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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Week 23 of 52

"{Charity} Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil." 1 Corinthians 13:5

From BCF Self-Confrontation, page 218:

"Charity doth not behave itself unseemly" even when being boastful, rude, or overbearing will get you attention and allow you to get your own way. Love conforms to what is right, fitting, and appropriate to the situation in order to honor the Lord.

"Charity seeketh not her own" even when you feel like grabbing it all or have an opportunity to do so. Love does not try to fulfill its own desires, does not ask for its own way, and does not try to acquire gain for itself. Love, as an act of the will, seeks to serve and not be served.

"Charity...is not easily provoked" even when others attempt to provoke you or you are tempted to strike out at something or someone. Love is not aroused or incited to outbursts of anger. Love continues faithfully and gently to train others in righteousness, even when they fail.

"Charity thinketh no evil" (Love does not take into account a wrong suffered) even when everyone seems to be against you or when people openly attack you. Love does not hold a grudge against someone. Love forgives, chooses not to bring up past wrongs in accusation or retaliation, does not return evil for evil, and does not indulge in self-pity. Love covers a multitude of sins.

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How has God's Word spoken to you this week?

Week 22 of 52

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind, charity envieth not, charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” 1 Corinthians 13:4

Though I "know" most of 1 Corinthians 13, I have never officially memorized it. In doing a Bible study, we are covering love as shown in 1 Corinthians 13. It is amazing to see a picture of Christ-like love!

From BCF’s Self-Confrontation (Lesson 13, pages 5-6)

LOVE IS PATIENT, even when you feel like forcefully expressing yourself. Love bears pain or trials without complaint, shows forbearance under provocation or strain, and is steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity"

LOVE IS KIND, even when you want to retaliate physically or tear down another with your words. Love is sympathetic, considerate, gentle, and agreeable.

LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS especially when you are aware that others are being noticed more than you. Love does not participate in rivalry, is not hostile toward one believed to enjoy an advantage, and is not suspicious. Love works for the welfare and good of the other.

LOVE DOES NOT BRAG even when you want to tell the world about your accomplishments. Love does not flaunt itself boastfully and does not engage in self-glorification. Instead, love lifts (builds up) others.

LOVE IS NOT ARROGANT, even when you think you are right and others are wrong. Love does not assert itself or become overbearing in dealing with others.

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What verse have you been pondering this week?

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Week 21 of 52

“He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeated a matter separateth very friends.” Proverbs 17:9

It is so easy to talk about others –how they annoy us, the sins they are doing, the problems they have, etc. However, love (definition found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8) will cover someone else’s sin, not expose it to others. When we refuse to cover a transgression, ultimately, we are sinning in disobedience to God. Added to that, we hurt our relationship with the person we are gossiping about and also the relationship of that person with the person to whom we are talking.

Do we truly love our brother/sister/parent/friend? Let us “refrain our lips from evil, and our tongue that it speaks no guile” (1 Peter 3:10 paraphrase).

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What verse is God using in your life today?

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Weeks 19/20 of 52

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

1 Corinthians 15:22

The beauty of salvation is wrapped in this verse. Because of Adam’s fall, we are all born into sin. But because of Christ’s love and sacrifice, we all have the ability to be saved from sin! Have you accepted Christ’s gift of salvation?

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“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”

1 Corinthians 15:34

We are not saved just for “fire-protection” but to live a new life, hidden in Christ. The latter part of this verse is a challenge for all believers: are there people in our lives who do not have a personal relationship with Christ? What are we doing to reach them for Christ?

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What have you been memorizing this month?

Week 18 of 52

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him. (Psalm 28:7)

The phrase that stood out to me this week was, "My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped." 
I wonder: how many times we are not helped because we do not trust in God?

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What is your eighteenth verse? How has God used it to speak to you? 

Week 17 of 52!!!

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. (Romans 14:19)

This verse especially spoke to me concerning my family relationships. Am I continually pursuing peace and edification? Or am I just trying to get my way no matter the cost?

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What is your verse?

Week 16 of 52!

"I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart."

Psalm 40:8

Many times, we pray, "Lord, show me Thy will," and yet we neglect to do the obvious things He has commanded. Time after time, God has written that we should read His Word, apply His Word, meditate on His Word, and memorize His Word. This verse is just another reminder that I should strive even harder to wrap my life around His Word.

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Have you memorized a verse this week? How has it spoken to you?

 

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Week 15 of 52

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

All that we do is rooted in one thing: who we love the most. That seems an incorrect statement until we dig deeper to discover the roots. Why do we snap at people? Because we love ourselves better than others. Why do we neglect God’s Word? Because we love ourselves better than God. If we stop to consider why we do or do not do certain things, we will find that it boils down to who we love.

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Have you memorized a verse this week? What is it? Has God used it in your life in a special way?

Week 14 of 52

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17)

This verse comes in the same passage that says, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Romans 14:10) So often, we get distracted by arguing different points and convictions. But according to God, our focus should not be on the outward things, but on the inward: righteousness, peace, and joy. When we focus on that which really matters, we find that many “discussions” are simply “foolish and unlearned questions” (2 Timothy 2:23)

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Have you memorized a verse this week?

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Week 13 of 52!!!

“Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

This verse holds the Answer for many of our problems. So often, we try to face all of our problems by relying on our own strength (which is weakness) instead of looking to Christ and relying on His strength. What problem are we facing today? We must stop trying to master it in our own strength and look to Jesus – because “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

I noticed that this verse fell on the weekend of Resurrection Sunday – what a beautiful reminder!

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What verse have you learned by heart this week?

How does it speak to you?

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Week 12 of 52!!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1

Romans 15:4 reminds us, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” In Hebrews 11, we read of many men and women who lived by faith. Then, we reach Hebrews 12:1, which exhorts us to not give up but to continue. I know that it is an encouragement for me to read through the many men and women of faith who the Lord strengthened to live as He would have them to. The God Who shut the mouths of Daniel’s lions, Who protected Joseph through various troubles, Who kept David safe from the enemies next to him, and Who protected Noah in the ark is the SAME God that I serve today!

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What verse did you memorize this week?

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Week 11 of 52

 “But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” Colossians 3:25

In context of Colossians 3:24 (“Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”), we have choice to make – a choice with known results. If we do right, we will be rewarded by God, but if we do wrong, we will be punished. There is no exception. Today, the choice needs to be made: for Whom will we work (see Colossians 3:23)?

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What verse have you memorized this week?

What does it mean to you?

Have you been reviewing your other ten verses?

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Week 10 of 52!

“Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:24

This verse begs the questions:

     ~For whom am I working /serving?

     ~Why am I working?

     ~Am I working for a temporal or eternal reward?

If we can honestly answer the following, then I truly believe that we are on the right path:
     ~I am serving Christ, 
     ~I am working for His glory to be known
     ~I am not expecting a reward down here

I cannot answer those questions as I should, but am praying that God will help me so that one day I can.

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What is your first verse memorized for March?

Does it spur on any questions?

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