Divine Power

Every Tuesday, we get our verse of the week to meditate and memorize.  I want to encourage you to keep trying to focus on just one verse for the week.  If you stay determined, the Word will take root in your heart.  If you have failed with some of the previous verses, don’t get discouraged and quit, but continue to press on.  This spiritual discipline is worth pressing through our failure!  So free yourself of guilt and let’s go! 

Divine Power

By Shirley Mitchell

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

2 Peter 1:3

I have heard my husband Doug quote this verse many times.  He uses this verse to remind people, including himself, that we have everything that we need.  We have been equipped.  God’s divine power has provided all things to us.  We lack nothing.

I think we sometimes forget that because we have been saved, we now have the Holy Spirit indwelling us.  We forget about the Spirit-filled life.  We forget that this divine power lives within us and provides for us.  God has supplied us with everything we need to live a godly life.  We don’t have to walk in defeat.  We don’t have to think that we will never change.  This is not the life that we have to live! 

Through knowing Him, we begin to exercise more of this power.  Through understanding Him and walking by the Spirit and not our own sight or power, we begin to operate in the divine realm.  He called us by His own glory and goodness.  He called us to this life.  He wants us to have it.

My friend, are you tired of living on what you alone can do?  Have you exhausted your own ability and need an infusion of a supply of all power?  Do you want to be equipped?  Choose the Spirit-filled life, and seek to know Him every day and in every way.  Carry this verse with you wherever you go this week – be it written on an index card, recorded on your smartphone, or imprinted in your heart.  Study it, pulverize it, and memorize it!

Memorization Reminders:

Please join me in memorizing these verses and implanting God’s thoughts into our minds.  I’m expecting for God to radically change our lives if we do this.  Redeem your time to make room for memorizing God’s Word.  Take this verse with you wherever you go.  Meditate on it, and pulverize it.

We are blessed to live in a time where we can have the Bible at our fingertips even through the internet or an actual Bible in our hands.  Yet, this blessing can become a curse if we do not treat the Bible with such honor to savor every word of it as those through the centuries who have longed to have His Word so much. They had to memorize every Scripture they had ever been given because their own copy of the Scripture was not possible.

Most of us probably don’t memorize Scripture because we think that we do not have the time.  However, our minds have a lot of wasted space that can be given to God.  We have to redeem the time.  For women, we can use the time while putting on our make-up or blow drying our hair.  For men, use the time while shaving.  For both genders, we can use the time while we shower, stop at red lights, do the laundry, wash the dishes, and mow the lawn.  Let’s face it:  our minds are thinking about something during this time.  Instead of being focused on our obsessions, worries, cares, to-do’s, and problems, give this time to God.

Take your verse(s) with you wherever you go.  You can type your verse out and put it on beautiful sheets of your choice.  You can write it out on index cards.  Many people prefer index cards spiral bound to keep them together.  For iphone users, I’m sure there is an app.  You can write it on your iphone notepad or record your voice speaking it and replay it throughout the day.

Now that we have the verse and we have found the time, let’s focus on the method.  We don’t just memorize it by saying it over and over; we meditate on it.  We spend time thinking about what each word means and what it doesn’t mean. 

Then one of my favorite techniques as taught by Waylon Moore is to pulverize the verse.  Say the verse over and over each time focusing on a different word in the verse to emphasize.  For example, say 2 Peter 1:3 (today’s verse) aloud and say with more umph the underlined and bolded word:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

2 Peter 1:3

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

2 Peter 1:3

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

2 Peter 1:3

Repeat this process until each word in the verse has been emphasized.

After meditating and pulverizing the verse continuously for a week, the seed planted in our hearts will begin to germinate.  You and I will no longer be merely short-term memorizing, but the Word will dwell within us.  When God’s Word dwells within us, something miraculous happens.  Our minds are renewed and transformed into the mind of Christ.  We worry and fret less.  We are armed for the attacks of the enemy.  Our lips will be full of praise for our God.  My friend, I’m ready for that kind of transformation!

Strategic Planning

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12

Have you thought about 2012 yet?  Most businesses are planning for their next year and the following years right now.  Most of the key leadership within my company does not take vacation the last months of the summer.  They spend the summer strategizing and then in the early fall they final next year’s plan.

