isn't
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planned moments of decision. Right.
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Your reaction when someone cuts you off in traffic.
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How you respond when a family member says something sharp, The
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attitude you bring to that frustrating task at work, or how
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you handle an unexpected interruption.
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Those aren't usually moments where I pause and consult my
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morning quiet time notes. Exactly.
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Most of our daily decisions, especially the micro decisions
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and reactions that really shape our day and our relationships.
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They aren't the result of some conscious time out for
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reflection, where we consult a mental checklist derived from
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our morning Bible reading. We don't usually pause and say
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OK, which verse from Philippians applies to this annoying e-mail.
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No, definitely not. Rather, our lives, our actions,
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our reactions, they tend to flow from the kind of person we are,
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the kind of person we have become over time, shaped by many
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things, including our engagement with God.
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It's not typically a succession of deliberate timeouts for moral
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calculation. So it's about character
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formation. Precisely.
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In Reformed theology, we talk about sanctification or growth
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in holiness. It's understood as a process
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that shapes our entire being, not just helping us make better
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choices at specific moments. It's about cultivating a new
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nature by God's grace. So God is working deeper than
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just behavior modification. Yes, He's working to shape our
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character, our inclinations, our deepest affections, our
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intuitive responses, so that our actions, even the spontaneous
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ones, become increasingly aligned with His will.
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Not just because we remember to rule, but because our heart is
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changing. It's an internal renewal that
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produces an outward expression, rather than just trying to
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manage the outward expression from the outside.
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OK, so if it's not primarily about ticking off A to do list,
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what kind of change is God really after?
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Where can we look for a model of application that goes deeper
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than just finding the next action item?
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I think the Apostle Paul's prayers for believers give us a
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much better guide here. They show us the kind of deep
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internal change God desires for us.
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How so? What's characteristic about his
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prayers? Well, his prayers consistently
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focus on deep internal change, on wisdom, on discernment, on
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love growing, rather than just simple obedience to a list of
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external commands. He rarely prays.
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Lord help them do XY and Z. OK, give us an example.
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All right, consider Romans 12.2. Paul prays that you would be
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transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you
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may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable
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and perfect. Renewal of your mind that's
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internal. Deeply internal Notice he
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doesn't say. Lord, make them follow these 10
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steps. He prays for renewed mind, a
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mind so reshaped by God's truth that it can intuitively grasp
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and approve God's will in various situations.
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It's not about checking off boxes, but about having a
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renewed capacity for ethical choice, a spiritual sensitivity
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that discerns God's desires. That capacity for discernment
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that sounds central to a Reformed view of living right,
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where God changes our thinking so we can live rightly.
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Absolutely. It's about God working
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internally so that the external follows.
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So it's about a changed mind leading to spontaneous wise
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changed actions, not just trying harder to follow a set of
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external rules. Precisely.
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And Paul continues this theme elsewhere.
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Look at Philippians 1, verses 9 and 10.
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He prays that your love may abound more and more with
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knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is
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excellent. Love, knowledge, discernment,
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all working together. Yes, here spiritual wisdom isn't
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just some intellectual exercise. It guides our affections, our
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deepest loves and desires. He's praying for a love that
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isn't blind or sentimental, but is informed by accurate
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knowledge of God and keen spiritual insight.
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So we can recognize and choose what's truly good and honorable
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in God's eyes. Exactly, and that informed love
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then directs our spontaneous actions and choices.
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Then one more Colossians 1 verses 9 and 10.
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He prays that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will
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in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
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Again, wisdom and understanding. So as to walk in a manner worthy
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of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good
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work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
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OK, seeing the pattern here. It's knowledge, wisdom,
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understanding, discernment, love, leading to a worthy walk
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and fruit bearing. You got it.
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The common thread through all these prayers that Paul isn't
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dictating specific actions or providing a daily checklist.
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His aim, his prayer, is for believers to be formed into the
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kind of persons who are able to discern what is pleasing to the
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Lord and then act in light of it.
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It's a deep character level change that enables spontaneous
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godly living flowing naturally from an inner renewal by the
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Spirit. This idea really resonates,
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becoming a certain kind of person rather than just focusing
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on checking off boxes. And John Piper echoes this.
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Doesn't each? What does he mean by that
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distinction? Yes, Piper's counsel clarifies
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this distinction really powerfully.
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He says become a kind of person, counsels Piper.
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Don't amass a long list. It's such a helpful summary.
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Become a kind of person. Don't amass a long list.
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Simple but deep. It highlights that God desires A
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holistic, spiritual change. He's after our character, our
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inner being, our very disposition.
