1 00:00:12,030 --> 00:00:14,950 Speaker 1: This is Donna Jones, and you are listening to That's 2 00:00:15,150 --> 00:00:17,870 Speaker 1: Just What I Needed. Hey, friend, if you've ever been 3 00:00:17,890 --> 00:00:20,770 Speaker 1: in a conversation where you've walked away thinking, wow, that 4 00:00:20,790 --> 00:00:23,500 Speaker 1: was just what I needed, you know how life-giving that 5 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: can be. Well, that's what this podcast is all about. 6 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: We're women who want to know, love, and follow God 7 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: in our real lives, but sometimes wonder just how to 8 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: do it. So each week, we'll talk about what following 9 00:00:34,979 --> 00:00:37,379 Speaker 1: God looks like in the midst of daily demands and 10 00:00:37,540 --> 00:00:41,580 Speaker 1: crazy cultural chaos. Because this isn't just what we need. 11 00:00:41,860 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: It's actually exactly what we need. Hey, my friend, if 12 00:00:46,220 --> 00:00:51,330 Speaker 1: you want to experience more blessing from God, hang on. 13 00:00:51,550 --> 00:00:55,090 Speaker 1: You're going to love this episode. Welcome to the podcast. 14 00:00:55,250 --> 00:00:57,330 Speaker 1: I'm so glad you're here today. This one's going to 15 00:00:57,370 --> 00:01:01,130 Speaker 1: be short, sweet, and personal. But we are going to 16 00:01:01,150 --> 00:01:04,209 Speaker 1: be talking about how to experience more blessing from God. 17 00:01:04,290 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: Before we get into that, I wanted to remind you 18 00:01:06,530 --> 00:01:09,300 Speaker 1: that I would love to connect with you on Instagram. 19 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 1: I'm at Donna A. Jones, Facebook, Donna Jones, speaker and author, 20 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: or sign up for my newsletter. at donajones.org, where you'll 21 00:01:17,020 --> 00:01:20,339 Speaker 1: find lots of free resources. I would love to connect 22 00:01:20,380 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: with you there in a more personal way. Well, let's 23 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:26,339 Speaker 1: talk about the blessing of God. I don't think there's 24 00:01:26,380 --> 00:01:28,649 Speaker 1: any one of us that doesn't want to be blessed 25 00:01:28,709 --> 00:01:33,670 Speaker 1: by God. In fact, this whole concept of blessing, hashtag blessed, 26 00:01:34,010 --> 00:01:37,670 Speaker 1: it's kind of all over social media. But what does 27 00:01:37,709 --> 00:01:40,150 Speaker 1: it mean to be blessed exactly? I mean, if you 28 00:01:40,510 --> 00:01:43,940 Speaker 1: had to define blessed, If a child came up to 29 00:01:43,980 --> 00:01:47,190 Speaker 1: you and said, hey, what does it mean to be blessed? 30 00:01:47,670 --> 00:01:51,890 Speaker 1: How would you answer? It's not as easy as one 31 00:01:51,950 --> 00:01:56,510 Speaker 1: might think, right? It means in some people's minds, like 32 00:01:56,810 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: the good stuff of life. It means having God's favor 33 00:02:00,740 --> 00:02:05,010 Speaker 1: for some people. It means everything going your way. For 34 00:02:05,050 --> 00:02:09,010 Speaker 1: other people, no problems. For other people, people have a 35 00:02:09,070 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 1: variety of definitions about what it means to be blessed. 36 00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 1: But did you know in the Bible, in the Hebrew text, 37 00:02:17,220 --> 00:02:20,910 Speaker 1: the word blessed can also be translated as happy? which 38 00:02:20,970 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: is an interesting concept in and of itself that God 39 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: would want us to be blessed. God is a blesser. 40 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: In fact, the very first thing that God did when 41 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: he created people, we find in Genesis is that it 42 00:02:33,020 --> 00:02:37,380 Speaker 1: said he blessed them and he said, be fruitful and multiply. 