Yes, we should focus on finishing the year strong.  Yes, we should reflect over what we thought 2011 would be and the goals that we have set.  Yes, this is important.

But frankly, I’ve got somewhere I want to go with God.  I’ve got dreams that need to become reality.  I believe He can do so much in my life, and I need to take some actions so He can move in it.  If we don’t live intentional, then we get caught in the trap of going through the motions of life, taking the paths of least resistance, and just existing.  The last thing I want to do is exist.  I want to live!  Jesus promised that He came to give life and life more abundantly.  Life is supposed to be abundant.  This doesn’t mean prosperity of the world, but prosperity of spiritual things and experiencing God!

Some of us merely react to life’s circumstances instead of preparing and being proactive.  Honestly, I think more of us plan for Christmas, shopping lists, presents, and parties than we plan for our lives.  We don’t put any thought into it.  Why don’t we?  I think it is because we don’t believe God.  We don’t think He will actually speak to us and tell us our next action or His direction.  We don’t believe He can use us because we think He just works in the lives of some people who are more gifted than us. 

God has a purpose for each one of our lives.  We are meant to be a people of purpose.  We are meant to live intentionally.  This means that we treasure each day and don’t squander it.  This means we need to take the time to reflect, pray, and ponder over where God is leading us.   We ask.  We seek.  We knock.  We press into Him and cling to Him, taking our daily steps.  Then we give Him room to operate.  Through obedience and trust, we see His activity and obstacles removed and ways made clear.

So let me ask you some questions:

• What do you want 2012 to look like?
• Is there something that you have always wanted to do with God?
• What is the most important thing that you accomplish next year?
• What steps do you need to take this year to best position yourself to follow God next year?

Now I want you to spend some time praying.  Pray about how you want to finish this year and use the last two months of this year wisely.  Then pray for God to reveal to you His plans next year.  Then commit to Him that you will live intentionally and not get caught in the trappings of living without a purpose.

If you feel comfortable, let me know what action you are going to take because of this.  I can’t tell you how many times that I have actually followed through with something because I told someone that I was going to do something.  Just reply to this email.  I’m crazy about you, and so is our God!

Pray with me:  Oh, God, teach me to number my days.  Teach me to live intentionally and to make the most of every moment.  Teach me what is most important in my life. Show me Your plan for me.  I don’t want to make my plans and ask You to rubber stamp them.  I want Your best for my life.  It is in Jesus’ Name, the Name above all names that I pray, Amen.

Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry

Hope of Glory

^“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.  To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Colossians 1:25-27

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)

 
Colossians 1:25-27 tells about a mystery that has been hidden for ages but is now disclosed to the saints.  There are glorious riches in this mystery.  This mystery is Christ in us, the hope of glory.

This isn’t the only Scripture that talks about what resides in you and me.  Second Corinthians 12:9 is another amazing verse.  We’ll have to go through a language lesson and match it with other verses in the Bible to grasp the fullness of its meaning.  The Greek word for “rest” in the phrase “the power of Christ may rest upon me” is episkenoo which means “to dwell, to abide in, to tabernacle.”  Part of this word is used in John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”   The Greek word for “dwelling” is skenoo which means “to tent, or encamp, to occupy or to reside, to tabernacle.”  John was using a play on words to say that the glory of God seen in the Exodus tabernacle and Solomon’s temple had come back to dwell in Israel.  God sent the fullness of His glory once again.  Only this time instead of being enfolded in a cloud or a pillar of fire, the glory was draped by flesh and bone on Jesus. 

Therefore, in 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul was saying that the power of Christ tabernacled in him.  In fact, the power of Christ tabernacles in all believers.  It is covered by your flesh and my flesh, but it’s in there.  The Greek word for “power” is dunamis which means “to be able, achieving power.”  This power is different from other words for power because this power is active, working, and achieving.  It is not just possessing the ability.  It is working power!  The English word “dynamite” is derived from dunamis.  Inside you and me is the very power of God!  We have dynamite in us that is all accomplishing!  Oh, my!  Oh, yes!  In you.  And in me.  Hallelujah!

