We’re off and running, Sweet Things! And 11,000 strong!!! Oh, how I pray that God will grant us the divine favor and indwelling power to keep it up month after month and finish 2013 in the multiple thousands. What joy He and we would have! For now, we take it step by step, one verse at a time. Don’t get caught up wondering how in the world you’re going to memorize 24 verses when you’re having a hard time memorizing the first one. That will sink your Scripture memory boat for sure.
I make you this promise based on my experience and the experience of many others: the more you memorize, the more you’ll get the hang of it. I was going to say that the more you memorize, the easier it gets but it’s not easy and that’s part of what makes it such a victory to celebrate with Jesus. I do believe I can tell you with confidence, however, that your tenth verse will very likely be easier to memorize than your first one. By that time, you’ve quit letting your nay-whining old nature tell you that you can’t do it and you shouldn’t have even tried. A big part of the battle in the first month is simply telling that self-destructive echo in our heads to shut its mouth. It’s replacing “I knew I couldn’t do it” with “Oh, yes I can. I can do all things through Christ.”
Persevere! Let’s not be quitters! God would rather us make it to the end of the year still stumbling over some words than throwing our hands up and quitting at the first imperfect recitation. Even if we don’t get our verses down perfectly, the pursuit itself is the very art of meditation. Nothing about it is a waste of time. Just think of how it helps to break the mental loop of rehearsed offenses. We’re going to be fixated on something. That’s how our minds often work. But we get to choose what.
So, right now say verse 1 out loud the very best you can.
Tremendous job. Now, let’s add our second one to it.
I totally love my verse this time around! It came up in my Scripture reading during my quiet time early Sunday morning. Here it goes:
Beth, Houston. All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Isn’t that fabulous? I’m choosing this verse specifically so that I can turn it into intercessory prayer. Mind you, I’m not “claiming” it like I’d be apt to do with a promise more clearly obvious under the New Covenant. I’m reluctant to claim the fulfillment of a promise made straight to Israel for myself or people in my world unless I know that we have a coinciding New Covenant promise. I’d have to see consistency to pray it as one fervently counting on it. Isaiah 54:13 carries obvious elements that are very consistent with the promises of Christ to us. He promised that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and He blatantly gave us His peace but where I’m asking God to do an Isaiah 54:13 work in my family is the emphasis on ALL my children. I want every single one of them to be students of Christ Jesus, to love His Word and His ways with a passion beyond the natural realm, and for His peace to be great upon them and contagious. If you’ll look in the Scripture’s context in Isaiah 54, especially in verses 11-17, you’ll see that V.13 is within the promises God made specifically to Israel and scheduled for fulfillment in a time yet to come. So, no, I’m not claiming it, so to speak, BUT, I am indeed asking for it. That’s fair game.
God is not obligated to say yes to promises like those in Isaiah 54 this side of His Kingdom’s full revelation but, as I persevere in prayer and faith, He will indeed hear me and I believe be pleased that I had the boldness to pray it. He is not blessed by our small, vision-bare petitions anyway. I’ve thought for a long time that God would rather hear His children voice outrageously large prayers of faith even if He has to say no on occasion than hear our pale, timid, tepid requests for things He’s already given us anyway. For instance, if we belong to Him in Christ, He is indeed going to “bless us” and “keep us.” So, I’m adding Isaiah 54:13 to my spiral and planning to reword it often into a request. I’m going to take the risk that He may indeed perform generational miracles with a family tree sprouted from the soil of disease and brokenness. Make us oaks of righteousness, Lord, for the display of Your splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)
This I know for sure: we often have not because we ask not. (James 4:2)
I love something else about Isaiah 54:13. I love that the word translated peace in English is the word “shalom” in Hebrew. The Hebrew word blows the doors off of our usual concept of peace. When I ask God for great peace to be upon my children, I have no interest in a trance-like state of passionless nirvana. I want God’s brand of peace: lively, vivacious. Here’s what the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament has to say about it:
“The general meaning behind the root š-l-m is of completion and fulfillment—of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship.”
It means to be intact, healthy, sound. It means wellness of soul. It conveys the idea of God prospering His child. He describes His peace like a river: moving and running. His peace is no pond. I read the verse first out of The NET Bible that sits open on my desk at home. Isaiah 54:13 is worded this way on its pages: “All your children will be followers of the LORD, and your children will enjoy great prosperity.” Right that moment I jotted the verse down in my journal and, under it, asked the Lord (with enough zeal to imprint it on the next page) to prosper my children and their children and their children and their children in the way that really matters: grant them lives that bear much fruit – I said MUCH FRUIT –Â for THIS is to our Father’s great glory. May they blatantly show themselves to be Christ’s disciples. (That’s John 15:8 and, if you haven’t memorized it yet, it is a must! Prioritize it early on in your year if God causes it to leap off the page with you.)Â With all my heart, I want God to use this lineage He is redeeming to prosper His Kingdom.
So I am really fired up about my verse for our next two weeks and hope to still be saying it and praying it for the next generations of this family line when I’m about to see Jesus. If you don’t already have a verse selected, you are welcome to share it and make it your own with Jesus. Choose any verse that He’s using to speak to you right now. Remember, that’s what will make it stick to your ribs. It needs to mean something to you!
Hit it, Girls! Remember! Only your names, cities, verses, references, and translations! You are stellar, Sisters. I love you so much.
Edited to add: Information on how to download your Android or iPhone application!
