2009 - Hiding God's Word Verse # 9

As I continue with the LPM Scripture Memory Challenge -- to memorize 2 verses (or passages) of Scripture each month - I am now up to verse # 9  in 2009 and what a blessing it has been to have 8 new verses in my "arsenal"! God has brought these messages to my mind so many times over these past months and He has also given me opportunities to share these verses with others.

My verses for the month of April were 2 Corinthians 5:9-11:

Therefore, we make it our aim, 

whether present or absent,

 to be well pleasing to Him.

For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, 

that each one may receive the things done in the body, 

according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 

Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

What an awesome reminder and challenge these verses have been to me, not only of the need to share my faith with others, but to also live a life that is well pleasing to God, because we will ALL stand before the judgement seat of Christ. Unbelievers will be judged for their rejection of Christ and believers will be judged for our works.

Simply put -- how I live my life here on this earth is going to determine what I experience at my appointment with God. 

This week my Target group began an in-depth discussion of how do we go about living our lives so that we will be well pleasing to God. The first way that we discussed is by living a life of prayer. As a result, I selected the following verse as memory verse # 9.

But you, when you pray, go into your room, 

and when you have shut your door, 

pray to your Father who is in the secret place; 

and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:6

I know that the enemy likes nothing better than to get me so "busy" that I don't have time --- or rather, that I don't MAKE time - to spend alone with God.  

Isn't it ironic that the thing that usually gets neglected is the ONE thing that is the MOST important - my relationship with the Lord. 

It is so important to my relationship with Christ (and with others) that I have a "quiet place" where I meet God on a daily basis. The older I have gotten, the more difficult this has seemed to be.  There are so many "things" that are constantly competing for my attention - some of which are very "good" things. It seems harder and harder to cut out all the  busyness, noise and confusion so that I can actually hear God's voice. Many times I feel as though God would have to yell over all the "noise" in my life before I could hear Him. 

When I fail to spend time in this "quiet place", not only does my relationship with God suffer, but all of my relationships suffer.

O Lord, help me as I desire to set myself apart from all the distractions this world has to offer and spend time in my "quiet place" with you. I want to be able to hear Your still, small voice. I know that if I will do this, that You will reward me for pursuing You,  for you promise in Your Word, that You are the rewarder of those who diligently seek You!