2022 Memory Verses

Click here to download a printable copy of the 2022 Memory Verses

Each year, in December, we celebrate Christmas. I wish I could say that most people are celebrating the real "Reason for the Season", but I guess I don't believe it. Christmas has become extremely commercialized, and we have been sucked into a meaning of Christmas that involves giving and receiving gifts, which might not be so bad if so many of the people of the world didn't seem to completely ignore the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is about Christ, the Son of God, who became "flesh and dwelt among us", which is the true reason to celebrate Christmas.

Our first memory verse for December 2022 speaks of the true meaning of Christmas.

Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the LORD himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

"Immanuel" means "God with us". Through the miraculous virgin birth, the very Son of God became a human being and was born into this world. That is something worth celebrating. His birth was a great beginning to the fulfillment of the ultimate plan of God to provide a way of salvation for sinful men, which includes all men who have ever, or will ever live. So, though the beginning was wonderful, it was the ending that can save us. Christ's substitutionary, sacrificial death on the cross paid the price for the sin of every man, a price that we could not pay ourselves in any way. The real reason we celebrate His birth is His death. Our second memory verse speaks of the sacrifice that Christ made for each one of us.

Gal 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

November is, of course, the month in which we celebrate Thanksgiving. Hopefully we all realize that we need to be thankful 24/7/365 for all we have been given by God! Many years ago, someone in our church started to encourage people to keep a notepad with them at all times, and whenever something happened for which you should be thankful, to write it down on the notepad. Then each night, or each morning, look back through the notepad and recall and give thanks to God for these blessings. The more you give thanks, the more you will see that you have to be thankful for!

Here are the 2 memory verses for November, 2022.

James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Colossians 3:17 - And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

There are a lot of problems in today’s world that impact the well-being of people, even people in our own church. With inflation, things cost a lot more now than they did a year or two ago. Such a financial strain puts a lot of strain on the emotional well-being of people as well. They worry. They hurt. A lot of people have those problems. Maybe there are friends or relatives that have serious illnesses, or that have suffered injuries in accidents or other ways. Maybe some people you know live in the area of Southwest Florida that bore the brunt of Hurricane Ian. There are likely very few, if any, people that don’t have problems. We should try, to the best of our abilities and within our available resources, to help others, not for the praise of men, but because it is the will of God for us to do so.

Our memory verses for October of 2022 relate to these issues.

Matthew 5:41-42 - And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

In Matthew 25:34-39, Jesus tells a parable of a King (God) who tells his people to get ready to inherit what was prepared for them, and then lists all sorts of things that the people had done for him (feed him, clothe him, etc). Then the people ask, when did we do those things for you? Our second memory verse for October contains his response.

Matthew 25:40 - And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

We need to help others, but the things that we do for others should not be done to receive thanks from those for which we did them, or praise from others who know what we did. They should be done because that is what God wants us to do.

When we first started this Bible Verse memorization project, our first 6 verses were on the “exclusivity of Jesus Christ.” As I was looking at 1 Timothy 2, I saw another familiar verse that deals with this topic. There is only one way to be saved, and that is through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary, that was made to pay the penalty for the sin of all mankind. Our first memory verse for September 2022 is

1 Timothy 2:5 - For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Each September, in this country, we celebrate Labor Day. For the last 2 years, one of our September memory verses was one of the versions of the Great Commission. That is the “Labor” that Christians must be about constantly. Our second memory verse for September 2022 is a 3rd version of that “Great Commission.”

Acts 1:8 - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth

The memory verses for August 2022 represent the beginning of the 4th year of posting 2 verses a month for you to memorize. It is our hope that you find this to be a help and a blessing to you!

Last August, we learned 2 great things that God does for the believer. According to Romans 8:28, for the believer, ALL things work together for GOOD! A few verses later in the same chapter (Romans 8:38-39) we find that NOTHING can keep the believer from the love of God! We keep that same theme for August of 2022.

Our first memory verse teaches us that God watches and listens to the righteous (believer).

Psalm 34:15 - The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Our second memory verse teaches us that we can’t even imagine the great things that God has prepared for the believer (them that love God).

1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

2 more great promises of God for believers. To be a believer you need to recognize that you are a sinner (Romans 3:23), that you can’t take care of your sin problem by yourself (Ephesians 2:8-9), that only Jesus can solve that problem (Romans 6:23) which he did when he willingly took your sin upon Him and sacrificed Himself on the cross of Calvary (1 Cor 15:4-5). When you accept that sacrifice, that free gift from Christ as your only means of gaining eternal life (salvation), you become a believer and gain these other wonderful gifts from God, in addition to eternity in heaven with God!

This post marks the 36th month (3 years!!) of posting 2 verses/month to memorize. I hope that they have been, and will continue to be a blessing to all of you! Bible memorization is important, and I would encourage you all to start making it a practice in your life.

On June 26th, Pastor Cowan preached 2 messages that taught about the End Times Timeline. The next event on that Timeline is the Rapture of the Church. No one knows the hour or the day that event will happen, but there is nothing else that needs to occur before the Rapture can take place. It could happen at any time! The only way to be ready is to have placed your faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary as your ONLY way of salvation, your only way to heaven! If you haven’t done so, I encourage you to do so today!

