Book 4! The final book…I think. If Book 3 was the endurance lap, Book 4 is surely the hard sprint to the finish line.

     This fourth book will also have 25 memory verses, 25 lessons to enhance and amplify those verses and provide good Bible studies. I heartily and strongly applaud the few I know who have been faithful to the goal of Scripture memory.

     By now, of course, the faithful student has already learned as many memory verse techniques as I can suggest and provide. You have most likely developed some that I had never thought of myself. Good for you!

     The goal is NOT to make you like me…although, Paul was known for encouraging others, “imitate me” (1 Cor 4:16) and “be imitators of me as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor 11:1). That is a pretty serious suggestion considering how imperfect I tend to be. Yet, hopefully, we are all imitating Christ more and more in our lives so He can use us to draw others to Himself. Also, if an old guy like me can memorize 100 Bible verses, so can you!

     The goal IS to make you more like Jesus Christ. We don’t have to look far in the Bible to see the Lord’s example of having the Word deeply planted in His spirit and used to tell truths that the world so desperately needed. I’m willing to bet that Jesus had more than one hundred Scripture verses memorized…no sacrilege intended.

     So too, we should hide as much of the Word deep in our spirits so we might be used by Him to do all He wants us to do. We should never give any less than our absolute best as devoted disciples of the Lord. Remember of course, our original suggestion that there at least seven very good reasons for us to hide the Word:

     Seven Reasons to Memorize the Word
     To not sin - Psalm 119:11
     To receive guidance - Psalm 119:105
     To minister and reach others - Romans 10:14-17
     To defend ourselves against the devil - Hebrews 4:12
     To use and practice in praise and worship - Psalm 145
     To comfort and give us peace - Psalm 23
     To draw nearer to our Lord – Psalm 73:28

     Twenty-five chapters and twenty-five more recommended Bible verses that I would suggest might be vital to your Christian life…definitely worthy of committing to memory. I encourage you to challenge yourself to memorize all one hundred of them.

     Remember again that the “Sword Drill” and other valuable tools are available to help you memorize Scriptures in our on-line resource at www.hidetheword.us. You can also find this reference and many others at my ministry website at www.daveweb1.com

     Please feel free to drop me an email any time with your comments, suggestions and even criticisms. That link is also available on the website or just email me at Daveweb1@aol.com.

     It has certainly been my hope and prayer that “Hide the Word” has provided great help and inspirational to you. This discipline which our Lord certainly modeled should have already shown spiritual dividends to every reader and left us hungering for even more. I pray that the rich blessings of these exercises have brought you joy, comfort, peace and encouragement as you grow each day to become more and more like Him.

     God bless you all the way to the finish line!

         Dave