Deuteronomy 6:6-7

It happens to me all the time. I'm in the middle of a conversation with someone and I'm trying to recall some factoid, but after 10 seconds or so, I whip out my phone to Google what my memory has failed to instantaneously provide.

I know many educators who think that if you can find the answer with a quick search, then it doesn't need to be memorized. Save the students' thinking power for more rigorous work.

I am not one of those educators. I believe that there is enough evidence to show that when we train our brains to memorize material, it helps build stronger neural connections so that we can apply the learned content to new learning situations. I won't go further into what I've learned about how our brains work, but if you're interested, let me know and I'll pass along a couple of resources. 

But what does memory work have to do with Deuteronomy 6:6-7? When I was meditating and memorizing these verses, it struck me that in order to have God's commandments upon my heart, I have to know them. Not just be able to look them up online or even in my Bible. No. I have to know them for myself in my mind and heart. If God calls me to have conversations with others about His Word, then I better have those Scriptures handy. 

While some may believe that memorizing anything, much less God's Word, is an archaic learning strategy, those of us who practice it can testify otherwise. There are clear benefits to impressing Scripture into our thoughts.

The book from which I am choosing my verses from, 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart by Robert J. Morgan, gives seven benefits to committing Bible verses to memory:

1. It gives us clearer thoughts.
2. It steadies our nerves.
3. It allows us to have healthier emotions.
4. We have purer habits.
5. We have happier homes.
6. We have greater respect.
7. We will gain an eternal optimism.

I can think of additional reasons...

• Even if I don't have my Bible with me (or my phone) I have God's Word with me.
• I learn God's voice.
• I can more easily discern Truth from lies.
• I am more inspired and have greater vision.
• I am able to hold myself more accountable to being obedient to God.

Let's not loose the art of memorizing Scripture because a search engine can recall it for us. Let's continue to be intentional about hiding God's Word in our heart so that our lives are marked different by everyone with whom we come into contact. 

Entrusted - 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Paul writes these words to Timothy towards the end of his life. Just a quick read of 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, leaves me with such an appreciation for what it means to have fought the good fight, to have finished the race, and to have kept the faith through it all. 

But the apostle Paul isn't my only example...I have personally known others within my own church family that I could confidently claim that they too will be awarded their crown of righteousness. 

It is my desire that those within my circle of influence would be able to say the same of me as the sun sets on my life. 

There is definitely so much more I could say about this...but today, I feel as though I just need to abide in it. Let my thoughts marinade in this truth. Let the choices I make today and in the next week be filtered through this hope. To be encouraged with this promise.

Entrusted - 2 Timothy 3:14-15

As I meditated and memorized these verses, I began to feel a kinship with Timothy. Both he and I have been taught the gospel since infancy. 

As far back as I can possibly remember, I have been taught about my Heavenly Father and His Son and the sacrifice that was made on my behalf and the hope of an established eternal Kingdom.

I have been taught this Truth by both of my parents and sacrificing adults throughout my childhood. I have been held accountable and encouraged in my personal walk of Faith by my Christ-following peers as an adult. 

I'm sure that I have been prayed for more times than I can conceivably comprehend. 

This life that I live, in the faith, is not one that I have managed on my own. It is because I have been surrounded and held up by trusted fellow believers since the day that I was born. 

When I consider this fact of my life, I am blown away! There aren't enough words to express my gratitude and appreciation to all who have invested in my faith during my 43 years of existence. 

I take to heart Paul's encouragement to Timothy, to continue on in what I have learned. It's as though Paul is also writing to me during this season of my life. 

Maybe I've bee watching too many spy movies lately, but I feel as though I'm awaiting my next mission from God. And while I wait, I am unsure of what to do with myself. So this admonishment to continue in what I have learned provides just enough guidance for me. 

I read, meditate, and memorize Scripture. 

I pray.

I serve.

I abide. 

Doing these things will thoroughly equip me for every good work (v. 17) that is to come in the future. 

God is good all the time. All the time, God is good. 

Entrusted - 2 Timothy 2:15

I don't have a captivating story to share. I just have a couple of main points from 2 Timothy chapter 2 that jumped off the page as I completed my homework as part of the Summer 2017 #Entrusted Bible study authored and taught by Beth Moore.

The first big ah-ha comes from page 89 in the workbook:

"You may not be able to give it (your calling) a name until your race is nearly over. Until then, your calling is whatever - whatever He put in front of you right now."

The second ah-ha is from page 91 in the workbook:

"Your faithfulness is the key to somebody else's faith." 

Here is why these two concepts are important right now...I thought I had figured out what my calling was, but more often than not, I wonder. 

I keep serving in various capacities, because things need to be done and I have the capability to do them. But I wonder - is this it??? Because it doesn't feel like I'm working in my "sweet spot". I so often feel awkward and misplaced. 

Yes, I've done spiritual assessments and studied spiritual gifts. I know what those are and can tell you what those kinds of things say about me. But as for a way to exercise those skills...let's just say I feel like I'm plaid in a paisley world. 

So I am encouraged by the second quote. I serve because someone else's faith could be on the line. 

And I have to remember from what I wrote last week, that I do what I can do and then the Holy Spirit will provide a supernatural booster shot to my efforts. 

What does this have to do with this week's verse, 2 Timothy 2:15? I do what I'm asked to do, in order to show my self as one approved, as one who is not ashamed and who can be entrusted to correctly handle the word of truth. 

One day, I will understand how all the pieces of my service fit together. Until, then I humbly serve an Almighty God who takes my small offering and turns it into something worthy. 

Entrusted - 2 Timothy 1:14

You know how you can read Scripture a million times for yourself and nothing really jumps out at you? And then you have a great teacher help you pick it apart and you realize what you've been missing? 

