Looking back at the first half of 2020, I can see how my goals are starting to drift. Earlier this year, I shared about my “growth book” which was intended to record my reading, Bible memory, prayer requests, journal, and more. And I set a goal to recap each month both there and here as a means of accountability. Read more
One of the commitments I made this year was to try to learn a few Bible verses each month. My January verses I say almost every day to remember who God is, to thank and praise Him, to entrust the cares of my life to the Sovereign One, strong and mighty, who rules over all.
With that commitment to memorize Scripture, I’ve tried to record at the end of each month how things went, as a means of both accountability and of encouragement to keep going. And in so doing, I’ve reviewed the preceding month as a whole, as well.
Yet, how do you begin to review months like March and April 2020, where all of life was changed or impacted in some way by the coronavirus that continues to disrupt the world? Read more
For Christmas I was given a “Growth Book,” something I had heard about online and asked for. It’s a way to follow your growth for the year, allowing you to track your goals, reading, prayer requests, God’s faithfulness, and reflect each month where you’ve done well or where you need change. There are many blank pages for journaling or taking notes from sermons or podcasts — or however else you want to use them. It has been a help to me to record these things and visualize progress. Read more
“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty,
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
And You are exalted as head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In your hand is power and might;
In your hand it is to make great,
And to give strength to all.
Now, therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name.”
1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (NKJV)
Around Christmastime, my mom texted me and my sister to see if we could learn these Bible verses together. I agreed, and it took me the whole month of January to learn them completely. (I find memorizing harder the older I get!) Read more
Typically, when my blog is dry, my journal is full. That’s been the case this last month. I’ll try to do some short posts over the coming days to catch up on some things.
One of the blessings of a sermon series going slowly, verse by verse through a book of the Bible, is it gives you time for in-depth reflection on the verses. We’ve been studying Romans at church and are in Chapter 5, just having finished verses 1-5. I have memorized these verses as we go because it’s quite easy after listening to the sermons to have these words on my heart and to then memorize them.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:1-5 (NAS)
I am reminded again of the value of Scripture memory. It gives my mind something to think on that is good and true (Phil. 4:8). It hides God’s Word in my heart to help me not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11).
Look at Romans 5:1 above. It’s an incredible verse that tells us how to have peace with God! Isn’t that what anyone would want?! Unless someone is simply denying the existence of God, I imagine they would want to know that they can have peace with Him and how that is accomplished:
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have peace with God through Jesus Christ, being justified (made right) by faith in Him. We can be assured of this and have confidence of it and then go on in His Word to learn more and more about this. But right there is the starting point! Isn’t that amazing?! This is the peace we all need.
Then we had dinner with a family Saturday night, and I could see that this person was a living example of Romans 5:3-5, having been through tribulation, but filled with great hope, having character that is being proven. We were able to see the way the Spirit was so visibly working in their lives. It was beautiful.
It’s wonderful to keep learning Scripture to remind us and reinforce what God is teaching us in His Word. It will not return void (Is. 55:11).
I’m participating in the Scripture memory program for 2015 at Beth Moore’s blog. We’re memorizing a new verse twice a month so that by the end of the year, we’ll have at least 24 verses hidden in our hearts. It’s a very manageable pace. You can find it here if you want to participate, too!
Praise Proclaimer 