Ezekiel 11

Scripture Saturday ~ Ezekiel 11:19-20~ God's Transforming Work ~ Pray For Them

12:00 AM

Saturday, November 23, 2019


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Ezekiel 11:19-20...

 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. (NIV)

 As believers in Jesus, we already have a changed heart. That’s the promise and the core of the gospel…it’s the new covenant. When we put our trust in Christ, our stony heart is replaced with a new and improved one. That’s what Ezekiel is saying here. We are given a new heart - one that responds to God, one that is connected to Him. We have a heart that longs to know, to please, and serve Him. We have God-filled hearts.

 As Paul says in 2 Corinthians, believers have a brand-new nature. We are brand new people that desire to honor God.

 This verse can also be seen as an invitation to those that do not have an “undivided heart.” Those that do not have God within them, directing them, filling them, satisfying them, giving them hope. 

 When you are memorizing these verses, think upon those that do not have God’s spirit within them. Pray for them…pray that they will make that step towards God…that they will replace their stony hearts with a new and much improved heart for God.




awe

Scripture Saturday ~ Nehemiah 9:6 ~ Awe & Wonder ~ Intelligent Designer

12:00 AM

Saturday, November 16, 2019




Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Nehemiah 9:6...

 You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. (NIV)

 Just look outside and you can see God’s hand in everything. Look upon the sky, the stars, the trees, the mountains, the ocean. Hold a new-born baby and think upon how intricate each human body is…how all creatures are.  All that He has created is Awesome, Amazing, Wonder-filling!

 He is the Intelligent Designer. We worship God, the creator and sustainer of ALL things. He holds it all together by His will.

 The next time you stand amazed and awed of His creation, pause and consider His handiwork. Thank Him. Remember that He is sovereign, He is our Lord!








Adoration

Scripture Saturday ~ Hebrews 1:3 ~ Adoration ~ Adoring Jesus

12:00 AM

Saturday, November 9, 2019



Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Hebrews 1:3...

 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (NIV)

 I know, you’re asking, why did she choose this verse to memorize for our upcoming theme of Adoration? Because, when we following Jesus, we are adoring God. When we praying to Jesus, we are adoring God. When we are listening to Jesus, we are adoring God. When we are obeying Jesus, we are adoring God.

 Jesus is God’s Son. He is God’s Glory. 

 I found this analogy while researching…

 “Jesus relates to God the way the rays of sunlight relate to the sun. There is no time that the sun exists without the beams of radiance. They cannot be separated…The rays of the sun however are an extension of the sun. We see the sun by means of seeing the rays of the sun. So too we see God the Father by seeing Jesus for they are one God.”

 Want to know what God says? Listen to Jesus. Want to know what God does? Watch Jesus. He is God incarnate in man. And He is, and should always be, who we adore!






Galatians 6

Scripture Saturday ~ Galatians 6:2 ~ Suffering & Grief ~ Carrying Burdens

12:00 AM


Saturday, November 2, 2019



Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Galatians 6:2...

 Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love].  (Amplified)

 All of us here on WitW know how this verse rings true…

 Paul suggests (in this verse) that burden-bearing “fulfills the requirements of the law of Christ.”  Every act of compassion, every act of self-sacrifice, every act of loving that we have for each other is the practical means of displaying the love of Christ and therefore is fulfilling the demands of His law. We respond to each other, we pray for each other, we share with each other our struggles so others may, in their way, show compassion, empathy, and sympathy.  Isn’t that what Christ desires for us?  Love our neighbor. Bear her burdens.

 Oh, how wonderful it is to be amongst sisters that love and pray for you!






1 Kings 8

Scripture Saturday ~ 1 Kings 8:22,23~ Surrender ~ Let God Take Over

12:00 AM

Saturday, October 26, 2019


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is 1 Kings 8:22,23...

 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said:  “Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below—You who keep your covenant of love with Your servants who continue wholeheartedly in Your way. (NIV)

 Surrender is a battle term. It implies giving up all rights to the conqueror. When an opposing army surrenders, they lay down their arms, and the winners take control from then on. Surrendering to God works the same way. When we are losing the battle, we can surrender and let God take control.  

