Memorizing God's Word
At a Glance
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Multi-Verse Audio Review
Listen to multiple verses of your choice
by selecting the 🔈 audio checkboxes (above),
then play this audio control:
Overview
This page contains selected scriptures that you may consider committing to memory.
For me, this journey began in 2020, when God got my attention and took hold of my life. I have a bit of a prodigal son story (I share more about my Christian faith in the My Faith page).
Recently, my local church (First Baptist Maryville) launched a memorization campaign called 25 in 25 — a challenge to memorize 25 passages in 2025, each centered on one of five themes.
Memorization has always been a challenge for me. This time, however, rather than using that as an excuse, I felt God directing me to do something about it. This page is the result — one I hope will be a helpful resource.
Explore the features of this page (with some quick tips on how to use them):.
Audio Playback: You can listen to each passage on repeat until you stop it. This is especially handy on your phone — just pop in your earbuds and let the Scripture take root in your memory!
This is the key feature of this page and the reason I created it :-)
You will find the Audio Playback Control after each scripture (below). The following elements are included for each audio:
- Context (e.g., Paul's parting instruction to the church at Philippi)
- Scripture Reference (e.g., Philippians 4:8)
- Translation (e.g., New Living Translation)
- Scripture Passage (recited in the selected translation)
- Scripture Reference (repeated – per recommendation of The Navigators')
Customizable Translations: For each memory verse, you may select the Bible translation you wish to memorize, from a selection of the most popular versions.
Initially, the default translation (promoted by the 25 in 25 campaign) will be selected, and it's selector will always be shown in red.
YouVersion Links: Each memory verse is a link to the YouVersion Bible App, so you can explore the passage in greater depth.
In addition there are "... explore {Book}" links (below the audio controls) that navigate further into the Fire Within Bible Study Guide.
Progress Tracking: As is the case with several aspects of this Fire Within site, you can keep track of your progress (in this case - the verses you have memorized) with the "completed" check boxes ✔.
Minimalist View: You can collapse both this overview and devotional sections found in this page - to give more prominence to the scripture itself.
Simply click the title of any collapsible section (indicated by an arrow - ▶), to toggle between expanded and collapsed views.
Multi-Verse Playback: In addition to listening to each individual memory verse (one at a time), you can choose to listen to multiple verses of your choosing. This audio control is at the top of the page (just under the Table of Contents).
You simply select the verses you want to review (through the 🔈 audio checkboxes to the right of each verse in the TOC), and click play on the audio control.
Total Recall: All these settings are automatically saved, so when you return to the site, it will be just as you left it.
Please Note: By default these settings are stored locally on your device. This works well when you are using a single device.
If however you use multiple devices (say your laptop and your phone), each one will have their own settings (that you must sync manually). To solve this problem, you simply create a FireWithin Account (on the Settings page) - which then saves your settings to the cloud, and any device signed-in to this account will sync automatically!
Currently, there are only a few passages on this page. I am following the 25 in 25 campaign, and will be adding passages from that resource throughout the year.
I also plan to add additional scriptures to this page. Would you like to see a particular passage added? Reach out to me at
Lord Bless You!
</Kevin>
January Flyer for 25 in 25 campaign
Jesus highlights the importance of submission
Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it."
Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."
And he said to them all, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."
And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."
Then he said to them all, "If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it."
Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it."
If we want to have a new life (eternal life), we must deny ourselves and give up our lives (our own way of living) here on earth.
Denying ourselves is the hardest part. In fact, the world teaches something completely different. The world says, "follow your heart" or "live your truth." Meanwhile, someone laying down their desires to be obedient to Jesus is considered extreme and down right crazy.
Did you know that the basis for salvation is a denial of self?
To repent of sin (turn from sin) and ask for forgiveness (help) from God is a denial of self. At our core we want to sin. Only with the Holy Spirit's help can we take this first step of self denial (turning from sin). And the same is true about each and every step of self denial.
The Holy Spirit is our helper in denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and following Jesus. Simply put, obedience is laying down what we want in order to trust that God knows better than we do.
Paul's parting instruction to the Church at Philippi
Philippians 4:8 (ChristianLiving)
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
What we think about is important. We Often allow our minds to wander and end up in some pretty dark places. It's when we allow our thoughts to reach their conclusion that we get in trouble.
Instead, we should "take every thought captive to obey Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV.
In Philippians 4:8, the Apostle Paul teaches us how to begin taking every thought captive.
Next time you have a thought you can ask:
Is this line of thinking true, honorable, or right?
Are these thoughts pure, lovely, or admirable?
Is this an excellent or praiseworthy way of thinking?
If the answer to any of these questions is "NO", then you know what to do.
Take those thoughts captive and bring them into obedience to Christ.
Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in truth instead of your thoughts leading you into dark places.
February Flyer for 25 in 25 campaign
A surrendered life, a renewed mind
Romans 12:1-2 (ChristianLiving)
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
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. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Knowing that our thoughts direct our behaviors, renewing our mind becomes our greatest transformational aspiration.
With a renewed mind, we are able to discern what is God's will and what is a scheme of the evil one. In other words, we can better understand God's ways versus the ways of the world.
Once we are able to discern these things, it becomes possible for us to offer our bodies to God as a living sacrifice. We can walk in obedience to Him. We are pleasing to Him!
God's kindness leads to repentance
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
God has been very kind to you, and he has been patient with you. God has been waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of his kindness. Perhaps you do not understand that God is kind to you so that you will change your hearts and lives.
God is patient and kind.
However, many times we mistake His patience and kindness as a lack of response. We begin fooling ourselves into thinking sin isn't sin or that God isn't real because there was no immediate consequence for our sin.
This verse tells us that it's His kindness that leads to repentance. Without His kindness, we wouldn't even have a chance to repent.
Thank God for His kindness today!