SDA Sabbath School Lessons
January 27, 1996

Read for this week's study:

• Psalms 1
• Psalms 86
• Psalms 119:1-24
• 2 Timothy 2:7

Memory text: Psalm 119:18

Key thought:

Often as we work to learn the original situation and meaning of a text, we forget that the deepest understanding comes as a gift from God. We are not finished with our study until we have received a blessing from God and personal direction for our lives. Therefore, we must immerse ourselves not only in the text of the Bible but in meditation and prayer. Only then can we receive the insights needed to apply Scripture to specific areas of our lives.

Why We Need Prayer and Meditation?

"Those who will put on the whole armor of God and devote some time every day to meditation and prayer and to the study of the Scriptures will be connected with heaven and will have a saving, transforming influence upon those around them. Great thoughts, noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth and duty to God, will be theirs. They will be yearning for purity, for light, for love, for all the graces of heavenly birth ...

"Abstract meditation is not enough; busy action is not enough; both are essential to the formation of Christian charachter."--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 112-113.

"Let the student keep his Bible always with him and, as he has opportunity, read a text and meditate upon it."--Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 463.

Outline:

• Sunday Jan. 21: Prayer and Bible study. Psalms 1 & Psalms 119:1-24
  • Wht does 2Timothy 2:7 suggest about the process of receiving insight into God's will? How does thinking over what God says help us to understand His will for our lives?
  • Here is a personal meditation exercise:
    1. Read Psalm 119:1-24 a few times. Ask yourself what direction the text suggests for your life.
    2. What information about God does this text suggest?
    3. Think how following the counsel in this passage might change your life or behavior.
    4. What insights did you receiveinto your life's needs? Finish the sentence "This text shows me that ..."
    5. Memorize passages that are helpful to your spiritual life. (See Counsels on Sabbath School Work. p. 42)
  • Is meditation only one-way communication? How does God communicate with us through this process?
• Monday Jan. 22: Prayer and insight. Psalm 119:18
  • What does Psalm 119:18 suggest will happen when we begin to include God in our Study?
• Tuesday Jan. 23: Illustrations of meditations. Daniel 9:1-23
  • Read Daniel 9:1-19, and note how many times he talks about understanding, insight, and prayer. What answers did God give in response to Daniel's persistence? Daniel 9:20-24.
  • Can you recall times when thoughtful prayer and meditation on the Word of God have helped your church, your family, or your personally? Identify other Bible characters who thrived spiritually through prayer and meditation.
• Wednesday Jan. 24: The Holy Spirit and growth. Psalms 66:18-19 & Psalms 90
  • According to Psalm 66:18-19, what do we need in order to be prepared to receive God? How do we know that the Spirit of God is present in our lives? Romans 8:16; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:12-13; 1 John 5:10. List ways in which the church might show evidence of the power of the Spirit of God in its midst.
  • Study Psalm 90, and reflect on the following questions to personalize the passage:
    1. What actions of God are found in this passage?
    2. What happens to us in God's presence?
    3. What qualities can be developed by communion with God?
    4. What understanding of God can we develop through fellowship with Him?
• Thursday Jan. 25: Discovering truth. Matthew 11:25-26 & John 7:17
  • List the attitudes that should accompany the study of God's Word. Being aware of your fallen human nature, think about the hindrances that obscure your seeing and doing what God shows you in Scripture. What are some things that you need to do to discover God's truth for yourself? How willing are you to surrender your own preconceived ideas regarding the teachings of God's Word? (See Proverbs 2:3-7; 14:12; John 17:17.)
• Friday Jan. 26: Review and further study.
  • Does all truth lead us closer to Jesus? Explain.
  • What do you believe is involved in changing your viewpoint? How does a deep study of God's Word assist you in this process?
  • What characteristics possessed by the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 do many contemporary Christians lack? Which do you find lacking in your own life?
  • What is more important, being right or being loved? Is either one indispensable?

Summary

The Holy Spirit enables us to discover truth in the Scriptures as we pray, meditate, and study. God wishes us to be committed to these spiritual disciplines as part of living by faith in Him.