Slight change

I'm wanting to be a loving husband and try and get my wife involved.  Looking at the benefits of scripture memory how would I not try and get other involved.  

But she likes the NIV version, and a lot of the older verses from childhood I know were NIV.  

Christ the Center

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Christ the Center 

Galations 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galations 2:20

Starting the plan

So this week I'll start for real.  Which isn't really fair since this is a review.  I pretty much already know these verses.  The plan is the first two days of the week to focus on 2 Cor 5:17, then the third and forth day to focus on Gal 2:20.  For rest of the week work on both.  

A few things to help memorize the verse is to say it aloud, pray about the verse, read other translations to help get the meaning of the verse.  Think about how the verse applies to self.  Always include the topic and reference when saying it.

Once you know the verse the book recommends you write it down from memory.  I actually prefer to write it down first just by copying it from the Bible.  

Christ the Center

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away, behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17

I actually did that wrong first.  My problem is a lot of these older verses were memorized as NIV and some as NASB.  Well, I think I'll stick with NASB for now on, so I have to relearn some verses.

Christ the Center

Galations 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Galations 2:20

I know I said this yesterday, but then I decided to follow the actual book, so we can look at context tomorrow.  When I say context I basically mean a quick look at the book itself and the chapter specifically.  It is important to know who wrote it, and who it was written to, and try to understand what was going on at the time.  Reading the chapter helps to understand what was being talked about at the time when the specific verse was used.

* picture taken from navigators.com

Benefits of memorizing scripture

So I'm rereading through the topical memory system, and the very beginning goes over some points that are worth noting.  

Here are a few things the book mentions scripture memory can help with:  Overcome worry, victory over sin, confidence in witnessing

I don't know about everyone else, but those items right there are enough to get my interest.  But the book goes on to mention what the system is for.  It helps memorize and meditate on scripture effeciently, apply the verses to life, review the verses to be able to recall them later, and continue memorizing beyond the verses covered.  

The system groups verses by topic so they can be recalled by thinking of the topic the verse speaks of.  The verse I picked to start with Eph 4:11-12 isn't actually part of this.  I may start with the system's verses tomorrow.  It recommends a pace of two verses/week.  which I thought was hard, but it really isn't that bad.

So what topic does Eph 4:11-12 refer to.  "And He gave some as apostles and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ."  Eph 4:11-12  

One of the topics listed in the system is "Be Christ's Disciple" which I feel is a good fit for this verse since it deals with equiping and using our gifts.  So according to the system you are to say the topic, reference, verse, reference.  So...

Be Christ's Disciple

Ephesians 4:11-12

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-12

How things can add up

Typically I don't like how things add up.  For example, I pay $15/mo to play a game.  Yes, a game.  well, $15 isn't that bad, but that is per month.  So in one year I am spending $180.  I could do some stuff with that kind of money.  

But beneficial things add up too.  That is what I'm really wanting to get at.  I'm wanting to take scripture memory more seriously.  If I can memory  a verse once a week then that is at least 50 new verses a year.  What do you think about that.  So feel free to join me on this adventure.  

Ephesians 4:11-12

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-12

Now I have a great book on scripture memory, unfortunately I lost a bunch of the memory verse cards, so I'm thinking I can use this blog and may palm pilot to do this with.  But the concept is that you don't just repeat the verse over and over, but that you study it.  For now we will simply look at the verse itself, and hopefully tomorrow we can look at the passage to provide some context.  It also helps to write it out instead of just reading.  And also reading aloud gives you the audio feedback to help in memory also.  I've always struggled with the reference, but the book recommends to do the reference scripture reference, and this has been a huge benefit.

The book I'm refering to is "Topical Memor System" from the Navigators

Where is the light

When I was younger I would love winter.  I liked the cold, but mostly I loved the snow.  But now that I work all day I get out of work and it is dark so soon.  There is very little time to enjoy the outdoors with any light.  This probably didn't bother me much when I was younger, but now that I have kids I want it to be light so they will be safer and I have more visibility which somehow provides me comfort.  

So now I'm not so sure I enjoy the winter.  It is different for sure.  I think part of it is that I have been bike commuting, but that is becoming difficult.  It is too dark and I need some new lights and some better cold weather clothes which I asked for Christmas, so I can't really buy for myself now.