then you will have good success

I am working at memorizing several chapters in Psalms for a scholarship at Faith this semester (for the first time, I should add). Scripture memorization is a weakness for me. For one pitiful reason or another I find it very easy to pack away the lines of a movie I like or a stand-up I enjoy, but I fail to memorize the very words of God Himself. My brain serves as a portable jukebox, playing hundreds of songs on shuffle and repeat all day long... but yet, I rarely bring myself to marinate my mind with Truth.

Chuck Swindoll wrote, “I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture.... No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends!" He's so right! Psalm 19 is the chapter I'm working on this week; verses 7-9 expound on several of the blessings that come with the knowledge of God's Word. "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether."  What's not to love? And in Joshua 1:8 we find the recipe for success: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, SO THAT you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For THEN you will make your way prosperous, and THEN you will have good success." (Note: meditation leads to application.) Think about it, Christ Himself fought temptation with memorized Scripture (Matt. 4)- and the Law at that! Who am I to assume I have a chance apart from the same strategy!? It's also interesting to note that the only offensive weapon we are equipped with in the war we wage as Christians is the Word of God (Eph. 6:10-24)- but no worries, it's sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12). The Bible is bloomin' powerful! Why do I aimlessly enter the battle field at times unarmed and illequipped?

I pray that as I grow in the grace and knowledge of God, I'll grow in my love of His Word. David said of God's Words, "More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:11). May the same be true for me.

true and better

I stumbled upon a cool video on youtube that got me thinking. Question of the day: Is the Bible basically about me and what I must do, or is it basically about Jesus and what He's done? The video is entitled "What is the Bible Basically About?" (I know, clever right?) by Tim Keller. It's worth your 3 minutes and 49 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkNa6tLWrqk