Memorizing the New Testament - Anyone Can Di It

If you are reading this, you have stumbled upon something you may be quite willing and more than capable to do.

FACE YOUR LIES

I am convinced that that more than anything else, what holds people back from taking on such a task are lies that say they can't for some reason or another.  And I am convinced the same lies fill many people who want to run 26 mile marathons but think they can't.  Here are some basic ones:
- I don't have the time.
- I am not smart enough.
- That's just too difficult.

The truth is, you do have enough time.
The truth is, you are probably more than smart enough.
The truth is, it is not as difficult as you think it is.
The truth is, you are selling yourself short.

MANURE

I think most of the excuses we use are designed to protect our habits, whether those habits are good or bad.  Think about it. 

A friend used to tell me, "I know that I am in 5 feet of manure and it stinks, but I don't want to get out of it  because it's warm."  The metaphorical manure piles we sit in are warm because we are creatures of habit, and we get used to the habits we make for ourselves - even the bad ones.

Moving out of manure is not easy.  We convince ourselves that we need and want the manure, and we think we are better off for it.

Think about the manure piles you have made for yourself - bitterness, overeating, love of money, lack of discipline, too much discipline, the desire to make everybody happy, being grumpy, feeling sorry for yourself, feeling better than others, getting attention from talking too much, getting attention from lashing out, turning inward, etc. and etc.

We build our piles and live in those piles.  We get used to our piles and feel most comfortable staying in those piles, even when those piles of manure are self-destructive.

The excuses you use to keep from reading the Bible, memorizing the Bible, and praying more regularly are simply protection of your warm manure pile.

GEAR UP FOR CHANGE

Stepping out of manure is cold at first.  You may have a moment of euphoria because you are clean for once, but believe me, you will feel cold and you will become tempted to return to the warmth of manure.

But in time you will be used to living a cleaner life.