Week 52 of 52!!

“Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;” (Psalm 46:2)

Where is our trust? Our house? Our government? Our freedom? Our family? The earth? All of these will fade away and disappoint. We must trust in God Who is “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Week 51 of 52

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Such a short verse . . . yet it is packed with promise and comfort! In any trouble, God is there. When we are weak, God is there. We can always turn to God and trust in Him!

Week 50 of 52

“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” (Romans 15:8)

God is faithful to fulfill that which He promises!

Week 49 of 52

“Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)

How often we forget how Christ received us! We look down our noses at those who don’t “look like us, dress like us, smell like us” and judge them with very un-Christ-like judgment. We refuse to receive others with open arms unless they commit to certain things. This is not at all how Christ received us. He received us with open arms, loving us when we were unlovable, and helping us when we fell below His standard. How are we receiving others?

Week 48 of 52

“That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:6)

What is our goal in this life? Ought it not to be this very verse: to glorify God with total unity? Self will get in the way of this goal and nullify it.

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Have you memorized a verse recently?

Week 47 of 52

“Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:” (Romans 15:5)

Like-mindedness. Philippians 2:2, “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

Being likeminded does not come naturally – we like to voice our opinions. But being likeminded is a quality that God desires all of His children to endeavor to have, by His help.

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What is your forty-seventh verse?

Week 46 of 52

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)

God’s Word was written . . . for you and me! God’s Word is written to teach us, to comfort us, and to give us hope!!! Are we taking this blessing for granted or are we, like the Bereans, studying to see what God’s Word says and changing our lives accordingly?

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Have you memorized one of the verses that God wrote . . . for you?

Week 45 of 52

“For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.” Romans 15:3

Again, I parallel Philippians 2: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (verses 5-8)

Week 44 of 52

“Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.” (Romans 15:2)

Also see Philippians 2:4, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

God means what He says! It cannot get much clearer than that!

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Are you still memorizing God’s Word?

Week 43 of 52

“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1)

This verse has two applications – spiritual and physical. We like to think of the spiritual application – if I am sturdy spiritually, then it is my duty to help those who are babes in Christ (Galatians 6). However, a more practical application that stares us in the face daily is the physical: those who are physically strong are to help those who are physically weak. In the age in which we live, more and more people are living with progressive health concerns (dietetic, mental, emotional, etc.). If God has blessed us with good health, how are we using it? Are we pleasing ourselves by pursuing our dreams? Or are we available to help those who are weak and cannot help themselves? Is there someone that you know who would appreciate it if you spent some time helping them – bearing their infirmities?

Week 42 of 52

“But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” (1 Peter 3:14-16)

A while back, I had memorized 1 Peter 3:15-16 but when I memorized verse 14, it made so much more sense! There is a contrast that is described: we are not to be afraid or troubled but instead, sanctify (purify, concentrate) our hearts and be ready to answer for our hope! What if we took our moments when fear arose in our hearts to commit God’s Word to memory? What if we spent our worried times reading and meditating on the Bible? I think that those times would become scarcer as we learn to bring our fears at the foot of Christ.

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How has your memory verse spoken to you this week?

Week 41 of 52

“And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?” 1 Peter 3:13

There is blessed peace in knowing that we are doing right. Which contrast describes us better? “The wicked flee when no man purueth” or “the righteous are bold as a lion?” (Proverbs 28:1) The Lord promises that “When a man's ways please the LORD, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)

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Have you taken the time to memorize one of God’s verses this week?

Week 40 of 52

“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” 1 Peter 3:12

We like to claim the first part of this verse – God is watching us and is listening for our prayers. But the sober reality is that the face of the Lord is also against the evil-doers. Do we remember that God’s eyes are upon us – whether we are living uprightly or not? Do we remember that God sees everything we say, think, and do? May we live our lives in fear of God!

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What verse have you committed to memory this week?

Week 39 of 52

“Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” 1 Peter 3:11

There are a few words in this verse that we do not use daily.

Eschew . . . deviate, shun, decline

Ensue . . . pursue

According to this verse, then, we are to deviate, shun, and decline evil and instead, do good, and seek/pursue good. Does that describe my life and my desire?

