We’re off and running, Sweet Things! And 11,000 strong!!! Oh, how I pray that God will grant us the divine favor and indwelling power to keep it up month after month and finish 2013 in the multiple thousands. What joy He and we would have! For now, we take it step by step, one verse at a time. Don’t get caught up wondering how in the world you’re going to memorize 24 verses when you’re having a hard time memorizing the first one. That will sink your Scripture memory boat for sure.
I make you this promise based on my experience and the experience of many others: the more you memorize, the more you’ll get the hang of it. I was going to say that the more you memorize, the easier it gets but it’s not easy and that’s part of what makes it such a victory to celebrate with Jesus. I do believe I can tell you with confidence, however, that your tenth verse will very likely be easier to memorize than your first one. By that time, you’ve quit letting your nay-whining old nature tell you that you can’t do it and you shouldn’t have even tried. A big part of the battle in the first month is simply telling that self-destructive echo in our heads to shut its mouth. It’s replacing “I knew I couldn’t do it” with “Oh, yes I can. I can do all things through Christ.”
Persevere! Let’s not be quitters! God would rather us make it to the end of the year still stumbling over some words than throwing our hands up and quitting at the first imperfect recitation. Even if we don’t get our verses down perfectly, the pursuit itself is the very art of meditation. Nothing about it is a waste of time. Just think of how it helps to break the mental loop of rehearsed offenses. We’re going to be fixated on something. That’s how our minds often work. But we get to choose what.
So, right now say verse 1 out loud the very best you can.
Tremendous job. Now, let’s add our second one to it.
I totally love my verse this time around! It came up in my Scripture reading during my quiet time early Sunday morning. Here it goes:
Beth, Houston. All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Isn’t that fabulous? I’m choosing this verse specifically so that I can turn it into intercessory prayer. Mind you, I’m not “claiming” it like I’d be apt to do with a promise more clearly obvious under the New Covenant. I’m reluctant to claim the fulfillment of a promise made straight to Israel for myself or people in my world unless I know that we have a coinciding New Covenant promise. I’d have to see consistency to pray it as one fervently counting on it. Isaiah 54:13 carries obvious elements that are very consistent with the promises of Christ to us. He promised that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and He blatantly gave us His peace but where I’m asking God to do an Isaiah 54:13 work in my family is the emphasis on ALL my children. I want every single one of them to be students of Christ Jesus, to love His Word and His ways with a passion beyond the natural realm, and for His peace to be great upon them and contagious. If you’ll look in the Scripture’s context in Isaiah 54, especially in verses 11-17, you’ll see that V.13 is within the promises God made specifically to Israel and scheduled for fulfillment in a time yet to come. So, no, I’m not claiming it, so to speak, BUT, I am indeed asking for it. That’s fair game.
God is not obligated to say yes to promises like those in Isaiah 54 this side of His Kingdom’s full revelation but, as I persevere in prayer and faith, He will indeed hear me and I believe be pleased that I had the boldness to pray it. He is not blessed by our small, vision-bare petitions anyway. I’ve thought for a long time that God would rather hear His children voice outrageously large prayers of faith even if He has to say no on occasion than hear our pale, timid, tepid requests for things He’s already given us anyway. For instance, if we belong to Him in Christ, He is indeed going to “bless us” and “keep us.” So, I’m adding Isaiah 54:13 to my spiral and planning to reword it often into a request. I’m going to take the risk that He may indeed perform generational miracles with a family tree sprouted from the soil of disease and brokenness. Make us oaks of righteousness, Lord, for the display of Your splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)
This I know for sure: we often have not because we ask not. (James 4:2)
I love something else about Isaiah 54:13. I love that the word translated peace in English is the word “shalom” in Hebrew. The Hebrew word blows the doors off of our usual concept of peace. When I ask God for great peace to be upon my children, I have no interest in a trance-like state of passionless nirvana. I want God’s brand of peace: lively, vivacious. Here’s what the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament has to say about it:
“The general meaning behind the root š-l-m is of completion and fulfillment—of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship.”
It means to be intact, healthy, sound. It means wellness of soul. It conveys the idea of God prospering His child. He describes His peace like a river: moving and running. His peace is no pond. I read the verse first out of The NET Bible that sits open on my desk at home. Isaiah 54:13 is worded this way on its pages: “All your children will be followers of the LORD, and your children will enjoy great prosperity.” Right that moment I jotted the verse down in my journal and, under it, asked the Lord (with enough zeal to imprint it on the next page) to prosper my children and their children and their children and their children in the way that really matters: grant them lives that bear much fruit – I said MUCH FRUIT –Â for THIS is to our Father’s great glory. May they blatantly show themselves to be Christ’s disciples. (That’s John 15:8 and, if you haven’t memorized it yet, it is a must! Prioritize it early on in your year if God causes it to leap off the page with you.)Â With all my heart, I want God to use this lineage He is redeeming to prosper His Kingdom.
So I am really fired up about my verse for our next two weeks and hope to still be saying it and praying it for the next generations of this family line when I’m about to see Jesus. If you don’t already have a verse selected, you are welcome to share it and make it your own with Jesus. Choose any verse that He’s using to speak to you right now. Remember, that’s what will make it stick to your ribs. It needs to mean something to you!
Hit it, Girls! Remember! Only your names, cities, verses, references, and translations! You are stellar, Sisters. I love you so much.
Edited to add: Information on how to download your Android or iPhone application!
