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**January 20-21, 2012**
Hey, You Scripture-Memory-Mad Women!
I hope your Memorial Day weekend was wonderful and that your appreciation of our nation’s heroes got a fresh stir. I looked around our sanctuary on Sunday at all those who had served in wars and I marveled over the few World War II veterans we have left. My Dad was one of them and, had he lived, he would be ninety. Such a powerful part of our history was written in their blood. My dad lived well over half a century with a bullet fragment lodged near his heart. He took a hit right through his cheek and, ultimately, surgeons grafted skin from his hip to cover the severe indention in his face. If you have a family with a weird sense of humor, perhaps you can imagine that it was fodder for a few jokes, most of which he told himself.
Of course, heroes come in all generations and both genders. I have two framed pictures in prominent places in my office of women soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan who have done Bible studies on their tours of duty. Flabbergasting to me. May Christ hold our soldiers tight and let them lose neither their lives nor their faith and may He return them to their families as whole people, twice the wiser.
Well, Girlfriends, it’s JUNE! Our temperatures in Houston are already well into the upper nineties and we are experiencing the severest drought in decades. It seems that few areas of our country are free of something ranging from brow-raising concern all the way to destruction and devastation. What on earth?? I don’t pretend to know the details of what is happening around us but I really do feel that Kingdom history is being written in these days entrusted to us. I believe there is a bold dot on the divine time line representing this era with a label Heaven alone knows for now, but generations will talk about until Christ’s Kingdom comes. We must stand firm in our faith and love twice as much. These are days when our words must be backed by our hearts or dismissed entirely by the world. Remember Christ’s warning in Matthew 24:12 that the hearts of many will grow cold. Our love will not endure extended seasons of difficulty by accident. In our self-protectiveness, the first natural casualty will be our emotions. We will either set our hearts on things above (Col. 3:1) where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, or we’ll lose our footing here below.
We are called to live by faith and to love by faith.
Part of how we stand firm is to know Scripture, and not with swollen heads but swollen hearts. One of the verses in my quiet time this morning was Psalm 119:57 – “The LORD is my source of security. I have determined to follow Your instructions.” (The NET Bible) One thing is certain: we are finding out how little security this anguishing planet can offer us. “The LORD is the source of security.” Personal. National. Global. Universal. The Lord alone. And, so, like never before, we need to know His instructions…and follow them.
One of my favorite portions of the Book of James has turned out to be the last half of 5:11 – “…you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” The Lord cannot set aside His compassion and mercy to deal with this world. Oh, I’m not saying He won’t ultimately deal with this world. His Word promises that He will. But I am saying that He cannot set aside His compassion and mercy to do it. They are elements of His immutable character and the first descriptions He used to introduce Himself to Moses by name in Exodus 34:6-7.
OK, Sisters. I better get to our purpose here on this first of June. The pages are flying off the calendar like leaves in the wind and it’s time for our 11th verse! God has had me in 2 Timothy recently for my memory work so here’s mine this time around:
Beth, Houston. “Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set and I am convinced that He is able to protect what has been entrusted to me until that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 The NET Bible
You can bet your life on it.
You are treasured here. May Christ continue to captivate you. He loves you so much.
PS. OK, I can’t stand it anymore. SO HOW ABOUT THAT TIMER AT THE TOP OF THIS POST???? That, my beloved Siestas, is exactly how much time we have to go until our SSMT celebration! Wooooooohoooooooo!!! Bring it, Jesus! Kudos to my wonderful coworker, Kimberly McMahon, for making that happen. I told her I thought we needed a little extra incentive for this second half of our Scripture memory commitment. I WANT EVERY ONE OF YOU TO COME if you possibly can. With the numbers where they are right now on our 1st and 15th entries, we have room to fit all of you in our sanctuary. Save your money! Ask for it as a Christmas gift! Remember, the event is our gift to you but it’s not too soon to start saving for travel and accommodations. This is one of the biggest events on the calendar to us at Living Proof so please know how wanted you are and how loved you are. Celebrating a faithful work of God to a woefully dependent people was His idea in the first place. He loves festivals so, Girlfriends, let’s have one.
L.E.T.S.C.O.U.N.T.I.T.D.O.W.N.
