Becoming Like Jesus: Scripture MemorizationSample

True Discipleship

Pray…

Heavenly Father, I pray that this week you would show me how to follow Jesus more closely. Holy Spirit, I want to surrender to the work you can do in me to help me look and live more like Jesus. I will follow your lead. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Read…

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” Luke 9:23-24 NIV

Consider…

As we start this week of our Bible Plan, we are going to turn our attention to our identity as disciples of Jesus. Disciple simply means student or learner. What do students do? They study. They practice and they don’t get it right the first time, but they keep showing up and over the course of time—they learn and their capacity grows. Being a disciple of Jesus is no different. We stay in close proximity to Him so we can study Him. And we practice doing what He does. We won’t get it right the first time, but when we stick close to Him, we learn and our capacity grows. Our endurance and patience increases because we find, in Jesus, the life that is truly life.

What would it look like to stick close to Jesus? To study Him and practice doing what He does?

Practice…

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” Luke 9:23-24 NIV

In order to memorize this verse, write it down. Maybe even multiple times today. And wrestle with what it really means. If you can break it down and understand what Jesus is saying, you will better be able to internalize it. It won’t just be words on a page—it will be truth that you live.

Listen…

Set a timer for five minutes.

Create space in your mind and heart to hear from God.

Think through the very first phrase in your memory verse: “Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple…’” This is an invitation. Not a demand. Jesus is inviting you to walk with and learn from Him.

Think about that invitation from Jesus and ask God to speak to you.

When you get distracted, come back to Jesus by reading the verses you just wrote down. Say them out loud. Focus on each line and let the truth you are learning redirect your thoughts.