“Same old same old”

By: Monique Smith

So for a while last year, I was a member at New Bethel Baptist Church in Durham and around offering time, I found myself getting frustrated every time. No, not because I didn’t want to shell out money to the Lord, but because of the “same old” scripture that was printed on the program EVERY week. Growing up Baptist, I understood the traditions and everything in between, but I could not for the life of me understand why they printed the same scripture each week. Then it hit me (about a year later lol), that reading something over and over and over again is a sure way to get something and to keep something in your spirit! Sounds like a “duh” statement, but it took me a while to come to that conclusion.

With that said, this will be my new way of scripture memory because it will feel like less of a homework assignment than my method of scripture memory before. Now before bed each night, I plan to read the same scripture each night until I am sure I know it. Before, I would work really hard and remember a scripture for Bible study, and unfortunately, soon forget it if I did not apply it to different situations. Now, I feel that this method will be effective.

So I know you all are wondering what scripture was and is still being printed on the church programs right…. Well here it is: 1 Chronicles 4:10. It’s the prayer of Jabez.

“And Jabez called upon the God of Isreal, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested”.

This scripture is such a great scripture and can instill so many things into your spirit. It can instill faith, hope, belief, trust, love, and probably any other good Godly thing you can think of.

· Faith: This scripture forces Jabez to have faith in God because prayers without faith are just thoughts being bounced off the ceiling. The Bible tells us “what things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24).

· Hope: Romans 8: 24-25 tells us, “…but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently”. Jabez did not yet see the enlargement of his coast yet and that’s what encouraged him to hope and have faith for his prayer to come to past.

· Belief & Trust: Jabez had to believe and trust that God would come through and grant his request, because if not, then as mentioned earlier, it would be pointless to pray about it.

· Love: To me, this scripture instilled MORE love for God! To know and to read that God was faithful to grant Jabez the desires of his heart, allows me to rejoice and be confident that God will do the same for me! Why? Because God is UNCHANGEABLE! Malachi 3:6 says “For I am the Lord, I do not change….” And Hebrews 13:8 says” Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”! What better news is this?! What greatness!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being the incredible God you are. Allow me to learn more about your character in the scriptures that I read. Lord, I thank you for your Word and the joy that I receive when I learn things from you! God you are so great and you are so worthy of my praise! Lord, help me with scripture memory and life application of your divine Word! I love you so so so much and will forever serve you! In your son Jesus name. Amen.