Memory Challenge: Prayer and Priorities

It is DAY #1 of the “Loving to Talk to God” Bible Memory Challenge! Are you ready to get started? We will dive right in, but first, if you are new here and want to know how it works or need to pick up the Memory Challenge Verse List, see this post. We start today and go through Valentine’s Day, February 14.

I post the memory verse each day in the KJV, because that’s what I use, but the Memory Challenge Verse List just has the references on it, so open your own Bible (whatever that version is) and learn from there. There is no excuse not to join in and memorize with us.

I think when you memorize, you should open your Bible and see where that verse comes from, so that is another reason I only post the references on the Memory Challenge Verse List. I know you can grab the verses from online bibles as well, but if you do that, open the whole chapter and get a sense of where the memory verse is in context to it’s surrounding verses.

Prayer and Priorities

We will be discussing 14 different things about prayer by either what it is or what it does through these memory verses during this year’s Bible Memory Challenge. Today’s thought is, Prayer is important. We must learn to make it a priority.

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DAY #1 MEMORY VERSE

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:18 (KJV)

Prayer is Important

Ephesians chapter 6, is where our memory verse comes from today and also where we find the Armor of God.  I’m not going to list the pieces of that armor here, but if you have time today, I encourage you to read through the entire chapter of Ephesians 6.

I’m sure you are familiar with the Armor of God. It’s all those pieces we need to pick up and put on so that we are protected from sin and the world. It’s all those pieces that help us become a better warrior for Christ as the foes of the world come at us. 

And where is our memory verse in all this?  Well, it’s right at the end of all those items we are to put on as our armor.  Our memory verse, Ephesians 6:18, is a continuing thought from verse 17.  Our memory verse doesn’t stand alone. We need all the preceding verses to really grasp the whole meaning.

We are to take those items of the Armor of God, put them on, AND we are to pray as we do it.  Prayer plays a key part in our daily wardrobe as a Christian. We must learn to see the importance of it.

Our memory verse says, “Praying always”.

This verse today tells us how to pray.  We pray always and we do it through the Holy Spirit.  We don’t have to go this prayer thing alone.  The Holy Spirit will help us. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! And thank you, Jesus! I need all the help in learning to pray as I can get, and what better way than by allowing the Holy Spirit entrance into my prayer life. The Holy Spirit will be the one making those “groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26), when I just don’t know how to pray.

And I want us to notice another thing about this praying we are to do as we daily pick up that armor.  We are to pray for other people and not just ourselves.  Look at the last part of our memory verse. Look what it mentions.

“supplication for all saints”

There are other Christians out there in this world with us.  We have to get in the mindset that their obstacles are our obstacles.  Their burdens are our burdens. Their goals are our goals. Their interests are our interests. Their blessings are our blessings. We are in this thing called the Christian life together! We have to take an interest in what is on our fellow believer’s hearts. We are in wartime together against flesh and sin. We must pray for each other.

And what does it mention in the preceding verse?  It talks about the Word of God. 

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:17

So, prayer and the Word of God go together.

I think of all of those things that go together so well.

• Peanut butter and jelly
• Spaghetti and meatballs
• Cookies and milk
• Pencil and paper
• Toast and jam
• Love and marriage

You get the idea!  God’s Word and prayer are a great partner. They are sweethearts, so to speak.

I hope you will grab hold of that as we learn these verses together this week.  I want you to learn to love to pray by memorizing God’s Word. Loving to Talk to God is what we are aiming for during this year’s Bible Memory Challenge.

Alright, now it’s your turn! Do you have any perspective on today’s memory verse that you would like to share? Had a prayer answered lately? Do you have a special time or place that you like to talk to God? Leave a reply at the end of the blog post.

EXTRA CHALLENGE: Choose 3 people and their needs to pray for today.

Have a lovely day,
Julia

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2022 Bible Memory Challenge

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The 2020 and 2021 Bible Memory Challenge devotions can be found in my newest devotional, More Love Please.