Eat Your Bible

It has nearly been a week since the new year began and I am sure many of you have made on progress in your Bible reading plan. Some of you may not even be doing a Bible reading plan which is fine. You are not more or less spiritual if you do or do not do a Bible reading plan.

Regardless of how you are reading the Bible, I believe that all Christians should eat their Bibles. Yes, you read it correctly, eat your Bible. Do I mean have it your plate on put ketchup on it? If you said yes, then your probably missed the metaphor. I do not mean put your Bible between two pieces of bread and have it for lunch. What I am saying is devour it as much as you can. This is based out of Jeremiah 15:16 which says:

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.

Christians have been known as people of the book, but we have not been. Not many Christians have read the Bible. We read books about the Bible but we do not read the Bible. We should as often as we can consume the word. How this accomplished? There are several ways.

First, the most obvious one, read the Bible. Get a good translation. I use the ESV. If you are an ESV user then read from another one to get how different the text can be translated. Other translations I recommend are the New American Standard Bible, King James Version, New King James Version, and the New English Translation. The first three are literal translations while the other is more of a thought-for-thought translation which attempts to translate the meaning of the text.

Second, listen to the word. One of the primary ways is through preaching. I hope that all of you who read this are part of a church where the Bible is preached. The Bible being preached is where we hear the word. Another way is to read the Bible out loud whether to yourself or someone else. Another way is through Bible reading apps or a website where you can listen to the Bible. Most apps have an audio version. The ESV website has it where you can read the text as it is read to you. One app that I have been using is Dwell. This is an app that has playlists of different verses as well as different Bible plans. I am currently using one in the Psalms which will take me 150 days. Yes, I will listen to Psalm 119 in one day which will take about 20 minutes. On Spotify, there is a daily reading in the ESV.

Third, memorize the word. Take time to memorize verses. If you are not at it, start small then work your way up. Scripture is good for when temptations come, we can recall what the Bible says in dealing with temptation just as Jesus did in Matthew 4. Scripture memorization is also good when witnessing when you don't have your Bible on you or your phone battery died.

Finally, meditate on the word. I am not using the term meditate like the world does where you empty your mind. Meditating on the word is fulfilling your mind with the Bible. Think about the verses your are memorizing, the ones your read in your Bible reading plan, and even the ones you heard in a sermon or Bible study.

My hope is that all of you will eat the Bible not just this year, but in the years to come. I pray these tools I have given you will point you in the right direction to accomplish it.

Encouragements To Memorize God’s Word

1. Remember that the Lord has power over your mind. “Then He [Christ] opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). Jesus worked effectively in their brains to enable them to understand. He can just as readily work in you to enable you to memorize. Do your best. Make a sincere effort, and pray for Him to bless your efforts.

2. Think of the benefits that come from memorizing God’s Word! Who among us wouldn’t want to have our lives shaped more and more by Scripture? Every Christian would like to have the actual words of the Bible fresh in his mind, ready to be incorporated naturally into conversations. These are two of the benefits of Scripture memory. Of course, there are many others, as the verses I have cited above indicate. Too often we don’t memorize Scripture simply because it isn’t important enough to us. We don’t like to admit that, but it tends to be true. How motivated would we become if someone promised us $50,000 for every chapter we memorized? Would you do it? Would you at least try? The benefits of memorizing God’s Word, as we know, are far greater than money.

3. Have a plan. One reason that it might be a good idea for you to start working on 1 Peter is that many of the folks in the church will be working on it with you. Wherever you start, in order to keep committing Scripture to your memory, it is vitally important that you set aside time each day to work on specific verses. Even 5-10 minutes a day would be a good start. If you can do that twice a day, you will progress even faster.

Try your best to be consistent and work on Scripture memory every day. I find it helpful to write the verses down on a piece of paper or card (or a pda). That way I can carry them with me and work on them throughout the day. Review what you learn. As you get more verses learned, you will need to incorporate some time to review the older verses while working on the newer ones. Oftentimes, it is in the review process that some of the most fruitful thoughts for meditation emerge.

Finally, ask others to help you – to pray for you and work with you on memorizing...When talking on the phone or in the foyer or before a class or over lunch, ask a friend or family member to “check you out” on the verses you are working on. Offer to do the same for them.

Pray that the Lord will cause His Word to live in the hearts and minds of His people and that we will become more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

Adapted from Scripture Memory by Tom Ascol

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Donald Whitney on the easiest way to memorize the Bible.