Jesus was the Shekinah Glory of the Old Testament returned in the cloak of human flesh to dwell among us.  The Shekinah Glory had come back to Israel.  God’s glory had walked on the shores of Galilee, had taught in Judea, and had entered the temple during the annual feasts.  The glory that the old men longed for in their restored temple was back in Israel.  The disciples, the women, the crowds, and even the religious leaders had seen this glory for which others had wished.

Because the nation rejected Jesus as its Messiah, Immanuel left the temple for the final time in the history of mankind.  Just as the Shekinah Glory left the temple, ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives, and has not returned, so did the Son of God…Two thousand years of history without the perfect presence of the glory of the LORD. 

However, the glory of God still resides here on earth.  When the Holy Spirit came, the glory of God came back in secret once again.  Only those with eyes that discern the things of the Spirit understand it.  In you and me is the Hope of Glory.  Christ in us, the Hope of Glory!  Jesus Christ lives in us!  Jesus lives in you and me!  Believers are covenant partners with Him, and we have ingested Him into our entire being.  Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, now lives in us.

This is just another dimension of how I know that Jesus lives.  I know that He lives because He lives in me.  I am being made new every day and being conformed into the image of God’s precious Son.  The old sinful Shirley is dying, and the righteous Shirley with Jesus in her is blooming.  It is the most alive, beautiful, and wonderful that I have ever felt.  So I say, “Keep living in me, Jesus.  Keep living in me.”

Pray with me:  Oh, God, how amazing is it that Christ dwells in us!  This mystery that was hidden through the ages was revealed to those who accepted Jesus.  The mystery is that the Hope of Glory is in us.  Jesus lives in us!  We have dunamis power, accomplishing power.  Keep living in us, Jesus.  It’s in Your Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray.  Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study

No Weapon Prevails

Every Tuesday, we get our verse of the week to meditate and memorize.  I want to encourage you to keep trying to focus on just one verse for the week.  If you stay determined, the Word will take root in your heart.  If you have failed with some of the previous verses, don’t get discouraged and quit, but continue to press on.  This spiritual discipline is worth pressing through our failure!  So free yourself of guilt and let’s go!

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

This is one of those verses that reminds me that victory is mine!  I can win.  I don’t have to live defeated and crushed down.  There is no weapon, no instrument that has been forged and made with the intent of harming you and me that will prevail.  It cannot succeed or beat us unless we depart from God.  The enemy may try to forge something that he thinks will get to us and launch some well-thought-out attack that may get to us.  However, in the end, I will stand victorious because I have chosen God above all others.

Next this verse tells us that we will refute every tongue that accuses us.  Oh, has that treacherous enemy thrown many fiery arrows intending to pierce my heart to get me to believe that I am useless and incapable.  I’ve been outwitted many times.  But now, my mind has been soaked in the truth of God’s Word.  When he hurls the insult, I refute it with God’s truth.  I know who I am in Christ.  Do you know who you are?  Have you discovered your identity in Christ?

The third part of this verse tells us this is our heritage.  Our heritage is our inheritance or our property.  This means we have every right to possess this promise.  Our heritage is to be able to know truth, speak truth, and refute the lies of the kingdom of darkness.  There is no weapon of the evil one that has the right to beat you and me.  It’s our inheritance to prevail.  I plan on taking what God has given me and acting on it.  Will you?  Carry this verse with you wherever you go this week – be it written on an index card, recorded on your smartphone, or imprinted in your heart.  Study it, pulverize it, and memorize it!

Memorization Reminders:

Please join me in memorizing these verses and implanting God’s thoughts into our minds.  I’m expecting for God to radically change our lives if we do this.  Redeem your time to make room for memorizing God’s Word.  Take this verse with you wherever you go.  Meditate on it, and pulverize it.

We are blessed to live in a time where we can have the Bible at our fingertips even through the internet or an actual Bible in our hands.  Yet, this blessing can become a curse if we do not treat the Bible with such honor to savor every word of it as those through the centuries who have longed to have His Word so much. They had to memorize every Scripture they had ever been given because their own copy of the Scripture was not possible.

