Apology and Encouragement

This 15 minute podcast on "humble bragging" from Scripture Memory Fellowship is wise: The Danger of Memorizing Successfully.

I need to apologize for a statement I made in my Bible Memory Challenge in April. I said, I literally can say, "If I can do it, so can you!"

Words I hoped would bring challenge, encouragement, and edification to the body of Christ, instead belittled, hurt, and discouraged a few readers, especially my friends with chronic illness limitations and brain injuries. 

I was humble-bragging about my own accomplishments instead of acknowledging that this is where I am only by the grace of God, and only after many years of brain healing.

I do not recant my challenge, but do want to add a caveat specifically for those who have a valid reason our brains struggle more than most. This season may not yield the results you hope for. God will accomplish His purpose through your dedicated obedience, but that may look differently than you think it should. 

Keep pressing in. Keep trying. Don't give up. "Therefore, having girded your minds for action, being sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:13.

If there is just one verse you strive to learn, and you read or listen or attempt memorization methods with it every single day for an entire year, yet by the end of the year, you still cannot quote that verse, that's OK. Consider how much work God has done in your heart through your consistent, persistent pursuit of Him via His Word for an entire year! As Psalm 26:2 says, your heart and mind have been refined through the process!

By making God's Word such an intentional focus, you have been fixed on "whatever is true, whatever is dignified, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable," things of "excellence" and "worthy of praise". Of these "things you have learned and received... practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (see Philippians 4:6-9).

Memorization might never have been His purpose in why He called you to spend a year pursuing word-perfect memory of the verse. "For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will direct Him?" (1 Corinthians 2:16a). While you may find yourself unable to parrot the verse on-demand, the truth of His message has become imbedded within you so that the Holy Spirit may use it as He sees fit. (And you have done some amazing "brain training" through your efforts as well!)

Therefore I exhort you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice⁠—living, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect. - - Romans 12:1-2

 

 

Words of Yahweh: Who has given wisdom in the innermost being

Or given understanding to the mind? - Job 38:36

Prayer to Yahweh: The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace

Because he trusts in You. - Isaiah 26:3

Had you not been dedicated and determined to seek memorization, you would not now carry this life-changing verse within you! We can set goals, but God's not limited by what we think the outcome should be.

Pray about how God would have you honor Him as your internalize His living and active Word. There are many reasons to be intentional in striving to memorize as much Scripture as God allows you to remember. He built your brain, your body, and allowed the limitations you are facing today. He also supplies the strength for you to accomplish whatever He calls you to.

One of my favorite verses right now is 1 Peter 4:11, reminding us that speaking God's Word and serving others, both only come by the strength which God supplies!

As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God⁠—

whoever speaks, as one speaking the oracles of God; whoever serves, as one serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and might forever and ever. Amen.

-1 Peter 4:10-11

For another facet of my stoke story (hand dominance) and latest Bible chapter memorized (and witness my memory struggles as I recoded) check out today's YouTube post. 

Here are several verses (Legacy Standard Bible) about delighting in God's Word, motivation to cling to it in whatever manner God allows:

Psalm 1:2

But his delight is in the law of Yahweh,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 119:77

May Your compassion come to me that I may live, For Your law is my delight.

Psalm 119:92

If Your law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction.

Psalm 119:174

I long for Your salvation, O Yahweh, And Your law is my delight.

Deuteronomy 6:6 [Words of Yahweh:]

These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.

Deuteronomy 11:18 [Words of Yahweh:]

“You shall therefore place these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as phylacteries between your eyes.

Deuteronomy 30:14

But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

Psalm 1:1-3 (especially verse 2)

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the way of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

2 But his delight is in the law of Yahweh,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Psalm 119:10-11

With all my heart I have sought You;

Do not let me stray from Your commandments.

11 Your word I have treasured in my heart,

That I may not sin against You.

Psalm 119:113

I hate those who are double-minded, But I love Your law.

2 Kings 23:3

Then the king stood by the pillar and cut a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to establish the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

2 Chronicles 34:27

because your heart was soft and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares Yahweh.

Psalm 19:14 [The first part of this verse is about human words, not God's Word, but we can use our own voices to repeat Scripture, and in so doing, we can seek to meditate upon it.]

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Yahweh, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 119:11

Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.

Proverbs 23:12 [Heart discipline is my emphasis in sharing this verse. The "words of knowledge" mentioned are not specifically speaking only of Scripture.]

Bring your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge.

Jeremiah 15:16

Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your words became for me joy and gladness in my heart, For I have been called by Your name, O Yahweh God of hosts.

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Matthew 22:37

And He [Jesus] said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Mark 12:30

and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’

Luke 10:27

And he answered and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

Colossians 3:2

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

James 4:8

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

1 Chronicles 28:9

“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a delighted soul; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

Psalm 77:2

In the day of my distress I sought the Lord;

In the night my hand was stretched out without weariness;

My soul refused to be comforted.

Psalm 139:23

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

 

All Scripture on this post is quoted from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).

Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com

I would love to meet you through social media:

author page - facebook.com/HarvestingHope

Specialty pages:

    infertility / loss - fb.com/HannahsHopeBook

    stroke - fb.com/StrokieGal

    current book project on church deception - fb.com/DeceptionUnmasked

Instagram @InfertilityMom

YouTube @InfertilityMom

Twitter @InfertilityMom

Pinterest @InfertilityMom

My books:

Read about my current book project about deceptions women face from within the church, at JenniferSaake.blogspot.com/2021/04/DeceptionUnmasked.html

Read more about infertility, miscarriage, adoption loss, and my first book, Hannah's Hope (written pre-stroke), at JenniferSaake.blogspot.com/2021/04/hannahs.html

 

Please enjoy a free pdf version of the introduction, my personal infertility / loss story, and the first chapter of Hannah's Hope at www.hannahshopebook.com/media/HannahHopeChapter1.pdf