Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
--Romans 12:2
One of the best ways to renew your mind is to memorize the Word of God and then make it your own. For example, if you find yourself worrying, remember Matthew 6:33 which says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Or if you have an important decision to make, you might recall Proverbs 3:5-6, which says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Once you have memorized a verse, let me encourage you to use it when you have a crisis or a need. Recall it for strength and direction.
Remember too that being conformed to the Word of God is so much more than just reading the Bible here and there. It means really taking the time to study God’s Word…to comprehend it and to meditate on it.
Make a commitment to spend time every day in His Word…to make that a consistent habit. And then take a verse each week to memorize from what you read. Finally, strive to conform to what God is teaching you from His Word so that you can know Him intimately and abide in Him each day.
Make a commitment today to memorize Scripture for strength and direction.
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”
Lamentations 3:21-25
When the Children of Israel were in the wilderness, the vast population faced a crucial food shortage. God responded by sending them manna to eat. The food miraculously appeared six mornings each week (extra manna fell and was gathered on the sixth day so they would not have to work on the Sabbath) for the entire time until they crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Each morning there was new manna. If they tried to keep it overnight during the week, it would go bad.
Just as the manna fell morning after morning, God’s mercy is renewable from an inexhaustible supply—it is new each and every morning. As long as the sun continues to come up, as long as God’s children continue to need Him, His mercy will be there for us. “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 136:1). No matter how much trouble we face, we will never have a problem that God cannot meet. And because of His mercy, kindness, and love for us, we can be confident that He will act.
Jeremiah knew what it was to suffer greatly and face hard times. His message to the people of Israel warning of impending judgment was so unpopular that he was thrown into jail. Then his nation was conquered by a foreign army and many of the people carried away as captives to Babylon. Yet through it all, Jeremiah remained faithful because he knew God was unfailing in mercy.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Difficult circumstances and trials serve as opportunities for us to see God’s mercy in action.
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