Most of us probably don’t memorize Scripture because we think that we do not have the time.  However, our minds have a lot of wasted space that can be given to God.  We have to redeem the time.  For women, we can use the time while putting on our make-up or blow drying our hair.  For men, use the time while shaving.  For both genders, we can use the time while we shower, stop at red lights, do the laundry, wash the dishes, and mow the lawn.  Let’s face it:  our minds are thinking about something during this time.  Instead of being focused on our obsessions, worries, cares, to-do’s, and problems, give this time to God.

Take your verse(s) with you wherever you go.  You can type your verse out and put it on beautiful sheets of your choice.  You can write it out on index cards.  Many people prefer index cards spiral bound to keep them together.  For iphone users, I’m sure there is an app.  You can write it on your iphone notepad or record your voice speaking it and replay it throughout the day.

Now that we have the verse and we have found the time, let’s focus on the method.  We don’t just memorize it by saying it over and over; we meditate on it.  We spend time thinking about what each word means and what it doesn’t mean. 

Then one of my favorite techniques as taught by Waylon Moore is to pulverize the verse.  Say the verse over and over each time focusing on a different word in the verse to emphasize.  For example, say Isaiah 54:17 (today’s verse) aloud and say with more umph the underlined and bolded word:

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

“ ‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 54:17

Repeat this process until each word in the verse has been emphasized.

After meditating and pulverizing the verse continuously for a week, the seed planted in our hearts will begin to germinate.  You and I will no longer be merely short-term memorizing, but the Word will dwell within us.  When God’s Word dwells within us, something miraculous happens.  Our minds are renewed and transformed into the mind of Christ.  We worry and fret less.  We are armed for the attacks of the enemy.  Our lips will be full of praise for our God.  My friend, I’m ready for that kind of transformation!

Daily Steps

“The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.”

Psalm 37:23

People have repeatedly asked me how did I write the Jesus Lives Bible study while working full time, raising three kids, and serving in women’s ministry at my church and in the marketplace?  I tell them that it is the power of God coupled with my daily investment. 

First of all, I can do nothing on my own power.  Secondly, it takes a godly passion that drives me to glorify God and fulfill my calling.  In terms of “how-to”, it really was about little steps at a time.  Every day I seek God and desire to hear from Him in every circumstance.  Every day, I bite off what I can do for the kingdom that day.  I listen to God and see what He is revealing to me, and I capture it.  Not every day’s lesson is meant to be shared with you.  Some days, God’s message is just for me alone.  By making small daily investments, I reach my end goal. 

Jesus Lives was written because I woke up early almost every morning for three years.  Before the sun came up, my alarm clock would sound.  I would ask God for the willpower to get out of bed.  I prayed Psalm 63:1 that says, “Oh, God, You are my God.  Earnestly I seek You.  My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”  I know the Hebrew word for “earnestly” almost means early.  So I would say, “Oh, God, You are my God.  I seek You early today.  Even though I would love to stay in bed much longer, give me the strength to get out of bed.  I choose You because I know that Your love is better than life (Psalm 63:3).”  I would slip out of bed while my husband was sleeping and go to my bathroom floor.  Some days, there was a bath mat.  Some days, I just sat on the vinyl floor.  I didn’t dare make a sound for any noise might wake up my young children and quiet would flee from my home.

Yes, there were a handful of days that I took vacation days from work to finish a day of homework.  But very few full days were spent writing.  It was my small investment in the morning, meditating on the Scripture for that part of the homework as I went throughout my day, and returning the next morning to the same part of the homework.  A good day was when I wrote a whole paragraph.  Gradually, not suddenly, I reached my goal.  God could have spoken it into being, but He chose instead to empower me and speak to me daily.  It was hard work.  There were many days I wasn’t sure when I would ever finish.  Through persistence and commitment, the power of my small daily investment partnered with the almighty power of God.

A small daily investment has helped many people reach their goals.  It is how people lose that unwanted weight.  It is how a runner builds up their distance running.  Daily learning to tell yourself “no” is how people break bad habits and addictions.  Small daily investments over many days will help you to reach your goals, too.

So what part of your life would benefit from a daily consistent investment?  What long reaching dream do you hope to achieve and how will daily bite-sized chunks help you?  What relationship would benefit from you making a commitment to take it one day at a time to behave and treat them as God has called you to do?  Let me know how you decide to use the power of the daily investment.