43 00:02:37,460 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: So the first thing God did was he blessed people. 44 00:02:40,500 --> 00:02:43,179 Speaker 1: So God is a blesser. We are people who want 45 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,100 Speaker 1: to be blessed. But the question is, how do we 46 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,739 Speaker 1: get those blessings? Well, we're going to look at a 47 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:54,180 Speaker 1: not often thought of aspect of this in the next 48 00:02:54,260 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: few minutes. And honestly, this is something that I've really 49 00:02:58,860 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: been pondering, and I think it could be life-changing. So 50 00:03:03,580 --> 00:03:06,579 Speaker 1: let me tell you where we're going in the scriptures. 51 00:03:06,660 --> 00:03:09,780 Speaker 1: This is Psalm chapter 1, and this is what the 52 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: psalmist wrote. Blessed, there's that word, blessed. Blessed is the 53 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:18,820 Speaker 1: one who does not walk in step with the wicked, 54 00:03:19,590 --> 00:03:23,090 Speaker 1: or stand in the way that sinners take, or sit 55 00:03:23,210 --> 00:03:28,470 Speaker 1: in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in 56 00:03:28,510 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his 57 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:36,700 Speaker 1: law day and night. So in this one verse, we 58 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,850 Speaker 1: find out that the path to blessing is not a 59 00:03:40,940 --> 00:03:44,790 Speaker 1: path of sin. In fact, it's a path where we 60 00:03:45,410 --> 00:03:49,750 Speaker 1: know God's word, obey God's word, delight in God's word. 61 00:03:50,490 --> 00:03:55,300 Speaker 1: So in other words, the path to blessing is paved 62 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: through the word of God. Now, just pause and think 63 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: about that for a minute, because I bet you in 64 00:04:02,180 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: your concept of blessing, you really didn't think first and 65 00:04:06,910 --> 00:04:11,050 Speaker 1: foremost about the word of God as being your pathway 66 00:04:11,070 --> 00:04:14,910 Speaker 1: to blessing. But it is, because the word of God 67 00:04:14,930 --> 00:04:18,990 Speaker 1: is the guardrails that keeps us on the track, the 68 00:04:19,110 --> 00:04:22,550 Speaker 1: ways of life that toward us in the direction of 69 00:04:22,770 --> 00:04:26,090 Speaker 1: being in a right relationship with God, being in a 70 00:04:26,150 --> 00:04:29,730 Speaker 1: right relationship with our own souls, and being in a 71 00:04:29,790 --> 00:04:33,150 Speaker 1: right relationship with other people. All three of those, if 72 00:04:33,170 --> 00:04:36,229 Speaker 1: you think about it, are the path of blessing. And conversely, 73 00:04:36,310 --> 00:04:39,570 Speaker 1: it keeps us off the path of the way of 74 00:04:39,610 --> 00:04:43,050 Speaker 1: sinners or the way of mockers or the way of scoffers, 75 00:04:43,610 --> 00:04:46,700 Speaker 1: of the paths that would lead us toward things that 76 00:04:46,940 --> 00:04:49,580 Speaker 1: ultimately are not going to bless our lives, that are 77 00:04:49,620 --> 00:04:53,020 Speaker 1: going to wreak havoc on our lives. So if the 78 00:04:53,140 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: Word of God is the path to blessing or one 79 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,020 Speaker 1: of the paths to blessing, then it makes sense then 80 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:02,900 Speaker 1: that we should know how to rightly use the Word 81 00:05:02,940 --> 00:05:06,729 Speaker 1: of God in our actual lives. And this is the 82 00:05:06,770 --> 00:05:10,230 Speaker 1: part that has been blowing my mind. In that Psalm, 83 00:05:10,470 --> 00:05:14,589 Speaker 1: Psalm chapter 1, it says, in whose delight is in 84 00:05:14,630 --> 00:05:16,610 Speaker 1: the law of the Lord and who meditates on it 85 00:05:16,670 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: