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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.
Tracey, Bear Creek, ” So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1 NLT
Debbie Pinckney, MI
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5 NIV
The Lord is near the broken-hearted; He delivers those who are discouraged.
Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
Mary Beth, St. Louis
Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)
“This is what the LORD says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.”
Karen-Cookeville,TN. Psalm 145:3
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: and His greatness is unsearchable.
Rosalee, Oklahoma City
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Psalm 119:57 (The NET Bible)
“The LORD is my source of security. I have determined to follow Your instructions.”
Aliza, NZL.
But the person who trusts in the Lord will be blessed. The Lord will show him that He can be trusted.
Jeremiah 17:7 (NCV)
Linsey from Huntington Beach, CA
Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
Luke 6:31 NLT
Psalm 139:11-12~ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.~
Amy, Los Alamos
Ephesians 4:29, NIV
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.
Kerry
Cape Coral, FL
2 Timothy 1:7 KJV
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
April, Vermilion
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
~John 14:6
Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Hebrews 10:24
Romans15:13 NIV
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.
Marie, Easley, SC
Doing 2 this time…one from a study…
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
Proverbs 31:10-11
Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Cor. 15:57-58 NASB
Jaye – Keller, TX
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits –
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s
Psalm 103:2 & 5 (NIV)
Stephanie, Austin, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3, NIV
Vicki, Corpus Christi Tx,
Therefore confess your sins to each other and
pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
-NIV
Eposi
Houston, TX
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.
Revelation 15:4 (ESV)
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3-4
Juliana, Dahlgren
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.’
Phil 1:9-10
Alicia, NE KY
“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.” Proverbs 21:20 KJV
Melody, southern NH
Ephesians 6:13 – 15 NIV
“Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, having your loins gird about with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”
Shannon Buda,Tx
Above All else, guard your heart
for it is the wellspring of life.
Prov 4:23 NIV
Tina-Roanoke,AL- “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12 NIV
He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Proverbs 2:7-8 (NIV)
Seoul,Korea
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
(John 15:7) NIV
“We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.” 2Cor 10:5
Misti, Belleville MI: “I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'” Lamentations 3:24 NIV
Kristy, Wake Forest, NC: “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” Isaiah 45.3
Vicki, Wilmington
But you, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.
Psalm 3:3 NKJV
Terri, Pennsylvania, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:12 (NIV)
Juliana
Livermore, CA
Psalm 116:7 HCSB
Return to your rest, my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.
Brandy, Siloam Springs, AR
Psalm 27:14 (NIV) Wait for the LORD, be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Vicki, Elizabethtown, KY
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12
ESV
Kate, Ottawa area, Ontario, Canada
Help comes to me from Yahweh, who has made heaven and earth.
He does not let your food waver, your keeper does not sleep!
Psalm 121:2-3
Dawn Owensboro,Kentucky
Come near to God and he will come near to you.
James 4:8 NIV
Jackie, Brockville, Ontario
“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
Julia, Brockville, Ontario
“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
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 NIV katie from North Little Rock, AR
Dawn
Owensboro,Kentucky
Come near to God and he will come near to you.
James 4:8 NIV
Psalm 102:2 NIV
Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress.
Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.
Jane,
Cuba, MO
Dawn Owensboro,Kentucky
Come near to God and he will come near to you
James 4:8 NIV
Be very careful then how you live, not as unwise but as wise making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Eph 5:15
Jodi Battle, San Diego, CA
Colossians 3:16
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your heart.”
I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills His purpose for me.
Psalm 57:2 NIV
Pat
Crawfordsville, IN
Rebecca, Julian, NC
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 NIV
**Sorry this is late…can’t believe it is already June 2nd!**
Kaitlyn from Gainesville, FL
“…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”
James 1: 19-21, NIV
Deborah, Dublin
1 Peter 5:6-7
Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)
“You are under God’s power.
Do not be proud,
so that at the right time
he may put you into a higher place.
Turn all your troubles over to him,
because he cares for you
and is watching over you.”
Love to all my siestas going through difficult times. Never forget that God cares for you and will work things out for His Glory in His time. I’m praying for you to be His Light in this dark world. Overcome by keeping your eyes fixed on Him.