Hey, you Scripture memory fiends! I am so proud of you guys for keeping your numbers up with your second verses! There can be a really big drop out between the hype surrounding the first verse and the discipline that starts kicking in with the second verse. Stay at it, you guys. Not one of you will be sorry you did. No one is going to get to the finish line next December 15th and say it wasn’t worth the work. God is far more faithful than that. He rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) and diligently uses His Word to equip us in our callings (2 Timothy 3:16-17). He uses His Word to make us wiser, more aware of His will, more fortified against temptation, and more alive in His Spirit. He uses His Word to make us less gullible when our hearts are trying to deceive us, when someone we love is trying to mislead us or when Satan himself is trying to seduce us. Be encouraged. Not one ounce of your effort is wasted.
Here is the biggest key to accomplishing this task: throughout the entire process, continually ask God to enable you to memorize. In John 14:26, Christ tells His followers that the Holy Spirit is the one who will “bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Proactively taking Him up onĀ this assurance has been strategic through the years I’ve memorized Scripture. Over and over I convey to God that I know only He can empower those inspired words on the page to find a permanent place in my memory and a home in the marrow of my bones. I call upon His Spirit in Jesus’ Name to stir up those verses in me and remind me of every word and phrase.
When you’re able to say your verse with any accuracy at all, start thanking Him. Do it right then. Completely engage in the relational side of your memory work. That will be by far the biggest success in this endeavor. God is after your heart, not just your mind. He’s not just looking for your discipline. He wants to be your desire. His aim is relationship. Ask Him to help you then thank Him when He does it. When you’re working on a beautiful verse, tell Him you think it’s beautiful. When you keep stumbling over one particular word, ask Him right then to help you get that phrase straight. His Word is God speaking to you so speak back. Use it as an invitation to dialogue. Is the verse really hard? Say to Him, “This verse is killing me here, Lord. I can’t seem to get it. Grant it to me. Help me with it.” Get what I’m saying? This way He gets all the glory in every success and we get immeasurable gain.
This I promise you: God’s objective for you and me in 2015 is not for us to memorize 24 verses. It’s for us to draw nearer and nearer to Him, love Him more, know Him more, trust Him more, and believe Him more. To let His Word go down deep where He wants it. To invite it fervently and proactively to abide in us and bring vivacious life to us. To meditate on His words and to prize them more than our daily bread. Job said it this way: “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my portion of food.” (Job 23:12b) That’s what these 24 verses are about. So, let’s engage with Jesus throughout the entire process. THAT, at the end of our journey, is what will determine our success.
I think I just changed my mind on what I want to present you for my 3rd verse. I am doing memory work out of the Book of Ephesians right now but I don’t happen to be on a verse that stands alone in a comprehensive enough way to offer it to someone to share. Mentioning Job in the previous paragraph stirred up in my memory how much I love that 23rd chapter. Savor the gorgeousness of verses 8-12. (ESV)
8Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āBehold, I go forward, but He is not there,
and backward, but I do not perceive Him;
9Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā on the left hand when He is working, I do not behold Him;
He turns to the right hand, but I do not see Him.
10Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā But He knows the way that I take;
when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
11Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā My foot has held fast to his steps;
I have kept his way and have not turned aside.
12Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
Translation of verses 8-10??? I may not know where God is right now in my situation but of this I’m sure: He knows where I am. Isn’t that powerful? Then, behold the faith and steadfastness of Job in that 10th verse: because God is at work and is at the helm, “I will come forth as gold” (NIV).Ā (If you get a chance, glance at how perfectly that concept corresponds with 1 Peter 1:7.) I believe Job 23:10 is the exact verse I want to choose this time around and I think I’ll use the NIV. So here goes:
Beth Moore, Houston, Texas. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. Job 23:10 NIV
Hit it, Girls.
So honored to study and memorize Scripture with you. Much, much love to you.
