Colossians is one of my favorite books in the New Testament. And this week’s memory verse is found right in the middle of a passage describing how to put on the new self in Christ.

The next verse, Colossians 3:16, is a well known passage exhorting us to let the Word of Christ dwell in us. It’s frequently used to stress the importance of daily Bible reading. But I’ve chosen to memorize the verse before it, which talks about the peace of Christ.

Read it for yourself in Colossians 3:15:

Honestly, I find this to be a major struggle in my life frequently. I tend to stress over things, often little things. It’s hard for me to be peaceful. My hope is that in those times when I’m stressed out, this verse will come to mind, reminding me to allow Christ to take care of what He’s already taken care of.

And I absolutely love the last phrase, tagged onto the end of a verse about peace: “And be thankful.”

I think there is a stronger connection between peace and gratitude than we realize. And the opposite is true as well; a sense of entitlement does not lead to peace, it leads to more stress and worry.

I think I’ll choose peace.

What do you do to choose peace in your life? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Have you ever spent much time digging into Psalm 119?

Most people seem to dread it because it is so long.

But it is one of my favorite Psalms. It’s all about God’s Word. Completely. In fact, I counted 178 references to God’s Word in 176 verses. That’s pretty incredible to me.

This week’s passage is one of the more well known parts of this Psalm. Take look for yourself. It’s Psalm 119:9-11:

What keeps us on the path that God desires for us? Following his Word.

How do we seek to stay pure? By living according to God’s Word.

What prevents sin from gaining a foothold in our lives? By hiding God’s Word in our hearts.

That would be memorization. And that’s why I do this every week.

I can see God’s Word as very active in my life? Can you?

What is your favorite passage that you’ve committed to memory? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.

One of my favorite book in the Old Testament is Jeremiah. Some people think I’m crazy for that.

God makes some incredible promises to the Israelites through Jeremiah.

I understand that these promises were made to the ancient Israelites contextually. But God is a God who does not change. And many of the promises found here apply, or at least relate, to us today.

This week’s verse is no exception. You can find it in Jeremiah 24:7:

Just like last week, the Bible continually tells us that the heart is key.

And I love the reference, which is completely cooincidental… or is it?  We are to love God 24/7.  I love it!

My prayer for myself and my family in 2012, at least in part, is that we may have a heart to know God more fully, more completely.

May you know Him this way as well.

How’s your heart for God? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Last year, I worked to memorize the entire Sermon on the Mount. The continuity was really amazing, and I was able to watch to see how each week built upon the previous ones.

This year, I want to take a different approach. I’ve identified several different passages that stand out to me and seem to be directed to my life. I want to memorize these in 2012.

The first one seems best suited to be a New Year’s verse. Take a look, it’s in Proverbs 4:23:

The heart is key. The Bible tells us over and over again that the state of the heart describes the state of our being.

It’s too easy in our media-saturated culture to allow the heart to be flooded with unnecessary and unhealthy junk.

The need to guard our heart is imperative.

For my family, that means we will reevaluate everything we watch and read, as a start. I know I need to watch out for my heart, but my kids don’t understand that fully yet. So Heather and I have to do that for them, teaching them the reason for it in the process. That may be somewhat of a challenge at first, but I’m convinced it will work out.

What do you do to guard your heart? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.

In 2011, I memorized the Sermon on the Mount. It went pretty well, although there were weeks where I struggled a bit.

However, I know Matthew 5, 6, and 7 better than I ever have before. And portions of those chapters come to mind all the time now, exactly when I need them.

That’s one of the benefits of memorizing Scripture.

This year, I’m going to do it again. And I’d love to have you join me as well.

I went through my Bible and listed many of the key passages I underlined or highlighted last year. Most of these have made it onto the list of what I’d like to memorize this year.

It’s a pretty eclectic list, scattered all over the Bible, but there are some very meaningful passages in that list.

Here’s the idea: Grab an index card and a pen. Write the verse down on the card and stick in in your pocket, or in the car, or on your bathroom mirror, anyplace where you will see it often. Read it several times a day. By the end of the week, it will be memorized! Simple!

I will begin next week, on Sunday, with a verse from Proverbs that goes well with a new year’s effort .  Join me!

Do you regularly memorize Scripture? What benefits have you seen from it in your life? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.