Pray with me:  Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, You are majestic!  You are worthy of all praise.  We know, Lord, that we can do nothing of eternal value on our own power.  It is only when we plug into You and use Your power that kingdom things are accomplished.  Lord, teach us to be intentional though.  We delight in You so please make our steps firm.  Teach us the power of daily steps and consistently moving towards the goals and plans that You have for our lives.  Teach us the power of daily investments partnered with Your power.  In the mighty Name of Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry

Late One Night

Late One Night

By Shirley Mitchell

“Late one night he visited Jesus and said, ‘Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God.  No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't in on it.’ ”

John 3:2 (The Message)

Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees, a group of religious leaders in Israel. We met these leaders when we studied John the Baptist. They are easy to pick out of the crowd for they were the ones pointing their fingers and bearing the proud faces. They were the dry ones - physically and spiritually - too pious to accept the invitation of baptism by John. Nicodemus was a member of a group of 70 men who had given their lives to study and obey the Law of Moses and follow the traditions. He was a man of prominence, wealth, and power. He could have summoned Jesus to his home or addressed Him in the temple. However, he chose to come in the shadows of night.

Isn’t it interesting that Nicodemus sought Jesus in the cover of night?  Scholars conjecture many reasons why the visit was after darkness settled. Most Pharisees studied the Torah at night after a day’s work in the temple. Or maybe he wanted a private conversation with Jesus’ full attention and no interruptions. Or was it because he was too afraid of his peers and coworkers to be seen with Jesus? I think it was fear. I picture him looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching and pulling his prayer shawl over his head to conceal his face. I wonder if he sneaked past the Romans who guarded Jerusalem or if he had the influence to move freely.

I lived the first part of my life with a desire to keep my faith in Jesus to myself. In college, I was so embarrassed when my older sister placed a bumper sticker on my mother’s convertible. The sticker said “Jesus Lives.” She branded the most hip car that we ever owned in the family declaring to everyone that we were Christians. My, oh my, isn’t it interesting how God can change a heart? Not only would I proudly have that bumper sticker on my car, I want it to be the neon sign of my life! How I long to use my frail mouth with His mighty Spirit to tell precious souls that Jesus really does live today.

Consider what Nicodemus was thinking that led him to visit Jesus. He watched the crowds as they listened to Jesus. He never held their attention like Jesus did. Jesus used simple words, but He taught with power. Nicodemus, Israel’s teacher, had never performed one miracle. He had to visit Him and understand how this could be. It would be too bold, and possibly foolish, to talk to Him where the other guys could see. 

He was drawn to Jesus because He knew that He was a teacher sent straight from God. No one could do the God-pointing, God-revealing acts Jesus was doing without God’s involvement. Jesus was pointing the people to God! Jesus came to reveal God to man and to be His Messenger to us! Jesus replied to Nicodemus in verse 3 of the Message, “You’re absolutely right.”

Do you think he accepted Jesus as Savior as a result of this encounter? God’s Word does not tell us directly. We can only guess by his actions. Nicodemus and Jesus met publicly soon after this private meeting. In John 7:45-52, Nicodemus stands up to the Pharisees who want to bring Jesus in because they think He has deceived the people about the Law. He plays it safe, sticks to the Law, and says, “Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?"

The third encounter helps us to be more certain about Nicodemus’ faith. After Jesus died on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple who feared the Jews, asked Pilate for His body. With Pilate’s permission he took the body and prepared it for burial with Nicodemus. They brought myrrh and aloes and wrapped the body with strips of linen according to Jewish customs. Both men risked judgment by the religious leaders if it was revealed that they were followers of Jesus. Additionally, Jesus was crucified as a criminal and enemy of Rome. It was dangerous, but they were convinced of who He was and stood for the truth. 

Aren’t you proud of our shadow walker? His life was changed by the courage that it took one late night to come to Jesus. Later, he took a greater step of courage to risk his life to be involved with Jesus. He did it! Oh, precious one, may you and I be willing to risk something precious to us for the most precious thing in all life – Jesus! May no one be confused about our alliances. May it be evident to all who observe our lives that we believe in Jesus Messiah and live for Him!

