Surrender

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If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.

Matthew 10:39 CEV

Judson Van DeVenter struggled with a decision. Should he follow his dream to become a famous artist or give it up to become a minister? He wavered for five years, never at peace and wondering what to do. Then, at a church revival it became clear. Van DeVenter surrendered his decision to God. "It was then that a new day was ushered into my life," he said.

God's plan sent him into active Christian service and in a way that he had not imagined. In his own words: "God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, He caused me to sing." His new God-given talent led Van DeVenter to write the well-known hymn "I Surrender All."

Practice surrendering your decisions to God. Surrender leads to a peaceful heart in alignment with His will.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

The apostle Paul said, "With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God" (Colossians 3:16 CEV). You might choose to include Judson Van DeVenter's song "I Surrender All" in your worship time today. If you are not familiar with the melody, you can find it through an online search. Sing the first verse and refrain.

All to Jesus I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

Refrain:
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
— Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1896

It takes work to surrender all aspects of your life to God, but when you learn to allow Him to control your heart, He will lead you into a brand-new day, just as He did Judson Van DeVenter. Practice surrender by memorizing these two verses and repeating them every morning:

With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.

Proverbs 3:5–6 CEV

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.

Psalm 37:7 NIV

End with this prayer:

Dear God, help me to surrender every part of my life to You. Fill my heart with Your presence and lead me according to Your will. Amen.

Faith

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But when Peter saw how strong the wind was, he was afraid and started sinking. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. Right away, Jesus reached out his hand. He helped Peter up and said, "You surely don't have much faith. Why do you doubt?"

Matthew 14:30–31 CEV

Are you a perfect wife, mother, daughter, or friend? Are you perfect at whatever you set out to do? Perfection is impossible. No one is perfect except God, and He is able to perfectly handle whatever you entrust to Him.

Instead of working hard at being perfect, work harder at building your faith. Faith is the foundation on which you build hope. With faith, you say to God, "I believe that all things are possible through You." Stand on your faith and allow God to work. All He asks is that you try. If you doubt and begin to sink like Peter did, be assured that God is ready to take your hand and help you get up.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

Think about the little things in life that you accept by faith: that an order you placed will be ready when you arrive to pick it up or that your car will start tomorrow morning. If you have faith in these everyday things, then surely you can have faith in God.

The Bible defines faith as "confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). Faith begins by believing that God is real, that He is good, and that He wants His best for us. The Bible teaches in Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Can you name people from the Bible who acted by faith? Read about God's most faithful followers in Hebrews 11:4–39.

A powerful element of faith is trusting in God's Word. Write the following verses on index cards, commit them to memory, and rely on them whenever your faith wears thin.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV

"Blessed are those who believe without seeing me."

John 20:29 NLT

Doubt

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[Jesus] said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?"

Luke 24:38 NIV

As Jennifer's wedding approached, stress over-whelmed her — stress with a healthy dose of doubt. "I doubt that everything will be done on time!" she said. Between the cake, the caterer, the hall, and the decorations, all the deadlines made Jennifer wonder why she hadn't planned to elope.

Satan enjoys infusing the best-laid plans with doubt. Even on that most joyous occasion when Jesus rose from the grave, doubt seized His disciples. Had it really happened? Was Jesus alive? Satan planted a seed of doubt, hoping that it would grow inside their hearts. But Jesus knew better. He was well aware that humans are prone to doubt. So He showed up where His disciples had gathered and proved to them that it was He.

When worry and doubt fill your mind, you can count on this: Jesus will show up. He is real and willing to help you. Trust Him completely, and watch the doubt melt away.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

Some people doubt everything about God, from His very existence to His ability to do absolutely anything. Nothing is beyond God's power, but still they doubt. Doubt has teased humans from the beginning. When studying the Bible, we learn that Sarah and Abraham laughed at God's promise to give them a child. Gideon tested God by asking Him to perform a series of miracles to prove that He was real. Even Thomas, Jesus' faithful disciple, doubted the resurrection until he had touched the wound in his Savior's side. Doubt lurks nearby at work, home, and play. But you can be ready by memorizing these Bible verses and repeating them to yourself throughout the day.

