Hey, my dear Siestas!
Knowing I had to pop out of bed this morning to post for SSMT, I actually dreamed about you guys last night! We were at the celebration on a break between sessions and it was wonderful, beautiful chaos in the halls and teeming joy in the hearts. Now, that’s the kind of dream I want to have. I so hope you are well and that God’s Word is alive on your tongue and thriving in your everyday experience. Remember, He sends forth His Word to accomplish something. It’s meant to have effect and I pray you’re feeling the vivid power of it. I can’t think of the last time my memory verses came to me with more pure conviction. I can feel the friction they’re causing internally and the jagged edges they’re sanding externally.
Our minds are already four Scriptures stronger than they were when we broke open 2011 and that, my darling sisters, is a great accomplishment all by itself! I noticed we dropped back well over a thousand on the last SSMT entry and that’s completely normal. There’s no condemnation here. The natural tendency will be to have less and less participants as we have more and more verses to memorize. But I want to encourage you to stick it out if you possibly can because we’re not restricted to normal. The Apostle Paul claimed in 1 Corinthians 3:3 under the inspiration of God that we are more than “mere men.” In 2 Corinthians 4:7, he said we are jars of clay encasing the unspeakable treasure of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and that, through this treasure we “show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” A long way from normal. I always thought normal was overrated anyway.
I stared at the calendar yesterday almost with disbelief as February peeled off the page and I turned to March. As I glared at the word “March”, I thought to myself, “Not a bad theme for the month.” March, as a matter of fact, is a very Biblical word. The thought caused me to smile and then to look up every single occurrence of the word in Scripture and, there in those verses, the Lord spoke a fresh word to me. Maybe you could use it, too. Here are a handful of “march” Scriptures with a few thoughts that spun around in my bleached blond head:
Joshua 6:4 –
“Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.”
Perhaps it won’t surprise you that the word “march” makes regular appearances in this book of the Bible so, if you’re in the wilderness longing to cross that river of fear and enter a land of fruitfulness, you might venture a fresh look at it. Here’s what hit me about Joshua 6:4 –
Marching tends takes a heap longer than we expect and a different form than we might rationalize. Think how odd all that marching-around-in-circles must have been to some of those Israelites. On top of that, consider that God never instructed another group of people to take exactly that same approach again in the pages of Scripture. He told Abraham to do one thing. Moses, another. Joshua, another. David, still another. All were in keeping with His will and His character but the variance in prescribed acts of obedience reminds us that God is resistant to our relentless pursuit of formulas. God knows, if we could rationalize it, we’d institutionalize it. We’d have 2500 satellite locations of the “First Church of Seven Circles.”
In case I’m losing you, or the whole idea of marching through March is too much for you, I’ll speed up.
In 2 Samuel 15:22, David told one of his mighty men: “Go ahead, march on.”
Point? If God is saying go ahead, then GO.AHEAD.
I like that. Nice and simple. If go, then go.
Maybe what you need most of all this March is for God to march right through your wilderness and rain down showers upon it from the seas in His hands. Think of praying this segment today over the 30 days ahead.
Psalm 68:7-11
7 When You, God, went out before your people,
when You marched through the wilderness,
8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9 You gave abundant showers, O God;
You refreshed Your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
and from Your bounty, God, You provided for the poor.
11 The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng.
(I love the part about refreshing the weary inheritance. Is that you, perchance?? It’s certainly been me at times over the last year. And how about V.11? Does that sound a little like Siestaville?? It blessed me to think maybe so.)
How about one more?
Isaiah 42:13 – The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior He will stir up His zeal; with a shout He will raise the battle cry and will triumph over His enemies.
And so, with all this March madness in mind for this month, could anybody use a really brief verse this go-round to help you catch up? Then I have just the March verse for you:
Judges 5:21b (NIV) March on, my soul; be strong!
Let’s hear it, Siestas! First name, city, verse, translation!
Beth, Houston. Think of how we regard as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. James 5:11 The NET Bible
Amen to that. March on, Sisters! Your God is for you!
I love you guys.