day and night. And that word delight in the original 86 00:05:19,620 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: Hebrew means get great pleasure from. It means just find 87 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:29,460 Speaker 1: your joy in. And honestly, a lot of people, even 88 00:05:29,500 --> 00:05:31,730 Speaker 1: a lot of Christians, and maybe you're even one of them, 89 00:05:32,050 --> 00:05:35,310 Speaker 1: have found that you don't really get a lot of 90 00:05:35,430 --> 00:05:37,870 Speaker 1: joy from the word of God. Maybe you find the 91 00:05:37,910 --> 00:05:40,910 Speaker 1: word of God boring. Maybe you find the word of 92 00:05:40,950 --> 00:05:44,570 Speaker 1: God difficult. Maybe you find the Word of God confusing. 93 00:05:45,370 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: Maybe you find the Word of God guilt-producing rather than 94 00:05:51,060 --> 00:05:54,300 Speaker 1: finding the Word of God just your delight. May I 95 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: just offer you a little word of encouragement, something maybe 96 00:05:57,860 --> 00:06:00,770 Speaker 1: to ponder about. If the Word of God isn't something 97 00:06:00,790 --> 00:06:05,930 Speaker 1: that delights you, maybe it's because you haven't yet learned 98 00:06:06,029 --> 00:06:10,110 Speaker 1: how the Word of God can be transformational in your life. 99 00:06:10,510 --> 00:06:14,490 Speaker 1: can lead you into this deep intimacy with the Lord 100 00:06:14,510 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: where it's just delightful because Psalm 16 says, in your 101 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: presence is fullness of joy. Maybe you haven't found how 102 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: the word of God could actually bring you great joy. 103 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna tell you right now how that can 104 00:06:28,540 --> 00:06:31,620 Speaker 1: actually happen. So when we think about the word of God, 105 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:33,410 Speaker 1: there's a couple of ways that we just get it 106 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,310 Speaker 1: into our lives. Number one, the most obvious, we read it, 107 00:06:38,050 --> 00:06:41,550 Speaker 1: we hear it, When we are at church or we're 108 00:06:41,610 --> 00:06:44,909 Speaker 1: listening to a sermon online or something like that, so 109 00:06:44,950 --> 00:06:47,610 Speaker 1: we read it when we actually read the Bible, we 110 00:06:47,710 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: hear it, we memorize it, we apply it, we take 111 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,140 Speaker 1: what we know and we start living it out in 112 00:06:55,180 --> 00:06:58,460 Speaker 1: our real lives and we meditate on it. Now, this 113 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:02,140 Speaker 1: is the one that I think most of us misunderstand. 114 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,270 Speaker 1: When we hear the word meditate, a lot of us 115 00:07:05,350 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: go to that woo-woo place where we think about Buddhism 116 00:07:09,020 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: or we think about New Age or we think about 117 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:15,930 Speaker 1: something like that, but actually the word meditate comes straight 118 00:07:16,090 --> 00:07:20,750 Speaker 1: from the Bible. And in Psalm 1, that word meditate 119 00:07:21,290 --> 00:07:24,770 Speaker 1: in the original Hebrew can be translated. Now, get this. 120 00:07:24,990 --> 00:07:28,980 Speaker 1: This is the game changer. It can be translated as mutter. 