15 November, 2009

Our Thoughts Build Our Character

By J. R. Miller, "The Lesson of Love" 1903

"When, on my bed, I think of You, I meditate on You during the night watches." Psalm 63:6

It is a law of life--that our thoughts build our character.  If we meditate on the purity, the holiness, the goodness, the love, the righteousness, of Christ--these qualities will print themselves upon our own hearts.
Paul has given us an infallible direction for the best spiritual culture.
"Whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable--
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--
think about such things!" Philippians 4:8

08 November, 2009

This Week's Memory Verse


So convinced am I that scripture memory is a vehicle by which the Holy Spirit is able to work in a person, that I am committing to post a memory verse each week, with the hope that you will be blessed, as I have, with how God will use it.  

His revelation to me through the writing of His word on my heart has strengthened my faith more than any other single thing.  I pray that it does the same for you.

"Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."  Isaiah 40:31

01 November, 2009

Thy Word

For those of you who may not know, we home school our children. And this past week’s memory verse was 2 Timothy 3:16-17…

“All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

One of the reasons I am such a proponent of scripture memorization is because having the Word of God written on your heart enables you to meditate on it (because now it’s with you wherever you go; in the elevator, in the grocery line, in the doctor’s office, in the car…), which provides the Holy Spirit an opportunity to reveal some truth to you.

I’ve known of this verse, but memorizing it this past week and meditating on it, the Holy Spirit has had an opportunity to reveal some truth to me.

All scripture. All of it. There is none that is useless, or outdated, or otherwise not applicable to me… now… here.

Now, the bible is a book, which implies that we need to read it. I can’t know God without reading His Word. I can’t have a relationship without having conversation once in a while. This is how God speaks. John MacArthur (one of my favorite theologians) puts it this way: “So identified is God with His Word, that when scripture speaks, God speaks.” Whoa!

God does the equipping. God’s word provides the instruction, correction, reproof, training, etc. It’s the light unto my path! It’s how I know what to do, where I’m going, where I messed up and how to fix it, how to please Him, how stay on the righteous path, how to receive his blessing, ‘That I may be equipped for every good work’.

Not Me. Halleluiah! That’s what I wanted to yell out when I realized it’s not in my strength. I’m not the one having to equip myself somehow.
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose” Phil2:13.
(Ahh, the Holy Spirit was able to call that scripture to my attention with re: to this passage…because I had memorized it ;). God works in me through His Word.

All that from 2 verses and a week’s worth of memorizing and meditation. Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I memorized an entire chapter, or even a book of the bible? I’ll keep you posted.

For a great sermon on scripture memorization, listen to John Piper’s “If My Words Abide in You”.