Becoming Like Jesus: Scripture MemorizationSample

Pure and Holy

Pray…

Our Father in heaven, you know better than anyone the way things are supposed to be. Help us live according to your vision for our lives. We pray that your Kingdom will come soon and that people everywhere will accept your invitation to join in. Give us today the things we need. Forgive us of our sins and help us to show that same forgiveness to others. Guard us from temptations and from evil. Help us to walk in the light. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Read…

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3 NLT

Consider…

Because of Jesus, we have become children of God. While that is true now, there will come a day when the full reality of our adoption will be revealed. When Jesus returns to make all things new. On that day, God’s Kingdom that is here in part will finally be here in full. On that day, sin and suffering will be no more. God will reign in every corner of the world and His goodness will push out all that is evil. Until that day comes, we have been called to live lives of purity and holiness because we are children of our pure and holy God.

What things make it hard for you to see yourself as God’s child? How can you begin to work through whatever those things are to embrace the reality of who God says you are? In what ways do you think God wants you to stay pure as you eagerly await Jesus’ return?

Practice…

“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:9-13 NLT

Write this passage down on a piece of paper, a note card, or in your journal. After that, take a few minutes to practice memorizing these verses in whatever way works best for you. At this point in the journey, there are probably some things that you know have been really helpful and some things that maybe didn’t work as well for you. Before you finish practicing, pray and ask God to plant these words deep in your heart.

Listen…

Set a timer for five minutes.

Find a quiet place and get alone with God. Maybe it’s outside, in your bedroom, or in your car. Just be still and listen to what God may be saying to you.

Ask Him to speak.

When you get distracted from your listening, come back to Jesus by meditating on your memory verse. Ask the Holy Spirit to change you to look more like Jesus today.