121 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,420 Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but I am a big 122 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: talker to myselfer. I talk to myself about everything. I 123 00:07:36,430 --> 00:07:40,550 Speaker 1: find myself wandering around in my kitchen, opening my refrigerator saying, okay, 124 00:07:40,590 --> 00:07:42,410 Speaker 1: what was I gonna get in? What was I looking 125 00:07:42,450 --> 00:07:45,790 Speaker 1: for now? Or I'll find myself just driving down the 126 00:07:45,810 --> 00:07:48,930 Speaker 1: freeway and maybe just talking to myself. Or I find 127 00:07:48,950 --> 00:07:51,550 Speaker 1: myself getting dressed in the morning and I was like, oh, 128 00:07:51,630 --> 00:07:53,750 Speaker 1: don't forget to do such and such. I just talk 129 00:07:53,790 --> 00:07:58,230 Speaker 1: to myself all day long. And when I think about that, 130 00:07:59,050 --> 00:08:02,310 Speaker 1: I think about talking to myself is taking something from 131 00:08:02,350 --> 00:08:06,450 Speaker 1: my brain and it's coming out of my mouth that 132 00:08:06,620 --> 00:08:08,900 Speaker 1: then what it does is it goes back to my 133 00:08:08,940 --> 00:08:13,180 Speaker 1: brain and then reminds myself of what I don't want 134 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: to forget, right? So in the same way, meditating is 135 00:08:18,740 --> 00:08:22,230 Speaker 1: muttering God's word in a way that changes your life. 136 00:08:22,730 --> 00:08:24,710 Speaker 1: Let me give you an example of how that could 137 00:08:24,750 --> 00:08:28,570 Speaker 1: work out in your life. So let's say, that you're 138 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,300 Speaker 1: really worried about something. Something's going on in your life 139 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: right now, and it's just bringing a lot of worry, 140 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,660 Speaker 1: a lot of anxiety. And you're thinking, I don't know 141 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:40,700 Speaker 1: how to get rid of this. I don't know how 142 00:08:40,740 --> 00:08:43,900 Speaker 1: to deal with this. I don't know what to do 143 00:08:43,940 --> 00:08:46,660 Speaker 1: with this. And it's kind of consuming you. Well, the 144 00:08:46,700 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: scripture in Philippians that says, it's in Philippians 4, rejoice 145 00:08:52,179 --> 00:08:55,390 Speaker 1: in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. And 146 00:08:55,429 --> 00:08:59,109 Speaker 1: then it says, Don't be anxious for anything, but in 147 00:08:59,290 --> 00:09:05,510 Speaker 1: everything with prayer and petition and thanksgiving, let your requests 148 00:09:05,570 --> 00:09:08,470 Speaker 1: be made known to God. And the peace of God 149 00:09:09,110 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: that transcends all understanding will guard your heart and your 150 00:09:12,630 --> 00:09:15,860 Speaker 1: mind in Christ Jesus. So first of all, just even 151 00:09:16,020 --> 00:09:19,780 Speaker 1: knowing that that verse is there gives you tracks to 152 00:09:19,860 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 1: run on to find the blessing of God that in 153 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,820 Speaker 1: this case would be peace. but it's not just knowing 154 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:30,110 Speaker 1: that verse. It's applying that verse. It's actually doing what 155 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:33,850 Speaker 1: that verse says, but then even taking it a step further, 156 00:09:33,870 --> 00:09:40,190 Speaker 1: it's muttering that verse. It's meditating on that verse. So 157 00:09:40,230 --> 00:09:43,590 Speaker 1: let's just say you're driving down the road and all 158 00:09:43,630 --> 00:09:46,830 Speaker 1: of a sudden you're kind of overcome with worry. Meditating 159 00:09:46,990 --> 00:09:50,839 Speaker 1: on it would be not just recalling the verse, but 160 00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:55,260 Speaker 1: saying that verse out loud. Okay, Lord, You said that 161 00:09:55,780 --> 00:09:59,830 Speaker 1: if I am anxious, that I am not to be anxious. 162 00:09:59,970 --> 00:10:02,630 Speaker 1: that what I'm supposed to do is that I'm supposed 163 00:10:02,650 --> 00:10:05,830 Speaker 1: to come to you with my prayers about whatever it 164 00:10:05,910 --> 00:10:10,510 Speaker 1: is I'm worried about, my petitions, the things I'm asking you, 165 00:10:10,530 --> 00:10:14,940 Speaker 1: and then Thanksgiving, thanking you that you hear me, thank 166 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: you that you are over and bigger and more sovereign. 