A Tiffany Stained Glass piece at St. Johns Church in Portsmouth, Va- I had the honor of speaking there last weekend

This past summer, good friends of ours were in a horrible car accident. Brandi was in a coma from head trauma. I witnessed the most amazing thing ever in those weeks we spent with their family in the intensive care unit. The doctor’s prognosis wasn’t good.  No one knew if she would come out of the coma normal. The injury was horrible. The body of Christ filled the chapel and prayed. But, what amazed me more than anything else? Her husband, Phil.  He would pace the floors quoting scriptures. He didn’t have a Bible in his hands, it was in his head, in his heart, and he was speaking it back to God. I think the majority of the time we spent there he never realized how much scripture he spoke or that he himself was ministering to all who heard him. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever witnessed.  It’s been eight months now and Brandi is walking with the aid of a walker and she’s starting to talk.  She’s a miracle.

I’ll never forget the powerful witness that Phil was- in the hardest days of his life. It was truly a lamp unto his feet and a light unto our path.

The Word is life to us.  It is powerful- sharper than any two edged sword. Hebrews 4:12

You’ve got to watch this video with John Piper.  Please you must!

1. 1. Memorizing scripture makes meditation possible at times when you can’t be reading the Bible. Meditation is the pathway to deeper understanding. If you’re going to meditate— you’ve got to have something in your head.
   2. Memorizing scripture increases my faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  It happens when I hear it in my head.
   3. Memorizing scripture shapes the way I view the world by conforming my mind to God’s viewpoint on everything.
   4. Memorizing scripture makes God’s Word more readily accessible for overcoming temptation to sin. God’s warnings and promises are the way we conquer the lies of the Devil.
   5. Memorizing scripture guards my mind, making it easier to detect error and the world is filled with error because the god of this world is a liar.
   6. Memorizing scripture allows me to hit the Devil in the face with a force he cannot resist to protect myself and my family from his assault. WHAT ARE YOU HITTING HIM WITH?  HE IS A MILLIONS TIMES STRONGER THAN YOU.  He hates you, your family, your marriage, your church- and God.  How anybody walks through this devil- ruled world without a sword in their hand, is beyond me.
   7. Memorizing scripture provides the strongest, sweetest words in ministering to people in need.  Have you ever been caught off guard with someone in need?  You don’t need to be caught off guard.
   8. Memorizing scripture provides the matrix with fellowship with Jesus because He talks to me from His word.  Oh how sweetly, authentically, really speaks to me HERE!  And, I speak it back to Him in prayer.  If scripture is within me, we can talk anywhere and it is sweet.  It is very sweet.