http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%20119:11&version=NIV1984
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%20119:105&version=NIV1984
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%201:2-3&version=NIV1984
It was several years ago that I went to our District Men’s Advance in Billings. (Since women have a ‘retreat’ us men have an ‘advance’!) Our speaker for the weekend was Rod Handley, founder of Character That Counts. It is a ministry that is primarily to men and whose purpose is to “communicate the unique and critical message of character, integrity and accountability, into our daily lives”. At some point during the Advance, Rod mentioned that every year God gives him a verse. A verse for the year. It’s a verse related to some area that God wants him to work on for that year. Rod shared several of those verses. I forget what they were but it aroused my curiosity. Unfortunately, I did nothing with it. The next year rolled around and Rod was our speaker once again at the Men’s Advance. Again he shared the concept of a verse for the year. This time it took.
When I returned home God gave me a verse for the year. For 2010. It was from James 4:4. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” At that time (as I am currently) I was trying to understand how to deepen my relationship with God. This verse says that I am as close to God as I want to be. Ouch! The Bible is pretty clear that God has initiated a relationship with me through His Son, Jesus Christ. As I respond to Him I not only become His child, I can have an ever-deepening relationship with Him. So, this was my verse for 2010.
Last year I was in Billings for a meeting at our District Office. Somewhere in a conversation a verse was used. I immediately knew that it was to be my verse for 2011. The verse is from I Timothy 4:7 and says, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” So that has been my goal this past year. In June I started to fast once a week. I was inspired to do this by my good friend, Rev Tom Collins, who fasts quite frequently. And by author John Ortberg, who recommends this discipline in his book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted. In addition I have also tried to discipline myself in several other areas of my life. Such as my speech. Not gossiping about others. Not making judgmental comments. Thinking about why I am saying what I am saying. The progress has been slow. But there has been progress!
For this coming year, 2012, my verse is from 2 Corinthians 10:5. “Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” Incredibly, after all these years of being a Christian (over 45 at this point) I have found that my mind is very undisciplined. At any point in time it can be consumed with lust, jealousy, envy, worry, unforgiveness, revenge, self-pity and more. Who knew? I certainly didn’t! The problem is that I can be thinking of things that are not good for hours, or most of a day, and not even realize it! Now, through the help of the Holy Spirit, I want to do something about my thoughts. I want to have the ‘mind of Christ’ that the Apostle Paul talks about in I Corinthians 2:16. So this is my challenge for next year. A very daunting one indeed. But with the help of the Holy Spirit I hope to make progress in this area as well.
So I challenge you to also have a verse of the year. For 2012. This gives you 3 days to come up with one. Plenty of time. Pray and ask God what area He wants you to work on. It could be a bad habit that you are being controlled by. Lust. Worry. Fear. Or you might find that you complain too much. Or aren’t thankful enough. Or concerned about the lost. Or maybe you need to pray more. Or become better at worshiping God. Or not spend so much time on the computer. Whatever area God reveals to you, find a verse that speaks to this subject. Then memorize it. Put it on a small card and keep in your wallet or purse. Put it on your bathroom mirror. Or the dashboard of your vehicle. The point is to allow the Holy Spirit to help you live out that verse during the coming year.
Try it. Start now. See what God will do!
Lord, I thank you for the power of Your Word. Power to transform me into the image of Your Son. May You continue to give me a verse each year that will help deal with an area that I need to grow in. An area of Your choosing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
When I returned home God gave me a verse for the year. For 2010. It was from James 4:4. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” At that time (as I am currently) I was trying to understand how to deepen my relationship with God. This verse says that I am as close to God as I want to be. Ouch! The Bible is pretty clear that God has initiated a relationship with me through His Son, Jesus Christ. As I respond to Him I not only become His child, I can have an ever-deepening relationship with Him. So, this was my verse for 2010.
Last year I was in Billings for a meeting at our District Office. Somewhere in a conversation a verse was used. I immediately knew that it was to be my verse for 2011. The verse is from I Timothy 4:7 and says, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” So that has been my goal this past year. In June I started to fast once a week. I was inspired to do this by my good friend, Rev Tom Collins, who fasts quite frequently. And by author John Ortberg, who recommends this discipline in his book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted. In addition I have also tried to discipline myself in several other areas of my life. Such as my speech. Not gossiping about others. Not making judgmental comments. Thinking about why I am saying what I am saying. The progress has been slow. But there has been progress!
For this coming year, 2012, my verse is from 2 Corinthians 10:5. “Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” Incredibly, after all these years of being a Christian (over 45 at this point) I have found that my mind is very undisciplined. At any point in time it can be consumed with lust, jealousy, envy, worry, unforgiveness, revenge, self-pity and more. Who knew? I certainly didn’t! The problem is that I can be thinking of things that are not good for hours, or most of a day, and not even realize it! Now, through the help of the Holy Spirit, I want to do something about my thoughts. I want to have the ‘mind of Christ’ that the Apostle Paul talks about in I Corinthians 2:16. So this is my challenge for next year. A very daunting one indeed. But with the help of the Holy Spirit I hope to make progress in this area as well.
So I challenge you to also have a verse of the year. For 2012. This gives you 3 days to come up with one. Plenty of time. Pray and ask God what area He wants you to work on. It could be a bad habit that you are being controlled by. Lust. Worry. Fear. Or you might find that you complain too much. Or aren’t thankful enough. Or concerned about the lost. Or maybe you need to pray more. Or become better at worshiping God. Or not spend so much time on the computer. Whatever area God reveals to you, find a verse that speaks to this subject. Then memorize it. Put it on a small card and keep in your wallet or purse. Put it on your bathroom mirror. Or the dashboard of your vehicle. The point is to allow the Holy Spirit to help you live out that verse during the coming year.
Try it. Start now. See what God will do!
Lord, I thank you for the power of Your Word. Power to transform me into the image of Your Son. May You continue to give me a verse each year that will help deal with an area that I need to grow in. An area of Your choosing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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