When you get up in the morning:

I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 NCV

During the day:

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25:4–5 NIV

At night:

"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Mark 9:24 NIV

We are capable only within our ability as humans to believe completely and without doubt, and because we are not perfect, doubt will sometimes come into our thoughts. When you ask Jesus to help with your unbelief, He will reward you with faith.

Trust

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It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.

Psalm 118:8 NIV

Trust-building exercises are everywhere. Businesses use them to help their employees work together trusting one another. Maybe you have seen the exercise in which a person, eyes closed, falls backward, trusting her partners to catch her. Of course she knows that they will, but still there is an element of fear. What if?

Human trust is limited. David writes in Psalm 146:3–4 (CEV), "You can't depend on anyone, not even a great leader. Once they die and are buried, that will be the end of all their plans." This is why trust in God is so important. Humans are human. Life sometimes gets in the way of trust, and things change.

God is the only one who is always 100 percent trustworthy. He never changes. You can count on Him to be completely focused on you all the time, and He will never let you fall.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

Meditating on the general idea of a scripture verse can help you commit it to memory. Take the essence of a verse and make it personal. For example, before attempting to memorize the following verse, think about the places where you feel most safe. God is in all those places. You can trust Him to be wherever you are.

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Psalm 91:2 NIV

Now, think about people whom you trust for protection: your spouse and other family members, close friends, police officers. Why do you trust them? God is more trustworthy than any person. Wherever you go, He is your bodyguard, your protector. Memorize this verse:

The Lord is good, giving protection in times of trouble. He knows who trusts in him.

Nahum 1:7 NCV

Finally, think about how it would feel to experience perfect peace. What if you could trust someone completely to handle every problem, to solve all disagreements, to know exactly what you should do in any situation? That person is God. Memorize this verse to remind you that He is infinitely trustworthy and that trusting Him gives you peace:

You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you.

Isaiah 26:3 NCV

Worry

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"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."

Matthew 6:34 NIV

How often have you chased after your child, taken her hand, and told her to wait? Children want to know what lies ahead, and parents know the importance of keeping them in their sight. Parents understand that the world is a dangerous place, and they worry — "What if you had run into the street and been hit? What if you had gotten lost?"

Of course awareness and caution are necessary, but worry is when our thoughts run on ahead of God. Worry focuses on perceived trouble instead of the firm grip that God has on your hand. What if things don't work out the way I want them to? What if I don't have enough money? What if I get sick? Whatever you worry about, you have a heavenly Father who already knows what is around the next corner and always has you in His sight. He knows what to do, and He will take care of you.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

Worry is normal. Everyone worries. But worry is contrary to God's commands. Read what Jesus says about worry in Matthew 6:25–34. Worry is like thinking we are greater than God, the one who controls everything. In Psalm 55:22 (NCV), David provides these instructions: "Give your worries to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will never let good people down."

One way to offset worry is to memorize and act on this verse from the apostle Paul: "Keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise" (Philippians 4:8 CEV).

Notice that this verse is in the present tense. Keep your minds on what is rather than what might be. To help you memorize the verse, write it on a chalkboard or dry-erase board set in your office, kitchen, or wherever you spend time. Practice listing, in order, the following eight elements — the kinds of thoughts that offset worry. Then incorporate them into the verse.

1. True

2. Pure

3. Right

4. Holy

5. Friendly

6. Proper

7. Worthwhile

8. Worthy

Sometimes, you will need more than Paul's list. When worrisome thoughts bother you, try stopping them by memorizing and repeating this verse:

Be still, and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10 KJV

Contentment

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"If they obey and serve [God], they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment."

Job 36:11 NIV

The book of Philippians is a letter Paul wrote while imprisoned in Rome. In Philippians 4:11–12 (NIV) he writes: "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Imagine finding contentment while chained to a wall in a stone-cold prison. But that is exactly what Paul did; he found the secret to contentment. And he shared that secret in verse 13 — "I can do all this through him who gives me strength (NIV)."

