Friday, January 17, 2014

JANUARY


Often, memory verses are all about personalizing it to our lives, but there are times when the truths of those memory verses are good to have in our hearts, ready for the Holy Spirit to remind us in those moments in life when we need them. Some of the verses chosen are not always those one would consider worth thinking about or memorizing; but with practice, asking questions, and meditating on God's Word, some rich encouragements and Biblical truths can come.
My favorite quote on meditating on Scripture is from J.I. Packer:

"Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, thinking over, dwelling on, and applying to oneself the various things one knows about the works and ways and purpose and promises of God.
It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communication with God.
Its purpose is to clear one's mental and spiritual vision of God, and to let his truth make its full and proper impact on one's mind and heart.
It is a matter of talking to oneself about God and oneself.
It is, indeed, often a matter of arguing with oneself, reasoning oneself out of moods of doubt and unbelief into a clear apprehension of God's power and grace."

WEEK 1
Old Testament Edition: Genesis 3:15.
This  verse is the first prophetic utterance about  Christ in Scripture.   It is good to remember the victory of Christ over Satan when “he shall bruise your(Satan’s) head. 

New Testament Edition: Matthew 16:16
Meditate on the fact that Jesus is Christ- the Son of God. It is a title of Jesus that can cause our hearts to worship. Don’t lose that awe just because the phrase is familiar.

WEEK 2
Old Testament Edition: Exodus 6:6
This is the Passover promise that foreshadows the greater deliverance that Jesus Christ provides. Remember the Gospel blessings in this verse.

New Testament Edition Mark 10:45
Christ proclaims the very reason he came- to serve and to suffer for a greater cause than the disciples understood. Dwelling on this fact should humble our hearts and motives.

WEEK 3
Old Testament Edition: Leviticus 19:2
Christ is pictured in each sacrifice and ritual. God’s people can only be holy because of Christ.

New Testament Edition: Luke 19:10
There is hope found in this verse. For Jesus has come to find those who are lost in sin.

WEEK 4
Old Testament Edition: Number 14:22, 23 (2 weeks)
In the OT narrative this is the judgment of Israelites who had seen God’s saving power in the exodus of Egypt, yet failed to revere and Him as their God through disobedience.

New Testament Edition: John 10:31
If you ever doubt that Christ claimed to be God, realize the Jews thought Jesus blasphemed. That is why they were going to stone him.