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.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses let us throw off everything that hinders and the sIn that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 NIV
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the lord is to be praised”
Proverbs 31:30 NIV
Shannon Atkinson Cypress John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Cassia Glass, Spring, TX
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. Ephesians 2:14 NKJV
Aretha Gearhart, Council Bluffs, IA 1 Corinthians 6:18 ESV
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
Shiffra Nimz Kalamazoo MI
1 Peter 3:15 (NIV) “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”
Rebecca Tipton, Cleveland, Ohio
“But as you excel in everything- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you- see that you excel in this act of grace also.” 2 Corinthians 8:7 ESV
For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13
Andrea, Jefferson City, MO, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11 NKJV
Lanette Woodstock NY
Psalm 32.8 NIV
The LORD says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye upon you.”
Is any one of you in trouble? He should talk to God about it. Is any one of you happy? He should sing songs of praise to God.James 5:13 (WE)
Cherry Valley, Ca
Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4:7
Saryta Colbert Phoenix, AZ
Hebrews 4:16 NLT
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Tammy, Monroe, MI. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
Rachel E. Patterson – Clover, SC
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
~ Isaiah‬ â€43‬:â€2‬ (NIV)
Sara, Iowa City, IA
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:24-25 NIV
Vickie Gainous, Cairo, Georgia
God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Numbers 23:19 NRSV
Lauren Warner, Austin TX, “May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ. 2 Thess 3:5 NAS
Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21 NKJV
Grace Niceville, FL
John 14:27 (NIV). “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Lydia Quillin, Creighton, MO: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15 (ESV)
Kimberly Trautman
Butner, NC
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4 ESV
Becca Conner, Greenville, South Carolina. “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that is may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)
Charmin Holland, Duncan, OK. “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” NIV
Psalm 16:8
Francine Thacker, Burnet Texas –
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is a gift from God, not a result of works, so that no one my boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
Cheri Grand Island, NE
Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. (â€Proverbs‬ â€4‬:â€25-26‬ NIV)
Mary Sandifer, Indian Head, MD
If anyone thinks himself to be religious,
and yet does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his own heart,
this man’s religion is worthless.
James 1:26 (NASB)
Rachel, Plano, TX. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV
Tina Pitts, North Richland Hills, Texas. He who did not spare His own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 ESV
Stephanie Robertson, Billings, Montana: “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.” James 3:17-18 (NLT)
Daneen, Olathe KS. “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” (â€I Corinthians‬ â€16‬:â€13-14‬ NKJV)
Laura, San Diego, CA
James 1:2-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various [a]trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [b]endurance. 4 And let [c]endurance have its perfect [d]result, so that you may be [e]perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and [f]without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Susan Toney, Raymond, MS
May the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY and PEACE as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 15:13
Kristel from Russellville
For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in death. II Corinthians 7:10 NLT
Tara-Rockwall, Texas
May the God of patience and comfort grant us to be like-minded toward
One another according to Christ Jesus.
Romans 15:5
Shawna- Lewiston id.
The word brings stability, fruitfulness and fulfillment and all that we do will Prosper.
Psalm 1:3
Proverbs 17:22
A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. NIV
Phoebe Cunningham, Tucson, AZ.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Matthew 5:6 NIV
Brittany Valentin, bryan tx
My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
1 John 2:1-2 NLT
Sophia Niceville, FL.
Proverbs 3:5 (NIV) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
Courtney Kelly, Starke, FL.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10, NIV
Christine Doughty Kingsburg, Ca
In Him lie all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 3:2 NLT
Becky Davis, Huntington, WV
Through these He has given us His very great and precious promices, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:4 (NIV)
Stacey DeYoung-morocco,in.
2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. “
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9 (ESV)
Kim Kanaday – Cullman, Alabama – For as the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26 KJV
Tiffany Dewett, Orlando, FL
Psalm 112:7 ESV
He will not be afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
Catherine, spring, texas
I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
NIV Psalm 143 v 5
Superior, CO
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 17:20 NIV
2 Timothy 2:23
“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.”