A Brick in the Valley

I have a new Bible in my cupboard.  Once Sabbatical arrives, I will peel the shrink wrapping off and begin devouring it (Jeremiah 15:16).  And, my prayer (Psalm 119:18 –-see here) is that God will speak into my life in new and exciting ways.  When He answers that prayer, I will track up the snow of my new Bible by writing out in the margins what God is teaching me – - meditating with pen in hand – - ready to hear from God in living and dynamic ways. 

Remember, the principle means by which God speaks to us today is through His Word.  When we read prayerfully hear the Word of God, then the Spirit will illuminate it in ways that revive our souls,make wise the simple, give joy to the heart, and light to the eyes (Psalm 19:7-11).

With the fresh white pages of my new Bible, I will feel like our friends in the last Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, who looking at a fresh blanket of snow say to one another, “It’s a magical world, let’s go exploring.” 

After the exploring of Sabbatical is over, I’ll have a marked up Bible that will remind me of fresh tracks on my heart. 

And, the reality is, believers have a new Bible every day.  God’s Word is always living and active.  Let’s go exploring.

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My son will be proud of me for putting in the below link.

One of the things we’re encouraging our leaders to do is to write in their Bibles.

• When you read the day’s chapter of Proverbs, paraphrase the Proverb that gets your attention (See here).  So, today is the 27th.  Read Proverbs 27 with pen in hand!

• Journal your prayers.  Write out sentence prayers.  Pray with pen in hand.
• Write out your Scripture memory verses (See here).
• Write the date at the end of a book of the Bible each time you read it (See here).

Stephen Altrogge has a very helpful post on how to meditate on Scripture.

Meditate With Pen In Hand
I first heard of this from John Piper, who said the following:

“A pastor will not be able to feed his flock rich and challenging insight into God’s word unless he becomes a disciplined thinker. But almost none of us does this by nature. We must train ourselves to do it. And one of the best ways to train ourselves to think about what we read is to read with pen in hand and to write down a train of thought that comes to mind. Without this, we simply cannot sustain a sequence of questions and answers long enough to come to penetrating conclusions”

The practice of writing down my thoughts as I read my Bible has had a transforming effect on my devotional times. Writing forces me to think through each verse, and to trace the logic of each passage. It helps me to fight distraction and to focus all my attention on the words before me. Go out and get yourself a Moleskine Watercolor Notebook Large journal and start writing as you read.

Read more of Stephen Altrogge’s excellent thoughts here.

How much are you really praying about the challenges you face in life?

Going through my Scripture memory system today (see these posts), I came across this verse that I started memorizing on September 3, 1993.

So, he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbebel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”  Zechariah 4:6

I have repeated this verse hundreds of times – - maybe even getting close to a thousand – - but, I still have problems remembering that ultimately my preaching or efforts in any other area of life will not succeed apart from God’s help.

So, consider the biggest struggle you currently face. 

1. Are you consistently praying about this area?  I recommend that you start a prayer journal in which you journal your prayers.  Also, be sure and pray with other believers.  When was the last time you were on your knees praying with others?  It is not enough to “go it alone.”
2. Are you memorizing relevant Scripture? God works powerfully through His Word.  When God speaks, the Red Sea parts.  Wear a rut in your mind with the truth of God’s Word and you will be amazed at the results.

Make a point to quote this truth one way or another 3 times in the next 24 hours.  Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit  . . .

Robert Reymond:

Hundreds of the world’s space scientists are spending vast sums from their nations’ treasuries trying to make meaningful contact with imagined rational beings living in deep space.  It is an extremely questionable undertaking for many reasons, but the insatiable thirst for a word to us from another world drives them on in a pursuit that has to date yielded nothing.

The Christian church believes that it already possesses such a word from “outer space,” or, more accurately, a word form beyond space, even from the Triune God of heaven himself. . .

The conviction that the Holy Spirit is the primary author of Scripture entails yet another conviction, namely, that the Spirit’s superintending influence upon the minds of the Bible writers insured that they would write precisely what God wanted them to.  So, since the God of truth by the Spirit of truth inspired the Bible writers to write what he wanted them to write, the final effects was an inerrant autograph or original.  And if we fail to recognize within the Scriptures our Master’s voice speaking his infallible truth to us from his world to our world, we destroy ourselves not only epistemically but also personally, for we abandon the only foundation for the certainty of knowledge and the only “meaning base” by which we may truly know the One infinite, personal God and thereby ourselves as persons of dignity and worth.

Reymond’s is a systematic theology worth owning.

Here is a verse to memorize and a pathetic way I remember the reference.  Notice that I am offering extra credit for this assignment.

If there is some area that has a grip on your life (an addiction, pornography, eating, temper problems), then a verse to consider memorizing is 2 Corinthians 10:4:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Meditate on the truth of this verse.  If you continue to allow some area to rule your life, then you are like a city with broken down walls (Proverbs 25:28).  Grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Memory Tips

• Put it on a 3*5 card – - reference on one side, reference and text on the other side.  No more than one verse per card.  Write down the date you begin. 
• Repeat to remember.  The idea is systematic repetition with a goal of wearing a rut in your mind.   If you say it enough times, you will remember it.  And, if you are struggling with sin in some area, you should be motivated.
• Associate the reference with something familiar. I started memorizing this verse in June of 1992.  If you are from my generation (the C.B. era), and you remember the horrendously awful song “Convoy,” I had the 45, then the reference will be easy to remember: 10:4.

See also, aloud, and twenty verses from my short term file.

Extra Credit

As I did one year in my room with a record player, listen to the entire song Convoy 100 times so that you too will never forget the phrase, “So, we crashed the gate doing 98, I said let them truckers roll 10:4.”  Your IQ will permanently drop, but you will remember the reference of 2 Corinthians 10:4.

As I continue to repeat, the key to Scripture memory is systematic repetition.

• You need a system.  Begin by repeating a large number of times over a few days.  Then put it on a 3*5 card for review.
• Repeat, repeat, repeat.  You can memorize anything if you say it enough times.

Today, let me add an additional and important detail.  When you repeat it, you should say it aloud.  In doing so, you will involve more of your senses and the repetition will be more memorable.

Repeating Scripture is aloud is especially helpful if you say it with emphasis and conviction.  The goal is to wear a rut in your memory.

See also this post.

By way of review, here again is a copy of one of my Scripture memory sheets that shows how I keep track of repeating a verse when I am first memorizing it.

The key to memorizing Scripture is systematic repetition.  If you have a system for repeating verses aloud, then you will remember them. 

Here is what one of my Scripture memory sheets looks like.  I repeat verses 25 times the first day, 20 the second, 15, 10, and 5.  I then put the verse on a 3×5 card and repeat it once daily for a long time. I call this my short term memory file.

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Here are 20 verses in my short term system.  I made a few comments.  Even though, I have grouped the verses together when they are the same passage, I only put one verse on a card.

 "Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.(Jon 2:8)."  Read Tim Keller’s new book!  Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters

"For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.(2 Corinthians 1:20)."  If you can’t get fired up about this verse you have “wet wood.”

"And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live (Deuteronomy 30:6)."

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:13)."

"For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,(Ro 4:3-5)."  One of the most concise statements of the Gospel.

"The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.(Pr 18:17)."  If you don’t know why I am memorizing this verse, then you have never done pastoral counseling.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.(2 Co 3:17-18)."  Perhaps, the first verses to memorize on sanctification (being conformed to Christ and growing in him).

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(2 Co 5:21)."

" Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death. And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the Lord, while Athaliah reigned over the land.(2 Ki 11:1-3)."  (Really cool verses.  2 Kings 11:2 is one of the hardest verses I have ever memorized. See this post).

"Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?(1 Co 10:14-16)."  See this post that links, in turn, to other posts.  We must grow in our understanding that communion is central.

" Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”(Mt 16:24-28)."

There is nothing like the life giving power of the Word of God.

Several years ago my wife and I invited a group of young adults into our home for dinner. About half way through our meal one young lady asked what our church believes. To answer that question, I just began talking through the Psalm 19 beginning in verse 7. I said,

“We believe that God’s Word is perfect: reviving the soul. We believe that there are people who are dead inside, who feel like they have nothing left, and God’s Word is what the Spirit uses to give life.  (See Psalm 19:7-11)

I continued,

“We believe that the Word of God gives joy to the heart. In Christ, and through His proclaimed word, we can find unsurpassed joy and happiness.

We believe that God’s Word is radiant, giving light to the eyes. That for people who need direction, God’s Word shows them a direction to go. . .” And, in this day of wars and complex medical decisions and broken relationships, we so need the light of the Word.

It was not a long answer. But, within a minute or two of talking about Psalm 19, I noticed that the eyes of the young lady who asked me the question were shining with tears. So, I said quietly to her, “Tell me a little about your story.” Without hesitation she began to describe how she had grown up knowing nothing of the power, sweetness, and hope of God’s Word.

Listen: The Truth is our need. We need to hear from God. We need to be revived in our souls; we need to see God’s truth come into intersection with life. God’s Word is more precious than gold, it is at once powerful and precise. Best of all, it is focused on our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This morning is Super AWANA Sunday at the Red Brick Church.  The title of the message is, “How to Hide.”  The goal is to explain why Scripture memory is such an important part of our children’s curriculum, and to challenge our people to hide God’s Word in their hearts.

One of the reason we need to know how to hide is because we become like what we worship.  Below is a post repeated from a few months ago that was also a radio spot.

When I was growing up, we didn’t have a broad range of sports in Southeast Iowa. We played football in the fall and basketball in the winter. The rest of the year was baseball.

We loved major league baseball players. Consciously and unconsciously we picked up the habits of our favorite players. Some of us twirled our bats like Willie Stargell. Others turned towards second base before pitching, like Boston Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant. One of my friends pumped his back elbow when he was at the plate, just like the great Cincinnati Red, Joe Morgan.

Here’s what is interesting. When my friends and I imitated big leaguers we were demonstrating a basic theological principle. We become like what we worship. When fix our eyes on what we love, our hearts are warm and pliable. Consciously and unconsciously we begin to take on the shape of what we revere.

This is what Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 3:18a.

“. . . And we all . . . beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. . . .”

As we look lovingly at Christ, we become like Him.

So, here is what you do. Make the Lord Jesus Christ your hero. Gaze at him intensely. Savor his beauty and loveliness. Hear His Word preached, and soak your minds in Scripture. Warm your heart to the beauty of Jesus and you will be transformed into his image, from one degree of glory to another.

“D.V.” refers to the Latin phrase, “Deo Volente” and means, “God willing.”"

James 4:13-17 tells us why we should use it often:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.(James 4:13-17)."