Author Archives: Lane Corley
Six Years with the Bible Memory App
I’ll celebrate six years of daily engagement with the Bible Memory App this week. This App has been a great spiritual growth companion. Desiring to be more devoted to scripture memory, I downloaded several apps and the Bible Memory App stuck with me. I begin each day and end each day by reviewing 5-7 verses. I also add new verses and review memorized verses from my daily devotional reading each morning. Then, throughout the day, as I have occasion (waiting in line, etc.) I jump on and review a few verses.
In six years, this App has helped me master over 2,000 verses. I’ve also utilized the app to take on the challenge of memorizing large chunks of scripture including the Sermon on the Mount and the book of 1 John and several entire chapters. This habit has also helped me as a witness and a preacher as verses are more readily recalled and I’m always ready when asked to share without a lot of opportunity to prep.
Why invest time in Bible Memory?
- Jesus Did. He quoted scripture in response to temptation and his teachings are full of obvious Old Testament references.
- The Disciples Did. As a matter of fact, part of the duty of a called disciple was to memorize their teacher’s teachings. They did and thus we have the Gospels and the New Testament letters.
- The Bible Tells Us To. We are commanded to meditate and to hide the word in our hearts.
- The Word of God is Power. It never returns void. It has the power to save souls. It’s sharper than any sword. And it will endure for all eternity.
- It’s better than any alternative. What else would you do with that 15-35 minutes per day? Doom scroll on social media? TV? Consider the comparative impact on your soul with any other use of time.
So, if you’re a disciple of Christ, and have not yet developed a rhythm of Bible Memory, try out the Bible Memory App. Here are a few articles I’ve written over the last six years about how and why to get started:
- Cultivating the Habit of Scripture Memory – Link
- Why and How to Memorize Scripture – Link
- Getting Started with the Bible Memory App – Link
This App will not click with everyone. That’s ok. Find another way to develop this soul-sustaining habit of scripture memory. Bible memory is a great adventure that you’ll never regret.
The PRO version of the Bible Memory App is only $9.99. Get 20% or a couple bucks off with this link – PRO.
Mid-Year Spiritual Checkup
This year is now halfway gone! Unbelievable! Here’s a list of questions I journal through annually for a Mid-Year Spiritual Checkup:
- Has my devotional life been consistent?
- Has my prayer closet or private room seen me regularly?
- Have I gathered and prayed with other believers regularly?
- What Bible reading plan have I followed or completed? Do I need to restart or start fresh in Bible intake this week?
- What verses or truths have been especially meaningful so far this year?
- What books or articles have been especially helpful so far this year?
- What personal growth or victory can you thank God for?
- What victory or challenge do I need to seek God for?
- Who have I sought out for wise counsel? Have I ignored or heeded the counsel of others so far this year?
- How many times have I shared the Gospel?
- How many lost people am I currently praying for?
- How many new relationships have I built with potential new disciples?
- Who am I currently discipling and training into godliness and disciple making?
- Who am I encouraging through difficulty and affliction?
- What have I given away? Have I been faithfully generous with money? Time? Possessions? Words? Wisdom?
- What is working? What is exciting? What has momentum? What is bearing fruit?
- What is not working? What does it seem like I am pushing up a steep hill? What do I need to give up on? What is robbing me of energy?
- What have I neglected? What have I ignored? What am I hoping will just disappear on its own? (But I know it won’t)
- What is worth doing, but I’m out of my league? What do I need more power, prayer, people to help with?
- Check screen time on my phone. What does it say about my heart and priorities? What does my internet history say about my heart and priorities?
What questions would you add to this list?
Back from Zim + How many migrants live near you? + Are we a church for the unchurched?
Travelogue: I arrived home Thursday from an amazing 12 days in Zimbabwe Africa. See some pics HERE. Global Life Ministries plants churches, trains leaders, and supports ministries from one of the poorest parts of the country. An amazing team, led by Peter Mabasa, who are radically serving and sharing the gospel making a huge impact. You don’t have to be a big, wealthy church to make a big impact. You just have to be willing to say Yes to Jesus.
Research: 4.1 million migrants: Where they’re from, where they live in the U.S. – LINK. (FYI: You can view this once and then you get a paywall, so make time for interacting with it before you click)
- Scroll down to an interactive map that allows you to type in your Parish/County and see how many immigrants have settled near you.
- Commentary: For the Disciple Maker, this should not be political. We should see this as an opportunity. God is bringing the nations to our doorstep. May we be faithful to find ways to reach and disciple them.
Article: Are you a church for the unchurched? 4 Questions – LINK
- Is your marketing targeted toward the unchurched?
- Is your service designed to generate intuitive invitations?
- Is your message simply proclaiming the Christian message or actually explaining it?
- Did any of these questions make you defensive?
Reading, etc.
- Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout
- Transforming Prayer: How Everything Changes When You Seek God’s Face by Daniel Henderson
Next Week:
- Looking forward to kicking off a Send Network Louisiana Summer Luncheon Tour across Louisiana – LINK.
His Swift Word
“He sends his command throughout the earth; his word runs swiftly.”
Psalms 147:15 CSB
https://bible.com/bible/1713/psa.147.15.CSB
“If God’s word runs very swiftly, then it can even overtake those who run away from it. Not only can the Lord come quickly to those who seek him, but he can overtake those who hasten away from him.” (Spurgeon)
Lord, let your word overtake our prodigals, our rebels, our lost but loved ones.