 These verses in 1 King are a picture of surrendering. Solomon was surrendering all of Israel to God. He knew that he could not lead Israel as king without Him. He reached out his arms and hands to the One that he knew was sovereign, the One that loves us, cares for us, knows us, and can carry all of our burdens.
We can do what Solomon did. We can surrender. When we are losing the battle, overwhelmed by our days’ burdens we can open our hands towards heaven. We can reach out to the One that can carry all our concerns. We can place ourselves and our burdens in His care.  There is nothing that He cannot handle. He is all we need!






Faith

Scripture Saturday ~ Romans 1:17~ Faith ~ Righteous!

12:00 AM

Saturday, October 19, 2019


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Romans 1:17...

 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith…” (NIV)

 Paul echoes Habakkuk 2:4, “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith. (NIV)

 We are made right with God not by any thing we have done, but strictly by faith.  This is why salvation is so awesome! We don’t or can’t do anything to earn it. We don’t or can’t add anything to it. We just receive it by His grace (unmerited favor), through faith. That’s it! This is Truth! 
“Salvation is the gift of God from first to last. Let the beauty and the wonder of that cause you to bow before our gracious God in adoration, gratitude, and praise.” (iWorship)


Hiding God's Word in our Heart

Scripture Saturday ~ Psalm 9:10 ~ Seeking God ~ Search To Know More

12:00 AM

Saturday, October 12, 2019


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Psalm 9:10...

 Those who know Your Name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. (NIV)

 “We who know God’s name and trust in Him search for Him too. We seek to understand better His nature and His will for us. We search for better ways of living in His presence. And our search for God will not be fruitless, for WE WILL find Him, or rather HE WILL find us…

 Like David, renew your commitment to know and worship the name of the One you trust and to continue to search for Him.
Write down three questions you have about God, His character, or your relationship with Him. Commit to finding the answers to these questions through Bible study, prayer, conversations with other believers, or through reading Christian authors.”  (iWorship)

Hiding God's Word in our Heart

Scripture Saturday ~ Proverbs 12:1 ~ Self-discipline ~ Set your alarm!

12:00 AM

Saturday, October 5, 2019



Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Proverbs 12:1...

 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. (NIV)

 When an athlete is training for a marathon she stretches. She runs. She uses weights to make her stronger. She corrects some bad habits she may have. She disciplines herself to be the best that she can be. Why does she do this? For the freedom and the reward it brings. She is free to meet the marathon, the test, head on no whatever difficulty may come. And at the end she will be rewarded. She will know in her heart that she did her best in preparing and facing her challenge.

 Worshiping God is really not any different. We read, we study, we meditate, reflect and observe ourselves. It can mean that we will be sore, uncomfortable, asked to give up some bad habits. Develop a love for that. Crave discipline in your life knowing that the reward so outweighs all the rest.
Set your alarm for six tomorrow morning. When it beeps spend six minutes worshiping God. Focus. Sing. Pray. Listen to Him. But keep your full attention and affection on Him. Allow this to be a habit every morning! (iWorship) 






Hiding God's Word in our Heart

Scripture Saturday ~ Matthew 4:17 ~ Repentance ~ Turning

12:00 AM

Saturday, September 28, 2019


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Matthew 4:17...

 From then on, Jesus began to preach, “Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near…” (NLT)

 Repentance can be defined as "a repenting or being penitent; feeling of sorrow, especially for wrongdoing; compunction; contrition; remorse." Repentance is also known as a change of mind, turning away, a return to God, a turning away from sin.

 Repenting, turning away from sin and returning to God, is not just a “once-in while” turning but it is a “throughout our lifetime” turning. It is always right to turn away from our self-seeking ways and turn to Him.

