2020 Memory Verses
Click here to download a printable copy of the 2020 Memory Verses
December is a month that a great number of people anxiously await, since Christmas is celebrated in December each year. Many people this year see December as the last month in 2020, a year they desperately want to see end! I fall in the first group, but I know that a lot of people that celebrate Christmas really don’t understand what Christmas is all about. Certainly it is nice to receive gifts and give gifts, but Christmas is about so much more than that. The real meaning of Christmas is the fulfillment of God’s plan, made before the creation of the world, to make salvation available to sinful men (which is all mankind). Salvation comes, not by the works we do “for” Christ, but by what Christ did for us. He gave His life as the perfect sacrifice for my sin, for your sin, for the sin of all people that have ever or would ever live. When we realize that we are a sinner and have no hope of changing that by ourselves, but that Jesus paid the penalty for my sin, and place our faith and trust in His finished work on the cross, God forgives all my sin, past, present, and future and promises me eternal life with Him in heaven. Our December memory verses both relate to this real meaning of Christmas.
Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
FBC starts out November with Evangelist Eric Goetsch on Sunday, November 1st at 10:30 am and 6:00 pm and Wednesday, November 4th at 7:00 pm. Near the end of the month is Thanksgiving, so the background for the choice of our 2 memory verses for this month is evangelism and thankfulness.
Our first memory verse for the month deals with evangelism. All believers need to have the same attitude toward evangelism that Paul did as he explained in Romans 1:16. He was not ashamed of the Gospel. For that reason, he was bold in witnessing to those he met each day. We should be too. Our first memory verse for November is
Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Our second verse deals with thankfulness. We need to be thankful each day, not just on Thanksgiving Day. This has been a rough year, but, as a born again Christian, bought with the shed blood of Christ, we always have things to be thankful for. All we need to do is look for the blessings we have each day and realize they all come from Christ. In 1 Thessalonians 5, right after exhorting us to "Rejoice evermore" and "Pray without ceasing" Paul gives our second memory verse for November...
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Next month (November 1 - 6), First Baptist will be hosting Revival Meetings with Evangelist Eric Goetsch. Some, like Evangelist Goetsch, have been called of God to a ministry of Evangelism. However, ALL believers are commanded to "preach the gospel to every creature," as we saw in Mark 16:15, one of our memory verses last month. In order to "preach the gospel," we must be prepared. We must be ready. Our memory verses for October remind us of that. God has chosen to use believers to perform His work of Evangelism in this fallen world. Let's be ready for that task every day of our life!
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the LORD God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Although our second verse for October can be applied in other situations as well, I believe it does speak to our readiness to follow the Lord's leading to witness to those to whom the Holy Spirit has led us.
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
In early September of each year, we celebrate Labor Day with, oddly enough, a day off work! The Bible has a lot to say about work, our work ethic, and the purpose of work. I guess a quick summary of that would be “do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31), but that is not one of our verses for September. Our verses deal with the work that all believers are to do, witness, give the Gospel. That work is not limited to pastors and teachers. It is for all of us! As we approach Evangelistic meetings in November, let's memorize these verses and put them into practice in our daily lives!
Our first verse reminds us that there are souls out there in our own “circles”, that need to hear the Gospel, but true “laborers” are sadly few.
Matthew 9:37-38 -Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Our second verse is one of the versions of the Great Commission. This is the true “work” of all believers!
Mark 16:15 - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
For the past 5 months, we have all been dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. It has not gone away yet, and its impact is likely to last for some time. The month of August has also brought tragedy to those of us that are part of the First Baptist Church Family. In the face of tragedy and uncertainty, we should all remember that, if we have trusted Christ as our Savior, we are God's and nothing will ever pluck us from the hand of God. The verses for August reflect that truth.
Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
July 2020 is the 12th month that we have been posting verses of the month. By the end of the month, we will have finished the first year of memorizing verses. How have you done? These verses will remain posted on our website, so you can start anytime, but we hope you develop the discipline needed to memorize 2 verses a month. We plan to continue to post 2 verses a month, so please continue to learn these verses.
With Independence Day on July 4th, both of our verses for July deal with the issue of freedom/liberty. As much as we value our freedom as Americans, true freedom, true liberty comes from Jesus Christ.
Galatians 5:1 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
1 Peter 2:16 - As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
As happens too often, the last few weeks have brought protests, some peaceful, some not, because of the death of George Floyd in the custody of police. The Declaration of Independence says that "all men are created equal," but we still have racial divisions and inequalities in the US. Our memory verses for June show us God's view on this issue. In Christ, we are all one. We are all the same.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
The Bible also tells us how to attain at least a spirit of unity and equality among all people of all races or ethnic backgrounds. No matter what the differences between men, we are commanded to treat everyone the same.
Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
In May, our verses to memorize still deal with how we react to the situation in this country (the world really), concerning the COVID-19 virus. A few weeks ago, we were fearful of catching the virus and perhaps dying. Now many are fearful of opening up the economy and other aspects of life in America. No matter which side of this debate you are on, God has things to say to us about fear and contentment. Our verses for May are:
2 Timothy 1:7 - For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Philippians 4:11 - Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (This is the verse on which one of the points in Pastor's sermon for Sunday, May 3rd is based. It may be hard to be "content" with your life at this time. You may be one of the people that either have the virus, or have had your life turned upside down by the virus. No matter where you are, you can be content because of the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ.)
Here are the new verses to memorize during April. We are all being bombarded with stories on the COVID-19 virus and it likely causes at least some fear. Both verses deal with that issue. Most of you are likely "sheltering in place," as you should. With some of the time you have each day, memorize these verses. Psalm 56:3 teaches us not just to trust God, but that God doesn't have to use a lot of words to impart a great truth!
Psalm 56:3 - What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Psalm 23:4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
In March, as we start the month with our Missions Conference, it is appropriate to have memory verses for the month that deal with salvation. These 2 verses are well known, and state the truth that we can not earn our own salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Titus 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
The verses of the month for February both deal with salvation, which is in Christ alone. Learn them and be prepared to use them as you witness.
Romans 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
John 3:17 - For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
Our verses for January are reminders of how God wants us to live our lives. Good reminders as we start 2020!
Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Romans 12:1 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.