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Favorite Bible Verses
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At Year's End
It's not infrequent that we hear of someone or some group that has
assembled the top 10, or the top 25, or the top 100 of this, that, or the other.
Especially, toward the end of each calendar year, the news likes to report on
the top movies, top songs, top TV shows, the top sports plays, the top news
stories (events).
Top 25 Bible Verses
So today, we're going to report the top Bible verses of the year. Recently,
the team at BibleStudyTools.com tabulated the most visited and read Bible
verses on their website in recent months.
Now, I have a purpose in reporting this that far exceeds curiosity. I hope
you will find these top 25 Scriptures from the Bible interesting. However,
the heart of this lesson will come toward the end as I share concerns over
depending too much on favorite Bible verses.
Here they are. Based on those parts of the Bible most visited by the users of
the website BibleStudyTools.Com, here are the 25 most popular verses from
God's Word. We give you these verses in the order of their popularity,
starting with the number one verse and ending with the 25th most read verse.
1. Jeremiah 29:11 -- "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the
LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future.'"
2. Psalm 23:1-6 -- "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He
makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he
restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You
prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my
head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
3. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 -- "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it
does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
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easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they
will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is
knowledge, it will pass away."
4. Philippians 4:13 -- "I can do everything through him who gives me
strength."
5. John 3:16 -- "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
6. Romans 8:28 -- "And we know that in all things God works for the good
of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
(We pause just a moment. Actually, two of those so-called verses are
actually passages of several verses, All six verses comprising the 23rd
Psalm were counted as the second most popular Bible verse, And right after
that, five verses on love from First Corinthians 13 were considered as a
single verse. Of the next several readings of favorite Bible verses, two are
actually a couple verses each. Let's now continue with what the internet
browsers visiting BibleStudyTools.com have made the most popular verses
in the Bible.)
7. Isaiah 41:10 -- "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed,
for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you
with my righteous right hand."
8. Proverbs 3:5-6 -- "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on
your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will
make your paths straight."
9 Psalm 46:1 -- "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in
trouble."
10. Galatians 5:22-23 -- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law."
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11. Hebrews 11:1 -- "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see."
12. 2 Timothy 1:7 -- "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a
spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."
(We are now halfway through the Scriptures that BibleStudyTools.com says
are the most read by their users.)
13. 1 Corinthians 10:13 -- "No temptation has seized you except what is
common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond
what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way
out so that you can stand up under it."
14. Proverbs 22:6 -- "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is
old he will not turn from it."
15. Isaiah 40:31 -- "But those who hope in the LORD will renew their
strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
weary, they will walk and not be faint."
(That is a favorite for many of us because of the great movie "Chariots of
Fire.")
16. Joshua 1:9 -- "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be
with you wherever you go."
17. Philippians 4:6 -- "Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests
to God."
18. Hebrews 12:2 -- "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter
of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its
shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
(If you've joined us in progress, we're sharing with our listeners the 25 most
popular Bible verses, based on the tabulations made by the team at
BibleStudyTools.com. Now, the last seven.)
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19. John 10:10 -- "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I
have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
20. Zephaniah 3:17 -- "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to
save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he
will rejoice over you with singing."
21. 2 Corinthians 5:17 -- "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
22. James 5:16 -- "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for
each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is
powerful and effective."
23. Deuteronomy 31:6 -- "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or
terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will
never leave you nor forsake you."
24. 1 Corinthians 16:13 -- "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be
men of courage; be strong."
(And, my friend, we've now come to the one remaining Bible verse to make
BibleStudyTools.com's compilation of the most read Scriptures. This one is
special. It was the text of my first sermon [If you could call it a sermon] that
I preached as a teenager in my home congregation at Cowan, Tennessee. I
still consider these some of the most beautiful words Jesus spoke.)
25. Matthew 11:28 -- "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest."
So, ladies and gentlemen, there they are. The website BibleStudyTools.com
has found that, in recent months, more of their browsers pull up these
Scriptures than any others.
Favorite Bible Verses: The Pros and Cons
You may have noticed, and without surprise, a common thread (thought)
running through most of these Bible verses. The majority of the verses just
cited are about comfort and assurance. They are about God -- His love for us
along with the importance of our living by faith and loving both God and our
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fellowman. Almost half of these favorite verses come from the pen of the
Apostle Paul. I'm shocked that only three are quotations from Jesus in the
four gospels
It is a good thing for you and me, and others, to have favorite Bible verses.
