Monday, February 2, 2009

The "Love Challenge" The February Scripture Memorization Challenge

Hello all! I am taking up a Bible memory challenge, and I want to encourage you to do the same!
You can learn more about it here:
I'm copying and pasting her directions on here, so you can get a general idea what the challenge is about.
Here is what you do:

1.Place a copy of the above heart picture along with a link back to this post onto your blog. (right click the heart, and hit the save picture button) Include a description of this challenge and let people know you are participating. Encourage them to participate as well. Feel free to copy any information from my post to place on your blog.
Note: the heart picture is NOT a button. It is only a picture, therefore it will NOT link back to my blog when you click on it. (Sorry, don't know how to do that) By the way, you do not need to have a blog to participate.

2.Leave a message on my blog or email me to let me know you are participating. I will put up a list February 1st of the names and or blog sites of those who are participating in the challenge so that we can spur one another on!

3.Check my blog throughout the month of February as I (Lord willing) go over the 15 truths that describe love in I Corinthians 13:4-8a.
4. Start memorizing! (She is memorizing in NASB, I will be doing NKJV)

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails.
(If you want even more of a challenge memorize verses 1-3 as well!)

I would enjoy hearing updates throughout the month of how your memorizing is going, what you are learning, and how God is working these truths into your everyday lives. Although this is completely optional , it would be a huge encouragement to all of us who are participating. Let me know if you do post an update so that I can include a link to it each Monday throughout the month of February.
That's what you have to do! Dea and I have been encouraging each other to memorize Scripture in the last several months. She is working on memorizing the book of 1 Peter, and I'm working on the book of Philippians. Scripture memory is something I used to do when I was younger, in my AWANA days, but I'm sad to say that for past several years I haven't been memorizing anything. I've really enjoyed the challenge of working with Dea to memorize! It's a lot of fun, and it helps to have someone to be accountable to! I hope to finish Philippians this year, maybe in April. :-) I'm working on chapter 2 right now.
So, I'd encourage all of you to take up this "Love Challenge" and even take it a step further and start memorizing a book of the Bible! Get someone else to do it with you, it will keep you on track and make it fun too! :-) (a word to guys, taking a "love challenge" is NOT girly! It's Scripture, so it applies to all! :-))
Have a great day!

6 comments:

Doug said...

The only thing girly about it is the picture! :-p

AJSBookBlogger said...

True! :-) However, I don't think you can really have a "masculine" looking heart! (maybe if it was in camo? I think that would just be weird though) :-)

Doug said...

But why does it have to be a heart?
A heart is generally used to represent the squishy sentimental love. But in 1 Cor. 13:4 love is meant in a self sacrificial sense. The Greek word here is agape and can also be translated charity or goodwill. I don't really think that a heart fits that description.

AJSBookBlogger said...

You do have a good point. :-) (note, I'm just using what Dea had on her blog)
But what would you use instead to represent that? Somehow I think an altar would look a little weird too...
Maybe a picture of people helping each other? But I still don't think it would totally work. Maybe someone should design a clip art to represent true agape love! :-) (hmm, wonder if Kelli could design something?)
In the meantime, we will just have to stick with hearts. :-)

Doug said...

Why not a cross? That is where God displayed His agape love for us.

Mark 10:45
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

I vote for the cross!

AJSBookBlogger said...

A cross is a good thought! What about a cross with a heart? Or better yet, maybe a Bible with a heart! Since we are instructed to "Hide God's word in our hearts!"

Now we just need to tell Dea...unless she reads this first! :-)