Scripture memory should be a part of every Christian’s regular disciplines, but it seems to have fallen out of practice with far too many believers. There are many good reasons to memorize verses from the Bible. Here are a few.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
I thought it would be good to start off the beginning New Year with a verse on the beginning. This foundational verse reveals much to us about our world and God.
First, God exists. The Bible does not try to prove God’s existence, but rather assumes His existence as evidenced by His creation (Psalm 19:1) and revelation of Himself (Colossians 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 3:16).
Second, God existed before the universe was created. He was there before the beginning. He is eternal in His very nature and is separate from His creation (transcendent).
Third, God created all that exists, including the celestial bodies and life on Earth. As is shown in the remainder of Genesis 1, macro-evolution is untrue. God created the different kinds of living creatures; they did not evolve from lower forms of life. The biological processes which are observed today are those which were there in the beginning. Living creatures reproduce after their own kind (Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25).
Fourth, there was a beginning. God set everything in order. Although mankind chose sin rather than obedience, God had a plan of salvation through Jesus Christ to deliver us from our sin and renew all things to their original perfection.
Romans 8:21-25 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
This is the ending that God has in store for us started with His beginning in Genesis 1:1.
Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
In this passage God institutes a covenant with Abraham. This covenant has three major promises and is important not only for the nation of Israel, but for the human race as a whole. Continue reading
Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Many people ask the question, “How do you know that God exists?” This is a good question. We live in a physical world, but God is a spiritual Being (John 4:24). By definition, He cannot be perceived with our physical senses. However, the physical world around us is irrefutable evidence that God exists. Continue reading
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
This verse informs us that a person may decide a direction to take in life and may plan how to get there, but it is the Lord Who guides his steps. This is dependence. As Jesus stated in John 15:5, “without me ye can do nothing”, we cannot prosper without divine assistance. Continue reading