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
Karen, Houston TX
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 for the day of Christ,
Philippians 1:9-10
Sheri ~ Portland, Oregon
“Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgement on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you–who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:11-12 NIV84
Cathy, Gastonia
Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(NKJV)
Carrie from Cary, NC: This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24 (ESV)
John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. NIV
All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your childrens peace
Isaiah 54:13 NIV
Amy, Lufkin, Texas
Psalm 16:11
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Rebekah – Fulton, MS
“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
– Romans 5:3-5 {NKJV}
Terri from Mechanicsville, VA
“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
Stephanie, Mulvane, KS:
Zephaniah 3:17 NLT
“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Brittany – Houston
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
5 You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
Psalms 139:1-6
Candi, Ft Bragg, NC
“Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:21, NASB
Lisa, Arlington, TN
“My dear [sisters], take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”
James 1:19 NIV1984
Meghan Crowder Sisters,OR
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13 KJV)
Michelle, Oklahoma City
“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love,O Lord, endures forever- do not abandon the works of your hands.” Psalm 138:8 (NIV)
Gaynor from Sugar Land, TX: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col 3:2 NIV).
Janeal, Abilene KS
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
“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.” (NIV) Ephesians 3:20
Kelley, San Diego, Ca
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted. Ps. 25:16 (ESV)
Laurel- Loop, TX
“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:10 NIV
Diane in Charleston, IL
“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.” Deuteronomy 8:10 NIV
Cory, Las Vegas, NV
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.
Isaiah 30:15 NLT
Anne, Kansas
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to becom3e angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
James 1: 19-20
Kate from Clarksville,TN
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
Jennifer, Fairfax VA
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
John 15:10-11 ESV
Amy from Rogers, Arkansas
Proverbs 27:19 NIV
As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.
Colossians 4:2 (NASB)
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
Danelle, Ames, Iowa
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1, 2
Amber, Fort Worth, TX: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7(ESV)
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Cor. 9:11
Amber from Clarksville, TN
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your life in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7 NIV
Larissa from Asheville, NC
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:8 NIV
Joshua 1:9 NASB
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Caci, York, SC
“When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.” Psalm 142:3 ESV
Sarah~ Scottsdale, AZ
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8
Melissa in Carrollton, Texas
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV
Amy, Bend OR
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 84
Teresa, Tyler TX
And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me.
Jeremiah 32:40 (NLT)
Brandy M Brown
DeFuniak Springs
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen and help you;
I will uphold you in my righteous right hand”
Courtney from Knoxville, TN
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba Father.”
Romans 8:15 NIV
Roxy, Columbia Md.
Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. NIV
Kristia Clinton, KY
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
Susan from Fairview, TN.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 ESV
“But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ. ( by grace you have been saved.)”
Ephesians 2:4-5. ESV
Jayne
Frisco
Angie, Centerville, OH: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 KJV
Hannah Hernandez, La Grange TX
“For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.” 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 NIV
Isaiah43:18-19 the message:
This is what God says-the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves . The God who summons horses and chariots and armies-they lie down and can’t get up, they’ve been snuffed out like many candles:
Forget a out what happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.
Mixhelle, Colorado Springs, CO
John 15:8
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” NIV
Caryn from Fort Worth, 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 84)
Melisa from Tallmadge, Ohio
Deut 4:29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. NIV