Hearing God through Biblical Meditation: Unlocking Fresh Revelation Daily

by Mark Virkler

Your Secret to Seeing the Bible Come to Life   Have you ever thought, “I read the Bible but it still doesn’t make sense to me”.    People say they hear God speaking to them—do you hear them and think, “Why can’t I hear God talking to me”?   In Hearing God through Biblical Meditation, Dr. Mark Virkler helps you rediscover the simplicity of hearing from Heaven and reminds you that the ultimate source of divine revelation, supernatural peace, and spiritual direction is sitting on your shelf—the Bible. Learn the secret that brings Scripture to life and positions you to hear God’s voice with clarity and consistency like never before.   In this uniquely interactive book you  discover how to practice Biblical meditation—and start hearing God’s voice on a continuous basis .engage in practical exercises that will make your Bible study come to life in fresh new ways.approach your time in Scripture as an open door to revelatory encounters with the Holy Spirit.  Stop simply reading words on a page and begin hearing the voice of God in your life!

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Meditation, Religion

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 19, 2016

Reviews

[Nyla Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hearing God Through Biblical Meditation by author Dr. Mark Virkler is a 176 page book published by Destiny Image. This paperback book is filled with a lot of information. It is a book meant to help readers in their walk with God, hear from God through Biblical meditation, and discern if the voice that we hear is truly God's.

Beginning with his own journey about learning to hear from and discerning the voice of God, author Virkler helps readers with their own quest. In each chapter he gives information and tools to assist in this quest. Topic by topic he provides information and tools to help readers with meditation and hearing from God. Plenty of space is provided for journaling along with scripture to ponder. There is a lot of detailed information on how our brains work - right brain vs. left brain thinking. There are charts filled with data. That information was a surprise in a book on "Hearing God Through Biblical Meditation". I didn't expect it, but enjoyed his take on it.

Each chapter adds more to aid readers. From "How to Hear God’s Voice" to “How to Encounter God in the Bible” the author educates readers and even provides exercises as examples. The chapter on "7-step Meditation Process" gives the step by step guidance the author has developed for his meditation process and discerning God's voice.

While this book wasn't what I expected, it was a good book. It could be quickly read in one sitting, but that would not do it justice. It deserves to be savored slowly. The information will help. Just let it soak in a bit. Don't rush it. Think on it. Meditate on it.

I would recommend this to anyone seeking to hear from God and discern His voice. If will definitely give you ideas to improve your walk. I rated it a 4 out of 5 stars. I received a copy of this book from the Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merely reading the Bible is very different from hearing God speak to us through His Word. Virkler had provided us with a good strategy for hearing God's voice from the experience of Habakkuk. We are to go to a quiet place and still our thoughts and emotions. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, seeing in the Spirit the dreams and visions of God. He helps us learn to recognize God's voice and encourages us to journal our prayers and God's answers.

Virkler gives practical instruction, such as five ways to be sure we are hearing God's voice in our biblical meditation. He shares the seven steps in biblical meditation providing a chapter on each step. He gives us the opportunity to practice the process, giving a section of reading with Scripture to meditate upon, then space to write with prompts added. He shares his own experiences so we can understand how the process happens.

Virkler also gives us the seven pillars of meditation, including steps to receiving knowledge through meditation. He includes instruction based on truths revealed in the Bible. He adds basic principles of interpreting the Bible, keys for inductive Bible study, and mistakes to avoid.

Virkler is strong on Bible meditation. “Meditation is the central way that God wants us to approach the Bible.” (89) He is no advocate of merely studying the Bible. He writes, “Study... Is no where endorsed in Scripture.” (170)

Virkler's emphasis on biblical meditation may be hard for some western thinking Christians to accept. We have had such an emphasis on Bible study we may have ignored the primary way God has designed to speak to us. I do recommend this book as a very good way to begin the process us biblical meditation. We are given steps that are easy to follow. We are also given the knowledge we need to make sure we are hearing God's voice and not something we are projecting into our experience.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through The Book Club Network for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

[Christy Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hearing God through Biblical Meditation is another valuable book by Mark Virkler. It expands upon the overview of biblical meditation provided in the brief eBook, Meditation: How to Study the Bible in the Presence of God. So if one were choosing between the two, I’d go for this more comprehensive edition because it not only provides solid biblical teaching, but interactive exercises to put the teaching of each section into practice.

The author provides an introduction (or review) of his teaching on how to hear God’s voice through two-way journaling. Then he explains the difference between study and meditation, and he goes on to describe seven steps to guide you through a process of biblical meditation. Biblical meditation involves asking God to identify your needs and to guide you through a study of relevant topics until the Spirit opens your eyes to a fresh understanding (Ephesians 1:18). There’s nothing creepy or unbiblical here.