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H.B. Charles, Jr. on why Sola Scriptura matters



G.K. Beale on the Importance of Scripture Memorization and Prayer

Twelve Gospel Passages To Soak In

Mere truth won't sustain our souls. We desperately need the gospel. "The grace of God in truth" (Col. 1:6) is the shock that brings a dead soul to life and the charge that keeps it living. The gospel is the fuel that awakens and energizes the human heart, not mere truth - essential as truth is. Two plus two equals four - that's true. It just doesn't do much to jump-start and drive a languishing soul.

It's all wonderful and good to learn various truths from the Bible - and there are many crucial truths to learn - but we must not miss or minimize the one truth of the gospel, "the word of truth" (Col. 1:5; see Eph. 1:13), the message so central and significant that the apostle calls it not merely a truth, but the truth, throughout the Pastoral Epistles (1 Tim. 2:4; 3:15; 4:3; 6:5; 2 Tim. 2:18, 25; 3:7, 8; Titus 1:1; 14)...These short sections are ripe for memorization, and warrant at least some extended time of reflection. Build your life on them and around them, and let them shape and flavor everything. Soak in them - and soak them in.

Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:4-6).

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).

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 believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness (Romans 4:4-5).

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:13-14).

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-5).

Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8).

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (Colossians 1:19-20).

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14).

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7).

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:14-17).

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:22-25).

Adapted from Habits of Grace by David Mathis

Ten Gospel Verses To Keep Warm

Bible memorization is always time well spent. All Scripture memory is "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). And especially useful are one-verse statements of the gospel.

When you memorize a "gospel verse," and keep it warm, you have hidden in your heart a divinely inspired and inerrant expression, in human language, of the very point of the whole Bible and all of history. You carry with you the sword of the Spirit in its strongest alloy. One-sentence encapsulations of the Bible's central message strengthen our spiritual backbone and solidify our core, rooting us deep down in the bedrock of God's heart and confident combat with unbelief, whether our own or someone's else. Gospel verses are invaluable in both evangelism and discipleship.

So, alongside other Scripture memorization efforts, sprinkle in some gospel verses that guide and shape and flavor your whole reservoir. By "gospel verses," I have in mind verses like John 3:16 (don't begrudge this verse its fame-it's for good reason), verses that communicate succinctly that Jesus saves sinners.

Here's a starter list of ten. Perhaps keep your eyes peeled for others and add them as you go-and don't be surprised if you find a lot in Romans:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45)

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

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 Corinthians 5:21)

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9)

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost (1 Timothy 1:15)

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10)

Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation (Revelation 5:9)

Adapted from Habits of Grace by David Mathis

Scripture Typer

I stumbled upon a new website that is geared toward helping Christians memorize Bible verses called Scripture Typer. Not only can you use it on your phone or tablet, but you can use it on your PC.

You can create groups and even have a library of verses to memorize. Here is a short video explaining what Scripture Typer is about:

Scripture Memorization for Families on the Go

Scripture Memorization is a discipline that Christians need to be constantly engaged. Christians need to memorize the Word so it can resonate in our hearts and minds as we go into the world. This should not be done just individually or corporately, but within your own house.

My family and I are always on the go. We have many obligations to fulfill and school activities. Family devotions can be a struggle at times as well as working on a verse together. Both my kids have had quite the workload this year when it comes their studies as well.

One day, I was thinking how can we memorize verses in the Bible together as family and that is where an idea came. The idea is take five verses from the Bible and have them for each day of the week. Not five verses a day, five verses a week. The same verses for an entire month. Monday would be one verse, Tuesday would be another, etc. I hope you are getting the idea.

Choose passages that you and your family can go back to and recall the verse prior to that one. For example, Psalm 23 is one of the most memorized passages in the Bible. Start with verse one, then next month go to verse two, and so on.

Here is an example:

Monday:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15)

Tuesday:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)

Wednesday:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

Thursday:

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1)

Friday:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3)

 

 

Have these verses posted somewhere you and your family can see. I would recommend printing them on a sheet of paper and have it on a cork board or your refrigerator. Don't take the previous verses down unless you the weight of paper becomes too much so everyone can look back at previous verses.

 

I really hope this method will benefit families with busy schedules. Memorizing the Word is a privilege and a discipline that should not be taken lightly. If you choose to use this, I would love to hear how it has helped or what struggles you have had. If you choose not to use it, I would love to hear how you and your family memorize the Bible together.  

