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 on 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)
8      “Behold, I go forward, but He is not there,
and backward, but I do not perceive Him;
9Â Â Â Â Â Â 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.
10Â Â Â Â Â Â But He knows the way that I take;
when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
11Â Â Â Â Â Â My foot has held fast to his steps;
I have kept his way and have not turned aside.
12Â Â Â Â Â Â 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). (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.
I’m a lil late this time.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 ESV
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (â€Ephesians‬ â€3‬:â€12‬ NIV)
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Do you see a man who speaks too soon? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 29:20
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James 1:2-3
NIV
You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
Jackie Brantley Rockledge, FL
verse: 1
“Case all your cares on Him for He careth for you”. 1Peter 5:7 KJ
Jackie Brantley – Rockledge, FL
verse 2:
“Call to me, and I will answer you. And I will show you great and wonderful things which you do not know”.
Jeremiah 33:3 NLV
Jackie Brantley – Rockledge, FL
verse 2:
“Call to me, and I will answer you. And I will show you great and wonderful things which you do not know”.
Jeremiah 33:3 NLV
Jackie Brantley – Rockledge, FL
Verse 3:
“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13 KJV
Yea! I am caught up.
In love, he predestined us for adoption as son through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will , to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:5-6
Natalie Anthony, Saucier, MS
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of jesus his son cleanses us from all sin.” 1john1:7 ESV
Logan Beasley Milan TN “keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrew 13:5 NIV
Janis Nelson, College Station, TX “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right, persevering and steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 Amplified Version
Kim, Cincinnati
Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly adundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto hime be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 ASV
Spotsylvania, VA
2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Manchester, MI
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
John 6:35 (NASB)
Sara Sartori, Hopedale MA
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
Hebrews 2:1, NIV
Autumn, Deer Park,WA
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”
Acts 20:24 NIV
Romans 5:8 NIV
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 John 3: 2 NKJV
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when HE is revealed, we shall be like HIM, for we shall see HIM as HE is.
Merissa, Calgary, Canada
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the son chooses to reveal him.” -Luke 10:22 NIV
I am SO needing this right now (struggling, struggling):
He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His
paths. Micah 4:2
Thank you Daddy!!!! <3
Forgot to mention: Terri Baker, Houston TX
Aimee Hale, Bartlett, TN
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us
Ephesians 3:20 ESV
Sarah Hughes, Atlanta
Lamentations 3:21-26 “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (ESV)
Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Glorianna, Holland, MI
“I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up out of the pit of destruction. Out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”
Psalm 40:1-2. ESV
Houston, Texas
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 NIV
Diana Robbins, Cincinnati,Ohio. This then us how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts and he knows everything. 1 John 3:19-20 NIV
Marietta, Georgia
Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3-5-6. NIV
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
Philippians 2:13 NLT
Harare, Zimbabwe.
Be still and know I am God; I will be exalted in the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10 NIV
Cindy Miller, Granite City IL
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
Do not fear for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help
you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Joanna, Los Angeles, California:
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.”
1 John 5:14-15 NIV:
Lori from St. Catharines, ON
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. (1 John 4:14, 15 NIV)
Tammy Holley, Sugar Land, TX
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55: 10-11 (NIV)
Isaiah 41:13. For I am The Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you. Woohoo! My God is able!
Teach me your way, Lord that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11 NIV
K-Mac, Cypress, TX
“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” Prov 18:21 The Message
Lori Grundy Petal, MS
Point out in me anything that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Ps 139:23-24 NLT
Vicki, Cobden, IL
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. NIV
Col. 4:6 NAS
Let your speech always be with grace
Seasoned as it were with salt,
so that you may know how you should respond to each person.
Houston, Texas
2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Colossians 4:2. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. ESV
Lynda, Raleigh, NC
A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath. Proverbs 15:1 (HCSB)
Laura Naiser, Georgetown, TX
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1, NIV
Amy Hartsfield, Calhoun, GA. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. NLT
Trish M- St. Louis, MO- Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:19 (ESV)
Janelle Hartsfield, Irving TX
Blessed is she who believes that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished! Luke 1:45 (NIV)
Christelle Vermeulen, Hartland, Wisconsin
“Let all that you do be done in love. ” NIV
1Corinthians 14:16