167 00:10:18,730 --> 00:10:22,050 Speaker 1: And anything that I'm worried about, and I'm actually going 168 00:10:22,070 --> 00:10:24,630 Speaker 1: to do that. You're going to speak that verse out loud. 169 00:10:24,850 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: Or let's just say, again, fear is something that you 170 00:10:28,780 --> 00:10:32,719 Speaker 1: struggle with. Well, 2 Timothy 1, 7 says, God has 171 00:10:32,780 --> 00:10:35,660 Speaker 1: not given us a spirit of fear, but of power 172 00:10:35,860 --> 00:10:38,750 Speaker 1: and of love and of sound mind. So to meditate 173 00:10:38,870 --> 00:10:40,610 Speaker 1: on it means that you don't just think it, but 174 00:10:40,650 --> 00:10:42,930 Speaker 1: you speak it out loud. You mutter it under your breath. 175 00:10:43,550 --> 00:10:45,710 Speaker 1: You know what? I'm feeling fear right now. But you 176 00:10:45,730 --> 00:10:48,850 Speaker 1: know what? God... You have not given me a spirit 177 00:10:48,890 --> 00:10:52,309 Speaker 1: of fear. You have given me a spirit of power 178 00:10:52,550 --> 00:10:55,390 Speaker 1: and of love and of a sound mind. And you 179 00:10:55,410 --> 00:10:59,410 Speaker 1: just mutter that under your breath. Or maybe something's happened 180 00:10:59,710 --> 00:11:02,310 Speaker 1: and you're angry, you're hurt. It was like a wrong. 181 00:11:02,850 --> 00:11:05,860 Speaker 1: And you think about Romans 12. You say to yourself, 182 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: don't be overcome by evil, but you overcome evil with good. 183 00:11:10,020 --> 00:11:13,140 Speaker 1: Or maybe you're having a hard time knowing what to do. 184 00:11:13,260 --> 00:11:16,350 Speaker 1: You're in such a season of confusion. and you recall 185 00:11:16,370 --> 00:11:19,309 Speaker 1: to your mind Proverbs 3, 5, and 6, and you 186 00:11:19,570 --> 00:11:22,510 Speaker 1: mutter to yourself, you meditate to yourself, you say to 187 00:11:22,550 --> 00:11:25,170 Speaker 1: yourself under your breath, okay, I'm going to trust in 188 00:11:25,210 --> 00:11:27,650 Speaker 1: the Lord with all my heart. I'm going to lean 189 00:11:27,970 --> 00:11:31,069 Speaker 1: not on my own understanding, my own limited view of this, 190 00:11:31,550 --> 00:11:33,110 Speaker 1: but I'm going to lean on the Lord. I'm going 191 00:11:33,130 --> 00:11:35,550 Speaker 1: to trust in the Lord with all my heart. Lean 192 00:11:35,590 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: not on my own understanding. In all my ways, right now, 193 00:11:39,220 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to acknowledge the Lord, and I am going 194 00:11:42,059 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: to claim His promise that He will make my path straight. 195 00:11:45,620 --> 00:11:47,959 Speaker 1: Or maybe you're in a season where you need endurance, 196 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:52,870 Speaker 1: like you are just tapped dry. You're thinking about quitting. 197 00:11:53,380 --> 00:11:55,490 Speaker 1: So you recall to mind what the Lord said in 198 00:11:55,830 --> 00:11:59,390 Speaker 1: Hebrews 12. Okay, since I'm surrounded by such a great 199 00:11:59,550 --> 00:12:04,309 Speaker 1: cloud of witnesses, I'm going to throw off everything that 200 00:12:04,390 --> 00:12:06,990 Speaker 1: hinders me and the sin that so easily entangles me. 201 00:12:07,010 --> 00:12:10,820 Speaker 1: And I'm going to run with perseverance, the race marked 202 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:12,959 Speaker 1: out for me. And I'm going to do it, fixing 203 00:12:13,020 --> 00:12:17,260 Speaker 1: my eyes on Jesus. the author and the perfecter of 204 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,670 Speaker 1: my faith. And so who for the joy set before 205 00:12:20,750 --> 00:12:25,610 Speaker 1: him endured the cross, despising its shame and sat down 206 00:12:25,670 --> 00:12:28,050 Speaker 1: at the right hand at the throne of God. I'm 207 00:12:28,070 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 1: going to consider him who endured such opposition from sinners 208 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,660 Speaker 1: so that I will not grow weary and lose heart. Okay. 209 00:12:35,980 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: Do you see how practical taking the word of God 210 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,490 