"I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you."
It is our conviction that Scripture memorization is essential, vital and necessary... and fun for all believers.
• it aids your meditation - Joshua 1.8, ESV
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
• it adds to your treasure - Psalm 119.11, ESV
"I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you."
• it helps draw you closer to God - Psalm 63.5-6, ESV
"My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night..."
• it hinders the build up of sin - Psalm 119.9, ESV
"How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word."
• it holds hope for those without Christ - Romans 10.17, ESV
"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
• it assists us in renewing our minds - Romans 12.2, ESV
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
So, we want to store up the Word in our hearts and minds. Beginning Sunday, October 5, we'll give witness to doing just this. We'll ask someone to share the verse chosen for that week... before the whole congregation. Now, don't panic, it's purely voluntary; no one will be called upon. Then, the following week, someone else can recite that week's verse, and so on. We believe this will encourage one another to treasure God's Word, to build up others (maybe you'll be the one reciting a verse, perhaps forget the next word or two and someone else can help you out with a little reminder) and to spur us all on to learn the Word.
Here are June’s verses*:
May 31, 2009 - Psalm 100.1 (NIV)
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. “
June 7, 2009 – Psalm 100.2
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. “
June 14, 2009 – Psalm 100.3 (NIV)
“Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
June 21, 2009 – Psalm 100.4 (NIV)
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
June 28, 2009 – Psalm 100.5 (NIV)
“For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
* We've intentionally allowed each person to use the version of choice & familiarity rather than compel those who have used one version all their life to attempt to learn from a version they don't use.