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He wants that to be so shaped by His Word and Spirit that
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righteous actions flow naturally from who we are, rather than
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being forced behaviors or items we cross off a list out of duty.
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Can you illustrate that difference?
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Sure. Think of it like this.
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If you focus solely on amassing a list of good beads, reading
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your Bible daily, praying for 15 minutes, avoiding certain sins,
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you might become proficient at outward conformity.
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You might look good on the outside.
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But the heart might be unchanged.
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Exactly. Your heart might remain
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unchanged, maybe producing those deeds out of obligation or fear
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or pride or just habit. But if God reshapes who you are
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from the inside out, if your desires, your motivations, your
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very identity are being renewed in Christ through His Word, then
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those righteous actions become a genuine expression of your new
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nature. They flow more authentically.
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Right. It moves beyond just trying to
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change behaviors to letting God change the heart that produces
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those behaviors. God isn't just asking for good
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fruit, He's working to make the tree itself good, healthy,
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drawing life from him. It's about cultivating A
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consistent spiritual disposition, A renewed identity
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in Christ, rather than just collecting a series of separate
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good deeds. Again, this is shifting my
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perspective. If Bible intake isn't primarily
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about generating that To Do List, what is the most
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significant kind of application we should be pursuing?
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What's the central aim that drives this deeper internal
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change we've been talking about? Well, the sources, particularly
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drawing on Piper here, say the most significant kind of
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application is astonishment. Astonishment.
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That's not a word I usually associate with Bible
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application. Tell me more.
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Yeah, it might sound surprising at first, but listen to how
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Piper puts it. A godly life is lived out of an
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astonished heart, a heart that is astonished at grace, he
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continues. We go to the Bible to be
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astonished, to be amazed at God and Christ and the cross and
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grace and the gospel. Astonished at grace, Amazed at
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God. OK.
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This isn't just talking about a fleeting emotion, like being
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surprised by something. It's describing a deep spiritual
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state of wonder, awe, being utterly captivated by who God is
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and what he has done for us. Like being genuinely taken aback
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by his goodness. Exactly.
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Imagine for a moment being genuinely overwhelmed by beauty.
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Maybe a sunset or a piece of music.
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Not just appreciating it, but having your breath catch, your
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mind completely captivated. Now apply that sense of
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overwhelming wonder to the sheer undeserved kindness of God.
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His generous, unmerited grace shone supremely at the Cross.
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When you see it like that. When you are truly astonished by
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God's character, His Holiness, His love, His wisdom, His power,
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and by the cross where Christ absorbed God's wrath for you but
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incredible good news of the gospel, your priorities
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fundamentally shift. Your perspective changes.
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How so? Well, suddenly your own desires
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and problems seem smaller, don't they?
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Your frustrations seem less potent, your fears less
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paralyzing, because you're consumed by something, someone
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infinitely greater, more beautiful, more worthy of your
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attention. So this wonder isn't just a
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feeling. It's reorienting.
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Precisely. It's a reorientation of your
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entire soul that fuels genuine worship, deep joy, and a change
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perspective on absolutely everything in your life.
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It shifts our focus from ourselves and our efforts, which
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is often where we get stuck. To God and his work, His glory,
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His grace. Yes, and that's where true
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spiritual vitality begins. It's about seeing him first.
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That's a really compelling picture.
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Yeah, but how do we practically pursue this astonishment?
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What does it actually look like in our daily interaction with
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Scripture to try and be amazed at God and Christ?
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It sounds a bit abstract. It does sound abstract, but the
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sources connect it to a very concrete practice, meditation.
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OK, meditation, not just reading, but.
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Meditating, right? It involves actively pressing
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the scriptures to your soul. That phrasing is evocative,
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isn't it? Pressing it to your soul.
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Yeah, it and plus effort, engagement, not just letting the
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words wash over you. Exactly.
21:38
This isn't a passive reading where you just glance at the
21:40
words and move on. It's an engaged, intentional
21:43
reflection. It means allowing the words to
21:45
sync beyond your intellect and into the deepest parts of your
21:48
being, your heart, your affections.
21:50
So what does that look like? Practically?
21:52
Yeah, chewing on a verse. It can involve dwelling on a
21:55
verse or a passage, turning it over and over in your mind,
21:58
asking questions of it like what does this really say about God?
22:01
What does it reveal about his character?
22:03
How does this truth apply to my deepest needs or fears?
22:06
Maybe picturing the scene. If it's a narrative, considering
22:10
its implications for your life, yes.
22:12
But starting with its implications about God.
22:15
And prayer is involved, too. Crucially, the sources say, it's
22:18
about praying for the awakening of your affections.
