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;
9 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.
10 But He knows the way that I take;
when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
11 My foot has held fast to his steps;
I have kept his way and have not turned aside.
12 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.
LoriWhite, Turner Valley,AB “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD”S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 31:21-23 NIV
Terry
Washington, IL
“He is your constant source of stability; He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; He gives all this to those who fear Him.”
Isaiah 33:6 NET
We moved back home on January 31, 14 months after being totally wiped out by a tornado. I am behind on everything including postng my verse :p
Melodie
Indian trail, NC
“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.”
Isaiah 12:2 NASB
Katrina, Chandler, OK “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity” Proverbs 2:6-7
Mitzi from Long Beach, CA
“For no word from God will ever fail.”
Luke 1:37 NIV
Laura | San Jose, CA
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galations 5:22-23ESV
Psalm 62:1 NIV
My soul finds rest in God alone,
My salvation comes from him
He alone is my rock and my salvation
He is my fortress; I will never be shaken
Lancaster, Ca “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” John 8:32
Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
Psalm 103:1–3 NKJV
Mt. Morris, IL
Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. Job 22:22 NIV
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Kirtland, OH)
Portage, Mi If I rise on the wings of the dawn; if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalms 139: 9-10 NIV
Debbie, Burleson, Texas.John 15:13 NIV
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Traci, Parkersburg, WV
“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.”
~1John 1:5b ESV
Erika Powell, celebration FL
Acts 1:7 (ESV) He said to them “it is not for you to know times or seasons
That the father has fixed by his own authority”
I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
Missoula, MT
MK Seattle WA
“But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” Job 23:10 NIV
Yael Hernandez, New york, NY
John 15:7-8
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, aske whatever you wush and it will be given you. This is to my Father glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Thank you Jesus for this word!
Karina
Baton Rouge, La.
“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him;” Lamentations 3:25 NIV
Ali Springfield MO Psalm 34:19-“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. NKJV
So we have come to know and believe the Love that God has for us…GOD IS LOVE..whoever abides in LOVE abides in God and GOD in HIM …1 John 4:16
Libby, Rochester, MN
For it is God who works in you, to will and act according to His good purpose. Philippians 2:13 NIV
Shelly, Rochester, MN
Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2 NIV
Stephanie Knight, Sedona, AZ
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
Brooke F, Nampa, Idaho
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
James 1:3 NLT
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
Cindy Peete, Colorado Springs, CO
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)
Brentwood, TN
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.” John 14:1 (NIV)
Jennifer, Wilmington DE
Since ancient times
no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen
any God besides You,
who ACTS of behalf
of those who WAIT for Him.
– Isaiah 64:4 (NIV)
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31 ESV
Dublin, Ireland
Ezekiel 3:8 NIV
“But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.”
Stephanie Knight, Waynesboro, MS
“Delight yourselves in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart”
Psalms 37:4 ESV
Elaine Stewman, Asheville, NC. See, God has come to save me, I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. Isaiah 12:2. NLT
Nancy R., Columbus,
1 John 4:16 NIV
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Inez Barnes
Hamburg Ar
“Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtorsl And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Matthew 6:9-13 NASB
Tracy McGee, Creal Springs, IL. “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21 NIV
Veronica, Memphis, TN
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. James 3:17 ESV
Mary from Joshua, TX
Psalm 62:1-2NKJV
“Truly my soul silently waits for God;From Him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation ; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.”
Sandra, Burnaby BC Canada
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Matthew 5:3-4 ESV
(Working on the sermon on the mount)
Coleen, Greenville, Ohio
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 (NIV)
Cindy, Houston TX ” Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. ” 2 Thess. 3:16 NIV
Melissa; Los Lunas, NM
“The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.” Exodus
14:14 AMP
Beverly, Glasgow, KY.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
Philippians 2:3 NIV
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.
Emily Babb, New Iberia, LA
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV
Kristin M, Spokane, WA
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life. Proverbs 31:12 NKJV
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body and we all belong to each other. (Romans 12:4-5 NLT)
Whitney from New Orleans, LA
Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 NIV
“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14 NIV)
Ruth Larkin, Shawnee, Kansas
In the day that I cried out, you answered me, and made me BOLD with strength in my soul.
Psalm 138:3