Friday, January 5, 2018

Memory Verses 2018: Week 1

I don't know about you but every day I see or read or hear something that makes 
my heart break and makes me honestly shake my head at the world we live in. 
There is just so much heartbreak and sadness and evil and pain that 
honestly it's heartbreaking and almost completely overwhelming. 
When I start to feel overwhelmed with the awfulness of this world, 
I turn to God's word because it's honestly the ONLY thing that gives me any true comfort.

God’s word anchors us to Him and is what directs us to fulfill our purpose in life.  
It is God Himself that gives His Word power, and it is in and through 
His Word that we encounter Him.  

When we read and meditate on God’s Word, 
we build our relationship with him stronger and deeper and we have HOPE. 
Hope that is ONLY found in Him.

This is mentioned over and over again in scripture. 
Here are just a few examples: 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9:  
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 119:15-18 
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

John 1: 1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.


He wants us to know Him, focus our hearts, souls and all our might on loving Him.
  
He wants to use His Word to:
•Encourage us
•Affirm us
•Love us
•Be our stronghold and anchor

In order for that to happen we must: Hear it, Read it, Learn it, and Obey it!

I read recently of a woman who said…...
"If I bring my phone to Bible study what I’m saying is I’m NOT okay missing a phone or text from a friend or work- but I AM okay missing the message the Lord might have for me.” 
OUCH. That stepped ALL over my toes!

I believe that Satan doesn’t want us in God’s word and will use any and every means possible to keep us from the truth and therefore we must be prepared and have a PLAN!

To work on hiding God's word in our hearts, 
this year I'm going to be posting a memory verse for each week. 
My sweet friend Mandy compiled this great list and each week I'll be sharing 
a new verse along with a printable for you to print out and hang up. 


Here's the verse for week 1: 


I'm doing it in both a white and a black background
and you can print out the verses (and even a Spanish version) 
and the complete list in a folder  HERE

So who's in for learning 52 verses this year?