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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.
Tammy ~ Tampa, FL
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24(NIV)
Tammy,That is a such an awesome scripture and I love love your shoes!
“God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.” Job 37:5 kjv
Vanessa, Rio Rancho NM
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 NIV
Jasmyn ~ Tampa, FL
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24(NIV)
Melissa, Easley, South Carolina
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Denise – Meredith NH “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Pet 1:3 (NIV)
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly
To love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God
NKJV
Robbie, Southaven, MS: “Be still (cease striving), and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10a (NKJV/NASB)
Pam, Wadesboro
Romans 15:13 NKJV
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Heidi in Whitefish, MT
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1Thessalonians 5:18 NIV
Pamela,Mechanicsville,VA.”I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” Ephesians3:16 NIV
Zephaniah 3:17, ESV “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Tita in Bear, Delaware
Becky, Chattanooga, TN
“When I am afraid, I will trust in You.”. Psalm 56:3. NIV
Vicki
Murfreesboro,TN
Psalm 29:10-11 (NIV)
“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.”
Dayna~Ontario,Calif.
“Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
John 6:27 NKJ
Sharon, Hamburg, NY
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 NLT
Oops! I accidentally posted my last memory verse! Here is #11:
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you have learned and received from me – everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8-9 NLT
Fenton, Ashburn, VA Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Matt.18:19 NKJV
Katrina from Tulare, CA: “I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:7-8 NIV
Jenny, Des Moines, Iowa
A kindhearted woman gains respect Proverbs 11:16a NIV
Cindy, St. Pete Beach, FL
“Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3
Kim, Lawrence, KS, ” Come near to God and he will come near to you.” James 4:8 NIV
Jane, Irvine, CA
“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”
Proverbs 17:9 NLT
“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:7 NIV
Kristl, Hagerstown: “He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.” Proverbs 17:27 NKJV
Stephanie, Glen Burnie,MD
Romans 12:19-21 ESV
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” On the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty give him something to drink; for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Karen, Battle Creek, MI
Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Valerie, Scott City, MO
“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;” Psalm 91:5, KJV
Jennifer – Monroe, Ga
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
“Come to me, all you who are weary & burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Angie Kendall, Cynthiana,KY
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Psalm 46:10 NKJ
Tammy Greenville SC
The LORD is my source of security. I have determined to follow your instructions.
Psalms 119:57 NET
April, Greensboro, “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.”
Colossians 3:2 NIV
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 NIV
Kari
Benton, AR
Lisa S.
Kinston, North Carolina
Proverds 4:23 NASB
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”
Jennifer, Singapore
“For you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”- Psalm 9:10b NIV
Jennifer! What a blessing to see your scripture… The Lord brought that very word to my mind a few minutes ago…and then there you are posting it! Blessings to you there in Singapore….I am from Greenville SC, USA!!
Grace- silver city, nm
“So they will be called oaks of righteousness. The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Is. 61:36
Sorry its Is. 61:3b NAS
Lyndsay, New Castle, IN.
“I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2:20-NLT
Tammy, Monroe,Ga.
“…for You O LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You.”
Psalm9:10bh
Joy; California;
“Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity.” Colossians 4:5 NLT
Debbie
Walpole, MA
Romans 3:20 NIV
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather through the law we become conscious of sin.”
Lake Charles, LA Psalm 119:57 (NET) The Lord is my source of security. I have determined to follow your instructions.
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. Psalm 56:3 NIV
“Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Ps. 9:10 NIV
Kari, Camarillo, California: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8
wendy- las cruces, nm
“But let all who take refuge in you be glad. Let them ever sing for joy. And may You shelter them, that those who love your name may exult in You.” NAS
Letty, Puyallup, WA
Philippians 2:3,4 (NASB)
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Ramona,Pasadena: God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. Psalms 46:1 The Living Bible
Carrie–Piqua, OH
You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
Psalm 119:114 NIV
Melissa, Clovis, CA “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, ESV)
Manhattan, KS. Eph 1:18 NIV “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in Spirit.” Psalm 34:18 (NIV)