The Lord has been showing me that in order to grow in a loving (obedient) relationship with Him, I need to know Him and trust Him! But how can I really change to love God more and more with my whole heart, soul, strength, mind, unless I know the One I’m in relationship with? And how can I discern good and evil, starting with my own heart, unless I know Jesus, the Way and The Truth and The Life?
And then, how can I truly love others as myself if I just keep His Word only in my heart? I need to speak truth in love to others and what better way than to share God’s Word, pointing them to Christ?
Before I started memorizing God’s Word, I felt like my thoughts were not held up on a strong, deep foundation because there was fear, doubt and not enough knowledge to encourage myself or others in how to stand in faith on what God’s says. After responding to God’s call to be involved with prison ministry, I realized the need for God to grow me so I could encourage these hurting ladies. Over the years, He has been discipling me so I can disciple others. Without a doubt, memorizing God’s Word is a KEY component to Him growing us, so we can know where to point others in God’s Word as HE grows them as well!
My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments with you,…Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course. For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; Discretion will guard you, understanding will watch over you…” Proverbs 2:1, 9-11
I have memorized Psalm 1, 23, 51, 91, 103. After hearing Janet Pope encourage the lady inmates, I felt ready to memorize Romans in August 2013, and have currently memorized chapters 1-4 and I’m now in chapter 5.
Part of my prayer is that God will help me to memorize Romans to His glory, and I’m amazed at the ease in which God is helping me without any pressures, only the LORD! It’s a privilege to share the gospel with folks and memorizing Romans has been powerful in God conforming my thoughts and words to better articulate His truth as the Holy Spirit convicts!
I’m so very blessed to be a part of a Bible Memory Group in Dallas, so encouraging!
Wow Chris what a great story, God has truly blessed you with a wonderful ministry. I like where you say God has been discipling you, through his word. God is the potter and we are the clay, and it is so cool how you desire for God to mold you and shape you so you can be used by him. Keep giving God the glory and you will receive much joy.
Amen Mickey, we are the clay and He is the Potter and as we trust and obey/love Him, He continues to conform us more and more to the image of the Lord Jesus where we find deeper and deeper freedom in living for the Lord’s glory. (Rom 8:28-29) Truly, His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment Mickey, was a blessing to read it.
God Bless,
Chris
Chris, I am smiling reading your story because I have been so blessed through you and by the Word you’ve hidden in your heart. The Lord has used you to challenge me to be bold in the truth! May the Lord continue to bless you as you learn Romans by heart and are further grounded in the Gospel as you in essence “preach it to yourself” daily and share it with others. I am glad we are comrades on the “Romans Road.” Love in Christ, Shari
Thanks so much Shari for your encouraging comments. Sure is a blessing to learn from you and your gentle and loving spirit as we comrades share in memorizing Romans together on our “Romans Road”, love how the Lord knits friendships together. Love in Christ, Chris
Chris, You write the way you talk. If there were no author identified, I would know it was you. Be assured that what you are placing in your heart is coming forth from your mouth in your own unique personality. I love it!! Have a wonderful day. Smiles & Blessings, Tammy
Blessing to know you Tammy and I’m encouraged by your faithfulness in hiding God’s Word in your heart! Hope to see you soon 🙂 Love in Christ, Chris
Hi Chris, Thank you for sharing your journey with us. When I first met you, less than a year ago, I was inspired by how you ministered to the lady inmates at Dawson. You saw them and treated them as God sees them, precious in His sight. Your heart for evangelism motivates me and I love being around you.
Thanks Janet, Appreciate you! Encouraged and inspired by your passion for growing in relationship with the Lord and encouraging others whether in prison or out of prison to do the same in hiding His Word in our heart. Love being around you too 🙂 Love in Christ, Chris
Dear Chris, you are such a shining example of Christ’s love in action. Your enthusiasm and passion for sharing God’s Word with others is an example and encouragment to me and so many others. Go Sister! Yeah God!!!
Hey Lise
Thanks for your encouragement, praise the Lord! So blessed to know you sister. Love your enthusiasm and love for the Lord
Dear Chris,
Learning God’s Word so that you can prepare yourself to better minister to others is in itself very pleasing and glorifying to God. And glorifying God is the key to penetrating the heart in others. Thank you for sharing your discipline to point to the Light of His Glory to others.
Amen César!
