Memory Verse Challenge: Week 51 (Year End)

Happy New Year's Eve to all of you.  I hope and pray you've enjoyed some time with family and friends over Christmas and are getting settled in to starting a fresh new year.  Is it just me or do they seem to come with greater frequency?

I thought it would be good to close out our year of verses with one that offers us a good reminder of who God is.  It's short, simple and to the point.

God has always been and will always be.  He was there before we were born and will be there long after we're gone.  It's hard for us to fathom one who is truly infinite when we live in such a finite world.  His power, His existence is somewhat of a mystery to us. But if we could understand Him - we could potentially explain Him away.  And then He wouldn't be God, would He?

This verse not only tells us that God is the first and the last but gives us a glimpse of how we should apply that information to the way we live.  God should always come first in our lives.  He is our baseline and we exist because of Him.  We should also live our lives with God (and heaven) as our destination.  He should be what drives our decisions as well as being the end goal for those decisions.  In other words - He should be the total focal point of our lives. 

If your focus has strayed a bit this past year, put your spiritual glasses back on.  With a clear focus on God, life will be so much more richly blessed.

I hope you enjoyed the Memory Verse Challenges over the year and I pray that they encouraged you as well.  If you'd like to add a verse (passage) to round out the year with a total of 52, I selected Psalm 23.  You probably already know it by heart - now just get reacquainted with it so you can cherish it in your heart as well.

May God bless you greatly as you head into the new year!!!



See more about the Memory Verse Challenge here.
See the complete list of Challenge verses here.

Memory Verse Challenge: Week 50

This week's verse is really a passage and doesn't need any embellishment from me.  It's a passage you probably already know by heart.  During the hustle and bustle of this holiday season take a breather to let the words and prayer of Jesus sink into your heart this Christmas.  May it become your prayer as well.

 

Have a very merry and blessed Christmas!!

Memory Verse Challenge: Week 49

Happy "one week until Christmas day" to you.  What better way to celebrate the season than with some presents - specifically the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Sure, you've probably already memorized this verse but just in case it's been awhile - dust off the package and unwrap it.  Enjoy it once again.

I think we sometimes take all the characteristics of this gift for granted.  We simply throw them all together and label them "good behavior" traits.  But they're more than that.  They're not simply a way to act but a way to live.  

We can all act out these traits from time to time.  But acting them out and being filled by them so completely that they change our very nature are two different things. Without this gift, we couldn't possibly exhibit them on our own. 

We can't, however, expect the gift to supernaturally change us.  The gift is given.  We must nurture it and allow it to grow.  Things like anger, jealousy, and hatred will stunt the growth of our gift easier than just about anything.  We must feed the one and eliminate the things that would suppress it.  Only then will true transformation happen.

Have you noticed that each one of the traits listed are characteristics of God?  He is so abundantly filled with them that He cannot behave in an opposing manner.  How beautiful to know that He has given us a bit of Himself so that we may learn to exhibit the very nature of God.


See more about the Memory Verse Challenge here.
See the complete list of Challenge verses here.

Memory Verse Challenge: Week 48

Good Wednesday to you.  I hope all is merry and bright.  'Tis the season after all.

The last couple of verses have been a little long.  It's time to lighten the load just a bit.  However - just because this verse is short, don't mistake it for being short in the message department.

We've all heard this verse before.  Reading it will probably even start you singing a popular tune.  It's an easy verse to remember.  But - remembering it is the key.  Plant this verse so deep in your heart that you'll absolutely never forget it.  When you're down in the dumps, repeat this verse to yourself.  When you feel sad and alone, repeat this verse.  When you feel overwhelmed by the struggles of life, repeat this verse. 

There will never be a time in your life when God is not "for" you.  He is always on your side.  He is always your biggest champion.  He wants you to thrive more than you want to thrive.  And we have seen through past verses that nothing can separate us from His love.  Believe it!  It's true!

The verse also says "who can be against us?". I'm sure you have no trouble conjuring up someone or something in your mind.  When we look at things with human eyes, we see danger all around.  But from God's perspective all of those dangers are nothing but nuisances.  Even the devil (as powerful as we think he is) is more akin to a powder puff than any real threat.  There is no force, no evil, no one that can truly be against us with God on our side.

See more about the Memory Verse Challenge here.
See the complete list of Challenge verses here.

Memory Verse Challenge: Week 47

Happy Thursday everyone.  It's been a week since Thanksgiving.  Are you still feeling full?  Well, we only have a few more weeks of our Memory Verse Challenge series.  I hope and pray it's been encouraging to you.  God's words have that affect on us if we just tap into them.

This week's verse is another one that says so much in just one little verse.  Check it out.

Always be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have.  It makes sense, doesn't it, that when we revere God in our hearts, hope is a natural by-product.  Revering Him means we have seen His truths - His promises and we believe in His almighty power and love.  Revering someone also indicates we feel safe and protected.  He will not let us down.  Our hope, our trust, and our faith is in His hands.

It's true - sometimes it can be difficult to share our faith.  But this verse tries to simplify things for us.  We shouldn't try so hard to explain things logically (from our brain) in an effort to make others understand intellectually.  All we have to do is share God from our hearts.  How does He make you feel?  How has He made a difference in your life?  What would your life be like without Him?

The last part of this verse says to give an answer with gentleness and respect.  Like I said - God works through people's hearts more than He works through their minds.  Trying to debate someone into believing in God will do much less good than building a heart connection.  Don't worry that you may sound crazy.  Since when has love ever made sense?

Memory Verse Challenge: Week 46

Hi everyone.  I hope and pray you will have a blessed Thanksgiving holiday.  I know many of you will be feasting up a storm.  So...here is one more thing for you to feed on - this week's verse.

The book of Isaiah is full of wonderful reminders of God's power and love.  This verse is one of the many that gives us a sense of His strength and at the same time shows His watchful, protective nature over us.

We know life has trials but God is with us and we will not be overcome by those trials.  Yes, we will encounter rough waters but we will not drown.  There will be times when we feel like we're walking through the fire.  We will not be burned.  We will make it triumphantly to the other side with the Lord our God right by our side.

This thanksgiving season I'm thankful I don't have to navigate these dangers alone.  I'm thankful for the protectiveness of my heavenly Father.  I'm thankful for my Savior.


See more about the Memory Verse Challenge here.
See the complete list of Challenge verses here.

Memory Verse Challenge: Week 45

This week's verse is one I often use to remind myself that my prayers make a difference.  I hope you will too.  At first glance we might be tempted to think this verse only applies to someone who is "righteous".  Surely that can't be me?  I sin daily (whether I know it or not). 

Thankfully, though, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior He clothes us in His righteousness.  Therefore we become righteous despite all our sins and failures. 

It's because of Jesus that we're cleansed enough to approach God - to bring our prayers to Him personally.  He wants to hear from us.  He wants to hear our praises, our thanks, and our requests.  When we're in trouble He wants us to come to Him - to lay our burdens on His lap.

Our prayers connect us with God like nothing else can.  They ARE powerful and effective.  Let's start treating them like they are. 

See more about the Memory Verse Challenge here.
See the complete list of Challenge verses here.