Calling all you hard working, head-filling, brain-bathing Scripture-memorizing Siestas! It’s time for Verse 6! No slackers here, young ladies! Let’s not be afraid of a little challenge. Did you know that memorization is one of the best ways on earth to keep our brains sharp? Yep. And I also heard a few days ago that all the multi-tasking we’re doing does not work the part of our brain that requires stimulation to tap into our brilliance. (Every single one of us has brilliance.) That part of our brain requires tremendous focus on one thing for extended periods of time, pushing our thoughts a solitary direction that stretches and works it beyond its normal exercise. That’s part of what Scripture memory does! Especially when you now have six verses to keep rolling around in your darling little brilliant brain.
I think it’s time for some extra incentive! (Drum roll please) Next January 22-23, 2010 (Friday evening and Saturday till noon like LPL’s), we at LPM have decided to throw a Siesta Scripture Memory Team Celebration Event (how’s that for a mouthful?) in Houston, Texas at my home church. Perfect timing right after our year of Scripture memorization wraps up. I will do the teaching and my good buddy, Travis Cottrell, will be with us to lead us in worship…and probably a few laughs. We will not take any registrations for the event until late next Fall. It will be ONLY for those who meet the following requirements and free of charge as our love and appreciation gift for seeing our goal all the way to the finish:
*You must officially sign in with your name, city and Scripture 20 out of 24 times on our Scripture memory posts on the 1st and 15th throughout 2009. I was really tempted to require all 24 times but then I remembered that a few of you very faithful memorizers didn’t know about it until the second month. The event is not for anybody out there who has memorized Scripture as much as we affirm you and cheer you on! It is for women in our Siesta community who have memorized Scripture as part of this 1st and 15th Scripture Memory Accountability Team. If you started with us late, you can double-up on your memory work several times and go back and sign in on older posts to make sure you accrue at least 20 sign-ins and verses.
*You must be able to say 10 of your 20-24 Scriptures from memory to one person during the course of the event. (Not up in front of everybody, mind you! I’ll simply have you break into two’s for a half hour at the event and you’ll say your Scriptures to one another.) For our meditators, you’ll need to paraphrase 10 of your Scriptures as closely as you can with your partner until it is clear that the Truth of it abides in you even if every word is not in a row. Remember, Siestas, if this seems hard that the purpose of the year was to memorize 24 Scriptures. We can do 10 of our choice with one another!
*You must bring your 2009 spiral with you with at least 20 memory verses recorded in it. It will be your ticket in the door. And it should look well-worn. Grin.
No exceptions to these requirements please. Please don’t ask next December and get me feeling all sappy. This is the way it needs to be so the event can provide a small, temporal reward for a year of hard work. The eternal and internal rewards are immeasurable.
*There will be prizes for those who have memorized all 24 verses and can say each one of them from memory to a partner at the event. We’ll make sure they feel affirmed without anybody else feeling lame. Everybody there with have accomplished something HUGE!
It will be so much fun! The smaller size of the group and the process we’ve all been through together will make it really intimate and special. Work hard and come! Those of you who live far away, the event will be free but you need to start saving your money for other expenses. This is a great time to start looking for flight deals!
Late next Fall many of you will know whether or not you’re going to meet those requirements and we’ll begin taking registrations then. My home church is Houston’s First Baptist on 7401 Katy Freeway in case you want to begin looking for where you might try to stay. I don’t mind saying that we have the best food and best shopping in the whole wide world and our Januarys are mild so you’re probably not going to get snowed in. Melana, save your dollars and bring us Miesta Moose! Warm in Alaska, we can make you a whole lot warmer!! Canadian Siestas, fly south like a snow bird to Texas!!!
PLEASE DO THE WORK AND COME!! It will be such a blast!
OK, now for my selection for Verse 6. It’s a Scripture we studied on our last night of The Inheritance Bible Study in Houston and, boy, do I need it and, boy, do I want the promise it offers. Again, you are welcome to share mine or offer your own. As usual, names, cities, and Scriptures only, please Siestas!
“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9 NIV
Here’s part of what makes this special. The New Testament translates two primary Greek words as forms of “bless” or “blessed.” One of them (lexical “makarios”) describes a state of being. A resultant condition, so to speak, like those described in the Beatitudes and in many other parts of the NT in reference to those who belong to God through Christ. It basically means to live in the face (coram Deo) and favor of God. The second one (lexical “eulogia”/”eulogeo”) is the conferring or speaking of blessing. As my NT Lexical Aids say, it means “to confer blessing upon, call down divine favor…” The former is a state of being. A beautiful thing indeed. The latter is blessing spoken. Also a beautiful thing, especially for those of us to whom words are a primary love language. It is this latter word for blessing – the one that involves something spoken – that is used in 1 Peter 3:9. The gist of the exhortation, restated from God’s point of view, is this:
“When you use your mouth to bless those who have insulted you or spoken evil to you, I, Myself, will speak blessing over you that you will receive as part of your inheritance.”
When we speak blessings over others who were HARD to bless, He speaks blessing over us. And, let’s admit it, sometimes we’re hard to bless, too.
We’re going to get plenty of opportunities to practice this spiritual discipline because, as the verse clearly states, TO THIS WE WERE CALLED. We were called to manifest the Spirit of Christ through our words when someone insults us. It’s a hard part of the high calling of God but to this we were called SO THAT we may inherit a blessing.