22:21
Our affections, our desires, our emotions, our will.
22:23
They're often dulled, aren't they?
22:25
Or distracted or misdirected by the world, by sin, by just
22:29
business. Definitely mine feel pretty
22:31
sleepy sometimes. Meditation coupled with sincere
22:34
prayer. Lord, open my eyes, show me your
22:36
glory, Stir my heart seeks to stir them up, to reawaken them
22:40
to God's beauty and truth revealed in His Word.
22:43
It's a deliberate discipline of bringing God's Word home to your
22:46
heart, moving beyond mere intellectual understanding or
22:49
agreement to a heartfelt encounter with the living God.
22:53
That focus on affections, our desires, emotions, that feels
22:58
very central to a reformed understanding of faith, doesn't
23:02
it? It's not just about right
23:03
thinking, but right loving. Absolutely true faith involves
23:07
not just what we think is true, but what we genuinely love, what
23:10
we treasure, what moves us, what motivates us from the inside
23:13
out. Meditation aims right at that
23:15
core. OK, so we meditate, We press the
23:18
scriptures to our soul, praying for our affections to be
23:21
stirred, aiming for this astonishment of God.
23:24
What's the actual outcome of this kind of deep engagement?
23:27
What happens to us when we are genuinely captivated by God's
23:30
glory in His Word? The outcome is, well, it's
23:33
profound, it's life changing. As we are freshly captivated by
23:36
the grandeur of our God and His gospel, a spiritual change
23:40
begins to happen deep within us. The sources put it beautifully.
23:43
We become what we behold. We become what we behold.
23:46
Wow, think about that. What you consistently gaze upon,
23:49
what captures your attention and admiration shapes you.
23:52
And the ultimate object of our gaze should be God himself.
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And Scripture points us to that. Yes, 2nd Corinthians 3.18
24:00
captures this process perfectly and we all with unveiled face
24:04
beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into the same
24:08
image from 1° of glory to another.
24:10
Beholding being changed, there's the connection.
24:13
Exactly. It's a spirit driven,
24:14
progressive sanctification as we gaze upon God's glory revealed
24:19
in His Word, His character, His works, His Son.
24:21
The Spirit uses that beholding to reshape our inner being,
24:25
conforming us more and more into the likeness of Christ.
24:28
It's not instant from 1° of glory to another.
24:31
It's a process. It's a process, not a sudden
24:33
ZAP, but a continuous transformation.
24:35
And the effect? The sources talk about a more
24:38
satisfied soul, a soul that finds its truest joy, its
24:41
deepest peace and contentment in God Himself, rather than
24:44
scrambling for satisfaction in worldly things or
24:47
accomplishments. And that inner satisfaction it
24:49
must bill override. It absolutely does.
24:51
This deep soul level contentment in God imparts a flavor and
24:56
demeanor to our lives and decision making that affects
24:59
everything. Our whole approach to life, how
25:02
we handle stress, our priorities, our generosity, our
25:05
patients, our interactions, it all starts to take on the flavor
25:09
of that inner satisfaction in God.
25:11
We begin to reflect His character more consistently,
25:14
more naturally in our very being.
25:16
OK, so this pursuit of astonishment through meditation
25:20
leading to inner transformation and a satisfied soul, That's the
25:25
priority. But what about those immediate
25:27
specific actions? If I read about loving my
25:29
neighbor, should I just focus on feeling astonished and not worry
25:31
about actually doing something? Where did the to do's fit in?
25:34
That's a fair question, and the sources are careful to clarify
25:36
this. They don't say ignore actions
25:38
altogether. OK, good.
25:39
They say meditating on God's Word shapes our soul.
25:41
Sometimes it yields immediate and specific points of
25:44
application. Embrace them when they come.
25:46
So if something specific comes to mind.
25:48
Yes, if in your astonishment at God's grace and goodness, a
25:52
particular act of kindness towards a neighbor, or a
25:55
specific sin you need to confess and repent of, or a concrete way
25:59
to serve someone comes clearly to mind, then by all means,
26:03
embrace it. Do it.
26:04
Those are good and right responses.
26:06
But there's a caution. There is the caution is clear.
26:09
Be careful not to let the drive for specific actions alter the
26:13
focus of our devotions from astonishment and seeking to have
26:17
your soul happy in the Lord. Don't let the search for a task
26:20
hijack the main goal of seeing God.
26:22
Precisely the contrast is crucial.
26:25
Coming to the scriptures to see and feel makes for a drastically
26:28
different approach than primarily coming to do.