It indicates we love the Bible and that we read it frequently. Most people are
not reading the Bible at all. In fact, a large percentage of people claiming to
be Christians aren't reading their Bibles.
Among those who do frequent the Book of books, there is the temptation to
overly depend on several select verses of Scripture and neglect the rest.
When that's the case, we are not "handling aright the word of truth," as
admonished in Second Timothy 2:15.
Among those of us who do read the Holy Scriptures, this "Top 25" list might
suggest there is too much selective reading. There is a lot of turning to
Scriptures of comfort and consolation, and other verses underscoring God's
promises. Few are acquainting themselves with "the rest of the story." To
pick and choose a handful of verses that make us feel good doesn't make us
true students of the Word of the Lord. Those who depend on a few favorite
verses of comfort live and die in ignorance of God's revelation and His will
for man.
If not careful, having favorite Scripture quotations can cause us to neglect
the all important question: "To whom was a particular passage spoken?" One
of the basic rules of hermeneutics (the science of Bible interpretation) is
really just common sense. As we read our Bibles, we need to keep asking
ourselves, "To whom is God here speaking?" To whom is the Lord
promising the needs and necessities of life? Who are the ones being
promised heaven's providential care? To what people does the Lord promise
deliverance and salvation?
Such blessed assurances in the Old Testament were being given to God's
faithful people. In that era, the Almighty had chosen the Jewish nation as
His people; but even among them, His blessings were reserved for those who
took His law seriously.
Come over into the New Testament. Is the promise that things will work out
right -- is that given to everyone who happens to lay his eyes on Roman
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8:28? Of course not! That promise is made to God's people in this age and
time -- true Christians. Study Romans; it was written to Christians.
In Matthew 6, when Jesus tells us we need not worry because we will have
life's necessities, was He talking to everyone and anyone who happens upon
that chapter? No! Our Lord spoke those things to His disciples.
One of the favorite verses read minutes ago is James 5:16. If you fail to ask
the question, "To whom was it spoken?" then the message is that anyone can
be forgiven his sins merely by confessing them to God and, in prayer, asking
God to forgive. Again, to what people did James write that epistle? You see,
it's not a single verse we need to read and memorize. It's the book (the book
of James) we need, along with the other books of the Bible. That writing of
James was written to Christians. In truth, the passage is telling Christians
what to do when we err. We confess our sin and ask the Lord's forgiveness.
For those who haven't yet become Christians, the Bible provides different
instructions altogether, as we will see momentarily.
Only qualified people can take solace in the promises God mentions and
reiterates in the Bible. Christians are the ones who are being promised the
forgiveness of sins. Christians are the people whose prayers are guaranteed.
Christians are the segment of society being told that, with each temptation,
God will provide an escape ramp. And the promise of a home in heaven is a
promise to faithful members of the spiritual body of Christ -- His church.
Friends, when it comes to Bible reading and favorite verses, my prayer is
this: May we not only be searching the Scriptures for the benefits and
rewards, but also for the terms and conditions. It appears that many who
spend some time in the Bible are merely searching for verses that mention
the promises of God, i.e. the benefits and rewards. Again, it is so important
that we understand that heaven's blessings are promised to those who trust
and obey. Read the rest of God's story, i.e. all of His revelation to the
human race. Study the complete message from God, not a handful of
favorite verses. Pay attention to the terms and conditions, for His promises
do not extend to the unfaithful and disobedient.
Have you been born of water and the Spirit? In John 3, Jesus says it's
absolutely necessary in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. Like the
3,000 on the day the church began, have you repented and been baptized for
the remission of your sins (Read Acts 2)? If so, are you continuing in the
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apostles' doctrine, in fellowship with other Christians, in the observance of
the Lord's Supper, and in prayers, as taught in Acts 2:42? Are you reading
the Last Will and Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in order to
be "complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim.3:1617). Are you looking "into the perfect law of liberty" so you won't become
"a forgetful hearer of the word" and so you will remain "a doer of the work"
(James 1:25-26)?
Summary
I reiterate that having some favorite Bible verses can be a good thing. It can
indicate that you have studied the Scriptures and identified certain choice
passages. Remember, all the while, g that there is danger in claiming God's
promises for His children if you have not been born into His family or have
become a prodigal child. As we suggested earlier, we deceive ourselves
when searching the Scriptures merely for benefits and rewards, but not to
learn heaven's terms and conditions.
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This message by George Merritt aired on the Power & the Glory broadcast the
week of December 28, 2014.
For more information, our website is www.GoodRadioNews.com. Our email
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