Speaker 1: is and taking it not just from our head, but 211 00:12:42,630 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: to our mouths and like just speaking it out loud 212 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:51,080 Speaker 1: because there is something powerful in muttering, in meditating on 213 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,939 Speaker 1: the word of God that keeps us on the right path. 214 00:12:55,220 --> 00:12:59,510 Speaker 1: And as a result, replaces our anxiety with peace or 215 00:12:59,809 --> 00:13:05,630 Speaker 1: replaces our fear with courage or replaces our desire just 216 00:13:05,670 --> 00:13:09,910 Speaker 1: to give up and be hopeless and quit with perseverance 217 00:13:10,030 --> 00:13:15,700 Speaker 1: and endurance. or replaces our confusion with the knowledge of 218 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: God's wisdom and sovereignty. So there are so many verses 219 00:13:20,500 --> 00:13:22,020 Speaker 1: that we can do this with, and it is the 220 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: path of blessing. But here is the gig. In order 221 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: to do that, you have to be able to be 222 00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 1: so immersed in God's Word that you can recall those 223 00:13:30,820 --> 00:13:34,220 Speaker 1: verses when you need them. So here is my challenge 224 00:13:34,260 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 1: for the path of blessing. I want you, if you 225 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,069 Speaker 1: are not in God's Word, I want You just start 226 00:13:40,110 --> 00:13:43,950 Speaker 1: reading God's word. And if it's five minutes a day, girl, 227 00:13:44,030 --> 00:13:46,830 Speaker 1: that is five minutes a day you weren't doing yesterday. 228 00:13:47,190 --> 00:13:50,850 Speaker 1: It doesn't even have to be long. Start in God's word. 229 00:13:51,030 --> 00:13:53,690 Speaker 1: Pick up your Bible and start reading God's word. If 230 00:13:53,750 --> 00:13:56,949 Speaker 1: you already do that, I want you to memorize a 231 00:13:56,990 --> 00:13:58,809 Speaker 1: passage of scripture. It doesn't even have to be a 232 00:13:58,850 --> 00:14:01,430 Speaker 1: long one. Pick a short one. God has not given 233 00:14:01,470 --> 00:14:03,230 Speaker 1: us a spirit of fear. There you go. That's the 234 00:14:03,450 --> 00:14:07,250 Speaker 1: first part of 2 Timothy 1.7. God has not given 235 00:14:07,309 --> 00:14:10,510 Speaker 1: us a spirit of fear. Memorize that. The second part 236 00:14:10,610 --> 00:14:13,530 Speaker 1: is he's given us a spirit of power and of 237 00:14:13,610 --> 00:14:16,690 Speaker 1: love and of sound mind. You can memorize that. You're 238 00:14:16,710 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: a square person. And that's the path of blessing. And 239 00:14:20,340 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: once we start to understand this path of blessing, then 240 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: guess what? We really do begin to delight in the 241 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: law of the Lord. We see how it gives us 242 00:14:30,590 --> 00:14:35,030 Speaker 1: great pleasure, great wisdom, great connection with God. Blessed is 243 00:14:35,070 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: the one who meditates on God's word. who finds her 244 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: delight in God's word. May that be you. May that 245 00:14:44,780 --> 00:14:49,270 Speaker 1: be me, my friend. Well, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. 246 00:14:49,450 --> 00:14:51,470 Speaker 1: I hope it was just what you needed. And as 247 00:14:51,510 --> 00:14:53,910 Speaker 1: a reminder, subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss 248 00:14:54,050 --> 00:14:58,890 Speaker 1: a single episode and connect with me at DonnaJones.org or 249 00:14:59,170 --> 00:15:02,590 Speaker 1: Donna Jones, speaker and author on Facebook, Donna A. Jones 250 00:15:02,710 --> 00:15:06,070 Speaker 1: on Instagram. And as always, my friend, I can't wait 251 00:15:06,110 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: to see you next time for That's Just What I Needed.