If you would like to learn more on this topic, I would suggest you listen to or watch Pastor’s sermons from June 26th. You can find them, and the handout/notes for the sermons, at

https://www.firstbaptistrochelle.org/

Our memory verses for July 2022 both come from the messages of Pastor Cowan on June 26.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 - Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

If there is one good thing that came out of the pandemic that we have experienced over the last 2-plus years, it is that we, as parents, need to be aware of what is being taught to our children by their school and even in Sunday School and Youth Group at your church. You are the one accountable for what is being taught to your children by persons outside your family. You have to be aware of what is being taught in order to be accountable. Your child's school teacher does NOT have the right to teach them things you do not want them to be taught! Neither does their Sunday School teacher at church or the youth pastor or any other person teaching your children at church. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE AND YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE! The purpose of your church in education is, or should be, to come "along side" you and provide teachings that support and build on what you are doing at home. In order for this to happen, you MUST be active in your church, and know what is being taught at your church. It should be no different for their school. Get involved! Stay involved! It takes time and determination, but it is worth it.

Our memory verses for June 2022 deal with the responsibility of parents for the training of their children. Both are from the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 - And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

What is the basis for truth? That is a pretty deep question, but it is critical in how we view our world. I am a firm believer that the basis of ALL truth is the Word of God as given in the Bible. I believe that the Bible is, as it claims to be, inspired by God. The word “inspired” literally means “God-breathed.” God inspired humans to write the words that He wanted written. Our first memory verse for May 2022 teaches that truth.

Jude 3 - Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Jude really wanted to write about the “common salvation”. Sounds like something that belongs in the Bible. However, “it was needful for me (Jude) to write to you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” In other words, God wanted Jude (“it was needful for” Jude) to challenge his readers to “earnestly contend for the faith”. Since the Bible is God’s Word and not the word of men, Jude wrote what God wanted him to write. That’s the way it worked with all of Scripture. It is ALL God’s Word, and none of man’s word.

The second memory verse confirms that scripture is inspired of God, and it also gives us reasons that God’s Word is good for us.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

God’s Word “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Doctrine is the “set of beliefs” that God wants us ALL to have. Reproof is “an expression of blame or disapproval” and correction is “a change that rectifies an error or inaccuracy.” (Two things that we ALL need.) Instruction in righteousness is teaching that, when put into practice, leads one to live a life that pleases God. We ALL need that too. To get these things, we need to regularly read and study God’s Word. That will give us the proper basis for the truth.

April 17th is Easter Sunday, the day we remember and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 3 days prior we remember the sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross of Calvary. On the cross, Jesus bore my sin, your sin, the sin of all mankind, and paid the price for our sin. That sacrifice gave us the opportunity for salvation. There is no work that I could do that could pay the price for my sin. Jesus paid it all on the cross. If I believe that Jesus paid the price for my salvation through His sacrifice on the cross, and accept the free gift of salvation offered by Jesus through that sacrifice, I am, at the moment of belief, eternally saved and have a place reserved in Heaven. Anyone who wants a spot reserved in Heaven for them, must accept that free gift. There is no other way.

Our first memory verse for April speaks of that substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus. He paid our price. By His sacrifice ("stripes") we were healed!

1 Peter 2:24 - Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Although Christ paid the price, and that price is "sufficient" for everyone, it is only "efficient" for those who believe. Our second memory verse, teaches that we need to accept that free gift of Jesus. We need to believe. The verse closes with THE key question. "Believest thou this?" I urge you to examine yourself. Have YOU believed this? If you haven't, don't put it off. Believe today and have eternal life!

John 11:25-26 - Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Easter is pretty late this year, April 17th. However, March would be a great time to start preparing your heart for Easter. How is your relationship with God? How often do you read the Bible? Daily? Regularly? Not at all? Do you know what happened on the first Good Friday? On the first Easter? I would strongly encourage you to start reading the Bible daily NOW! Find out what God says about your life and your relationship to Him. Find out what God did for YOU on the first Good Friday and the first Easter! You will never regret it!

Our memory verses for March 2022 deal with Christ's death on Good Friday for our sins and His Resurrection on Easter Sunday that gave us new life!

Isaiah 53:5 - But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Romans 4:25 - Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

February is a month when the world celebrates love. The Bible has a lot to say about love in a marriage relationship, but the greatest love is the love that God has shown to us. Though we in no way deserved His salvation, He made it available to each of us through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Our verses for February of 2022 are about that kind of love.

1 John 3:1 - Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

1 John 4:10 - Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

As we enter January of 2022, some of you might be trying to implement a New Year’s Resolution. That is a common tradition. I just want to encourage you to base your resolutions on the Word of God. Both of our memory verses for January would make a great basis for a resolution to live a life that pleases God. That is the best kind of resolution. Have a Happy New Year and may you grow closer to God in 2022!

Psalm 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

2 Timothy 3:15 - Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.