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
Erin, Chicago
Thanks for the verse idea, Beth!
“I will teach all your children,
and they will enjoy great peace.” (Isaiah 54:13, NLT)
Picayune,MS
And i know my Redeemer lives and on that day He will stand.
Job 19:25
Mary, Annapolis, Maryland
Acts 17:26
From one man he made every nation of men,that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
Kristi from Clovis, California
Proverbs 21:23 NIV
He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.
Rachel, Athens:
Psalm 51:10 NIV
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Angie, Aberdeen, SD: The Lord will work out His plans for my life – for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for You made me. Psalm 138:8
Christina, Houston
“Hold on to instruction, do not let it go: guard it well, for it is your life. ”
Proverbs 4:13 NIV
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point our anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139: 23-24 NLT)
Durant, OK
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Colossians 4:6NIV
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
My verse too:)
Beth from Montoursville, PA
“He has showed you, O man, 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
Psalm 118:24 ESV
For this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.
Rachel, from Mechanicsville, va
Deuteronomy 31:23 (NIV)
The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Isrealites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”
Deana, Waco TX
“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2 (NASB)
Dawn Whiteford – Batavia, 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.
Margaret from Tulsa, OK
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.
Psalm 16:11 NIV 1984
Wendy
Albany, Ga.
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
Isaiah 40:29 (NIV)
Kim B. Clayton, NC
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 NKJV
Leah, London, Ontario
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthian 10:5, NIV)
“No one who gossips can be trusted with a secret. But you can put confidence in someone who is trustworthy.” Proverbs 11:13 TEV
Amanda Peters
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you or forsake you”. (Hebrews 13:5 NIV)
Tina, Waxahachie, Texas
“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10, NIV)
Nicole
Ventura, CA
Pslam 103:2
“Let all that I am praise the Lord, may I never forget the good things He does for me!”
Cynthia Aynor, SC
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9b NIV
Debbie from Decatur Il
Let Your work be seen by your servants, and Your splendor by their children
Psalm 90:16 HCSB
Ashlan: Fort Worth, TX
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
Kimberly Mason, Tuscaloosa, AL: “You crown the year with Your bounty, and Your carts overflow with abundance.” Psalm 65:11 NIV
Amy
Sweeny, TX
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth, and taught them saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:1-5 NIV
Psalm 77:11-14 NIV
I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles; You display your power among the peoples.
Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not. O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life. Lam 3:57-58 KJV
Lauren – Dallas, TX
This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. (Ephesians 3:11, 12 ESV)
Kate from Tacoma, Washington
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. Proverbs 3:9-10 NLT
Rebekah Davis. Jacksonville Fl
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NIV
Adrienne, Valdosta, GA
“She is clothed with strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future.”
Prov 31:25 (NLT)
Rebecca, Jacksonville, AL– “Create in me a pure heart O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10
Mary Grace, Bolivar, Missouri
“The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.”
Proverbs 27:6 NIV
Salmo 57:7-11 (Nueva Version Internacional)
Firme está, oh Dios, mi corazĂłn; firme está mi corazĂłn. Voy a cantarte salmos. ¡Despierta, alma mĂa! ¡Despierten, arpa y lira! ¡HarĂ© despertar al nuevo dĂa! Te alabarĂ©, Señor, entre los pueblos, te cantarĂ© salmos entre las naciones. Pues tu amor es tan grande que llega a los cielos; ¡tu verdad llega hasta el firmamento! ¡TĂş, oh Dios, estás sobre los cielos; tu gloria cubre toda la tierra!
Melissa Ens
Piura, PERU
Aaronia Baxley
Atlanta, Tx
“I will bridle my anger, trash my wrath, cool my pipes – it only makes things worse.”
Psalm 37:8
The Message
Erica
Austin, Tx
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence.
2 Corinthians 4:13b-14 NIV
Pat
Crawfordsville, IN
Tina, Cincinnati, OH: Psalm 25:4-5 – Show me your ways, O 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. NIV
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, (Ephesians 3:20 NIV)
Christy, Zionsville, IN:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12 NIV)
Cozy, Fair Grove, Missouri – “I am the Lord, and I do not change.” Malachi 3:6 NLT
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2
Elizabeth, Memphis
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-” (Ephesians 2:8 NIV)
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2
Teri in Tampa
For this reason, we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Colossians 1:9 (NKJV)
Michelle, Alberta, Canada
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Matthew 25:35-36 NIV