I know many of you have been asking if we are going to have an app this year for your smart phones, and we have both good news and bad news. The good news is YES, we ARE! We have created an app for both Android and iPhones. The bad news is, the Android app is ready for you, but if you would be so patient with us, we’ll have the iPhone app ready for you in about five or six days. Does that sound good?
So, excuse me while I get technical for just a minute!
For those of you that still have the old application on your phone (and this goes for both Android and iPhone users), you would most likely have received a notification about the availability of this new one, but if not, and you are currently using an android, simply click here to download the app. (This link is for Android users only.) Android users, if you’re having issues with this link (and it’s currently working fine on this end), you can search “Living Proof Ministries – Scripture Memory Team – 2013” in your phone under applications. (I have very little knowledge about Android phones, so forgive me if my wording is wrong.)
When the iPhone app is ready, I’ll update this post for those of you who would like to download it with all the instructions you’ll need. However, I do know upfront you’ll be able to find the app in the iTunes store via your phone or computer.
Once you have the application, it is very user friendly. You’ll be notified the 1st and 15th of every month with the new blog post that will land in your application (you will only be notified if you have turned on notifications for this specific app), you can share the post, and then you can also store your memory work in there. It will also act like your spiral. You may want to use both your spiral and the app to have on hand in case you lose one or the other!
I hope that helps! Doesn’t this make it so much more fun?
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
Matthew 14:30-31
NIV
But when he saw the WIND (emphasis mine) he was afraid and begining to sink, cried out, “Lord save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, “You of little faith,” he said. “Why did you doubt?”
Keep your eyes on JESUS!!!!
Karina Allen
Baton Rouge, La.
“So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, like the Spring rain watering the Earth.” Hosea 6:3 NASB
Barbara, Norphlet,AR. “Therefore, my beloved brothers (sisters), be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV
Brooke, Issaquah, WA
“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Robyn
Lake Wylie, SC
Ezekiel 36:26&27 (NIV)
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
That is very powerful to me today Robyn. Thanks for posting.
Kim, Chester VA
Great peace have they who love Your law, and nothing can make them stumble. Psalm 119:165 NIV
Kristen from Rawlins, Wyoming
“All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.”
Ezekiel 17:24 NIV
Katie, Anderson, SC
Philippians 4:8 NIV84
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Cynthia, Huntsville, AL
God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. – 2 Corinthians 9:8. ESV
Rebecca from Richmond,VA
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,The days fashioned for me,When as yet there were none of them.Psalm 139:16 (NKJV)
Robbie Borders Baker City, Oregon
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 NKJV
Karen, Lexington KY,
But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. NIV84
Sandi in Wichita Falls, TX
“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,” Romans 8:6 NASB
Michelle, Portage, IN
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
Kalen – Memphis, TN
Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men. ~Colossians 3:23 (HCSB)~
Melissa // Lancaster, PA
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. (Psalm 59:16 NIV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 RSV
Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven’s lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. In his goodness, he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.
James 1:17-18
NLT
Melissa Spitzig, Wichita, Kansas
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NIV84)
“A house is built by wisdom, and it is established by understanding; by knowledge the rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.”
Proverbs 24:3 (NIV)
Paula from Indiana says “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16, ESV
Ellen, Sevierville.
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:8
NIV
Laurie, Naperville. “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 (NASB)
“My dear brothers, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desire.” James 1:19-20 NIV
Kristin, Clearwater, FL
Cindy, Bothell – “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Ann, Birmingham, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29, NLT
Barb, Prescott Valley, AZ
Psalm 108:5-6 NIV
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Save us and help us with your right hand, that [your beloved] may be delivered.
JJ
Oviedo, FL
Many are the plans of a man’s heart,
but it is the LORD’s purposes that prevail.
Proverbs 19:21, NIV
Lu, Raleigh
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:12 (NIV)
Carol, The Woodlands, Hosea 6:3 Let us acknowledge The Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.
Katie from Sharpsburg, GA
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. [Psalms 37.3 NASB]
Karen, Hewitt
“Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” Psalm 103:2 NLT
Angie, Levelland Texas
John 15:8
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Life Application Bible
NIV
Melissa Clovis, CA “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15, ESV) THE FIRST GOSPEL!
Brandie, Lakewood, CO – John 15:16 “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil.” NIV
Shannon, Kissimmee, Florida
My eyes are ever toward the Lord for He will pluck my feet out of the net. Psalm 25:15 (AMP)
Nancy, Meridian, ID. “You are my hiding place. You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:7 NIV
Kimber, ID
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” Philippians 4:6-8 NIV
Judy, Virginia
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NIV)
Jamye, Greenbrier, AR
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
Psalm 37:1 NIV
Stephanie; Ogden; “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7; NKJV
April, Lake Charles, LA
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” ~ 1 John 4:18 (ESV)
Kristi, Blacklick, Ohio
Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. (Matthew 9:22 ESV)
Traci, Canyon Country, CA
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matthew 7:24 ESV)
Cherry, Conway, AR
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD for he has been good to me.
Psalm 13:5-6 NIV
Monica, Orlando, FL; Romans 5: 3-5 (NIV) “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
Katelyn P
Arlington, TX
I posted my verse yesterday but was unable to find it today so here it is again, just in case…
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21
Cristy, Prattville Al. Psalm 103:19. The Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all. NIV
Nancy, Virginia Beach ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with it passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.’ Galations 5: 23-25 NKJ
Rebecca, Amarillo Texas
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5 HCSB)
Kathy, Madison, CT…..joined the “Romans Project”. ….regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life[a] was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power[b] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 1:3-4, NIV