Most of us know some basics about studying the Bible, so biblical meditation goes beyond mere information to life transformation. That happens when we engage both head and heart as we study in the presence of God. I intend to spend more time with this book as I practice this process.

This review, along with additional book quotes, first appeared on my blog, ChristyBower.com.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worthwhile Intro

I really wanted to get into Bible meditation. I got this book because it was set up like a guide giving a structure to the process of meditating. The author stresses the point that meditation needs to be kept so simple any child could do it and having this book as a guide does just that. I also liked that it was made clear that this Biblical meditation is nothing like the eastern meditation that is so commonly heard of. For example, in Bible meditation you do not want to empty your mind. You allow the Holy Spirit to guide you as you focus on the scripture. Another section so helpful concerns 12 mistakes to avoid.
This was a great place to start doing Biblical meditation and I will be referring to it regularly as I go forward.

[Maggie | TheeReadingRedhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes a look at the difference between meditation as we have come to know it and Biblical meditation. Each chapter gives practical steps to practice meditation while encountering God in scripture. The book is divided into five sections: introduction to Biblical meditation, how to encounter God in scripture, explanation of Biblical meditation, the 7 step meditation process, and mistakes to avoid while meditating. There are also a few appendixes with reference information at the end. I found this book to be a useful guide to understanding meditation from a Biblical perspective. I liked that there were practice exercises to use with scripture. This book was easy to understand and a great resource to better understand Biblical meditation.

A quote from the book:

"As soon as people start using the word meditation, I know it makes some Christians a bit nervous. This is because of how Eastern religion and the New Age movement have presented their counterfeit version. It is very important that just because we see a counterfeit of a biblical truth, we do not throw out the biblical truth altogether. As I say, no one makes counterfeit one-dollar bills; they copy the larger denominations. In the same way, the devil works very intentionally to counterfeit scriptural truths that have the strongest potential to bring the people of God into greater levels of intimacy with God and clarity in hearing the Holy Spirit. Meditation is one of these key truths."

[antony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth a read. At the end you will not just have read a book you will have been meditating on the bible

This is not just a book, it’s work book. You will be encouraged throughout to think about and try every step and to record what happened.

If you want to learn about spirit led biblical meditation this book is basically a crash course. It’s not like studying the bible, it’s more like using the bible to get in touch with the father through the son. It’s not just reading the bible, it’s more like absorbing it through your senses.

If you are interested in the subject this is definitely worth a read.

[Rosanne V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intro to Biblical Meditation

I am someone with graduate theological education as well as being active in ministry and teaching.

I also have an active meditative practise. This is a good introduction but I would highly encourage further research for the meditative "student."

This reads as more of the author's experiential account and should not be read as the way that you will receive the enlightenment of the Spirit.

[Vickie Jameson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Food For Thought

I've never read a book on Biblical meditation so this was something new for me. It was an interesting read. Not sure I will incorporate this Bible study method into my life but I liked reading about a different method.

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, basic summary of biblical meditation

The author does a commendable job of explaining what biblical meditation is and is not, and is both practical and encouraging.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meditation

A quick read, a simple and effective way to meditate on Bible. The content was not that long, but you could used this book as a way for meditation training.

[Sandra Lynn Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good ideas here. I pick and choose which ones I keep and use.

[Deana Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many times I have read scriptures and thought they were good and much needed for the situation I was dealing with. Then I have had a few times where I have read a scripture and for the first time I really understood its meaning. I have used a journal for a long time. I use it to take notes in when I read something in a book that I thought was thought provoking and wanted to go back to it later. I also write scriptures down so I can re read them when I sense a need for that particular scripture. This book is exactly what I need to dig deeper, to truly understand what God is saying to me.

We all have such busy lives but it's important to spend time with God and listen to His voice. I loved the chapters that help you build on your relationship with God. At the end of every chapter is a place to journal your thoughts from the chapter and meditate on the daily scripture. As the author explains, "Meditation is a continuous activity." He further goes into depth about the four pillars of meditation. Each one builds on the other to reach transformation. The book is filled with helpful tips and guides you as you begin to study the bible more intensely . I enjoyed the many tools he gives you to help you get a clearer knowledge of the bible. When we take the time to really read the scriptures, God will help you visualize what He is saying through His word . I encourage readers to take their time going through this book and doing the exercise after each chapter . It is a well written book that will help you hear His voice more clearly and understand scriptures with more clarity .