Hi Chris, I am thankful that God allowed our paths to cross and now I am enjoying you as my Sister in Christ! I was drawn to you when we first met because of the Spirit of God and I knew you were someone I would enjoy company with. I enjoy our Holy conversations that always points to the word of God to encourage us! I am encouraged & challenged to memorize more of God’s word because of you! I am thankful for you! Always look forward to our Sister Walk/Talkie on Wednesday mornings:)
Hey Sister Pam, So blessed and equally thankful for the Lord to bring us together to pray, grow and spur one another on in the Lord as we take our walkie-talkie on Wednesday morning. See ya Wed! Love in Christ, Chris
Chris,
Know that your worship of our Lord and your life is impacting many. Thank you for sharing your story and intentional effort to memorize God’s Word.
Appreciate you Ryan and your Godly leadership at our church!
Hi Chris,
Thank you for such a wonderful testimony-post. The way you wrote it made me feel like you were sitting at my dining room table chatting with me. I agree with Mickey about your use of the term “God discipling me”. Holy cow? That’s exactly what happens when we memorize large portions of scripture. We memorize, and God does the work through the Holy Spirit and it is uncanny. YOU COULD NOT HAVE chosen a better book to take on since you are in the prison ministry. One of the themes of Romans is the Redemption of Christ and how STINKING COOL to be able to have a library of choice passages etched in your memory to share with the inmates. I would think that hearing the truth of Salvation and Redemption would be the hope they need most. To know that by their faith in Him, God—the ultimate judge banged the gavel and declared them INNOCENT. This should have a profound impact on those who choose to believe. Thank you Chris.
Amen Cherie!!!!! Appreciate you
Chris, you are such a blessing to all. I offer praise for your prison ministry as I know what it takes. You are such a prayer warrior too. Now I learn that you have been memorizing scripture. Wow! As you would desire, all glory to God!
Appreciate you May! You’re such a blessing
Dear Chris,
I totally understand what you mean when you say you had fear and doubt about how to encourage or disciple others in the truth of God. I had that too. And through knowing the Lord in the memorization and meditation of His word, my confidence in Him has grown and I trust, now, that He will lead me in leading others.
In reading the posts from those who personally know you, I am moved by the Christ-like example you are.
Thank you for this blessing today.
Appreciate you Sue, glory to God! Be sure to share with us in how the Lord worked through you in sharing His Word from your heart, Revelation 1-5.
Chris, every single time I am with you, you inspire me to go deeper into God’s Word! I love watching you share the gospel with incarcerated women at Lew Sterrett County Jail. You are bursting at the seams with supernatural love for them. I am so proud to call you my friend and sister-in-Christ! You lead by example and encourage me to be a better me and to boldly lead others to HIM!! XOX, JA
Dear “Barnabas” Jean-Ann, what encouragement in the Lord, glory to God! So blessed to have your friendship and support as you love the ladies in and out of prison with God’s truth and love! Love in Christ, Chris
PS everyone! A reminder to pray for our MMS ( Mega-Memorizer-Sister), and my precious new friend via Janets Ministry, SUE BOND. She will be courageously reciting from memory REVELATION 1-5 and sharing about memorization and how it has changed her— in front of the congregation at her church. PRAY LIKE CRAZY for her, even as you are in a church service of your own this Sunday.
thanks for reminding everyone Cherie. I sent a reminder email this morning to our local Scripture memory group. Please pray also that a few in the congregation will be interested in forming a Scripture memory group. This would be a HUGE encouragement to Sue and to others.
What an amazing site!!! Thank you very much for doing this, Janet. Christ, as always, you look fabulous and always love your hats. More than anything, I love the way God used you to love on the women at Dawson and now Lew Sterrett. How much they gleaned from you giving them pearls from the Lord. I have always admired your “upbeat” and totally open honesty about how much you love our Savior. You radiate His presence when you walk in. Thank you for being you!!! You are greatly loved.
Dear Ms. Lucy, thanks for your shining example in pouring out God’s love to the incarcerated ladies and men at jails and prisons throughout the many years in God’s ministry He gave you in Texas Hope Literacy which God continues to grow. Countless of us folks are so very blessed to know you! Keep on keepin on in the Lord Jesus! Love in Christ, Chris
Chris, I am so grateful that the Lord has woven our lives together. Your passion to know God, to know His Word and to share with others is an inspiration to me. You are so right that having God’s Word memorized strengthens my foundation and gives me confidence not in myself but in Him. His Word is truly all we need and all we need to give to others. I am blessed by you.
Susan
p.s. I hope you read this even though I am a week late catching up on the blog : )
Chris,
I think one of the reasons your impact is so great is that you are not only passionate and bold about sharing the Lord with people, but also very present, attentive, kind and reassuring at the same time!
What a powerful combination – very uplifting. Thank you so much for
encouraging us with your example of the impact of scripture memory in your ministry and in your life!