Hey girls! Lindsee here! By now you know that our dear Beth is teaching her heart out this week, taping her next Bible study in Tennessee. So, when I realized that SSMT would fall right smack dab in the middle of the taping, I told her that if she trusted me, she was welcome to release this to me and I’d try to do it as much justice as she does. She happily obliged, so here I am. What makes it easy is that I’m memorizing right alongside y’all, however, this time around I feel the pressure to make it a good verse. Of course, I’m both kidding and laughing.
Actually, my scripture memory verses don’t always come easy to me, but this week was a different story. You see, this past Sunday at church was an all hymn Sunday. Typically we’re a little more contemporary and certainly throw in a hymn every now and then, but this Sunday every last song was one you could find in a hymnal. Truth be told, I kind of loved it.
Among the selection of hymns, we sang “I’d Rather Have Jesus”. I’m not sure if you’ve listened to those lyrics lately, but what a convicting song it is and rather vulnerable if you ask me.
You tell me:
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I’d rather be true to His holy name
Whoa. I’d Rather. What is your rather? What do you want so bad, but you’d rather have Jesus? I could name countless things. But really, what rubbish each of those things are compared to knowing Jesus as my personal Lord and savior. What rubbish they are compared to being known and loved perfectly by Jesus himself, who gave His life for you and didn’t expect anything in return, lest we even think we have anything to offer in return. I know it in my head, but I want to fully grasp it in my heart.
That led me to Phillipians 3:8, which is my scripture this go around:
“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8 (NLT)
Isn’t is so true, that the more time we spend getting to know our Jesus, the more the things of this world grow strangely dim? I think it is true. The more I learn that Jesus is the ONE faithful and trustworthy thing, the less I worry about worldwide fame, men’s applause, riches or anything else my flesh cringes for.
Jesus is simply better.
Have I achieved it? Hardly.
“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” Philippians 3:12
But I press on. I put my focus on one solitary thing.
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” Philippians 3:13
Because after all…
“He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.”
Jesus is better. Let’s hear yours! (And that’s three options for you, ladies! Should you choose to use one of those. Grin.)
On a not-so-different, yet different note, our sweet siesta mama did just tell me to tell y’all, “I love them so much and feel their prayers and to keep them up!”
Oh, and one more fun and important thing, be sure to hop back on tomorrow (Thursday) for the announcement of our summer Bible study! The suspense!
Y’all are priceless.
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
Dana Pace, FL
I die every day. I Corinthians 15:31
Julene, Cowiche, WA
Do not let the Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Joshua 1:8 NIV
Glennell Buda, Tx
Ps. 19:14 (NIV)
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
But know this first of all,that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.
II Peter 1:20 NAS
Angie, Chillicothe, MO “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you.” Psalm 85:6, NIV
Kim Cliatt, Loganville, GA
“I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:13b (NIV)
Susan ~ Kearney, NE ~ Psalm 119:133 (NIV)
Direct my footsteps according to your word;let no sin rule over me.
Joelle, Agawam
Psalm 103:4-5(NLT)
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without know it.
Hebrews 13:1-2 NIV
Charlotte, Tomball, TX, And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. Revelation 21:6, NKJV
Valerie from Taylors, SC
I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Joshua 1:3, NIV
Kim from Bloomington, IL
And may GOD, the God-of-Your-Fathers, keep it up and multiply you another thousand times, bless you just as he promised.
Deuteronomy 1:11 Message
Audrey, Ohio
Ephesians 6:12 TNIV
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Megan, Houston
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9 NIV
Psalm 143:9, 10 NIV
“Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me one on level ground.
Leah from Ontario, Canada
To Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
– Ephesians 3:20-21
Michelle from Norman. “I would have despaired unless I had believed I would see the goodness of The Lord in the land of the living” psalm 27:13 nasb
Psalm 139:10 NLT
even there your hand will guide me,and your strength will support me.
Tracy, Kountze, Texas
Therefore there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 NASB
Rey from Charlotte, NC
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT)
But forget all that – it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Kathy from Richmond, VA
Colossians 4:2 NIV
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
2 Tim 2:24: “The Lord’s bondservant must not be quarrelsome but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged.”
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19 NLT
Angie
Anniston, Alabama
“Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”
Ps. 103:3-4
NIV
Hannah from Bolingbrook IL
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV
Tara from Bolingbrook, IL
Trust in the Lord with all your hear, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5, ESV
AnnaMarie – Pittsburgh, PA
All glory to him, who alone is God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to him, in the beginning, now, and forevermore. Amen. Jude 1:24-25 NLT
Elizabeth from Searcy, Arkansas
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:33 NIV)
Jean – Lebanon, Tennessee
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
1 John 3:1 NIV
cara, highlands ranch, 1 peter 4:8, above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. NIV
Sandy from Denver, CO. “but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” 1 Cor. 13:10 ESV
When the righteous cry for help, The Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who are brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17-18 NIV
Susan Dixson from Charlotte, NC
(13) I remain confident of this: I will see The Lord in the land of the living.
(14) Wait for the Lord;be strong and take heartand wait for the Lord.
-Psalms 27:13-14 (NIV)
Miriam T., Columbia, SC
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (NIV)
Gabby from Lake View, NY
Yes everything else is worthless when compared to the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else counting it all as garbage so that I gain Christ.
Philippians 3:8 NLT
Caitlin Crowder
Gray Court, SC
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3;14 NIV
Ellen White
St. Augustine, FL
Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Psalm 100:1,2,3
NIV
Colossians 3:12 &14 NIV
Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, cloth yourselves with compassion, kindness, gentleness and patience. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Tonya, Searcy, AR
Proverbs 3:6 NCV
“Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success.”
Dwan, Kings Mountain, NC
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:10, NIV
Tiffany Feathers ~ Murfreesboro, TNI
Thessalonians 5:17-18 ESV
pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Meredith from Blacksburg, VA
Romans 8:22-25
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Charlotte, Easley SC:
Psalm 25:5a “Guide me in Your truth, and teach me, my God, my Savior.” NCV
Mei, Easley SC:
And He received circumcism as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
Romans 4:11 NIV
Debra Crowder
Dallas, GA
Salvation is found in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given
to mankind by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12 (NIV)
Cathy, Chesapeake Beach
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 NIV84
Amy, Pratt, KS
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ -2 Cor 10:5 NIV
Teresa, Austin, TX
Acts 17:28
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
Nancy, Grand Haven, MI
Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
Philippians 2:14 (ESV)
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished. Luke 1:45 (NIV)