Week 38 of 52

“For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:” 1 Peter 3:10

I memorized this verse when I was just eleven or twelve – but going through 1 Peter 3, I have had to re-memorize it. There is not much to comment on this verse, because it is clear. James 3:2 reminds us, “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

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Have you memorized a verse recently? If not, why don’t you try memorizing 1 Peter 3:10?

 

Week 37 of 52

“Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9)

This verse brings several others to my mind.

“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.” (Proverbs 25:21-22)

 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:43-44)

 “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.” (Luke 6:28-29)

 “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.” (Romans 12:14)

There are a few things that are not mentioned in this Biblical principle:

     ~To take into account our feelings (“The Bible says this, but I feel like . . .”)

     ~To do it only if we think the other person deserves it

     ~That we will be blessed for seeking revenge or “getting even”

God’s grace is sufficient to help us to forgive those who have wronged us.

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What Biblical truth have you learned this week? Do you have a verse to share?

Week 36 of 52

“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:” 1 Peter 3:8

In context, this verse comes immediately after the husband and wife but is applicable for all believers. Are we the individual who is keeping our family or church from being in unity? Have we lapsed in compassion towards others? Have we failed to love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)? Have we failed to sympathetic and thoughtful?

Week 35 of 52

“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7

Finally! The last few weeks, my memory verses have been all about women and their commands. It finally gets to the husbands. However, instead of expounding on the husband’s role, I will still point to the women. Why? Because we are responsible for our actions and our attitudes – not our husband’s (or, our future husband’s). If we build the expectation that our future husband will always honor us, always care for us, and always dwell wisely with us, we are preparing for a fall. Just as we will not always be submissive (see 1 Peter 3:1, 5), our husbands will not always be the kind, caring, loving husband that he ought to be. Even if he is a very godly man. So how can we apply this verse? No, we cannot preach it to our husbands or quote it to him daily. Instead, we can pray for him – even now, if we are unmarried (“Lord, prepare my husband to have the knowledge of how he is to lead me.”).

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Has a special verse come to your mind today? How has it spoken to you?

Week 34 of 52

 “For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.” (1 Peter 3:5-6)

The area of submission is “old-fashioned.” This verse even says it: “in the old time the holy women of old [were] . . . in subjection unto their own husbands.” That is, if you would like to take this verse out of context. This verse is not saying that submission is out of date – instead, it is saying that the godly women, those to look up to, those whom God approved, lived in submission/subjection to their husbands. Subjection means “subordinate, to obey” (Strong’s concordance). It is putting ourselves under our husbands. Though as single girls we cannot apply this today, we can prepare by applying it to our parents (specifically our dads) – obey them; put ourselves under them. Even if we are over eighteen.

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What is your memory verse this week?

Are you keeping up with reviewing your other verses from 2012 and 2013? If not, take a break from new memory and for a whole week, dedicate your time to massive review. To “hide God’s Word in our hearts,” we must be faithful to retain it and keep it hidden in our hearts.

Weeks 31-33 of 52

Week 31 of 52

The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. (Proverbs 16:21)

The two qualities in this verse that stuck out to me are 1) Wise hearts and 2) Sweet lips. The two go hand-in-hand, for one who is truly wise will only use words that are sweet.

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What verse have you memorized this week? Is it helping you in a specific area?

Week 32 of 52

“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.” (1 Peter 3:1-2)

Sometimes, we see Scriptures like this and we wonder, “How can this apply to me? I’m not married!” True, we are not, but this verse has challenged me in several areas. But first . . . this verse does not say that it is okay for a Christian girl to marry an unbeliever (“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3 – “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14). When the church was just beginning, there were many women who were saved and their husbands remained pagans. It is this situation that I believe Peter (and ultimately God) is talking about. A wife who accepts Christ after marriage and still has an unbelieving husband, is not to leave him (1 Corinthians 7:13, “And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.”), but to live her life in such a manner that, if he refuses to read God’s Word for himself, he will see clearly lived out in his wife. Would that not be an awesome testimony?

