SUM 11: Day 11

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Whatchamacallits vs. the Word of God. Are you a sucker for infomercials? In all seriousness, my family has bought some of the most helpful and useful gizmos and gadgets through infomercials. First, there was the old sit-up machines, then the ab roller, followed by the plastic storage containers on a dolly, work-out DVD collections and the list goes on and on. However, there is one infomercial product that tops them all: the Robomaid. This isn’t a home video, but it’s oh so similar to many days at our house. Seriously, the Robomaid transformed our chore lists as kids. We were grateful!

As many useful contraptions as we’ve purchased online, none of them comes close to a “do-itall- for-you.” I’m still waiting on an invention to clean my floors, flatten my abs and fix my hair, simultaneously. Each novelty has its limits, though.

Unlike the quirky thingamajigs and the quirkier whatchamacallits that infomercials offer, the Word of God changes our lives in so many ways. God’s desire is for us to be equipped through His Word so we can be glorifying to Him and edifying to one another. In order to be equipped, we must know His Word.

Read: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Pray: Thank God for giving us the tools to be equipped. Ask for His forgiveness in dismissing His Word. Ask for Him to revolutionize your heart and life with His Word. Commit to spending time memorizing His Word so you can be equipped as He desires.

Do: Reread Timothy 3:16-17. Make a list of all the ways that God’s Word is useful. Look up any words you don’t understand on dictionary.com. What areas of your life need to be transformed by God’s Word? List those and spend some time praying them to Him.

SUM 11: Day 10

John 10:27

Let there be light! Have you ever woken up in the wee hours of the night, compliments of a full bladder? Ugh. The last thing I want to do when that happens is unwrap myself from my warm cucoon of a bed and stumble around in the dark, just to stub my toe as I scramble for the bathroom light switch. Wouldn’t it be so much more convenient to have an “easy” button that somehow took care of that situation in the middle of the night for you? Your toes could be spared and you wouldn’t have to try to recreate the perfect sleeping position after doing your business. I know it’s far-fetched, but it would be nice.

Do you ever get the feeling that you’re stumbling around in spiritual darkness? Go with me on this. You’ve made the decision; you’ve shown your commitment; you know the routines; but for some reason, you still seem to wobble your way through life, arms stretched out in front of you. Knowing God’s Word is liking flipping on the light switch. It may take a little bit to get in the groove and flip the switch completely, but once it’s flipped, your life is illuminated completely.

Read: Check out Psalm 119:97-105. Reread verse 105 and spend some time focusing on it. How does God’s Word light up our path? Pray: Ask God to help you flip on the light switch. Ask Him for a hunger and thirst for His Word. Tell Him how thankful you are that you don’t have to stumble and stagger through life in the dark, thanks to Him. Ask for His help in knowing His Word.

Do: Dig deeper. Read all of Psalm 119, jotting down anything that talks about an effect of God’s Word in our lives.

SUM 11: Day 9

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Scripture Memory: How? What’s your favorite song? Can you recite all the lyrics? Ready, set, go! I remember my first CD: Celine Dion’s self-titled album. (It’s okay; you can laugh!) Oh, how I loved that CD! Hours upon hours of my middle school years were spent in private concert, belting out Celine’s lyrics at the top of my lungs—in the security of my bedroom, of course. Recently I found my old Dion tunes. I still belted it … word by word, note by note; those songs are no stranger to me. An all-time fave: “Water from the Moon.”

How is it that I so easily remember the words to songs, yet when it comes to knowing God’s Word, I can be so unfamiliar? Are you in the same boat?

Think about how much time you spend listening to music. The hours I spent locked in my bedroom, stereo cranked up, provide all the evidence for how those words are so etched into my heart. I listened over and over and over and over and over again. Our strategy for reading God’s word ought to be the same. It takes exposure, it takes time and it takes devotion to learning and processing. The best way to memorize Scripture is to make it part of our daily lives. Write the verses you’re memorizing on note cards and place them in your car, your wallet, inside your locker door. Use them as bookmarks. Wherever you take your phone or iPod, take a note card filled with Scripture.

Read: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Pray: Ask God to help you saturate yourself in His Word. Ask Him for the desire to commit His Word to memory.

Do: Start a Scripture Memory journal. For extra inspiration, look up songs that are verses set to music. Shane & Shane has lots to choose from!

SUM: Service and Notes: Day 8

Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Psalm 119:11
Why memorize Scripture?


How many brain cells does the average brain have?


Thoughts from Discussion:
1.
2.
3.
4.


Why memorize Scripture?


Purposes and Verses
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


My verse this week:


Challenge: How will I use my brain this week?


Thoughts: