This document provides material for a meditation session, including: 1) A passage from Philippians encouraging dwelling on things that are true, honorable, etc. 2) Instructions on repetition and memorization techniques. 3) The story of Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus from John 3, presented in multiple translations. 4) Prompts for reflection on what is liked/disliked about the passage and what it reveals about God and humanity. 5) Instructions on finding a quiet place and clearing the mind for meditation.

1. Meditation
Spiritual Emphasis Month

2. Philippians 4:8–9…Finally, brethren, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if
there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise,
dwell on these things. The things you have learned and
received and heard and seen in me, practice these
things, and the God of peace will be with you.

3. Thy word have I hid in my heart
Repetition, repetition, repetition
Whole-part-whole
Part-part-whole

4. John 3:1-21 KJV
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus,
a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night,
and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a
teacher come from God: for no man can do these
miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How
can a man be born when he is old?

5. can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb,
and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which
is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye
must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst
not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is
every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus
answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him,

6. Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these
things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that
we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye
receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly
things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell
you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended
up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven,
even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal
life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his

7. only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He
that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath
not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come
into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one
that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the
light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

8. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his
deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in
God.

9. parts
Who is speaking?
What is he asking?
What is he saying?

10. Insight
What do I like about this passage?
What do I dislike or not understand?
What does this tell me about men/myself?
What does this tell me about God?
Who can I tell or how can I do this?

11. Repeat John 3:1–21 (The Message)
1 There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a
prominent leader among the Jews. 2 Late one night he
visited Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we all know you’re a
teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-
pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren’t in
on it.” 3 Jesus said, “You’re absolutely right. Take it from
me: Unless a person is born from above, it’s not
possible to see what I’m pointing to—to God’s
kingdom.” 4 “How can anyone,” said Nicodemus,

12. “be born who has already been born and grown up?
You can’t re-enter your mother’s womb and be born
again. What are you saying with this ‘born-from-above’
talk?” 5 Jesus said, “You’re not listening. Let me say it
again. Unless a person submits to this original
creation—the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water’ creation,
the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new
life—it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. 6 When
you look at a baby, it’s just that: a body you can look at
and touch. But the person who takes shape within is
formed by something you can’t see and touch—the
Spirit—and becomes a living spirit. 7 “So don’t be

13. so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born
from above’—out of this world, so to speak. 8 You know
well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You
hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea
where it comes from or where it’s headed next. That’s
the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the
wind of God, the Spirit of God.” 9 Nicodemus asked,
“What do you mean by this? How does this happen?” 10
Jesus said, “You’re a respected teacher of Israel and
you don’t know these basics? 11 Listen carefully. I’m
speaking sober truth to you. I speak only of what I
know by experience; I give witness only to what I have
seen with my own eyes.

14. There is nothing secondhand here, no hearsay. Yet
instead of facing the evidence and accepting it, you
procrastinate with questions. 12 If I tell you things that
are plain as the hand before your face and you don’t
believe me, what use is there in telling you of things
you can’t see, the things of God? 13 “No one has ever
gone up into the presence of God except the One who
came down from that Presence, the Son of Man. 14 In
the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the
desert so people could have something to see and then
believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted
up—15 and everyone who looks up to him,

15. trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.
16 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his
Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no
one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can
have a whole and lasting life. 17 God didn’t go to all the
trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing
finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to
help, to put the world right again. 18 Anyone who trusts
in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him
has long since been under the death sentence without
knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure
to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when

16. introduced to him. 19 “This is the crisis we’re in: God-
light streamed into the world, but men and women
everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the
darkness because they were not really interested in
pleasing God. 20 Everyone who makes a practice of
doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-
light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful
exposure. 21 But anyone working and living in truth and
reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for
the God-work it is.”

17. Insight
What do I like?
What don’t I like or understand?
What does this tell me about myself or others?
Who can I tell or how can I do this?

18. The Gospel of John; Good News Bible

19. Insight
What do I like about this passage?
What do I dislike or not understand?
What does this tell me about men/myself?
What does this tell me about God?
Who can I tell or how can I do this?

20. Memorization (NASB95)
But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so
that his deeds may be manifested as having been
wrought in God.
John 3:21

21. Memorization (NASB95)
But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so
that his deeds may be manifested as having been
wrought in God.
John 3:21

22. Memorization (NASB95)
John 3:21
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23. Memorization (NASB95)
But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so
that his deeds may be manifested as having been
wrought in God.
John 3:21

24. Practical
Find a quiet place
Be comfortable
Clear your mind
Focus on God’s word

25. 2 Corinthians 10:5…We are destroying speculations and
every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of
God, and we are taking every thought captive to the
obedience of Christ,

26. Put a chapter on repeat
Color a picture or doodle
Use your imagination to put yourself in the story
Bible songs
What would it look like if I were doing this?