But how can we apply this to single girls? The principle is still clear: we should live our lives so that any unbeliever around us can clearly see God’s Word lived out through our lives. How are we living our lives? By simply observing our behavior, can others see that we are Christians?

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What is a verse that has spoken to you this week (even if you didn’t memorize it)?

Week 33 of 52

“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” 1 Peter 3:4-5

This verse evokes several questions:

     ~How much time do you spend in front of the mirror?

     ~How much effort do you put in your dress and hair?

     ~Compared to that, how much time and effort do you put in your “inner-man?” Reading God’s Word, memorizing it, and living it?

Most girls go through stages of becoming “classy”. But what would our world – what would our church – look like if instead of spending hours on the outward body (which will fade and one day pass away) the Christian girl would spend hours on honing her inward body (which will last for eternity!)? Stop for one minute – a full sixty seconds – and search your heart. Are you merely painting the outside or are you beautifying the inside? Remember, there might be men that think a beautiful face/body are valuable, but GOD values that which is not corruptible: a meek and quiet spirit.

Now, stop and take your one minute to evaluate and pray.

Week 30 of 52

He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he. (Proverbs 16:20)

Are we handling our matters wisely?

This is not speaking of worldly-wisdom, but Godly wisdom. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5

Are we happy?

Notice, our happiness does not depend on our circumstances, but solely on God.

“Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.” Psalm 144:15

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What is your memory verse this week?

Week 29 of 52

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. (Proverbs 16:18-19)

This verse has been reminding me to check the pride in my heart. Pride is not an outward way of living, but an inward way of thinking.

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What verse has God used in your life this week? Have you memorized it?

Week 28 of 52

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. (Proverbs 16:17)

This part that runs through my mind a lot is: “He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.” Are we doing all that we can to “keep our ways?” Or do we just live life however it comes? Do we accept the evil, or try to fight it? To live according to this verse takes action.

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Do you have a new memory verse this week?

Week 27 of 52

How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! (Proverbs 16:16)

If wisdom is more desired than gold, and understanding more desired than silver . . . how much time do we worry about working or jobs or money vs. seeking God and studying His Word?

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As summer busyness is in full swing, I encourage you to keep up memorizing God's Word and reviewing the verses that you have previously learned! It is tough to "find time," but so rewarding in the long run!

Week 26 of 52

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” 1 Corinthians 13:8

LOVE NEVER FAILS, even when you feel overwhelmed and the situation seems hopeless. Love will not crumble under pressure of difficulties. Love remains selflessly faithful even to the point of death.

(BCF, Self-Confrontation page 219)

 

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Week 25 of 52

“{Charity} Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7

LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS, even when disappointments seem overwhelming. Love is tolerant, endures with others who are difficult to understand or deal with, and had an eternal perspective in difficulties. Love remembers that God develops spiritual maturity through difficult circumstances.

LOVE BELIEVES ALL THINGS, even when others’ actions are ambiguous and you feel like not trusting anyone. Love accepts trustfully, does not judge people’s motives, and believes others until facts prove otherwise. Even when facts prove that the other person is untrustworthy, love seeks to help restore the other to trustworthiness.

LOVE HOPES ALL THINGS, even when nothing appears to be going right. Love expects fulfillment of God’s plan and anticipates the best for the other person. Love confidently entrusts other to the Lord to do His sovereign and perfect will in their lives.

LOVE ENDURES ALL THINGS, especially when you think you just can’t endure the people or circumstances in your life. Love remains steadfast under suffering or hardship without yielding and returns a blessing while undergoing trials.

(BCF, Self-Confrontation page 218)

 

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Week 24 of 52

“ {Charity} Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;” 1 Corinthians 13: 6

LOVE DOES NOT REJOICE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, even when it seems like a misfortune was exactly what another person deserved. Love mourns over sin, its effects, and the pain which results from living in a fallen world. Love seeks to reconcile others with the Lord.

LOVE REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH, even when it is easier and more profitable materially to lie. Love is joyful when truth is known, even when it may lead to adverse circumstances, reviling, or persecution
(BCF, Self-Confrontation page 218)

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Have you memorized a verse recently? Have you reviewed your other verses?

 

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