26:31
The point is that the specific action should ideally flow from
26:33
a transformed astonished heart. They shouldn't be the primary
26:36
goal you're hunting for when you open your Bible.
26:38
Because the Bible isn't mainly about us and our tasks.
26:41
Exactly. The Bible is gloriously for us,
26:44
but it is not mainly about us. We approach it most deeply
26:47
because of whom we will see, not for what we must do.
26:50
It comes back to Piper's Council again, doesn't it?
26:53
Become a kind of person. Don't amass a long list.
26:57
Right. The specific actions become a
26:58
natural, spontaneous outflow of the transformed a person, the
27:02
person whose heart is captivated by God.
27:05
They aren't the engine of the transformation itself, they are
27:07
the fruit of it. This really paints a picture of
27:11
a logical spiritual pathway for growth.
27:14
It feels more organic. Do we see this kind of sequence
27:17
meditation leading to action leading to blessing, laid out
27:21
clearly in Scripture itself? We certainly do.
27:23
This isn't a new idea we've cooked up.
27:25
The sources point back to some ancient wisdom found right in
27:28
the Old Testament in Joshua 1.8. This verse describes a clear
27:32
pathway to genuine flourishing, a pattern God gave his people
27:36
right as they were entering the Promised Land.
27:38
Joshua 1.8 OK, what does it say? God instructs Joshua, this book
27:42
of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
27:44
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do
27:47
according to all that is written in it, for then you will make
27:49
your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
27:52
Meditate so that you may do, then you will prosper.
27:56
There's the sequence. Clear as day, isn't it?
27:59
Meditate first and let it fill your mind, your heart, your
28:01
speech. Then, flowing from that
28:03
meditation, be careful to do what it says.
28:05
And the result? Blessing a prosperous way, good
28:09
success. Understood in God's terms, of
28:12
course. So this pattern of meditation
28:14
leading to application, leading to blessing, it's embedded right
28:17
there in God's instructions for his people from way back.
28:20
Exactly. It shows us God has always
28:22
intended for His Word when engaged with rightly, starting
28:26
with that deep meditation to lead to a life of genuine
28:29
flourishing, true spiritual success, not just a bare
28:32
existence or mere rule following.
28:35
OK, so let's trace that sequence again.
28:37
Could you walk us through how it actually unfolds in our lives?
28:40
Yeah. What are the sort of the
28:41
mechanics of this pathway from meditation to blessing?
28:44
Sure. When our Bible reading first
28:46
aims at astonishment achieved through that deep meditation and
28:49
leading to worship, it starts a change process that begins
28:52
where. In our hearts, our inner being.
28:54
Right. It works first on our hearts and
28:57
changes our person. That internal change, that
29:00
reshaping of our character, our desires, our perspective, that
29:04
then prepares us for application.
29:06
It equips us and motivates us from the inside.
29:09
So. The internal change comes first
29:11
and enables the external actions.
29:13
That's a crucial distinction. It really is.
29:15
It shows that true application, the kind God desires, flows
29:19
naturally from an internally changed heart, heart captivated
29:23
by God's glory, filled with gratitude, sensitive to his
29:26
Spirit, not from external pressure or a sense of grudging
29:29
duty or trying to earn favor. It becomes a willing, even
29:32
joyful obedience. And that kind of genuine
29:35
application flowing from a changed heart, that's what leads
29:39
to the blessing. Exactly this genuine application
29:42
of God's words to our lives, flowing from that renewed heart,
29:44
then prepares us for God's blessing of our souls.
29:47
This blessing leads to that prosperous way and good success
29:50
that Joshua One talks about. And again, that prosperity and
29:53
success isn't necessarily worldly wealth or an easy life.
29:55
No, not primarily. It's about a life marked by
29:58
divine favor, spiritual contentment, fruitfulness in His
30:02
service, resilience and trials, and a deep sense of alignment
30:06
with His purposes. It's the natural consequence,
30:09
the blessing that comes from walking in His ways, empowered
30:13
by His Spirit, living according to His design because our hearts
30:16
want to. OK, so engaging with God's Word
30:19
this way, meditation leading to heart change, leading to genuine
30:22
application leads to blessing. Is there an ongoing spiritual
30:27
benefit beyond just that initial blessing?
30:30
Does it connect to God's grace in a continuing way?
30:33
Yes, absolutely. There is a vital connection to
30:35
God's grace that creates a wonderful reinforcing cycle in
30:38
the Christian life. A cycle?
