This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. – Joshua 1:8

When this verse says to meditate on the day and night it means to always pay careful consideration to what it says and how it can apply to your life. Think and ask your self questions about how the scripture applies to your life and then put it into practice.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The bible is not a collection of stories, fables or myths, it’s Through the Holy Spirit God revealed who he is and his plan to certain believers who wrote down the message for his people. Us. The Bible is our standard for testing everything else that claims to be true. It is our safeguard against false teaching and our source of guidance for how we should live. This is why we need to read it regularly to discover gods truth and be confident in our faith as Christians.

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:11

The Word of God is strong enough to keep you from sinning. It can do this only if you read and meditate on it daily. By doing this you hide it in your heart and it can guide you away from sin.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. – Psalm 119:105

The Word of God can help direct your paths. You can use it as a guide to determine what you do and do not do. You can only do this if you read it and commit it to memory so at a moment’s notice you will remember what it says.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15

To handle the word of truth correctly we must study what the word of God says so we can understand what it means. Because God will examine what kind of workers we have been for him, we should build our lives on his word and build his word into our lives.

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. – Proverbs 3:1-2

There is hidden wisdom and blessing that is found in keeping God’s word. In doing so you can see yourself prospering in everything you put your hand to do and it will also cause your life to be very long.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:1-2 NIV

Renewal allows God to merge his thoughts with ours so that he can bring his plans into our lives. It is called the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. God has a purpose and a plan for each of us and we only find it when we are fully surrendered to him.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. – James 1:22-25 NIV

Without application there can be no spiritual transformation. The Bible calls us to true freedom, which is submission to God’s perfect word. To live this way requires going to the word intentionally, not casually, in prayer and meditation. The one who submits to transformation by the word of God and is a doer will be blessed.

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. – John 8:32 ESV

Truth is the absolute standard by which reality is measured. We live in a society today that denies absolute truth. The world says “what’s true for you may not be true for me” but truth is not based on feelings, experiences, or desires. Truth is God’s viewpoint on every matter and it’s not subject to redefinition. The only way to know that truth is to read and study the word of God.

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. – Acts 17:11 NIV

How a person receives the word of God will determine the effect that that word has on him or her. God will not hide the truth from one who honestly seeks it. All believers should strive to be like the Bereans who welcomed in God’s word with anticipation. They not only listened to it but regularly studied it in order to be transformed by it through obedience. This is to say that just taking what the pastors preach on Sunday isn’t enough. You have to take that word and study it for yourself if you want to be really transformed.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12 ESV

Have you ever had an experience with God’s word that made you feel exposed? Have you ever heard it preached and felt like it was directed just at you? This is the power of the word of God when we read and study it. It has the ability to judge, correct and redirect us onto the right path.