Hey [CORRECTED_NAME GOES HERE], if you grew up in Sunday school like I did, you probably remember all the different pieces of the Ephesians 6 armor.
The belt of truth. The breastplate of righteousness. The shield of faith. The helmet of salvation. And...
...the sword of the Spirit!
I always remember being reminded that "it's the only offensive piece of armor mentioned in the list." Did you get told that as well?
While I don't think that we were misled, I do think that this visual over-simplified a concept that is actually a bit more complex. Does God's Word convict and teach? Yes. Can we use Scripture to fight spiritual battles? I would hope so!
BUT...
What if this sword is not exclusively meant for us to use, but rather for it to be used on us?
That may sound like I'm making a big deal over semantics, but the more I look at Hebrews 4, the more I think it adds an important layer to our WHY for memorizing Scripture.
I challenge you to spend 10 minutes with me today looking at Hebrews 4.
๐ฃ We've got the "Word of God as a sword" WRONG?
Join me this week as I spend some time studying Hebrews 4, looking at the "double edged sword" not as a weapon we yield, but perhaps more accurately as a tool that is pointed at us.
Since this one is mostly me talking, you might enjoy just listening to this on Spotify.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
โ Psalm 73:26 (NIV)
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What's Happening in the Community
Jennifer is sharing a series of practical tips this month for those who are newer to Scripture memory. Whether you're just getting started or have been memorizing for years, you may discover a new idea to try!
โCheck out the tips, and add your own advice to help encourage our newest memorizers.
Shelly has been experimenting with alternatives to Suno and found ElevenMusic to be her favorite option so far. She even recorded a tutorial and shared how she's using Doppler to organize her Scripture songs into playlists for easy listening and review.
โWatch Shelly's tutorial and see the tools she's using.
When you're reviewing an entire chapter, how many repetitions make for a solid review day? Connie is considering 10 and asked the Bible Memory Goal community to share what actually works for them.
โSee how other chapter memorizers approach review and add your own strategyโ
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Kids Training Replay
Rachel Eernisse did a fantastic job last week with her training on how to get kids excited about Scripture memory. If you weren't able to join, we've made the replay available for the next week, with a link to a free PDF download. If you have a kid in your life, be sure to check this out.
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I hope you hear a bit of my heart in the devotional today. I'm not trying to say I have things all figured out. In fact, I welcome any constructive feedback you might have as a reply to this email.
I'm on a journey to understand God's Word more and more, just like you. Hopefully we can be the iron that sharpens each other.
Josh, Becky & the Bible Memory Goal team