Monday, September 30, 2024
When I first became a Christian, I had 43 years of wrong thinking to work through. My life was a mess of lies, regrets, broken relationships, and other baggage. It was truly stressful to navigate this new, Christ-centered way of thinking and living. More than anything, I wanted to get this right, and prove to myself (and the others watching) that my new faith in Christ wasn’t just the latest “fad” I was following. These verses in John held a ton of meaning for me:
John 8:31-32
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
I wanted to be free from the lies I had believed. In order to correct my thinking and beliefs, I incorporated Jesus’ teachings into my life. I memorized key verses that provided the foundation on which I built that discipleship. One of my favorites is Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (NIV)
This verse enables me to remember who I am, and that I am not the boss of me — Jesus is. I can trust him with my life because he gave himself for me!
Another impactful verse is 1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (NIV)
I know that God is with me when I want to take matters into my own hands. All I have to do is trust that he will provide. These Scriptures and many more, plus daily time in the rest of God’s word and prayer, have been the rock on which I stand through all the trials and joys of my life. I encourage you to find scripture you can use to do the same! Ben gave us many suggestions to help you get started. Pick one, and do it!
Bottom Line: Scripture is the foundation of our strength.
Questions:
Have you ever memorized a passage of Scripture that is especially meaningful to you? Can you commit to memorizing the series theme verse, Ephesians 3:16-17, found below?
Next Steps:
Grab a friend and select some verses to memorize. Hold each other accountable. If you have kids in CedarCreek Kids, memorize their verses with them. It’s a great habit to get into!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for your Word! It has provided such a great foundation for me to build my life on. I pray that as I grow older, I keep the capacity and the desire to memorize your Word. Make your home in my heart. Keep me rooted in your love, and give me strength! Amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Ephesians 3:16-17
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
This post was written by Lauri White, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.