I received this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review .

[Pam Graber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Mark Virkler answers the question, “How can I hear God speaking to me?” in his book Hearing God Through Biblical Meditation. He provides step-by-step methodology in this workbook-style devotional book. While this book can be read cover to cover in a couple of hours, the person who takes the time to implement the various exercises in the book will find their relationship with God to be transformed. As Dr. John R. Miller states in his endorsement of the book, “The value of the book is found in the doing rather than in the reading of it.”
Virkler begins the book with a section called, “How to Hear God’s Voice.” He then follows with exercises geared toward using scripture to both ask questions and hear God’s answers. From “An Introduction to Biblical Meditation” through “How to Encounter God in the Bible” the method is explained and exercises are provided for trying it out. There is a section called “What is Biblical Meditation” and another describing the 7-step Meditation Process. I see this book as a valuable tool to use as we study God’s word, seeking His guidance.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to take their personal Bible study to the next level. I believe that, once you learn the method, your understanding of biblical truths will increase and your communion with God will become fresh and new.
I received this book from the bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hearing God through Biblical Meditation by Mark Virkler is a study on how to understand the bible better. The book encourages us to take the time to evaluate where we are on our journey with getting to know God. Are we hungry and pursuing him or are we not hungry but wanting to be. The book gives good ideals on how to go about preparing to read the bible. We are to ask forgiveness for our sins and ask God to speak to us through his word.. We are to quiet ourselves down and focus on the Lord and he will reveal the truth to us. To meditate on the Word, we are to journal about what we have read, write down scriptures and memorize them. We are to seek the Lord with our whole hears as well as let the Holy Spirit guide us the the use of concordances and dictionaries.

The study has a twelve point guide on how to handle scripture properly as well as basic principles for interpreting scripture. We are to pray to the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and understanding, to observe what is happening, to answer the questions “what does the passage mean” and “How do I put it into practice in my life.”

I really enjoyed reading and pondering this book. It has some very valuable information to help understand what the Bible is telling us.

I receive a copy of this book from Destiny Image and the Book Club Network for an honest review.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I love the cover of this book. It speaks peace, don’t you think?
I love any book that helps me go deeper into the Word. This book offers a lot of great tips, advice and encouragement when it comes to diving into the Bible.
However, for me it wasn’t what I was expecting. I guess I was looking for something that gave me a verse and then ideas for journaling about it, which is does but it wasn’t in a format that really gave me the desire to do it within this book.
There are a lot of lists for reasons and ways to dive deeper. So for me I didn’t really get into the book. But for someone who is looking for help in this area it really is a great resource. I just already have my own way of studying the Bible that seems to work well for me.
Each chapter is very short, something you can do quickly during your devo time if you choose.
Even though this book wasn’t for me I think a lot of people would enjoy this.

A copy of this book was given to me through The Book Club Network Inc. in exchange for an honest review.

[Penny Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hearing God through Biblical Meditation is a great source for teaching how to get the most from scriptures. Each chapter is set up with easy informative and interactive studies. There are also plenty of reflection questions to help you delve deeper into scripture.
Personally I have not had the confidence to read the bible in depth but with the help of this book I hope to change my confidence. I loved reading the stories and testimonies of people who have learned to become closer to God and speak to him through scripture. God gave us the key(Bible) now we have a way to unlock the key through this amazing book. This book can be life changing showing each and every one of us is able to meditate and learn God's voice.
I recieved this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.
Thank you and God Bless

[Deanna Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book focuses on "Biblical" meditation and it will give you some practical exercises, meditation prompts, a daily scripture meditation and a place to journal your thoughts. One statement that Mark shared that really made sense to me was " whatever you focus on grows within you, and whatever grows within you, you become. Focus on the Lord and His glory, and you will be transformed into His likeness. You become a reflection of that which you gaze upon." Stop focusing on sin! Focus on Him and see the Light and let it transform you! I'm finding this book as a way to start seeing "The Bible come to Life!" I was gifted a copy through the Book Club Network to review.

[Cheri Swalwell]

I love Mark Virkler’s books. Hearing God Through Biblical Meditation was just as good as his others. He writes in a way that speaks directly to my heart and the topic of this book spoke to me as well. A book I will refer to often and recommend to others.

I received this book for free from The Book Club Network and the author in exchange for my honest review. I placed my review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, and Deeper Shopping, if available.

[Galinda Barefoot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book,  it gives great tips on how to use Meditation in getting closer to God and hearing His will in our lives.

I definitely would recommend this book.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.