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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.
Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. John 17:17 NLT
McKenna
Henrietta, TX
Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. John 17:17 NLT
Cindy
Henrietta, TX
(Can’t believe I forgot to post it-AGAIN!)
Leslie – Tyler, TX
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
June 15,2011
Psalm 133:1 NIV
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
Katie , Madison, WI – “whoever does not love does not know God because God IS love.” 1 John 4:8 NASB
Jennifer, Houston
“Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.”(NIV)
(weeping tears over this one….I need His rain to heal my torn and stricken spirit!)
Not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:9
“She watches over the affairs of her household.”
Proverbs 31:27
Connie H – Forsyth, MO “For you LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalms 9:106 (NIV)
Jennifer J. – Texarkana, AR
“They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” Revelation 17:14 (NIV1984)
(This is a re-post. My original post from June 1 isn’t showing up.)
Matia, Fort Worth, TX, “Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!” So great is Your power that your enemies come cringing to you.” Psalm 66:3 (ESV)
I forgot to sign in for June 1st!
Here’s my verse …
Piper
Hickory NC
For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 6:20 (kjv)
Shannon, White Hall, AR
Psalm 25:14 (NIV)
“The Lord confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them.”
Liz, Okemos, MI
Nahum 2:1 (NIV)
“An attacker advances against you, Nineveh. Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace yourselves, marshal all your strength.”
Catrina, Plano, TX
I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.
3 John 4 NLT
Ivy Morrison
Willis TX
Isaiah 30:18 NIV
“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.”
Kathy, Cochran, GA
God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel (NCV)
Kathy, Cochran, GA
God does not see the way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NCV)
Rebecca, Chattanooga, TN
Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 NIV ’84
2 Timothy 1:7 God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid but a spirit of power and love and self-control.
Sherry
Oklahoma
#11
“If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.”
I Cor. 13:1 NLT
Amanda in Dover, TN
The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)
2 Corinthians 12:9
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 weakness,
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
NIV
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear
of evil. prov 1:33
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news; who proclain peace; who bring good tidings; who proclaim salvation; who say to Zion Your God Reigns:
Isaiah 52: 7 (NIV)
Amy W
Plano, TX
(I’m really late posting this but I just realized that I didn’t post when I started memorizing this verse on the first.)
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
John 11;40 (NIV, 1984)
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Kelly Burnett, Houston
He made their hearts,
so he understands everything they do. NLT
Psalm 86: 4 Bring joy to Your servant’s life,
since I set my hope on You, Lord.
5 For You, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive,
abundant in faithful love to all who call on You.
Kelly Bullock
Clarksville, TN
Ps 90:17 NIV
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us, establish the works of our hands for us, yes establish the works of our hands.
How good and pleasant it is when GOD’s people live together in unity. Psalms 133:1. NIV
“The tassels will help you remember that you must obey all my commands and be holy to your God.”
Numbers 15:40
I can’t remember if I actually posted this, so to be safe:
Lara Harris, Spring Hill, TN
Psalm 112:7 NIV
He will have no fear of bad news: his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Eph. 4:29 NET
Christy T. – Hawthorne, CA
“Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.”
Psalm 103:5-6 (NIV)
Cary Forney, TX Romans 8:37 NIV
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us
Deaune, Topeka, KS
Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Ps 51:4 NIV
Sarah, Topeka, KS
Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Ps 51:4 NIV
Nancy, Perry, “To set your mind on the flesh is death; but to set your mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (NRSV)
Jess, Auburn
“…Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”
Romans 12:3, NIV
Let the whole world glorify the Lord; Let it sing His praise. Isaiah 42:12
Jodi Zagreb
1Timothy 4:12..Don;t let anyone look down on you because you are young,but set an example for the belivers in speech,in life,in love,in faith and in purity.
Shannon
from Murfreesboro, AR
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 KJV
Julie Elrod, Smyrna, GA: So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Gal. 5:16 NIV
Dawn, Lafayette, LA
Psalm 63:1-5 NIV
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is not water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods, with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation-whomshall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalms 27:1 NIV
Memorizing God’s word has been a joy that fills my heart with Faith Hope and Love. The challenge to do this was a gift from my Daughter. Thank you Kate!
Love each other with genuine Affection and take delight in honoring each other.
Romans 12:10 NLT
Deb, Lancaster
“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.” Psalm 5:11 ESV
Lisa – Houston, TX
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.
Psalm 91:2 NIV
Kamilah – Houston, Tx
Jesus said to him ” If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23 (NKJV)