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1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice evermore.” (KJV)
“Rejoice always.” (NKJV, ASV, ESV, NASB, NET, NIV)
“Be joyful always.” (GNB)
“Be cheerful no matter what.” (MSG)
“Always be joyful.” (NLT)
Another Scripture with only two words in it! Week 5 should be an easy one for memorizing Scriptures! Any task is easier if you start easier. A statement of the obvious, huh? Well, little steps are better at the start. We will work up to bigger steps soon. For now though, another verse with two words in it. Of course, if you insist on using the GNB, MSG or NLT, your version is more than two words. That should convince you to use the King James Version, huh?
This is probably the right time to emphasize strict discipline in memorizing the reference of the Scripture. That will take a little more work, but still not too much yet.
First Thessalonians 5:16 says “rejoice evermore.” Say that sentence ten times. Repetition is crucial to memorizing the Word. Experts say it takes more than twenty repetitions to put information into our short-term memory. For it to be permanently memorized takes many more repetitions...more for some of us than others. But there is no more guaranteed way to memorize something than repeating it over and over again.
This might also be the time to mention techniques for committing sentences from the Bible to memory. I have always liked flash cards....empty 3x5 cards are easily purchased at any department store. The Scripture reference should go on one side and the memorized verse goes on the other. That way, you can quote Scriptures when you give yourself the reference, then turn the cards over and quote references from the Scriptures....a technique for quizzing yourself.
I have a set of digital pictures stored on my computer that I use in the same way to help memorize Scriptures in a digital way. Cards are helpful when you hand them to your best friend, wife or husband, and have them read the reference to which you respond with the verse.
As a professional pilot for forty years, first in the Air Force and then later flying for UPS, I used this technique many times to memorize and quiz myself on memory items that I was required to know by heart. Give some of these techniques a try and see what works best for you.
Let me discuss one other very valuable technique for memorizing the Word which people have used for millennia. Memorize the Word by singing it. The reason I bring this up now is because my wife and I used to hold Bible Study nights in our home for years. I would try to begin the evening rather informally by singing some songs that I tried to also play on the guitar.
I am a very good trombone player, but my guitar skills are fairly rudimentary. We sang one song every week both because it was an easily chorded song and because it helped us memorize this passage of Scripture. This song actually started with 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (which I will encourage you to learn later). The words and chords for this songs are below:
In (D) everything give thanks, for this is the will of (A)God,
In (A) everything give thanks, for this is the will of (D)God,
In (D)everything give thanks, for this is the will of (G) God,
In (D)Christ Jesus, (A)concerning (D) you.
Rejoice evermore, for this is the will of God,
Rejoice evermore, for this is the will of God,
Rejoice evermore, for this is the will of God,
In Christ Jesus, concerning you.
I would also encourage you to look at this reference on the internet if you would like to hear someone singing the song and to help you learn it.
http://www.daveweb1a.com/hide/Thanks.m4a
You will observe, if you follow the chords and listen to the song, that we sing 1 Thess 5:18 first. The second verse of the song then follows singing 1 Thess 5:16, then verse 17, etc through the verses that I want us to learn in the next few weeks. What could cause us to rejoice more than singing a happy song, huh?
Sometimes I wonder where rejoicing has gone in the church? The photo I used above isn’t meant to be sacrilegious, but sometimes I think we love a Jesus we think never laughed. I’m sure that nothing could be farther from the truth though. If the angels rejoice over one lost sinner being saved, why would Jesus not have rejoiced when He actually came to save them? Yes, we know that Jesus came to suffer and die for us. But I can’t help but think that He found numerous opportunities to have a little bit of fun along the way with the disciples.
Wouldn’t you be tempted to smile just a little bit when you turned a few fishes and loaves of bread into food enough for thousands and just get to enjoy the amazement displayed on the faces of the disciples as they handed them out? I can imagine Jesus really rejoicing when the large number of those he sent out came back expressing their amazement at how prayers were answered, people were healed, miracles were performed in His name! Surely He rejoiced when the little children were brought to Him and He got to enjoy their child-like innocence that He wants us all to feel.
It is a tragedy that the church doesn’t enjoy real rejoicing more. The Lord performs miracles among us every day that sometimes, we don’t even see. If we would take more chances to tell our friends, neighbors and strangers on the street about Jesus’ love for them, imagine the rejoicing we could experience with Jesus as they turned from their sins and gave their lives to Him, instantly experiencing eternal life.
Let us start rejoicing more every day over all the blessings Jesus has given us. Let us start expressing true happiness that we will live forever in Heaven with Him someday soon. Let us find more and more to rejoice over that He brings into our lives and stop spending so much time seeing what we discern to be the tragedies of our lives. Let us learn what it means to REJOICE EVERMORE!
Questions to ponder: What keeps you from rejoicing? Do situations and circumstances seem to be bigger than God sometimes? Why do we tend toward negativity instead of seeing the miraculous all around us? Intentionally take a few moments to stop all the inputs of negativity that come at us like floods and just count all the blessings God has given us. Can you see beyond the immediate conclusion you might make about a situation to see how the Lord is really working something bigger and better in your life, in your church and in the world? Give verbal expression today of something you absolutely know God has blessed you with that causes you to rejoice in Him.
 
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