I know many of you have been asking if we are going to have an app this year for your smart phones, and we have both good news and bad news. The good news is YES, we ARE! We have created an app for both Android and iPhones. The bad news is, the Android app is ready for you, but if you would be so patient with us, we’ll have the iPhone app ready for you in about five or six days. Does that sound good?
So, excuse me while I get technical for just a minute!
For those of you that still have the old application on your phone (and this goes for both Android and iPhone users), you would most likely have received a notification about the availability of this new one, but if not, and you are currently using an android, simply click here to download the app. (This link is for Android users only.) Android users, if you’re having issues with this link (and it’s currently working fine on this end), you can search “Living Proof Ministries – Scripture Memory Team – 2013” in your phone under applications. (I have very little knowledge about Android phones, so forgive me if my wording is wrong.)
When the iPhone app is ready, I’ll update this post for those of you who would like to download it with all the instructions you’ll need. However, I do know upfront you’ll be able to find the app in the iTunes store via your phone or computer.
Once you have the application, it is very user friendly. You’ll be notified the 1st and 15th of every month with the new blog post that will land in your application (you will only be notified if you have turned on notifications for this specific app), you can share the post, and then you can also store your memory work in there. It will also act like your spiral. You may want to use both your spiral and the app to have on hand in case you lose one or the other!
I hope that helps! Doesn’t this make it so much more fun?
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
Rebecca Mikesh Vancouver Wa.
Proverbs 2;10 For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
NIV
Zani, Capetown, South Africa
“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1 NIV
“My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’
Your face, LORD, I will seek.” Ps 27:8 NIV
Myra, London, England
“And my God shall supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19 ASV
Aimee Martin, Uganda, East Africa, Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)–Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Lisa from Waycross, GA
Donna from Albany, GA
“But having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints. (His set-aprt ones).” Eph. 1:18 (Amp)
Terri, PNG. “We make it our goal to please God.” 2 Corinthians 5:9a, NIV
Gwen, Kennesaw, GA
Be happy in your hope. Do not give up when trouble comes. Do not let anything stop you from praying. Romans 12:12 NLV
Ps 28:7 HCSB
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
Therefore my heart rejoices,
and I praise Him with my song.
Trisha from Honolulu, HI
“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us”
Hebrews 12:1 TNIV
Teresa, Kokomo IN
Study this Book of the Law, continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed. Joshua 1:8 NLT
Michele from Roanoke, IL
Eph 4:3-4
Ephesians 4:3-4 NLT
Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. NLT
Lane, IL
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8 ESV
Dawn, London, UK
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
(NIV1984)
Jenna Lupo, Saline Mi, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” Psalm 94:19 NIV
Joanne Scherer
Grafton, WI
The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Psalm 103:19 NIV
Then Samuel took up a stone and set it up between Mizpah & Shin. He named it Ebenezer saying “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 1 Samuel 7:12. Cathy, Houston.
Caroline
San Antonio TX
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. (Hebrews 6:10 NIV)
Tonja Weed, Roanoke Va
Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 ESV
Jina- Leawood, KS
1 Corinthians 9:24-26 NIV
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.”
Misti Robinson – Houston, TX moving to Baytown, TX
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 NIV
Connie from Frydlant nad Ostravice, Czech Republic
Mark 10:27 NIV
With man this is impossible, but not for God; all things are possible with God.
Amy from Hermann, MO
1 Thess 5:16-17
Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Kerry, Apple Creek, OH
Luke 9:23 (NLT)
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
Shannan. Elk City, OK. Psalms 86:3-4. NIV. “…have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you.”
JoAnn Columbus, OH
You are all around me. You are behind me and before me. You hold me in your power. Psalm 139:5
Christine, Laurel and Emily Seminole, Fl Jeremiah 17:7,8 (NIV 1984)
Marla Jones in Largo, FL
Jeremiah 33:3 ESV
Call to me and I will answer you , and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
Amy Lee, Charleston, SC-
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4,5 NIV
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 KJV
Brandie,Ohio
Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! (Romans 12:16 NLT)
Jamie Tait, Suwanee, GA
Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lam will not fall but become strong. Hebrews 12:13 NLT
Michele, Cumming, GA
John 7:37-38 NIV
If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink, Whoever believes in me as the Scripture has said streams of living water will flow from within him.
Laura, Poquoson! VA.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38, 39 NIV
Amy- Miamisburg, OH
“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations…”
Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV
Debbie Pinckney, MI Romans 8:6,12 NLT
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
Psalm 90:17 (NIV)
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-yes, establish the work of our hands.
Chattanooga, TN
Misty from Louisville, KY
But whoever loves God is known by God. I Corinthians 8:3 NIV
Donna; Huntersville, NC
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7, TNIV
Susie, Houston – 2 Samuel 22:29 (NET): Indeed, you are my lamp, LORD. The LORD illumines the darkness around me.
Amber Overstreet in Vancleave, MS
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hears, the Spirit who calls out “Abba” Father.
Galations 4:6 NAS
Emili Milwaukee
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. Eph 3:20 NIV
Sally from Doniphan, NE
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5: 22
Sue – Troy, Michigan – “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
James 3:6 (NIV)
In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success. Proverbs 3:6
Donna-Harrison, AR. Isaiah 20:21 “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, Saying,This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” (Last time I did verse 20. Excited about knowing this pas a pair!)
Gina from Ruston, LA
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:10-11 (NIV)
Wendy, Glenwood NSW
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
Proverbs 31:26 ESV
Mysti, Dallas TX, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer”.PS 19:14 NASB
Clarice from Knoxville, IA
“A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.” Proverbs 18:19