Replace the Voices with Verses

About

Of the 10 years Josh Summers spent as a missionary in western China, the last few months were by far the hardest: Twice he was hauled into jail by Chinese police for interrogation, the second of which lasted 17 days. And as he sat alone in a cold, barren holding cell with nothing, not even his Bible, he tried to take inventory of what scripture he could remember by heart—and realized he didn’t have nearly as much of it down as he thought he did.

When Josh and his family finally returned to the United States, he vowed he would always have the entire Bible at the ready. That started him on a new mission: to memorize the entire Bible, a mission he talks about with Nate Dewberry in this week’s episode. It’s about much more than just mastering Biblical trivia, Josh says—it’s about using scripture to replace the voices of negativity and self-doubt that we all hear sometimes, and achieving a deeper, more satisfying understanding of the love God has for each of us.

Show Notes

Segment chapters

Think about it

Sit with these before you say anything out loud.

Coping with being locked away.

(15:26) Have you ever been separated from your loved ones against your will? What were the circumstances, and did you have any idea when you’d get to see them again? How did you cope with the fear and uncertainty? Psalm 34:4 NIV

How I ended up all alone:

How I dealt with the fear:

Balancing fear and faith.

(19:59) Discuss Josh’s statement that ”Faith and trusting God does not necessarily mean the absence of fear.” As a youth, were you ever told that exhibiting fear wasn’t “manly”? Were you ever taught to believe that showing fear meant you didn’t have enough faith in the Lord? How did that affect you growing up? What have you learned about bringing your fear to God and choosing to trust him in the middle of it? Psalm 56:3 NIV

What I was taught about fear:

How it shaped me:

How I learned to not be afraid of fear itself:

Strength in numbers.

(40:01) What’s a challenge you tried to take on alone and failed, but then attempted again with other people and then succeeded? What do you think that community helped you do that you’d been unable to do before? Galatians 6:2

When I tried to go it alone:

How community helped me:

Talk it out

These are worth saying out loud in a group, with a brother, or with God himself.

Not just hearing God’s Word, but living it.

(6:38) If you grew up in a Christian family, how would you describe your participation in church when you were young? Did you pay attention and understand most of what was going on, or were you mainly there because your parents made you go? At what point did your faith go from merely something your parents had passed down to you to something that had personal meaning to you? What caused that shift? What difference does God’s Word make in the way you live now? James 1:22 NIV

Being still in the midst of chaos.

(23:29) When you feel overwhelmed, how easy is it for you to “be still” and remember that God is God and you are not? Are you more likely to trust him or immediately try to take control of the situation yourself? What has trying to carry everything on your own cost you? Psalm 46:10 NIV

Take action

Don’t let this stay in your head. Do something with it.

Learning the Good Book.

(30:08) How many Bible verses would you say you know by heart? Which ones stand out to you as having the most significance to your life or values? Do you know the entire narrative of the Bible, or do you know it mainly as a disconnected set of verses or stories you’ve picked up over the years? Where could you begin this week—not just to know more Scripture, but to let God’s Word shape the way you think and live? Psalm 119:11 NIV 

The verses that have stuck with me:

What I know about the Bible—and what I don’t:

Shutting down the inner naysayer.

(44:29) Do you have a go-to activity for “replacing” voices of negativity and self-doubt in your head? What does that activity offer that is beneficial or affirming to you? When the voices in your head don’t line up with what God says is true, how do you recognize the difference? How could knowing Scripture help you replace lies, fear, or self-condemnation with God’s truth? Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 10:5

The voices I tend to believe:

What God’s Word says is true:

A verse I want to have at the ready:

Closing

The Bible is more than a collection of ancient stories, wise sayings, or instructions for living. It is God’s Word, revealing who he is, what he has done, and ultimately pointing us to Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches us, corrects us, trains us, and reminds us what is true when the voices around us—or inside us—say otherwise.  2 Timothy 3:16–17

You may never attempt to memorize the entire Bible like Josh, but you can begin hiding God’s Word in your heart.

This week, choose one passage of Scripture that speaks to an area where you need God’s truth. Read it each day. Write it down. Say it out loud. Begin committing it to memory. And don’t stop at knowing the words—ask God to use his Word to shape what you believe and how you live.

What passage will you have at the ready?