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.
Tisha
Pilot Mtn, NC
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
Kaylie Hodges, Vega Texas
“That good thing that was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in you.” 2 Timothy 1:14 NKJV
Kim, Laguna Niguel, CA
Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)
You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10. ESV
Sherrese Moore, Fairmount Heights MD “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” 1 Peter 1:2, NASB
Hebrews 4:12
“For the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”
Silver Creek, GA
1 Corinthians 10:13 (MSG) No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.
Nancy Kane, Chattanooga, TN
Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit
in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh.”
Allen, TX
James 4:7
NIV
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Linda Montana Ps 91:3 (NKJV) “Surely HE shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.”
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:18
Christina Gantlett, Dorchester, Ontario
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
If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31
Marchelle S.
Claremore, Ok
Linda, Little Rock, AR “Now flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 NASB
Renee, Rockford, MI
“This suffering is all part of what God has called you to. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps.”
1 Peter 2:21 (NLT)
Jodi, Doylestown, Ohio
Mica 6:8, Luther Bibel
Es ist dir gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist und was der Herr von dir fordert, namlich Gottes Wort halten, und Liebe uben, und demutig sein vor deinem Gott.
April L.
Claremore, Ok
Since God had planned something better for us that together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11:40. NIV
Jill Greer, Medina, TN
For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 KJV
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.
Bonnie, Lithia, FL
Hebrews 12:3, ESV
“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
Teri, Kalamazoo, MI
[Rom 5:3-4 NKJV]
3 And not only [that], but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Karen H., Stephenville, TX
John 20:3-4 (NASB)
So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb.
The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first;
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path….Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Robin Ivey, Meridian, MS
“Depend on the Lord; trust him, and he will take care of you.”
Psalm 37:5
New Century Version
Morgan Myers – Chandler, OK
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
NKJV
Sallee Bonham
Belle, Missouri, USA
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8 NIV
Gina Henderson, Upper Hutt NZ
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. ~2 Pet 1:3-4 (NIV)
Kathy, Leamington, Ontario, Canada
“Blessed is she who has believed
that the Lord would fulfill
His Promises to her.” Luke 1:45
Guinn Shapiola, South Bend, Indiana
1 John 3:18 NIV
“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
Cathy Froelich Altus,Oklahoma. Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you,brethren,by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Brenda Gerber, Grafton, Ohio
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
“So 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.”
Tina Crouch
Waxahachie, Rexas
Matthew 5:7 – NIV
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy
Dana, San Angelo. Texas
“So we say with confidence the Lord is my helper I will not be afraid what can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6 NIV).
Leah Stacy Haughton, LA
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 NIV
Martha McElhaney Ooltewah, Job 10: 12 HCSB
You gave me life and faithful love, and Your care has guarded my life.
Titus 2:5 (NIV)
“to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”
Tracy Sanford, Rock Hill, SC. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26 NIV
Caitlin, McKinney, TX
“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help.” James 1:5, MSG
Gina Shipley from San Angelo, Texas
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
– Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
Shannon, Mandeville LA “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”. Gal. 6:9 TNIV
Jennifer, Ft. Worth
“Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” Psalm 1:5 NKJV
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. -John 15:4
Joanna Trauger. Greer, SC. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
Karen, Des Moines, IA
The wise man looks ahead. The fool attempts to fool himself and won’t face facts.
Proverbs 14:8 TLB
Evelyn Anne, Macon,Ga
Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek for me with all your heart.” ESV
Patti, Niles, Michigan
Philippians 4:8 NIV. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praise-worthy – think about such things.
Vicki Graham, Corinth, TX
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. (â€Psalm‬ â€28‬:â€7‬ ESV)
Loveland, CO
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (NIV)
Cindy-Richmond, Tx. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18
Terri Stonewall LA
Ephesians 4:29 ESV
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who here.