 



 



My Journey Through 1 Peter

Earlier this summer, I decided to tackle the book of 1 Peter not for the purpose of sermon preparation or leading in a Bible study, but for my own edification and personal growth. After the Supreme Court's decision to legalize Gay Marriage, I felt 1 Peter became a very important book because it is addressed to those who are "elect exiles" (1 Peter 1:1). A couple of weeks ago, Tim Brister issued a challenge to memorize the entire book of 1 Peter in the same manner that a challenge was made to memorize Philippians, which I failed miserably, but by God's grace will strive for again.

Why should a Christian memorize scripture? First, God's word tell us not to let his word depart from our mouths and meditate on it (Joshua 1:8). Second, those who have been blessed by God, let His word be their delight (Psalm 1:1-2). Third, Jesus memorized scripture and used it quite a bit in His earthly ministry. For example, when tempted by the devil, he counteracted the temptation with scripture. Fourth, there will be a time when you won't have a Bible handy. You may have an app on your phone, but there could be no service. You could be on an airplane where cell phones are not allowed to used. You never know when or where you will not access to a Bible, so memorization is important. Finally, having scripture memorized will be good as you meditate on the goodness of God and remind yourself of the gospel.

This past Sunday, I started my journey to memorize 1 Peter which I know will be a challenge but at the same time will be rewarding. I will continue to study through 1 Peter even as I am memorizing it. I will also be revisiting places that I have already to remind myself of the things that I learned in my previous studies. I just found out that the ladies in our church are reading 1 Peter along with Jen Wilkin's book, Women of the Word, which my wife will be involved in. What a great opportunity for my wife and I to grow together as we read God's Word together.

If you wish to join me on this journey or if already have been, praise God. Let me give you a few resources which Tim has already given a couple, but I would like to share what I have been using in my study of 1 Peter.

Wayne Grudem's commentary on 1 Peter

R.C. Sproul's commentary on 1 Peter which also contains 2 Peter

Everyday Church by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, which a study of 1 Peter in the context of being a gospel community.

Greg Gilbert over at Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, recently began a sermon series on 1 Peter. Here are the sermons in the series thus far:

Salvation 101

Be Who You Are

You Belong To God

Fear God, Honor the Emperor

John Piper released a couple teaching videos that covered 1 Peter 1:1-2, which says,

To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.


The first one is about the letter to the exiles followed by being known by God before we were born.

1 Peter 1:1–2, Part 1 // A Letter to Exiles from Desiring God on Vimeo.

1 Peter 1:1–2, Part 2 // Known by God Before You Were Born from Desiring God on Vimeo.

Bible Memorization Tips

Do you struggle with memorizing the Bible? If you answer is yes, then join the club. We all in one way or another struggle with scripture memorization. For me, there are days I am doing well and others I fall flat on my face. I have a few Bible apps on my phone but still have issues with recalling verses I have committed to memory.

A couple of years ago, I decided to memorize the book of Philippians. At first, I was starting off really well then it got harder. Kept mixing up verses and leaving out some words. To make a long story short, I had an epic fail.

So like everyone else, I need some help. Thankfully David Mathis recently gave 5 tips on memorizing the Bible:

1. Diversify your picks.

2. Take it with you during the day.

3. Seek to understand, feel, and apply.

4. Turn your text into prayer.

5. Memorize in light of the gospel.

You can read the entire post here.

Recommend Reading:

The Discipline of Scripture Memorization

Why Memorize Scripture by John Piper

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The Benefits and Methods of Meditation by Dave Jenkins

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Ten Reasons to Memorize Big Chunks of the Bible by Jon Bloom

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The Verses Project

I stumbled upon a new resource on the Internet is very helpful in the discipline of scripture memorization called, The Verses Project. What makes this website unique is that has a commentary on the verse as well as it sets the verse into a song. Lets face it, we have more songs memorize than Bible verses.

One thing that I like about this website is that it has wallpaper for your iPhone, iPad, and even desktop with a part of the verse on it to help you remember what verse(s) you are memorizing. Here are some examples:

Galatians 2:20

John 3:16-17

Psalm 91:7-8

1 Peter 2:24

If you need some help with memorizing scripture this is the website for you and you can use your phone and/or desktop to assist you. You can also follow them on Twitter: @versesproject

Links on Scripture Memorization

Yesterday, I wrote on the discipline of scripture memorization. I decided to provide some links to assist in you in this discipline as we strive to store up God's word in our hearts:

Why Memorize Scripture by John Piper

How to Memorize Scripture from the Navigators

Chris Brauns has several posts on scripture memorization

Tim Challies talks with Ryan Frazier who is known for quoting chapters by memory