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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.
Sandy
Keller, TX
“Turn me away from wanting any other plan than Yours.
Revive my heart toward You.”
Psalm 119:37 (Living Bible)
Rachel
Fullerton, CA
2 Cor. 2:18 (ESV)
“For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”
33 weeks!!!
oops!! the reference is 2 Cor. 10:18
Jennifer from Chantilly,
Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 46:4, NIV
Tess
Cartersville, GA
Psalm 18:28 NIV
“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light”
Sacramento, CA
Devote yourselves to prayer
be watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2 (NIV)
Denise,Ocean Springs,MS – Never be lacking in Zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:11-12 NIV
Rebecca, Kilgore, TX
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.”
Phil. 3:12
Carmen, Knoxville
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourslves. Do what it says.
James 1:22 (NIV)
Lisa, Fredericktown
My lover spoke and said to me, “Arise, my daughter, my beautiful one, and come with me.”
Song of Songs, 2:10, NIV
Julia, Wellington, AL
“O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by Your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for You!”
Jeremiah 32:17 NLT
Ginger, South Point, OH
“I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.” Psalm 119:176 NLT
Debbie, Abingdon, VA
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Kendra, Middle East
“So Jesus said to those who believed in him, ‘If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; 32 you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'” John 8:31-32 Today’s English Version
Adrienne, Clarksville, TN
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
Connie, Chariton,Psalm 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:NKJV
Toni, Morgans Point, TX – 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. Hebrews 11:6 NIV
Barb Lakeland, FL
My biggest battles occur in my mind….I struggle daily between the truth of God’s word about me versus my version of the truth .
4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV
I plan to fly to Houston for the party! God willing, I will be there and I can’t wait! (Love the counter!)
Miquela from Knoxville.
“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13 NIV
Brigid (Johannesburg – South Africa)
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10
Martha, Ashdown, AR
A man’s heart plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV)
Anita- Gardner, KS
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)
Therefore since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us,
Hebrews 12:1 (Holman Christian Study Bible)
Betsy Crawford, Chapin, SC
Cheryl, Coffeyvile, KS. “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Rom. 11:33 NIV
Karen, Scottsdale
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper who love you.” Ps. 122:6 NKJV
Woodstock, Ga.
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thesalonians 16-18 (NIV1984)
Anita, Lawrenceville, “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
Psalm 105:4 NIV
Kate, Hillsboro, OR
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 1984)
Sooz, Northern Virginia.
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.” NKJV
Lindsey
Fuquay-Varina, NC
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Proverbs 18:22 NIV “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord”
“Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.”
1 Chronicles 16:10-11 (NIV)
Kay
Tupelo, MS
Kristin, Jacksonville, AL. “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
Cassie; Fulshear, TX:
“And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NRSV)
Kerri, Nichols, NY
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (NKJV)
Karene, Yorba Linda, CA
Finishing Psalm 46:
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
Psalm 46:11 (NIV)
Sharon, Griffin, Georgia
Colossians 1:17 NLT
He existed before anything else and He holds all Creation together.
Brandy, San Angelo, TX – 1 Timothy 1:12 “That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.” New Living Bible
Deanne, Laguna Hills, CA “We love because he first loved us”. 1 John 4:19 NIV
“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him,
for he shields him all day long,
and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.” Deuteronomy 33:12 NIV
Tracy L.
Richlands, NC
Anne Marie, Woburn, MA: “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord—you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 (HCSB)
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Col. 4:2
Laura, Jefferson, ME
Psalm 119:57 “The LORD is my source of security. I have determined to follow Your instructions.”
Rhonda Lima, OH
Ps. 63:3 “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.” (NASV)
Leigh, Montgomery: All this time and money wasted on fashion – do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. Matthew 6:28 MSG
Anna, Montgomery: You put us in charge of your handcrafted world, repeated to us you Genesis-charge
Psalm 8:6 MSG
Lori, Atlanta, Ga
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)
Rachel, Ft. Smith, AR: “The LORD is my source of security. I have determined to follow Your instructions.” Psalm 119:57 (The NET Bible)
Tanis, British Columbia
These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called and elect and faithful. Rev 17:14 HCSB
Adele-Alys from Matthews, NC : For I know what I have planned for you, says the Lord. I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NET Bible
Dee, Muncie, IN
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)
Leanne, Mississippi
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27 NIV