Pray with me: Oh, God, we worship You! We exalt You. Give us the courage to seek You even though the crowd may not. Give us the desire to want to understand the deep things of You. May it be obvious whom we are in covenant relationship with. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study

Good Works

Every Tuesday, we get our verse of the week to meditate and memorize.  I want to encourage you to keep trying to focus on just one verse for the week.  If you stay determined, the Word will take root in your heart.  If you have failed with some of the previous verses, don’t get discouraged and quit, but continue to press on.  This spiritual discipline is worth pressing through our failure!  So free yourself of guilt and let’s go! 

 Good Works

By Shirley Mitchell

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

We are God’s workmanship, His handiwork.  Creator God made us from the dust of the earth with His hands.  He didn’t just speak man into being but touched him with His hands.  We are the only creation that God got personally involved and personally touched.  We are also the only creation made in the image of God.  Then, He breathed life into Adam and put His breath in Adam’s nostrils.  However, Adam sinned and death came into the world and to man.  Through Jesus Christ, we have been born again and get to live with God forever and ever.

God didn’t save us and then take us to heaven.  He has more planned for believers than that.  He prepared good works for us to do.  Yes, we are saved by grace and not by works.  The Scripture right before this tells us that, but God still has good works for us.  You and I have things that only we can do.  God prepared them for us before we were even born, before the beginning of time.

God isn’t hiding them like a cruel big brother may hide all the Easter eggs in difficult spots and ruin the Easter egg hunt for the little kids who can’t find them in his extra tricky hiding places.  No!  God won’t plan the good works and then not lead us to get them.  He will show us the way.  If we follow Him with all our hearts, we can be assured that we will complete the good works He has planned for us.  Carry this verse with you wherever you go this week – be it written on an index card, recorded on your smartphone, or imprinted in your heart.  Study it, pulverize it, and memorize it!

Memorization Reminders:

Please join me in memorizing these verses and implanting God’s thoughts into our minds.  I’m expecting for God to radically change our lives if we do this.  Redeem your time to make room for memorizing God’s Word.  Take this verse with you wherever you go.  Meditate on it, and pulverize it.

We are blessed to live in a time where we can have the Bible at our fingertips even through the internet or an actual Bible in our hands.  Yet, this blessing can become a curse if we do not treat the Bible with such honor to savor every word of it as those through the centuries who have longed to have His Word so much. They had to memorize every Scripture they had ever been given because their own copy of the Scripture was not possible.

Most of us probably don’t memorize Scripture because we think that we do not have the time.  However, our minds have a lot of wasted space that can be given to God.  We have to redeem the time.  For women, we can use the time while putting on our make-up or blow drying our hair.  For men, use the time while shaving.  For both genders, we can use the time while we shower, stop at red lights, do the laundry, wash the dishes, and mow the lawn.  Let’s face it:  our minds are thinking about something during this time.  Instead of being focused on our obsessions, worries, cares, to-do’s, and problems, give this time to God.

Take your verse(s) with you wherever you go.  You can type your verse out and put it on beautiful sheets of your choice.  You can write it out on index cards.  Many people prefer index cards spiral bound to keep them together.  For iphone users, I’m sure there is an app.  You can write it on your iphone notepad or record your voice speaking it and replay it throughout the day.

Now that we have the verse and we have found the time, let’s focus on the method.  We don’t just memorize it by saying it over and over; we meditate on it.  We spend time thinking about what each word means and what it doesn’t mean. 

Then one of my favorite techniques as taught by Waylon Moore is to pulverize the verse.  Say the verse over and over each time focusing on a different word in the verse to emphasize.  For example, say Ephesians 2:10 (today’s verse) aloud and say with more umph the underlined and bolded word:

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 Ephesians 2:10

Repeat this process until each word in the verse has been emphasized.

After meditating and pulverizing the verse continuously for a week, the seed planted in our hearts will begin to germinate.  You and I will no longer be merely short-term memorizing, but the Word will dwell within us.  When God’s Word dwells within us, something miraculous happens.  Our minds are renewed and transformed into the mind of Christ.  We worry and fret less.  We are armed for the attacks of the enemy.  Our lips will be full of praise for our God.  My friend, I’m ready for that kind of transformation!