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.Ā 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,Ā 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 Å”-l-m is of completion and fulfillmentāof 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 –Ā 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.)Ā 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 ā Scripture Memory Team ā 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
Toma, Antelope, CA
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.
Philippians 4:8 NIV
Christine, Laurel, MD
Then he said to them all, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” Luke 9:23-24 NIV
I can do all things through Christ who strengthians me!!! Philippians 4:13
Philippians 4:19 AMP
And my God will liberally supply your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Laurin, Harrisburg, NC
Those who know Your Name will trust in You, for You, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You. Psalm 9:10
Sue, Clemmons, NC
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV
Alicia from Atlanta
Psalm27:13-14 NIV
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; take heart and wait for the Lord.
Billie Green from Kensington, Ohio
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Gal. 3:26-27 NIV
Jennifer, Clemmons, NC
Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. Revelation 22:12, NASB
Here for the party.. a little late. š
Sarah, San Diego, CA
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12, NIV
Also.. created a quick iphone lock screen of this verse so when I forget my spiral (which I do), I still have the current verse handy!! š
Ginger, from Camden, SC
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
(16) Be joyful always, (17) pray continually; (18) give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Jackie, Versailles, KY
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14 NIV
Kathy Jo from Dayton, Nevada
Romans 8:1-2 NIV
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Darlene from Morrison, CO,
I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 NASB
Lori, Kemptville, On, Canada
Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Psalm 121:3 (NIV)
“The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; “Psalm 19:8 ESV
Shirley Jones from Lawrenceville, GA
Psalm 139:23-24
The Message (MSG)
23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what Iām about;
See for yourself whether Iāve done anything wrongā
then guide me on the road to eternal life.
Sherry
Oklahoma
“Praise the Lord! Let all that I am priase the Lord!”
Psalm 146:1 NLT
“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise: when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” Micah 7:8 KJV
Mary, Forest, VA
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NIV
Amanda Barnes from Windsor, CO
It is better to TRUST and take REFUGE IN THE LORD than to put confidence in man. Psalms 118:8 AMP (emphasis mine)
Marietta, GA
“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.”
1 Timothy 6:6-7
1 Peter 2:6 NIV
“For in Scripture it says:
‘See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in Him
will never be put to shame.'”
Lindsay E. in Houston, Tx
“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t compare yourself to others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” Galatians 6:4&5, The Message
Seven times a day I praise You. Because of your righteous judgements. Ps 119:164
As I was seeking God on what to write, He told me more praise. I like the 7 times a day! And as I memorize and meditate on this verse, will praise Him 7 timea a day!
Cynthia, Benbrook, TX
Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. Ephesians 5:22(The Messaage)
All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.
Is 54:13
Kate… Houston, TX
Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha Cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you arise.” – Mark 5:41 ESV
Birmingham, AL
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him. I will protect him for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 NIV
Rachel, Austin TX
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6 NIV)
Olivia, Tennessee
She is clothed with strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future. Proverbs 31:25
Leah Beth
La Crescenta, CA
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” Romans 5:1, NIV
kimberly from pacific grove, CA
āWhatever is TRUE, whatever is NOBLE, whatever is RIGHT, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is ADMIRABLE, anything EXCELLENT, anything PRAISEWORTHYā¦.think about those things!ā Phil 4:8
Lauren Larsen from Tulsa, Ok
1 Corinthians 9:25 nasb
“Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”
Dina DFW Texas
Philippians 4:8 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. (NLT)
Stephanie
Cynthiana,Ky.
“This is to my Fatherās glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8 (NIV)
I’m late! Sheena Brady Fairbanks, AK
Man does not know it’s vale, Nor is it found in the land of the living. Job 28:13 NKJV
Paola
Pinellas Park,Fl
Galatians 2:20 NIV84
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.
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Romans 8:6 (NIV)
Linda New, Piketon, OH
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
Don’t worry about anything instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
I found you. Think I will join you on this one! L&P!
Spokane, WA
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 2 Timothy 2:21 KJV
Rachel, Queensland, Australia
Psalms 34:8 (message)
Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and seeā
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
Sandy from Anaheim, CA
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Eph 3:20 NKJV Woo-hoo!
Deirdre, Suwanee, GA.
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
John 15:8 NIV
Oops….Forgot city Ć nd state
Deborah Jagneaux Vinton, LA
I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Psalm 116: 1. NIV
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
1Peter4:2
This reminds me that the will of God is my aim, and my protection against backsliding!
Shannon- Bethesda, MD:
“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Colossians 2:7 NLV
Charlie
Mississippi
Colossians 2:2-3,5 NIV
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge…For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
Susan, Wynne, AR. “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.ā Isaiah 54:13 ESV
JoLynn in Sioux City, IA
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders (my own adding: and insiders), make the m ost of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5,6 NIV