Hide This in Your Heart: Memorizing Scripture for Kingdom Impact Mfano

Learn Christ as Our Leader and Model for Making Disciples Disciples imitate Jesus and are learning to live like him. Jesus lived a radical, holy, and activist life. When we learn Jesus Christ, we do the same. We’d like you to spend at least one period of the week learning Christ. This habit is about growing in Christlikeness. Mark 12:32­-34 says that loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself are more important than all other religious rituals and observances, since such love is Christlike and a witness to his Kingdom. But Jesus takes it even further. Jesus says that we are not only to love our neighbor but also to love our enemies, praying for those who persecute and attack us (Matthew 5:43–46). Such love of God, neighbor, and enemy is world-changing—it reflects the love of God, heals wounds and divisions, breaks down walls and barriers, joins with God in his mission, witnesses to the gospel of Christ, and imitates the sacrifice and divine love of Jesus. Those who learn to be like Jesus are not ashamed of the gospel and its power to bring salvation to all who believe. Memorize: Romans 1:16–17 Pray: Lord Jesus, help us love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength. Help us love our neighbor as ourselves. We let go of unforgiveness, envy, animosity, prejudice, racism, and pride. Enable us to show your embrace and love and welcome. Move us to include and embrace those who are different from us: those of a different faith, ethnicity, gender, political persuasion, race, and more. May your Spirit enable us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, that we truly live as children of our Father in heaven. You call us to love and bless and pray for our enemies; give us the strength and wisdom to do just that. Amen.