My Daily Pause

I have recently begun participating in a Bible memorization group. It is already paying off to have someone to be accountable to in meeting my memorization goals. I highly recommend memorizing portions of the Bible as a part of your spiritual growth. Whether you work along with the group, follow this site’s plan, or work out your own plan.

Here are five reasons it is a great idea to memorize the scriptures:

1. They are inspired of God (2 Tim. 3:14-17; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 1 Thess. 2:14; 1 Cor. 14:37)
2. The Word has power to make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15)
3. Memorizing the Scriptures will help us always to be ready to give an answer (1 Pet. 3:15)
4. The Word is like food to us (1 Pet. 2:2; Jer. 15:16; Ez. 2:8-9; Heb. 5:11-14)
5. The Bible can prepare us to help and teach one another (Col. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:14-17)

Of course there are many more reasons, but this is enough to take the first big step.

If you don’t start now, when?

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. – 2 Timothy 4:2

I’ve written previously about any church activity or teaching that doesn’t look the way the Apostles taught it. Keeping personal interest out of worship and Bible study is the only way to maintain unity. The Apostles gave us the example and pattern to follow and pass on. (2 Timothy 2:2, Philippians 4:9)

Paul began 1 Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:10) with a discussion about following ideas and teachers but not God. The whole letter was, for the most part, a reprimand of the Corinthians for getting off track. Letting our own ideas or “What we think” get in the way of the Bible is the quickest way to send a church away from Christ and down a lost path.

So, how does a group of people maintain unity and ultimately remain in Christ? I’m glad you asked!

Here are three places to start:

1. Read and study the Bible together
2. Never begin a sentence with “I think …” or “I believe …” when discussing the Bible.
3. Develop a willingness to discuss differences in understanding of the Scriptures.

Can you think of more?

The folks in Berea heard Paul speak and dug into the Scriptures to check out Paul’s teachings. (Acts 17:10-12) This is how to keep a church united and on track.

Worship service is not a time of entertainment or a social event. It is a time to direct out attention to God. Here are the five ways I worship as a New Testament Christian.

1. Singing to God with grace in my heart. (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19)
2. Praying with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)
3. Giving as I have purposed (planned) (2 Corinthians 9:7-8)
4. Communing with the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
5. Teaching and Learning God’s word (Acts 10:42, Acts 20:7)

Paul talks a lot about being in Christ. Between Romans 3 and Romans 6, Paul has given us seven significant ideas about being in Christ.

• Faith (Romans 3:26)
• Redemption (Romans 3:24)
• Peace (Romans 5:1)
• Rejoicing in God (Romans 5:11)
• Abundance of grace, gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17)
• Being alive unto God (Romans 6:11)
• Eternal life (Romans 6:22)

Romans 8 opens with “No condemnation”.

Understanding what it means to be in Christ might be the key bit you need to really understand Paul’s writings. To take a stab at it:

Being in Christ is to be included in the Lord’s church. The church is the social organism which forms Christ’s earthly body now. Once one is incorporated into it by baptism, the Christian is in Christ himself. (1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 6:3, Galatians 3:26-27)

The greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor. What does love have to do with church attendance?

My church attendance says I love:

1. My Physical Family (Ephesians 6:4)
2. My Spiritual Family (Colossians 3:16, Romans 15:14, Romans 14:19, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 10:24-25)
3. My Soul (Colossians 3:16, Hebrews 10:25-26)
4. My Neighbor (Matthew 5:16)
5. God (Matthew 16:24-26)