Memorize a Verse from the Bible

I once heard John MacArthur say that his favorite times in life occur when, during Biblical reading, he receives a spiritual insight that, for a brief moment, connects his thoughts with God's. Indeed, those moments are indescribable when it feels like we've uncovered some spiritual breakthrough.

Those moments are the rewards for active Bible reading. But achieving those moments requires a proper approach to reading the Bible. One approach is to read the Bible like a novel, beginning to end. Some people advise against that approach, but I think it's a useful way to gain a sense of the overall arc of God's plan. (However, if you wish to read the Bible from beginning to end, obtain a Bible specifically suited for that purpose. I really like this one.)

Another useful method for reading the Bible, especially those new to active Bible reading, is to memorize a verse that has some special meaning at that moment. A great place to start is the Psalms. For example, if you're seeking God's forgiveness, memorize Psalm 38:1 (ESV),

O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
    nor discipline me in your wrath.

If you're asking God for strength, try Psalm 119:116 (ESV),

Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope.

If you simply wish to praise God, try Psalm 145:3 (ESV),

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

These are simply, easy-to-memorize verses, and there are many others like them. Then, after having memorized the verse, recite it throughout the day whenever you have a free moment. By doing so, you'll soon find that you're coming close to praying without ceasing!

Oh, That My People Would Listen to Me

The title of this post comes from a line in Psalm 81. Here are verses 13, 14, and 16 (ESV) from that psalm. 

Oh, that my people would listen to me,
    that Israel would walk in my ways! 
I would soon subdue their enemies
    and turn my hand against their foes.
I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
    and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.

Isaiah 48:18 (ESV) makes a similar point,

Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!

Then your peace would have been like a river,

and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

These passages convey that, by sinning, we choose to forgo something wonderful. We don't want to reach the end of this journey, only to hear Isaiah 48:18 recited back to us!

God's promises are within our reach, but we'll never reach those promises if we resist him and close our hearts to him. Instead, we must actively seek him, And the central part of actively seeking him is never-ceasing prayer!

Avoiding the "Small" Sins

Small sins, especially those that seem harmless at the time, have a way of ballooning into bigger sins. A classic example is David lustfully gazing at Bathsheba. That seemingly minor infraction quickly snowballs into adultery, deceit, and murder.

Although David's is an extreme example, we all fall into similar patterns of committing small transgressions, which then grow into bigger sins. To this point, Paul cautions that (Galatians 5:9, ESV)

A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Likewise, Jesus warns that (Matthew 5:30, ESV)

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.

Jesus isn't saying much that we literally should cut off our hand. (At least, I hope that's not the message!) Rather, he's commanding that whatever leads to sin, however small, we should completely remove that from our lives.

To avoid those small things that lead to bigger sins, we must remain in constant communication with God. Pray without ceasing!

Saved from What?

People of faith are often referred to as being "saved." But from what, exactly, are they saved?

Were it not for God, how would we define "success"? We would have to define it in earthly terms. That is, success would mean that we are (1) socially respected, (2) academically credentialed, (3) professionally accomplished, and (4) financially stable. But note that each of those "successes" involves either human approval or material possessions.

By living in faith, however, those things no longer define success. We are saved from those definitions of success! Instead, success becomes entirely a question of gaining favor in God's eyes.

As Paul says in Galatians 1:10 (ESV),

Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

 And as Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV),

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Although we must confront earthly concerns, living in faith means that we are saved from having those define us. Instead, let us define ourselves as servants of God.

A Lesson from Leviticus

Leviticus is a tough read for many Christians. Clocking in at 27 chapters, Leviticus gives extremely detailed instructions covering almost every aspect of day-to-day life among the ancient Hebrews.

An obvious question for modern Christians: How much of Leviticus is relevant to my life? After all, didn't Jesus (and also Paul) render much of the highly-detailed ritualistic parts of Leviticus, especially the stuff on diet and sacrifices, moot?

However, I do think that Leviticus, taken as a whole, issues an important message, and for that message alone, the book is worth reading in its entirety. That message is: God takes sin very seriously, and he was us to acknowledge the seriousness of our sins. For example, Leviticus 4 outlines, in stunning detail, the animal sacrifice that is required in the event of an "unintentional" sin.

The point is not that we should sacrifice animals to atone for our sins. But we must sacrifice something. What should we sacrifice? The answer appears in Hebrews 13:15 (ESV),

Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

That's it! He wants us to praise him, which really shouldn't feel like a sacrifice at all! But we must approach that praise with the same meticulousness put forth in Leviticus.

Spiritual Water

I love this passage by Paul (2 Corinthians 4:18, ESV),

We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

And that pretty much sums up how we should live. Of course, achieving that mentality is easier said that done! Our natural, earthly tendencies lead us to focus on things we can see: wealth, popularity, material possessions, etc. Paul argues that those earthly things don't really satisfy. The only thing that offers true satisfaction is spiritual union with God.

Of course, Jesus says something similar while speaking to the woman at the well (John 4, 13:14, ESV),

Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.

So, how do we move our focus away from earthly water, and toward this spiritual water of true fulfillment? The truth is, it's a life-long process of spiritual work. And the main component of that spiritual work: PRAYER!