30:40
How does that work? Well, applying God's words to
30:42
our lives, especially when it flows from that amazed and
30:45
changed heart we've been discussing, is not only an
30:47
effect of His grace to us, meaning grace enabled the change
30:50
and the obedience in the 1st place, but also a means to more
30:54
grace. So obedience becomes a channel
30:56
for receiving more grace. The very real sense, yes.
30:59
Think of it like this. God's grace initiates the whole
31:03
process. His grace opens our eyes,
31:06
changes our hearts, enables us to delight in His Word and obey
31:09
it. That obedience, born of a
31:11
renewed heart, then positions us, you could say, to receive
31:15
even more of His kindness, more spiritual enablement, more
31:18
insight, more strength, more of His felt presence.
31:22
That sounds like a wonderful dynamic.
31:24
It is God genuinely loves to bless the true application of
31:28
His Word to our lives. He delights in seeing His
31:30
children walk in His ways out of love, so it creates this
31:33
virtuous cycle. His grace inspires our genuine
31:36
heart LED obedience and our obedience flowing from that
31:39
captivated heart draws us into a deeper experience of His ongoing
31:43
grace. It's a continuous, dynamic
31:45
partnership with our Heavenly Father.
31:47
That's encouraging. Are there other specific
31:49
Scriptural promises of blessing for those who truly apply God's
31:51
Word in this deep way? For those who become those doers
31:54
James talks about? But acting from an astonished
31:56
heart. Absolutely.
31:57
Both Jesus himself and James reinforce this pattern of
32:00
blessing for genuine doers. What did Jesus say?
32:02
Well in John 13 after washing the disciples feet and teaching
32:06
them about servant leadership, Jesus says in verse 17, if you
32:09
know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
32:13
Blessed are you if you do them, it's conditional on the doing.
32:16
Yes, but notice the context it follows teaching an example.
32:20
It's not just knowing the information, but acting on it.
32:23
He links the blessing directly to the obedience that flows from
32:27
understanding His way. It's a direct promise of
32:30
spiritual well-being, of contentment and divine favor for
32:33
those who move from knowing His will to actually doing it.
32:36
And James, he started us off with the mirror analogy.
32:39
Right, and he comes back to it, and James 1.25 he contrasts the
32:43
forgetful hearer with the one one who looks intently into the
32:46
perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it, not
32:50
forgetting what they have heard, but doing it and the promise for
32:53
that person they will be blessed in their doing.
32:56
Blessed in his doing. Again, the blessing is tied to
32:59
the action. Exactly.
33:01
But crucially, these are not promises for a burdensome
33:05
legalistic adherence or for grudging compliance with a
33:09
checklist just to get the blessing.
33:11
No, based on everything we've seen, these are promises for the
33:14
spontaneous, joyful obedience that arises from a heart that
33:18
has been changed, captivated, astonished by God's glorious
33:22
grace revealed in His Word. It's the blessing that comes
33:25
from living a life truly aligned with God's desires, not out of
33:28
obligation or fear. But out of a heart that has been
33:31
captivated and reshaped by His truth, finding its highest
33:34
delight and deepest satisfaction in Him, that that's the kind of
33:37
doing that brings true blessing. Well, what a clarifying deep
33:41
dives this has been. It really shifts the focus,
33:43
doesn't it? We've seen that true Bible
33:45
application isn't about simply generating a daily list of
33:47
tasks, though actions might fall.
33:50
That's not the main goal. The main goal is about
33:52
cultivating an astonished heart through meditation, really
33:55
letting God's Word sink in and reshape who you are.
33:57
Becoming that kind of person. Right.
34:00
And then from this changed inner being, this renewed heart,
34:03
righteous actions can flow more naturally, more spontaneously,
34:07
and that pathway leads to significant blessing and as you
34:10
said, even becomes a means to receiving more of God's grace in
34:13
our lives. It all starts with beholding
34:15
him. It really is about beholding God
34:17
in His grandeur, seeing His glory in the Word, not just
34:21
focusing first on what we must do for Him.
34:24
So maybe a question for you, the listener, to reflect on as we
34:27
close. As you consider your own
34:29
engagement with Scripture, think honestly.
34:32
How often has your focus been primarily on generating tasks
34:35
versus genuinely cultivating astonishment at God's character,
34:39
His work, His grace? That's a searching question.
34:42
And what might genuinely shift in your daily walk, in your
34:45
attitudes, your reaction, so spontaneous moments, if you
34:47
consciously prioritize seeing God's grandeur first in His Word
34:51
and letting that be the primary shaper of your heart.
34:54
A truly thought provoking question for us all to Mull
34:56
over. Thank you for joining us on
34:58
Reformed Thinking. Until next time, keep seeking to
35:00
know the Lord more closely to behold His glory 3.