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
I will forget my complaint I will change the look on my face and smile. 🙂 job 9:27
Elske, Uden the Netherlands.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6 NIV
Leslie from Simpsonville, SC
The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.
Psalm 146:10 (NIV)
Denise Whiteman in Boise, Idaho
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6 NIV
Laura from Chisago City, MN
“My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord.”
Psalm 26:12 NIV
Dawn, Beavercreek, OH
Ephesians 3:19,17b (NLT)
” May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
Romans 15:13, ESV
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Karen Dement
Austin, TX
“In my distress I called upon the Lord,
and cried to my God;
and He did hear my voice out of His temple,
and my cry did enter into His ears.”
2 Samuel 22:7 KJV
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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jenifer Smith – Clearwater, FL
“For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.”
Romans 11:29 NIV
(not memorizing this part, but the AMP goes on to say, “He never withdraws them once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.”
Vivian
Birmingham, Alabama
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Jackie Brooks
Strawberry Plains, TN
KJV
1 Peter 2:23
As newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you can grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Shannon Mims, Ocala, Florida
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13 NIV
Beth- Scipio, IN
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.
Philippians 1:9-10 NIV
Brenda, Dallas, TX “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which come through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. Phil 3:9 ESV
Anita, Silt, CO.
“Be like the Son of Man. He did not come to be served. Instead, he came to serve others. He came to give his life as the price for setting many people free.” Matthew 20:28 NIRV
Rachel from Appling, GA
Col 1:9-10 GNT
9 For this reason we have always prayed for you, ever since we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, with all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives. 10 Then you will be able to live as the Lord wants and will always do what pleases him. Your lives will produce all kinds of good deeds, and you will grow in your knowledge of God.
Shannan, Dallas, GA
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
Jenny Stade, clovis, ca
in the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matt 5:16I niv
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 4:19 NIV
Nichole DelCampo- Alvin Tx
Susie Hampton
Garland, TX
“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 weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Cor. 12:9-10 NIV84
Kiersten Griffith: Wake Forest, NC
We demolish arguments and every pretension that set itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ~2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV~
Prov. 16:31 NIV
Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.
Russell KY
Philippians 4:13 NIV
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Karessa, Peoria, IL:
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:13-14 ESV
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM!
Sheri, Oklahoma City Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
Aubrey
Tuscaloosa, AL
“Tis is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
John 15:8 (NIV)
Esme Brown – Memphis, TN
Psalm 62:1-2 (NIV84)
“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”
Kristy Booth, Indianapolis, IN
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8 NIV
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps I Peter 2:21
Julie from Winston-Salem, NC
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 NIV
Jackie Bridges, Mooresboro, N.C.
Psalm 40:4 “Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who makes the Lord his refuge adn trust, and turns not to the proud or to the followers of false gods. (Amplified)
Kristin, Archbold, OH
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear MUCH FRUIT, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:8 NIV
Holly in Benton, AR
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.”
John 15:7-9
Dawn
Silver Spring, MD
1. Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV 84)
Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Kelli, Anaheim, Ca
Psalm 90:12
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. (Psalms 90:12 NLT)
Melanie, Midland. But our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a savior, The Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself. Phillipians 3:20,21 ESV
Melissa, Vicksburg, MS “He tends his flock like a shepherd, He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; He gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:11 NIV
Elizabeth, Gainesville, GA
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Heb. 12:11, NIV
Christina Harroun, Gridley, IL
“My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him.” Psalm 62:5 AMP
Cindy, Gold Canyon, Arizona, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:7 NIV
Christy T. – Dallas, TX
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
James 4:10, ESV
Kate
Wilkes, NC
Jn 14:21 NIV
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.
Maria from Macomb, Mi
NIV 1984 – Gal 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Lynn – Forney, Texas
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Phippians 4:13 ESV
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Kaiva, Chicago
Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8 NLT
College Station, TX “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17, ESV
Isaiah 55:6-9 NIV
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”