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.
Cheryl DeMarre
Lexington, SC
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 13:34 (NIV)
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. Psalms 23:2
“The Lord will Fight for you; you need only to be still (silent).”
Exodus 14:14 ESV
Michele, Atl
Jeri Lawrence, Seymour, Tx
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Phil. 4:6 (NIV)
Kimberly
Fort Wayne, Indiana
“The Lord is my portion, says my should, “therefore, I will hope in Him.””
Lamentations 3:24 ESV
Sarah Lusk, Houston, TX
Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us. Isaiah 26:12 NIV
Michele ~ Kenosha,WI
…in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed.
Psalm 57:1b NIV
Amy Joy Olivo, Waxahachie, TX – James 1:19-20 (NLT): Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
Katy Jayne Olivo, Waxahachie, TX – James 1:19-20 (NLT): Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
Samantha M., Morristown, NJ “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:14-15 NIV
Set your minds on thins above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:2 NIV
Tami, Louisiana
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is not being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20 – NIV).
Galatians 6:9 NLT
So let’s not get tired of doing who is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings of we don’t give up.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:5
I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am Yahweh. They will be My people, and I will be their God because they will return to Me with all their heart.
Jeremiah 24:7 HCSB
Dt31:8-it is The Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will never leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. ESV
For we live by believing and not by seeing.
2 Cor 5:7 (NLT)
Paola, Pinellas Park, Fl
PSA 34:4 ESV
I sought the Lord , and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Olivia Mangilao, Guam
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
~Psalm 37:4 (NASB)
Be and know that I am God, Psalm 46:10 NIV
The hardest part is being still, but when we are that’s when we can clearly hear the voice of God!
Wow – I left out the most important word “still”. Be still and know that I am God.
Anna Scantlan, Sullivan, MO
“So, Jeremiah, if you’re worn out in this footrace with men, what makes you think you can race against horses? And if you can’t keep your wits during times of calm, what’s going to happen when troubles break loose like the Jordan in flood?” Jeremiah 12:5 the Message
Rose Coulter Orange, Tx
I am complete in Him. Colossians 2:10a. NKJ
Tricia Graham
Southern California
“My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places”
Isaiah 32:18
Julie, Springfield, IL
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom.” Psalm 40:28
Shannon, Arroyo Grande
If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.
1 Cor. 10:12 NLT
Rachel, Vancouver, Washington. “For we live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV
Pam, Sulphur, LA
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1Peter 5:7 NLT
Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (â€John‬ â€4‬:â€13-14‬ NASB)
Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (â€John‬ â€4‬:â€13-14‬ NLT)
Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” – 1 Corinthians 13:6-7 NKJV
Kim
Des Moines, IA
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
NKJV
Dana O’Keefe Pace, Fl
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Galatians 5:6 NIV
Rebecca
Boise, Idaho
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
Isaiah 61:1 NIV
Leanne Eldridge, Georgetown, TN, 1 Peter 1:14-15 :As obedient children do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance, but just as HE who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” (NIV)
Trechell from Spring, TX
Ecclesiastes 3:1
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (KJV)
Artie, Salt Lake City, UT
Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Kristen Burbank, California
If you are truly serious about coming back to God, clean house. Get rid of foreign gods…and ground yourselves firmly in God, worship Him and Him alone, and He’ll save you… from oppression.
1 Samuel 7:3 MSG
Oh Lord, you brought me up from the grave, you spared me from going down into the pit.
Psalm 30:3 NIV
Linda, Plainfield, IN To whom, then, can you compare God? To what statue can you compare him? Isa 40:18
Treasure
Midland, TX
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds one who trusts in the Lord.
Psalm 32:8, 10 (ESV)
“If God be for us, who will be against us.” Romans 8:31 (NKJV)
Fran, Opelika, AL
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31 NIV
Janet
Gladstone, OR
You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 NIV
Jamie, Crossett, AR
“O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”
Psalm 63:1 NKJV
Amy Antony, Portland, OR
Colossians 4:2 NIV
[2] Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Danae Allen, Portland, Oregon
“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13 NLT
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 NIV
Galatians 6:9New International Version (NIV)
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Julie, Lake Martin AL
I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to. Galatians 5:16 TLB
Carrie Harper Resaca, GA
The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. Exodus 14:14 (ESV)