Shinae, Owasso, Oklahoma
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesāall things have been created through Him and for Him.17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Col 1:15-17 NASB
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Christa, Denver, CO
But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. Job 23:10 NIV
Darice, Kingwood, TX āNow may the GOD of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.ā 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV
Richland, Washington
Psalm 25:7 Remeber not the sins of my youth and rebellious ways; according to your love Remeber me, for you are good O Lord. NIV
Debbie, Trenton Michigan
The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.
Eodus 14:14 NIV
Kristi- Clovis, CA.
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
1 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV
Gloria- – Grove, OK
Psalm 34:18 NIV
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Arlington, TX
1Corinthians 13:6-7 MSG
[Love} doesn’t revel when others grovel,
takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
puts up with anything,
trusts God always,
always looks for the best,
never looks back,
but keeps going to the end.
Devi, Singapore
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:5 NIV
Tamara, Austin, TX
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 NKJ
Sarah Bandy
Webb City, MO
“Do not let this Look 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
2 Timothy 3:16 NIV
All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
Cindy San Angelo, TX
Mary Beth Erickson, Apple Valley, MN “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Galations 5:16 NIV
Christina Faulkner, Panama City, FL : “But He answered,”It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 HCSB
“…looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
Vanessa Kekahuna, Hilo, Hawaii: Romans 12:1-2 (MSG) “So here is what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday life – your sleeping, eating, go-to-work, and walking around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to it’s level of immaturity. God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Sara B., Lubbock, TX – 1 Peter 4:7-8
“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
Bossier City, LA ~ Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
Dale, Tullahoma, TN Job 23:8 “Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive Him” ESV
Luci Nicholson, Denton, TX “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5 KJV
Sarah
Portales, NM
Isaiah 26:3 & 4 ESV
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
Carol
Woodbridge, CA
“Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.” Deuteronomy 30:11
Becky Scudder, Broomfield CO For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Ephesians 2:10 NRSV
Staci, Meridian, TX
Seek the Lord while he may be found, call on him while he is near.
Isaiah 55:6 NIV
Donna Stetzer, Hendersonville, TN
“Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me. Keep me from the trap that is set for me, for You are my refuge. Into Your hands I commit my spirit, deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.” Psalm 31:3-5 NIV
Deb Bryan, Topeka, KS
PS 34: 8-10 NKJV
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (KJV)
Beverly, Glasgow, KY
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Dorie Thiessen, Hillsboro,KS
Colossians 2:7 “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught,m and you will overflow with thankfulness.” NLT
Micah 4:1 CEV- In the future, the mountain with the Lord’s temple will be the highest of all. It will reach above the hills, and every nation will rush to it.
Marlena Cantrell, Hoover, AL
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”
Psalm 37:3-5 ESV
Sheila Keedy Gardendale, AL
Isaiah 7:14 ESV
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Kathy Pietraszewski, Des Moines, IA. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:4 NASB
Erin Sabo, Seattla WA.
Psalms 72:16
“When I tried to understand all this is was oppressive to me, Till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny”
Susan MagaƱa, El Paso TX
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 NIV
Robin, Oak Harbor, WA
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.
Philippians 1:9 NIV
Amy Jones Fort Worth, Texas
Psalms 32:1-2
“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven
whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against who LORD counts no iniquity
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”
Charlotte
Philadelphia MS
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 17: 20b
NIV
Ruth Stephenson, Milan TN
“I can do all things through Christ because he gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13. NCV
Arlington, Texas
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 6:14-16 ESV
Karen Davidson, Franklin TN
“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
-Philippians 4:8 ESV
Darl, Bakersfield, CA
1 Chronicles 16:8 NIV
“Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”
Doretta S., Ada, OK
And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 (ASV)
Glenna Rohr, Carrollton, Texas Jesus said, āIf you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Fatherās commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be completeā. John 15:10, 11 NIV
Lois Kinman, Lewisville, Texas
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Maggie, Blantyre, Malawi
Hebrews 4:12
The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.
GNB
Rochelle Hoffman Smiths Grove, KY “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12 NIV
Paula Williamson, Houston, Tx
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
—Colossians 1:13-14, NIV