Verse of the Week: Philippians 1:20-21

So I'm struggling with this notion that for the most part, people don't really care about my blog and my mother has always told me that I'm too sensitive, so I take that probably harder than I ought to. That coupled with the craziness of planning the wedding and the inconsistent schedule that that entails has led me to not be as adamant in updating the blog and becoming more apathetic to do so. I have a couple ideas for a couple posts, but time is waning and I'm not sure it'd be worth the post. Welcome again to my love-hate relationship with blogging. Anyways, even posting the verse of the week was looked over last week, so I'm trying to make up a little by actually posting one on time this week.

I seem to be posting several verses that people "know" but they don't really know. Everybody has heard the last tag in this week's verse, but rarely know where in the Bible its found. Furthermore, memorization helps with meditation on scripture and this is certainly a verse worthwhile for both of those ventures. David Platt wrote in his recent book, Radical, about what a revolutionary concept it is to live for Christ when if you were to die that's actually a good thing. We walk around and are so afraid of death, but biblically that should be something that we look forward to. Beyond that, if we lived like the verse proposes, our lives would be inherently more risky and thus more effective and powerful. This is a challenge to me for sure and I hope that it is for you as well.

"According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." -Phillipians 1:20-21

Verse of the Week: Matthew 6:26-27

This week's verse is the classic "don't worry" verse, a reminder that I need regularly. I often think that I don't worry, but then my mom tells me that I'm a big worrier and she's typically right about stuff like that. There seems to be a lot of worry going around these days, especially because of the global economic downturn. As Christians we ought to show concern and help those in need, all the while being diligent to take care of ourselves and our families. But by looking at this verse the proper biblical stance is to not worry, no matter what the circumstance.

"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?" -Matthew 6:26-27

Verse of the Week: Ephesians 4:20-24

Alright, I'm a couple days late on this this week, but here's the memory verse of the week. Its a long one, I suppose to make up for the short one last week. This verse is a reminder to the conduct of a person that the Lord has regenerated. Sometimes we feel inclined to walk in sin, but that's the old man that is fighting back and trying to act like he's still alive. As we remember from 1 Peter 2:23-24 (our verse from a few weeks ago), we have died to sin and as Paul affirms here we are created to live in righteousness and holiness as Jesus taught us.

"But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." -Ephesians 4:20-24 

Verse of the Week: Matthew 25:40

This week's verse is one that a lot of people, especially those younger social activist Christians, will memorize or at least be aware of. This is a verse that I've quoted plenty of times, but not in full and never with the Bible address. I think that its important to know where we can find the verse in the Bible. It adds credibility when one is witnessing and it helps us in our own devotion and study. This verse in particular, and the passage it comes from, ought to cause all Christians to be on their toes, because Jesus clearly cares about how we take care of the less fortunate neighbors around us.

"And the king will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me." - Matthew 25:40

Verse of the Week: Psalm 82:3-4

This week's memory verse is a very straightforward verse that shows God's heart for the oppressed. I say it everywhere I speak that you can't get through the Bible, either Testament, and not see God's evident heart for justice. Obviously, I have committed my life to the kids at TOA, but this is a biblical mandate to all believers for us to love our downtrodden neighbors. So here's the verse...

"Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked."

-Psalm 82:3-4

Verse of the Week: 1 Peter 2:23-24

So this is something that I've wanted to do for awhile and finally got around to actually organizing it. I've heard plenty of times how children in first century Judea would memorize the whole Old Testament and then how people today in third world countries where persecution is intense, will memorize entire chapters and books of the Bible. And then here's me. I have deep need for the Word of God to be active in my life and yet I don't put forth the effort to write it on my heart. Not too long ago I wanted to be like those guys that memorize entire sections of the Bible so I gave it a try. I memorized the majority of Amos 5, but apparently lacked the fortitude or discipline to follow it through to the end. 


So here's what I'm going to do now. I've begun selecting verses that I know of, but don't have memorized or forget the address of it. I'm going to memorize them along with where they're found in the Bible. I figured I might as well share them on the blog as well and if you don't currently have a system for memorizing scripture feel free to do the verse of the week with me on the blog. I'll post the new one every Monday. Here's this week's verse.


This verse gets quoted often when people talk about the Lord healing us because of the last clause in the verse. I love it for that and also because you see Jesus' nature as He went to the cross. We can get so up in arms when people hurt us, but Jesus didn't return the pain to others and that's a beautiful thing and the way that we ought to behave as well. And then this is a great verse because it features the centrality of our Christian faith which is that Christ died for us, that we might be freed from sin and live righteously grounded in our faith in Him. 


"When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed." - 1 Peter 2:23-24