Memory for 2014

I have thoroughly enjoyed doing the 52 verses challenge for 2012 and 2013 and am blessed to see how the Lord has used it in your lives to encourage you to memorize more of God's Word! The Lord has given me some different direction for 2014 and because I am placing my time elsewhere, will be unable to keep 52 verses updated. However, with God's help, I will still continue to faithfully memorize God's Word and pray that you will do the same! Feel free to still share your verses with us here!

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?