That's how I've felt this week as I've gone through Week 2 of #Entrusted Bible Study by @BethMooreLPM. 

First off, I've never stopped to think and ask "What's the 'good deposit'?" As Beth explains, it's the Gospel PLUS our gifting. That's what has been entrusted to us...to me. 

The Gospel is all about Jesus Christ:

• What He came for
• What He fulfilled
• What He has done for us
• What difference it has made for me

This message is what needs to remain as pure today from my lips as it was delivered from the disciples' lips. 

The gifting is what is unique to each and every believer. And here was another "Ah-ha" moment for me, when Beth used the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 to explain our gifting. God has given me, you, all of us, a special skill set that is expected to be used as we minister. Here's the thing, while we can do good things with our skills, it is only with the administration of the Holy Spirit that we can do supernaturally good things with our skills - our gifting is multiplied, exactly like the talents in the parable. 

It is these two things that have been entrusted to us and it is expected that we guard these things will all of our might. 

In this first chapter of 2 Timothy, Paul writes that we should not be ashamed of the good deposit and that we will likely encounter suffering as we guard it.

So how has this changed my thinking? What does this mean for me moving forward? 

• It has renewed my sense of purpose with the Gospel. I see the connection now between the message within it and my skills to deliver that message.
• I'm encouraged to be more diligent in the areas in which I serve. And it gives me hope for when I am wondering about the effectiveness of my service, I can trust that through God's power my efforts will be multiplied. 
• Finally, I am reminded that I need to brace myself for the times when this 'good deposit' may come under attack. 

I recently watched a clip of Ocean's Eleven where the guys are using the EMP to turn out the lights on the Vegas strip annd all the different cons that they run in order to break into the vault at the Bellagio just to get their hands on $160,000,000. 

We need to have our 'good deposit' held close in our hearts like it was in this kind of vault, knowing that evil will try every trick of the trade to distract us so that we are not paying attention, hoping to rob us blind. 

So guard up my friends! 

-bethany.

Psalm 119:9-16

This Spring I was struck down with the Plague of 2017 - or what others may refer to as "the flu". I can't remember the last time I felt as horrible as I did for over a week. I literally spent four entire days on my couch. And what did I do to pass the time away when I wasn't sleeping? I binged watched Downton Abbey - all six seasons in a matter of one week. It was so good! I loved the characters and their stories and it was sad to see the show come to an end. 

Like reading an excellent series of books, it's easy to get sucked into the story line of characters and their fictitious lives - oftentimes, losing all track of time and responsibilities. 

Has anyone ever lost track of time while reading their Bible? I can't say that I have. Praying, sure. But reading Scripture? Sadly, no. 

So when I read the words of Psalm 119:9-16, I have to ask myself, do I "seek with all of my heart"? Do I "recount all the laws"? Have I ever "rejoice(d) in following (God's) statutes"? 

I can get lost in what is going to happen next with Lady Mary Crawley, but do I get lost in God's written word? Have I ever read and studied Scripture, like I binged watched a favorite show? 

I can memorize, meditate, and make blog posts on Scripture passages but I am challenged by what the Psalmist pens, because there is no way that I can compete with how he loves the Word of God and how I feel about it. 

Maybe I am going about this the wrong way. Maybe this particular part of Psalm 119 shouldn't necessarily be used as a standard to evaluate my faith, but rather I can use it as a prayer to guide my thoughts so that my heart will be transformed. 

Thanks for hanging in there while I figure this out...it's taken me a while to get these words memorized. Now it's time to move them 12 inches from my head to my heart. 

Blessings!

Joshua 1:8

It's near the end of May. Most colleges and universities have finished their graduation ceremonies. Many high schools are preparing to have their commencements in the next few weeks. Even junior highs, middle schools, and Kindergarten classes around the country are preparing to send their students off to the next phase of education. 

It was about this time of year, practically a decade ago, that I felt the need to have a special talk with one of my 8th grade science classes. This group of students was unique - it was my smallest class, only 23, with just four or five boys. Most of the remaining 18-19 were girls were popular among their peers; a few of the other young ladies hadn't yet socially blossomed. 

As what tends to happen every few years or so, I grew particularly fond of this group. And the talk that I decided to have with them came from a place in my heart that desperately desired for them to remember not the science lessons that I had taught them, but the message of staying true to themselves, not getting wrapped up in the peer pressure that would undoubtedly make itself known the first day of 9th grade. I wanted to remind them to be kind to each other; to keep in mind that friendships ebb and flow with changing interests; that they have the inner strength to do the right thing even when it's really tempting to just go along with everyone else. I wanted them to remember that they were smart and independent young people who could think for themselves and that they had a voice to share with those who would listen. 

I think I may have cried talking to these students. 

Thanks to Facebook, I'm "friends" with a few of the girls in that class. A couple of them are now young mothers and it's amazing to see how they are raising their own children. And whether or not the speech I gave them 10 years left an impression on them, they definitely left a mark on my heart. 

As I was memorizing and meditating on Joshua 1:8, this memory was brought to mind. Just like I had desired to give those young people one last encouragement before entering the sometimes scary halls of high school, God was encouraging Joshua as the new leader of the Israelites, to remember all of the things that he had learned by studying the Book of the Law. Joshua was about to enter into some battles and the opportunities to turn back and return to the wilderness would look mighty tempting at times. 

But God promises only what He can promise to Joshua and all 12 tribes - prosperity and success if, and only if, they follow God's lead.

There isn't much difference for you and I. God's promises of prosperity and success are still on the table, if we have a submissive and obedient mindset. 

May we always remain students of Scripture and may those lessons always be something that we recall in our daily living. 

Blessings <3,
-bethany.