PS. For all you Houston-area girls, Kari Jobe is our guest worship-leader tonight at Bible study. Come help me welcome her. We only have two more Tuesday nights in this series and you don’t need any background whatsoever to receive from our subject matter tonight. We’d especially love to have you if you’ve never been before. Let someone on my sweet staff know you’re there for the first time. They’ll make sure you feel welcome. See you at 6:30!
Suzanne T., LaGrange, GA: Psalm 105:4 “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.”
Jan
Bemus Point, NY
Isaiah 30:21 (NLT)
Your own ears will hear Him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
Whether to the right or to the left.
And in French:
Ésaïe 30:21 (BFC)
Quand tu devras aller à droite ou à gauche,
tu entendras ces mots prononcés derrière toi :
« Voici le chemin à prendre. »
Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Sherry
Indianapolis
NIV
“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”
Psalm 91:4
(7) But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.
(8) He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
Carol Peavy
Jena, LA
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.
1 Corinthians 14:33
KJV
Sam v.
Woodstock, VT
Love, Love, Love this verse. I already had one for this week but will use this in the future.
Kim; Poplar Bluff, MO
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
Sara, Irving, TX: He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. Psalm 103:10
“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
~ Proverbs 15:4
Ginny, Cape May, NJ
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 43:2-3 NIV
Crystal, Mullica Hill, NJ-
2 Peter 1:4-by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, SO THAT through Him you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ESV
March On, Siestas!!!
Annette, Houston
Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”
Luke 8:50, ESV
Nikki, Nashville. “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12
Joan, Fredericktown, OH
James 1:5 NIV
If anyone of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him!
SusanD, Southern Illinois, 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
Carol, Roswell GA: And whatever you do whether in word or deed do it in the name of he Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Fahter through him. Colossians 3:17 (NIV)
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. Isaiah 41:10
Melissa, Lancaster-PA
“…Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45 (NIV)
Isaiah 30:18: “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (NIV)
Charleston-
2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
Tammy from Fort Myers, Florida: “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8 NLT
Julie, Prescott, AZ
“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
Ginny- Georgia
“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” Proverbs 25:2
Amanda, Rome, Ga
Ephesian 4:32
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only for what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.
Erin, Grayson: 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
Kelli….Dayton, OH
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Matthew 7:13-14
Ecclesiastes 11:4 Living Bible If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. Linda R. Springfield, MO
Penney
Caribou, Maine
“He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart.”
Psalm 15:2 NASB
Dawn (Chambersburg, PA)
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glorry in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”
Ephesians 3:20-21
IMMEASURABLY MORE…love THAT!!
Freida, Chatham, LA
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” II Timothy 1:7 NKJV
Audrey T From Kings Mountain: Romans 12:9-10 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Honor one another above yourselves.
Harleysville, PA
Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. I Cor. 15:57-58 (NASB)
“But I trust in you Lord; You are my God. My times are in your hand.” Ps 31:14,15a (NIV)
Lacey in Indiana
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)
Hannah from Albuquerque, New Mexico:
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12 ESV
Andrea – Overland Park, KS
“Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck;carve their initials on your heart.”
Proverbs 3:3
MSG
Miss Kathleen
Bernardsville, NJ
JOB 12:10 NIV
” In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”
Lindsey from Dubach, LA…”But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” -2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)
Carrie, Boston
Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3 (ESV)
Dawn, Hamilton, NJ
21 “Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. 22 Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart. 23 If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents, 24 if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed, 25 then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver. 26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. 27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows. 28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. Job 22:21-28 ESV
I may have to split this into two for the entire month of March
Abi, Apopka: “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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV
Shiffra, Vicksburg MI.
“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NIV)
Gretchen, Cincinnati Romans 8:5-8 NIV
“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
mariel, wake forest nc
“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.” Psalm 26:2-3 NIV
Laura, SD: The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145:18 (NIV)
Julie dk in Casper, WY
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit to sustain me.
Psalm 51:10
Cheryl, Chadbourn: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will direct your paths. Prov. 3:5,6 NKJ
Deborah, Cambridge-Narrows, NB
Today is my father’s birthday and so this is for him!
Psalm 100:5 NIV For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Darcie, Bethel, CT “They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is the Lord of lords and King of kings – and with him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers.” Rev. 17:14 NIV
Jamee, Fort Wayne, IN
Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
oops…forgot to add NIV