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.
Elise Engberg, Lakeville MN
“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]
Connie Capps
Pine Level,NC
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
So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:10 (HCSB)
Sylvia Vicain, Jersey Village, TX
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.
Karla Tovar, Baldwin Park Ca!
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
—1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)
Diana and Linnea, Waconia, MN
Psalm 103:3-4 ESV
who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
Laurel, Waconia, MN
Isaiah 53:8 NIV
By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
Jennifer A., Gulfport, MS
Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! Luke 12:24, NASB
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (â€Colossians‬ â€4‬:â€5-6‬ NIV)
Judi Early, Darlington, Pennsylvania
Psalm 29:11
The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11 NIV
I pray that you will be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
Philemon :6 NIV
Terri Sickles, Richmond, MO
I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Job 42:2 ESV
Lori, Richmond, VA
Leviticus 25:21 NIV
“I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.”
Michelle Vardeman, Russellville, AR
The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.” Deuteronomy 1:6 NIV
Romans12:2. Do not be conformed to this age but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, acceptable, pleasing and perfect will of God
Krystal Thueringer, Spokane, WA “She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.” Proverbs 31:12 ESV
Psalm 119:37
“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”
Josie Schmucker, Salem, OR
“I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears” Psalm 34:4 ESV
Kailah Brost, Auburn, CA
“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
Psalm 32:7 NIV
Tara
Springfield, MO
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Joshua 1:7 (NIV)
Megan White, Lafayette LA
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:5-8
Audra Hines, Jackson, Tennessee
1 Timothy 4:12-13 NKJV
“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading , to exhortation, to doctrine.”
Karen Baker, Queenstown, New Zealand
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. — James 1:17
Jennifer Duchscherer, Rosemount, MN
Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 NIV
Pam Worcester, Glen Elder, Kansas. He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30 (NIV, 1984)
Cathy Bailey, Laguna Beach,Ca
James 1:27 (NIV) Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Carol Marshall, Gilbert, AZ
Joshua 1:8
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ESV
Denisha Kirby,Franklin,Kentucky:
“But then I decided to confess my sins to the Lord. I stopped hiding my guilt and told you about my sins. And you forgave them all!”
Psalms 32:5, ERV
Karen Wright, Shelton, WA
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them for this is the law and the prophets. Matt 7:12 NKJV
Colleen Houger, Creston, WA
Romans 8:34-35
“Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
Kari from Sprinfield, MO
James 1:5 KJV
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that give the to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him.
Romans 5:8 NIV
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Emily York, St. Paul, Minnesota
“A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.” Proverbs 11:12-13 (NIV)
Kelly M. Sugar Hill, GA
Romans 8:24 (NASB)
For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?
Lisa Howser, Louisville, KY
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” NIV
Elizabeth Brown; Fayetteville, AR
He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned 1 Timothy 2:4 MSG
Psalm 86:11 (NIV)
11 Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3, ESV
Praise be to the name of God forever and ever;
wisdom and power are His. Daniel 2:20 NIV
Joanna Birchfield, Euless, TX
“4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 NKJV
Keri Tennessee
For we live by faith and not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV
Joretta Windham, Woodstock, GA
Ephesians 6:10-12 (NASB)
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Amy B., Sacramento, California
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Eph. 3:16-17a (NIV)
Kathleen Smith, Georgetown, TX
Romans 12:10 NIV
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Carol Rea Midland, Texas
They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. I Peter 3:11 NIV
Maria Cristina Bruschi
Orlando, Florida
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:7 NIV
Meredith Harvie – Houston, TX
Eph 4:32 NIV- Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you
Tshaka; Overjise, Belgium;
Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death. John 8:51 NIV
Eileen, Lompoc, CA
We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and wee become like him.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (MSG)
“Only stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it.” Proverbs 21:20 TEV