I also love the Message Paraphrase of this verse:
“He launches his promises earthward— how swift and sure they come!“
https://bible.com/bible/97/psa.147.12-18.MSG
Zimbabwe Mission Trip 2024
Wonderful few days with Global Life Ministries and Pastor Peter Mabasa, serving the churches in Binga, Zimbabwe, among the Tonga People of Zimbabwe and Zambia. Pray for these pastors serving in difficult conditions with great faithfulness. Much more to share later.
When it Comes to Character, Make No Exceptions
“For David did what was right in the Lord’s sight, and he did not turn aside from anything he had commanded him all the days of his life, EXCEPT in the matter of Uriah the Hethite.” 1 Kings 15:5 CSB
https://bible.com/bible/1713/1ki.15.5.CSB
An “EXCEPT” in relation to your character could change the course of history for your family. David made an exception in his mission, by not going out to battle with his armies (2 Samuel 11:1). He made an exception in his obedience to God, by sleeping with another man’s wife, then having that man (Uriah the Hittite) killed to protect his own image (2 Samuel 11-12). The result was death, brokenness, and pain for David’s family, along with the curse of division and war in David’s family line forever (2 Samuel 12:10). Make no mistake, the “EXCEPT” in parentheses in David’s life was devastating. And it would be devastating for you and I as well. Make no exceptions in your relation to your character and put no parenthetical “EXCEPT” next to your testimony and family name.
- What exceptions are you making, considering, or imagining for yourself? (“I don’t have to go to church” ; “It will never happen to me” ; “It’s just this once” “No one will ever find out”) In relationships, spiritual disciplines, habits and beliefs?
- If there is already an “EXCEPT” in your life, have you repented and allowed God to bring healing? (see Psalm 32 and 51) And how have you moved past the temptation to make sin common and OK in your life?
- Ask God to help you put a period instead of parenthesis on your testimony forever.
Persecutor to Persecuted
“He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.”
Acts 9:29-30 CSB
https://bible.com/bible/1713/act.9.29-30.CSB
“The story of Saul’s conversion begins with him leaving Jerusalem to persecute the followers of Jesus. It ends with him leaving Jerusalem as a persecuted follower of Jesus.” – Link
And much more than that – 2 Corinthians 5:17.
On Mission to Zimbabwe
A favorite thing about Summer: IT’S MISSION TRIP SEASON! I love to see friends and churches pursuing God’s mission and leveraging their time off to get involved in the global work of God. God is in the world reconciling people to himself and has invited us to join this great mission of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). Mission Trips are one of the ways that we can do that.
I’m excited to join God’s mission in Sub-Saharan Africa this summer. We will be traveling June 16-27 to Zimbabwe to learn from, encourage, and train with local pastors in remote areas on the Zambia border. We have a great partner church in Zimbabwe that plants churches, supports rural pastors and church planters, and works with orphans in this country that continues to suffer through an AIDS epidemic, famine and drought, and crippling inflation and unemployment.
I would greatly appreciate your prayers for this trip.
- You can financially support this trip HERE. Our church generously pays up to 1/2 the cost of all mission trips for partners. We’ve sought to raise additional money to support rural church planters with bicycles and solar lamps and provide mattresses for an AIDS Orphanage that we will visit while there. Hunger relief is a big need as well (Read more). Any additional money will go to support these causes. GIVE NOW.
- You can read about the People Group we will be working with HERE.
But there is forgiveness…
“Lord, if you kept an account of iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that you may be revered.”
Psalms 130:3-4 CSB
https://bible.com/bible/1713/psa.130.3-4.CSB
Spurgeon’s Commentary – “It may be that you have sinned many times and grievously; but ‘there is forgiveness.’ Though a child of God, you have gone far astray from him; but ‘there is forgiveness.’ You have backslidden sadly and horribly; but ‘there is forgiveness.’ The devil comes and howls at you, and tells you that your doom is sealed, and your damnation is sure; but ‘there is forgiveness.’ Oh, blessed sentence!”
The Promises of Parental Discipline
Discipline: The Bible’s answer to Three Deep Questions every parent is asking.
This weekend, our church continued studying through the Old Testament book of Proverbs. Specifically, we looked at a couple of dozen verses for parents. Proverbs offers great encouragement and direction for Parents. Some interesting notes that generated some great discussion, were on the topic of discipline.
Three questions every parent is asking in their heart are answered by being a diligent disciplinarian according to Proverbs:
1. How do I show my love to my children?
- Proverbs 3:12 – for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
- Proverbs 13:24 – Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
2. How do I assure the success of my children?
- Proverbs 19:18 – Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
- Proverbs 22:15 – Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
3. How do I assure a peaceful relationship with my children?
- Proverbs 29:17 – Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
Discipline is a parent’s duty. A duty best administered by a parent, because no one loves and graces a child like a parent can (when they are healthy). Parents must give up the desire to be liked and overlook behavior in a child for peace. Behavior comes from the heart. If unaddressed, the behavior could bring about future harm to the one you love. Parenting means committing to do the hard thing: Discipline our children because we love them, want them to be successful, and want them to know peace and delight us. It’s not easy, but it does produce what we desire for our kids.
- Hebrews 12:11 – No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Lane Corley 