This quote is from Corrie Ten Boom. She and her family hid Jews during World War II, and Corrie and her sister Betsie were imprisoned in concentration camps. Even in the horrible conditions, they told many there with them of the love of Christ. Once released, she went on to have a worldwide ministry sharing God’s love.
“Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. “Believe in God and believe also in me. John 14:1
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
How to focus up:
Follow Jesus’ example and get alone with God. Sing, pray, write scripture, read scripture. This doesn’t have to take a long time, a few minutes will transform your perspective and the Holy Spirit will comfort you, give you peace, and a way forward.
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Just like the lego man was built one piece at a time, when you engage Scripture, you are investing and building for yourself a strong life in Christ. Valerie Rumfelt
In the comments of my last article, a reader asked me a question. I decided to answer her question with another article. I told her to look for another article soon. My desire is to answer her question so all my readers will see it and that she will see the answer too.
Reader question:
I’ve done a bit of Scripture memorization in the past, but I haven’t been consistent with it. Do you have any tips for committing Scripture to memory?
5 Tips for Scripture Memory:
1. Choose Scripture that the Spirit has highlighted for you in your morning quiet time. This way, it isn’t a random scripture but one with a meaningful connection.
3. Learn a little more about the context of the Bible passage. What’s the surrounding story or teaching? That will give your brain some connectors.
4. Get a partner and encourage one another until you both get it memorized.
5. Stay away from human expectations. God wants His children to love His Word, not be frustrated with it. Know the Spirit is working in your life each time you engage His Holy Word,
Reader, I hope this encourages you to keep going in your pursuit of hiding God’s Word in your heart. To everyone reading, remember, as good as it feels to conquer a scripture, you may not be able to have instant recall later. The reward is you know it is hidden in your heart(Psalm 119:11), and it will not come back void(Isaiah 55:11).
If any readers have other tips, please share them in the comments.
Thanks for taking the time to read my article. If you aren’t signed up already, please add your email below, and hit subscribe. Each time I publish, you will receive Winning Ways to Follow Jesus in your email first. Blessings.
Have you been in a situation that might have typically sent you into a period of anxiety, but instead, you found yourself at peace and with a song in your heart? Just as negative emotions can draw us to God, positive ones, unexpected ones, can do the same. We find ourselves glad in stressful situations, and we thank and praise God. Or maybe we must make an intentional choice to trust God in spite of looming feelings. Either way, Isaiah has something to teach us.
As I pondered Isaiah 12:2 recently, a few ideas began to develop. Questions from another resource guided more thoughts toward application. I modified the questions for this blog.
Isaiah 12:2 says,
“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD Himself, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.
I serve a God who saves. This salvation is eternal. It is also daily. He helps me to take up my cross daily (Luke 9:23-24). He saves me daily from my own weaknesses and wandering. When I put my trust in His power, then my flesh and sinful nature no longer have to control me. I choose to walk in the Spirit. When I don’t, that’s on me because 2 Peter 1:3 tells me that He gives me all I need for a godly life.
What concepts are important to remember about this verse?
Only the LORD can perform these acts
-Only the LORD can provide strength.
-Only the LORD can provide my song.
How does the verse help your faith to grow?
I notice two “I will” statements.
I will trust –
I will not be afraid-
Isaiah is confident that because God is His salvation, then his response is trust in God. Isaiah chooses not to be afraid. Because fear, as overwhelming as it can be, is still our choice. Again, God gives us everything we need to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3).
Which concepts come to mind that apply to you?
He has always been.
He has my salvation sealed.
He has delivered me from darkness.
He has shown me His love.
He has been faithful to me.
I think when God strengthens me, He leaves me with a song. Isaiah records that God was his song. The song has strength before it and salvation after it. That sounds like a defense against the evil one and darkness. One translation says, “ Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD Himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.
My prayer:
Dear Lord, You are my strength and my song. Your salvation is my foundation. Your song is the celebration and worship in between, which gives me strength for the journey. Help me focus on you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Reader, you will answer these questions differently. The Holy Spirit will speak to you in personal ways for your need. After you study this, share it with another Christian who needs encouragement. Tell them what this verse means to you and about the power of God’s Word.