Pretty good, huh?
OK, Siestas, I’ll hop off of here and let you start getting your Scriptures in.
Let me say in conclusion for all of those who prayed for the ministers’ wives’ event this weekend that it was one of the most meaningful weekends I’ve ever been part of. I will never forget it. We are preparing something for you to get a little taste of it so look for that later in the week. It will include some of those comments you (understandably) wanted to read so badly.
I love you, Dear Ones, and I am honored to be your servant. STAY IN THE WORD whether you’re memorizing it or not!!
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouht, My soul will make its boast in the LORD; the humble will hear it and rejoice.
Judi
Hilton Head Island, SC
Whom have I in heaven but YOU? And besides YOU, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But god is the strenght of my heart and my portion forever.
Ps 73:25-26
Judi
Hilton Head Island, SC
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set
you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
Phyllis
Irving, Texas
Romans 1:16 NIV
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Tina H. Montgomery, AL
The Lord your God inour midst; the Mighty One will save; He will rejoic over you with gladness, He will quiet His love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
Bridget – Phoenix, AZ
“For God’s love is meteoric, His loyalty astronomic, His purposes titanic, His verdicts oceanic. Yet in His largeness nothing gets lost; not a man, not a mouse slips through the cracks. How exquisite your love, O God!”
Psalms 36:5-7a, The Message
Erin Morrow
Ruston,LA
Search me oh God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting.
Psalm 139: 23-24 (NLT)
Leann
Alabama
Lohri
Plant City
The Lord your God is the God of gods & the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty & the awesome God. Deut.10:17 NAS
So, whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
James 4:17, NIV
Charity
New Lebanon, Ohio
Make sure that noone repays wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to one another and to everyone else.
1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
NIV
Julie
Dallas, TX
Ephesians 4:31 (NAS)
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Lucy – Hallsville, TX
For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, and of love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1: 7
Robin
Morehead,Ky
"May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed." Psalm 20:4
"For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands."
1Peter 3:5
Caressa Hall
Arlington, Tx
Isaiah 43:2(NIV)
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you, and when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."
Kim
Richmond, VA
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self control.
2 Tim.1:7
Robin
Morehead, Ky.
"God's love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, his purpose titantic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness, nothing gets lost, not a man or a mouse slips through the cracks. How exquisite your love oh Lord."
PS 36-5-7A Message
Beth Schwartz,
Lancaster, PA
"God's love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, his purpose titantic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness, nothing gets lost, not a man or a mouse slips through the cracks. How exquisite your love oh Lord."
PS 36-5-7A Message
Beth Schwartz,
Lancaster, PA
"God's love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, his purpose titantic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness, nothing gets lost, not a man or a mouse slips through the cracks. How exquisite your love oh Lord."
PS 36-5-7A Message
Beth Schwartz,
Lancaster, PA
"If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14
Julie Meissner
Tomball, TX
The earth is the Lord's and everything in it; the world and all who live in it. For He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who can ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Saviour. Such is a generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Ps. 24: 1-6
Darien, Lenoir, NC
Psalm 19:11,12
By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Jae, Lenoir, NC
Psalm 19:5
which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
Darcy, Lenoir, NC
II Samuel 22:35
He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
"and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Eph 5:2, NIV
Faith
Columbia, SC
"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 4:8 (NIV)
Kenzie Stanfield
Katy, TC
being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Col 1:11-12
Jamie H
Birmingham, AL
Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
Romans 12:12 NLT
Stephanie
Lititz, PA
"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked." Proverbs 10:11 NIV
Debbie Nix
Dalzell, SC
Romans 12:2 NIV
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
Hebrews 10:35
Fran Dockins
Corryton, TN
"For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing."
Deuteronomy 2:7
Emily
Rouge Valley OR
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.
Prov 3:5-6
Missy
Houston
Nikki
Santa Rosa, CA
NIV
I Thessalonians 5:21
Test everything. Hold on to the good.
Christina Modesto, CA
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
1 John 4:16 (NIV)
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
Valerie
Fultondale, AL
Psalm 34:7 "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them."
Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles they will run and not get tired they will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)
Denise
Slidell, La.
This is the confidence that we have towards Him, that if we ask Him anything according to His will, He hears us.
1 John 5:14
Romans 12:2
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105 NIV
Jules Kearney,NE
Help I am catching up and just went back and looked for my verse 5 and it is not there as a comment. Anyway, I am breaking down James 1. This is my second part.
James 1:9-12 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Rhonda
Anderson, In
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with a blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:9 NIV
Staci — Kalamazoo, MI
Psalm 26:2-3
Test me O Lord and try me, examine my heart and my mind. For your love is ever before me and I walk continually in your truth.
Candice
Evanston, IL
James 1:19-20 NIV
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 rightoues life that God desires.
Yukiko
Sagamihara, Japan
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
NIV
Erika Chapman
Florence, SC
Nicole
Winnipeg, MB
NIV
1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult but with blessing because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10
Laura
Luray, VA
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to BE KIND TO EACH OTHER and to everyone else.
1 Thessalonians 5:15
Trisha
Odessa, TX