Katie, Augusta, Ga: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. I John 4:18 (NIV)
Sue, Texarkana, Psalm 71:20-21 “Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth You will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.” NIV
Kirsten, Heavener: “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Ex. 14:14 NIV
Jean, Gloucester
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise, give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations”
Psalm 100: 4-5 (NIV)
Thanks for the encouragement, Beth.
Reese, Oklahoma
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—”
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge…”
2 Peter 1:5
Michelle, West Des Moines, IA
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.
Philippians 1:9-10 (NIV)
2 Timothy 1:14 You have been trusted with a wonderful treasure. Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in you. CEV
Cassandra, Aldergrove, BC – She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. Proverbs 31:17 NIV
Beth C., Huntsville, AL
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalms 18:2 (NIV)
Mei, Easley SC
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Phillipians 3:12 NIV
Valerie, Fultondale, AL
“For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.”
Psalm 48:14 NIV
Carrie, St. Louis
You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it. Haggai 1:6 NIV
Deborah, Topeka, KS – “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV)
Tiffany, ATL
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage”. Gal. 5:1 KJV
Melissa S., Houston, TX
For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)
He who gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes from their want will have many a curse.
Prov. 28:27 (Amp.)
Linda, Bend, OR John 1:16 NIV
From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another.
Megan Joy Burdzy – Calgary Alberta Canada – Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. – Psalm 51:12 (NIV)
Lea
Lamar, Arkansas
“The LORD is my light and my salvation–whom shall I fear or dread? The LORD is the refuge and stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1 Amplified
Ashley, Huddleston, VA: “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy…” Jude 1:24 NIV
Janell~Frisco, TX~~”Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10 NIV
Julie, Clarks Summit, PA
Psalm 107:8-9 (KJV)
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.
Lynn, Lake Villa, IL
Ephesians 6:14-15 NIV
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes with the gospel of peace.
Charlotte, Easley SC
I Peter 1:18
“You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver and gold…”
Tiffany, Columbus: “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Ephesians 6:17 (NLT).
6-1-11 Isaiah 46:3-4 (NASB95)
3 – “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, you who have been borne by Me from birth and have been carried from the womb;
4 – Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you!
I have done it, and I will carry you; and I will bear you and I will deliver you.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. – Psalms 16:6 – ESV – Linda R. – Springfield, MO
‘Because of this, in fact, i suffer as i do. But i am not ashamed, because i know the one in whom my faith is set and i am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me until that day.” 2 Tim:1:12 (NIV)
JOHN 15:5
I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF YOU REMAIN IN ME AND I IN YOU, YOU WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT;APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.
Beth R, London, Ontario
What matters is not your outer appearance – the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes – but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in.
1 Peter 3:3-4
Bridgette Jencks
Panama City Beach, FL
James 1:6 NIV – But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
Aubyn, Corinth, TX “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind (both its inclination and its character) is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.” Isaiah 26:3 Amplified Bible
April, Oviedo, FL
“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Psalm 5:3 (NIV)
Harriett, St. Albert, Alberta Without FAITH it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to HIM must believe that HE exists and that HE rewards those who earnestly seek HIM. Hebrews 11:6 NIV
Joy – Whitehouse, TX
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.
Sabrina, Redding. “Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” Jeremiah 17:14(NIV)
Joyce, Merritt Island, FL
“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deut 6:7 NIV (Continuation of the entire passageDeut 6:4-9)
Lisa Lundy, Baton Rouge, LA – We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:10 (I did this verse last time too, but I still really need this verse)
Martha, Lynchburg,VA
The Earth is the LORD’S and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Psalms 24:1 KJV
LORD, You alone are my inheritance,
my cup of blessing, You guard all that
is mine. Psalm 16:5 NLT
Donna, Kirkland,Wa
“He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.” Is 40:29 NASB
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. James 3:14-15 (ESV)
Kimberly Orr-Zionsville, Indiana
…acknowledge…God…and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts
1 Chronicles 28:9 NIV
NOW devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. 1 Chronicles 22:19 NIV
Teach me Your way, O LORD and I will walk in the truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name. Psalm 86:11 NIV
Sherry
Indianapolis
NIV
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1″19
Kathy, Shreveport, Louisiana
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
Psalm 119:18 NIV
Tampa, FL- Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) “And without faith it is impossible to please GOd, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Holly from Alpharetta, GA
Psalm 119:57 – “The LORD is my source of security. I have determined to follow Your instructions.” (The NET Bible)
Elysa, Raleigh
“He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.” John 7:18, NIV