Thanks for taking the time to read my article. If you aren’t signed up already, please add your email below, and hit subscribe. Each time I publish, you will receive Winning Ways to Follow Jesus in your email first. Blessings.
Some people love adventure, and roaming the earth to have an adventure is done with ease. Home is where my heart is. I love everything about home. I have a Pinterest board with that title.
My family moved a lot when I was a child. I have always had trouble leaving the familiar. I need a plan. Anxiety began to reside in me at a young age. Every move was another traumatic, lonely excursion. It never occurred to me that I could do something about it, and over time, like stubborn weeds grip hard soil, it became part of me. I tried hard not to let it stop me, but I’m sure opportunities were missed.
In the late 90s, my husband and I took two trips to do His work, and while those trips showed us spiritual lostness on a world scale, I battled anxiety on the trips.
Once we returned from the first trip, I absorbed my comfortable life. We were home again. Pride and amazement swelled in me. I had left home, crossed an ocean for the first time, and that trip was my first time flying too! I did something I never thought I could do. Good job. A big check for such a feat.
Barely enjoying normal life again, to my surprise, we received a message requesting my husband lead a team for another trip to do His work. I could not believe it. So soon. Wow. But I knew God was doing this. Me resting on my laurels was not in His plan. We obeyed again, and yes, I struggled with anxiety while there.
Thankfully, the Lord used a completely different situation in the early 21st century to call me to pay attention to my issue with anxiety. Through the power of His Holy Spirit, God guided me to a plan that included some practices that put me in scripture consistently, sometimes several times daily. These practices were in addition to a morning quiet time already established for decades.
Anxiety starts in the mind. So these practices (most of which I share on this site) brought more peace and allowed me to relax enough to enjoy the Lord’s presence. As I grew to know Him more, intrusive thoughts were minimized. My default mechanism of anxiety was healed. God no longer seemed far away in my struggle. He was near, and He cared and was healing me. As I look back, I see I participated in Matthew 11:28-30.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
In 2019, my husband sensed we would take a new direction different from anything we’d done before. I could not believe it. I knew this would mean we wouldn’t visit a foreign and unfamiliar country, but we would live in a foreign and unfamiliar country.
For years, whenever I’d read Psalm 139, my eyes would gaze on vs. 9, which says, “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Thoughts would swirl as I wondered if Psalm 139:9 would ever be true for me.
Today as I live in a foreign country writing this, I am aware I am very far from the familiar, it is on the far side of the sea, and I’m living in the verse to the praise of His Name.
Yes, anxiety occasionally visits, but God’s Word has long-term effects, and I benefit greatly from the years of intentional investment in His Word. If a struggle begins, I have trust in God now to believe He is with me in my struggle. I have tools that redirect my mind and invite help from the Holy Spirit. Any struggle ends quickly. I am thankful He loved me so much to help me pay attention to this. The love for His Word that resulted and the joy of His presence is a gift that keeps on giving.
“Let God’s promises shine on your problems.” Corrie Ten Boom
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Some of you may be following the Scripture Writing from The Planning Women as we do here at Buried Treasures Home. Sometimes, while I’m doing the scripture writing, the Spirit fills my mind with questions about the passage. After I understand the answers, I then have another discipleship tool to pass on to the ladies. This week was one of those times, and I was able to get it typed up and passed on to them. Even if you don’t do this particular scripture writing or scripture writing at all, you can still print off this printable to use for some extra Bible study time. Enjoy. Scripture Writing follow up for March 3
Some of you may be following the Scripture Writing from The Planning Women as we do here at Buried Treasures Home. Sometimes, while I’m doing the scripture writing, the Spirit fills my mind with questions about the passage. After I understand the answers, I then have another discipleship tool to pass on to the ladies. This week was one of those times, and I was able to get it typed up and passed on to them. Even if you don’t do this particular scripture writing or scripture writing at all, you can still print off this printable to use for some extra Bible study time. Enjoy. 
Valerie Rumfelt 