You can find contentment, too. Put your faith in Jesus. Allow Him to be your everything and find comfort in His love.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

When Paul wrote, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength," he was telling about Christ's love. When you surrender your heart to Christ and trust in His love, He gives you strength to carry out His perfect will.

When memorizing scripture, it helps to concentrate on its nouns — words like Christ and strength.

Focus on the word love in the following memory verse:

Your love means more than life to me, and I praise you.

Salm 63:3 CEV

Create a picture in your mind, something that represents love, perhaps a heart. Now, add to that image Christ presenting you with the heart and you on your knees praising Him. Allow that picture to help while you memorize the verse. You can use similar mental pictures to memorize almost any passage of scripture.

David was another man who found the secret to contentment. He found it in humility and by turning his worries over to God. In Psalm 131, David wrote: "But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content" (Psalm 131:2 NIV). Choose a noun to focus on in this verse. Then create a picture in your mind to help you memorize it. Perhaps you like to draw. You might even try sketching the image while you memorize the verse.

Hope

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"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence."

Jeremiah 17:7 NLT

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell the story of a woman with a blood issue. There is little said about her, only that she suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She hoped for a cure and spent all her money on doctors and remedies. None of them worked. Then, she heard about Jesus, the Healer. She was considered unclean because of her problem. According to Jewish law, anyone she touched would be made unclean. So she took an enormous risk pushing her way through the great crowd surrounding Jesus. She hoped that just by touching His robe she would be healed. Jesus felt her fingers brush against Him. In the middle of the crowd pushing in on Him, He felt her hope, and He healed her "straightaway," or immediately, as Mark tells us.

Is Jesus your hope for a transformed life, a better future? When all else fails, there is always hope in Him.

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Write God's Word on Your Heart Today

David is perhaps the most well-known person of the Old Testament. Much is written about him — how he rose above the abuse shown him by his elder brothers, his bravery against the giant Goliath, his friendship with King Saul's son, Jonathan, and Saul's jealousy toward him. David overcame many hardships and became Israel's greatest king. He was also a talented musician who wrote hymns and prayers called psalms.

Today's memory verses are about hope from the psalms of David:

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

Psalm 119:114 NIV

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.

Psalm 65:5 NIV

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25:5 NIV

As a tool to help you memorize these verses, try incorporating them into a prayer:

Dear God, You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your Word. You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. Amen.

Make this prayer of hope a part of your daily prayer and worship.

Grace

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Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:16 NIV

Grace means receiving something from God that you don't deserve. No one deserves God's grace. In His eyes, everyone is a sinner. But God loves us, His children, and He provides grace to us through His gift of salvation. You can't do anything to earn grace. You receive it when you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior. Through faith in Him, God promises you the gift of eternal life in heaven. God's grace does not end there. He is constantly blessing you with gifts. His grace provides you with strength and guidance to face everyday life, and by grace He takes care of you, not only here on earth, but also someday in heaven. In what other ways has God shown you His grace?

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Write God's Word On Your Heart Today

Short scripture verses are easy to memorize. Time yourself to see how long it takes you to remember this one:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Ephesians 2:8 NIV

Longer verses can be a bit more difficult, for example:

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

With long memory verses, it sometimes helps to understand the verse in context. If you read 2 Corinthians 12:1–10, you will see that the writer is Paul. He writes about what he calls "a thorn" in his flesh. He does not reveal what it is but only says that it torments him. So Paul calls on the Lord for help. The Lord responds that His grace — His gift of being present with Paul — is sufficient, and that His power is evident in the faith that Paul shows others in spite of his condition. God's answer makes Paul grateful for his thorn because by accepting it willingly he is a living example of faith and, therefore, serving God. Think about this scripture passage and its meaning. Then try memorizing 2 Corinthians 12:9. Break it down into manageable parts and memorize one part at a time until you commit it all to memory.