“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NKJV)
Here’s the way it will work. Each Sunday throughout the year, the Deacon of the Week will come to the front like he always does to lead the congregation to start the worship service with prayer. Once he prays, he will ask the people to stand to their feet and repeat the Scripture memory verse together. You will have the benefit of reading the verse off the screens in the front for two of the four Sundays each month. On the third and fourth Sunday of the month, we will quote the verse together from memory.
By the end of the year we will all have memorized the top 12 verses that every believer should know.
Our church is beginning a process by which we all will actually do what the Psalmist says, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against God.” (Psalm 119:11)
Why is it important to hide God’s word in your heart? When you get in trouble, you need it to give you strength and assurance. When you get confused and do not have clear direction, you can remember what God’s word says to find your way. When you sin and mess up, God’s word will help you repent and find forgiveness. When somebody you know needs encouragement or help to meet their needs, you will know how to help them hear what God has to say about it.
Charles Spurgeon said, “Be walking Bibles.”
Memorizing 12 verses this year will help us become the walking Bibles God wants us to be.
It will be good to be “Johnny on the Spot” with scripture verses that you can repeat without having to look them up. You won’t have to say, “I’ll get back to you on that.” The Holy Spirit will help you remember so that your recall of God’s word will be instantaneous.
I look forward to memorizing these great verses of scripture with you. You will encourage me and I will encourage you so that we will all be ready to say, “I have hidden God’s word in my heart so that I may not sin against God.”