 “Clement, an early church father, put it this way, ‘We must repent of our fleshly, evil deeds while we have the chance to repent with our whole heart, so that the Lord can save us.’  As long as we are on this earth, we need to practice repentance. Daily. Hourly. By the minute if necessary. When we fail to keep short accounts with the Lord, it takes a toll…worship becomes more difficult and less meaningful.” 
Practice today. Write down the sins of the day or days and confess, and accept God’s forgiveness. As you do this, cross them off your list. Keep a short account with God everyday! (iWorship)


1 John 1

Scripture Saturday ~ 1 John 1:9,10 ~ Confession ~ His Faithfulness

12:00 AM


Saturday, September 21, 2019




Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is 1 John 1:9,10...

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us. (NIV)

To confess means, “to say the same as.” When we confess our sin, we are willing to say and believe the same thing about our sin that God says about it. (Read Luke 18:10-14.) God knows every secret of the human heart, and He stands ready to forgive us. There is only one condition: we must confess.

"Confessing" is a present tense verb. This means we should continually confess our sin - this isn’t a once for all kind of thing. Each time we sin, we must ask for forgiveness - admitting to God that what we have done is sin (against His commandments and His will for us), asking for His forgiveness. He is faithful and just and will forgive us.  “Because of Jesus’ work, the righteousness of God is our friend – insuring that we will be forgiven because Jesus paid the penalty of our sin. God is being faithful and just to forgive us in light of Jesus.” 

Sin separates us from the One who longs to enjoy unbroken fellowship with us. When Adam and Eve first sinned, their disobedience caused them to hide from God. Note that the first recorded question in the history of the universe was not, “God, where are you?” but “Adam, where are you?”

No one can hide from God. God observes us through eyes of love, much like a father who carefully watches to see if his child will own up to wrongdoing. Have your times of personal worship felt lifeless and dry? If your actions or attitudes have erected a barrier between you and your Lord, confession will knock it down. Blessings await you. (A.Slick)





Hiding God's Word in our Heart

Scripture Saturday ~ Romans 12:1 ~ Sacrifice ~ Pleasing Him

12:00 AM


Saturday, September 14, 2019


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Romans 12:1..

 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (NIV)

 It is a challenging world we live in…let’s face it…it is a me-first world. People focus their entire being on how they can get the most out of THIS life, how much they can accumulate, how much “fun” they can have, how little they can give, but how much they can get.  But Paul puts it pretty plainly to US in this verse. As followers of Christ, as His children, we are to offer our entire bodies - offer ourselves, our hearts, our minds, our wills, and yes our bodies - as a “living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” 

 In the old testament animal sacrifices were given to cleanse a people or person from sin, and the animals went unknowingly, and I am sure sometimes unwilling. BUT NO LONGER!  We sacrifice ourselves knowing exactly what we are doing and we do so willingly. When we worship we give up our entire beings. When we worship it’s an all-encompassing, all-engaging, all-consuming sacrifice to our God for what His Son did for us - for He gave us His all.

 Here is message from John Piper I found when researching…I pray it edifies and blesses you.

 https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/present-your-bodies-as-a-living-sacrifice-to-god







Commitment

Scripture Saturday ~ Deuteronomy 10:12 ~ Commitment ~ True Worship!

12:00 AM

Saturday, September 7, 2019



Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

 This coming week's memory verse is Deuteronomy 10:12...

 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…(NIV)

 One of my favorite people in the bible is Ruth. When I think about Ruth I can’t help but be amazed, and incredibly thankful for her attitude and obedience. Ruth left her family and their gods and sought the protection of the God of Israel, the one true God. And I am sure being married to Boaz, she strengthened into a Godly woman, and an amazing worshipper!  And like Ruth, we must look at ourselves and leave behind those things that keep us from worshipping the one true God. Is there an attitude or an activity that doesn’t honor God in our lives? Are there possessions that take God’s place? Is there a sin in our lives that block Him from our sight? Is God calling you to leave your home and go to a new place - making you step out of your comfort zone? Worshipping Him involves sacrifice…but remember, He “gives His riches to all who ask for them” (Romans 10:12) 
Think about those things (activities, possessions, attitudes ) that God is calling you to leave behind today.  Obey God. If any is not worthy to present to Him then put them away.