Thanks FinalAsgard. Don't worry, the point is to *finish* the race, not to start fast and flame out. (Or as JD put it, it's not a race at all) Just keep moving forward in the Lord day by day.
“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night".
Thanks FinalAsgard. Don't worry, the point is to *finish* the race, not to start fast and flame out. (Or as JD put it, it's not a race at all) Just keep moving forward in the Lord day by day.
The important thing here is to love the Lord our God by meditating on His Word, and to get to know Him better and better. His Word informs us as to who He is and what He is like. I heard one preacher who at the time was in his eighties describe it as a never ending life long process. (That preacher died in 2020).
I originally started using this site because I found it was difficult to concentrate when I read the Bible. Recently I've gone back to doing more listening to Bible on audio and reading as I listen. But coming here helped me to zero in on and focus on just what God is saying in each and every verse. Each word is precious.
I've been trying to decide what to work on next after finishing Romans 12.... Philippians 3 looks really good... that is definitely a top contender. :D
FA, I wouldn't worry about the points. They will come as you continue to login. Some people will get them faster than you, and that's fine. We are all at different points in our lives. Some people are fully retired here. Some are stay at home moms with five kids. Some are working three jobs while going to college. You never know the situation others are in so there is no use comparing your accomplishments to others. As they say in Celebrate Recovery, Just keep showing up.
FA, it is great that you keep showing up, because "the one who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matt 24:13). I think the reason why Jesus says this is because salvation, like the full revelation of the kingdom of God, is a process rather than an event. Oh, to be sure, you start with repentance of your sin and acknowledgement of God's Lordship over your life; that's the "getting in" part. But there is also the "staying in" part that involves you allowing the Lord to change your life through sanctification over time until the day of your death. THAT takes endurance. (This is not to say that you in any way "earn" your salvation, but rather that your participation in the second part reveals the truth of whether the first part was true or not.)
If you are using this website, that indicates that at some level you are participating in the second part, which is great! Keep pushing toward the Lord, but always know that your salvation has nothing to do with how many scriptures you memorize. Your debt has been paid and you can rest knowing that you don't have to pay it again (and couldn't even if you wanted to). Be open to the guiding of the Holy Spirit through his Word and you can't help but succeed.
Nah, I'm not worried about the points, I've just had my eye on wanting to join that multimillionaires club since I first joined in 2019 :D
And that is good encouragement. I've been a follower for... geeze, almost 30 years now (I can't be that old...) and have had my ups and downs. This last year has been a great blessing for me with reading the Bible a lot more consistently (I slowed down and lowered my goal instead of trying to keep up with a through the Bible in a year plan again).
But I keep going back and forth on ... well, not the importance, but the priority of scripture memorization. It just takes so much dedicated time (5 mins a day is easy to start but as you memorize more, that time quickly grows).
Praise God that I got a new job this year, and it has really helped me reduce my stress by 10 fold, and given me more time at home as well, and let me get a more consistent morning routine going. While thinking on Psalm 1 (one of the first chapters I memorized) I was just reminded of the importance of making scripture memorization a priority. So here I am again. :)
And Final Asgard thanks for explaining all that. It's not always easy to understand someone's thinking over the internet. It's so easy for words to get misinterpreted when there is no body language involved. But after your explanation I think I understand you better :)
For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: "I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged".