Tag Archives: Spiritual Growth

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Memorize Scripture – Week 5

A few nights ago, I was at the high school for a basketball game. As I pulled up, the sun was setting, and this is what I saw:

Ozarks Sunset in January

It reminded me of this week’s passage, which speaks of the majesty of God. Take a look at Psalm 57:5:

Psalm 57:5

When I think of the majesty of God, some of the first things that come to mind are images of God’s creation: sunsets, mountain ranges, waterfalls.

How great is our God who gave us such a variety of beauty!

What does this passage bring to your mind? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Scripture Stickies: And The Winner Is…

Last week, I wrote a review of Scripture Stickies, Post-It notes printed with passages of Scripture that can help you memorize.

Along with my review, I presented three opportunities to win a set of Scripture Stickies for yourself.

These things are pretty cool. It’s such a simple concept. You take one and stick it where you’ll see it frequently. Every time you see it and read it, you’re that much closer to memorizing it.

Scripture Stickies

I had three packets to give away, to three commenters. However, only one person left a comment. She will receive all three packets: Friendship, Love, and Get Well Soon.

And so, the winner is…

Trisha Irvin!

Each packet that Trisha receives comes with ten stickies, two each of five verses on any given topic. That’s a total of 30 Scripture Stickies that Trisha will be able to stick around her home! That’s pretty cool.

Don’t forget…

Readers of JeffRandleman.com receive an additional bonus when they order Scripture Stickies! If you make a purchase from ScriptureStickies.com, enter the code “RANDLEMAN” at checkout to receive a ten percent discount and free shipping!

Congratulations to Trisha Irvin. I hope these Scripture Stickies are a fun and encouraging resource enabling her to memorize more passages from God’s Word.

What do you do to help you memorize Scripture? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

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The State Of The Youth Ministry And A Winter Retreat

Over the weekend, I took several of our teens to the Winter Retreat at Rock Garden Christian Camp.

This was a weekend that a few other area youth ministers and I have been planning since back in September.

@God: Winter Retreat 2012

In my opinion, it was a huge success!

We took a bit of a different approach this year rather than how we had been doing it. We brought in a different type of speaker, not your normal local guy, and used a band we’d never worked with before for the worship. Again, it was hugely successful.

We asked John Luzadder to speak to our teens. John is a former youth minister who now works with CIY, overseeing Wilderness, a youth minister’s retreat that I attend every fall.

I was a bit unsure just how all our teens would relate to John. John deals more with youth leaders in his current position, and while he was in the youth ministry trenches in the past, I wasn’t sure how our students would take to him.

He knocked it out of the park!

Our theme for the weekend was “@God: More Than A Facebook Friend“. Over the course of the weekend, we examined each aspect of the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, and then wrapped it up with a “What does this mean to me?” session.

On top of the excellent preaching John brought about God, here are a few of the things I took away from the weekend:

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Memorize Scripture – Week 4

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:

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.

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Using Scripture Stickies To Memorize The Word, And A Chance To Win A Set

One of the most prominent features of JeffRandleman.com is the weekly scripture memorization post.

I try to memorize God’s Word on a regular basis, placing key passages into my heart and mind so that I can draw on them when I need them.

In 2011, I worked to memorize the Sermon on the Mount. This year, I’m memorizing several selected passages that have impacted me throughout the years.

Recently, Julie Alvarez, of ScriptureStickies.com, contacted me. She asked if I would be willing to use and review her Scripture Stickies, and give away a few sets.

Scripture Stickies

I was more than happy to give them a look. And I’m pretty impressed.

Sometimes, the most innovate inventions are the most simple. And simplicity is exactly what Julie Alvarez has implemented in Scripture Stickies.

Scripture Stickies are nothing more than Post-It Notes, imprinted with passages of Scripture, that are easily placed just about anywhere you can think of. By strategically placing God’s Word all around you, where you can see and read it often, you can easily memorize dozens of passages in no time at all. Check out their video:

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Memorize Scripture – Week 3

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:

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.

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Trying A New Bible Reading System

One of the things I am most passionate about is the need to spend time with God on a daily basis. I’ve compiled tips to help you be more consistent.  I’ve shared my “Gold Nugget” method of Bible study. And I’ve recently made available a PDF booklet that helps you to read through the entire Bible in a year, in a variety of different ways. Subscribe via email, and it’s yours for free.

This is one of the most important aspects of my life, and since I know it’s value, I can’t help but speak about it often.

Bible with Coffee

This year, however, I’m stepping up the intensity a notch, at least for me personally.

I’ve decided to try Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System. The goal is to read ten chapters a day, totaling 3660 chapters of the Bible throughout 2012.

It’s a bit audacious, I know.

I first heard about this method of Bible reading over at TimChallies.com. But I’ve tweaked it a bit to suit my own tastes.

Here’s the basic idea: