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 – 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.) 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
D’Anne,Loganville, GA
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26 NIV
Chris, Cape Coral, FL All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Bethany, Harpers Ferry, WV- Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
Annette, Reno ” The time has come” he said ” The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.”
Mark 1:15 NIV
John 14:26 ESV
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Tami
Platte, South Dakota
James 1:25 NIV
“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.”
DeeAnn Payne, Horn Lake, MS In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul. Psalm 138:3(NKJV)
Sorry it’s late, I had surgery yesterday.
Linda, Boerne,Texas,
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Proverbs 15:1. NIV
Laura, BC, Canada
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”(Matthew 6:34 NIV)
Kim-Springfield, MO
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33 NIV
“For I know the plans I have for you, declare the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
This is my life verse…Hope for me! Plans made for me by God…WHAT could be better??? ♥♥♥♥♥
Ali – Central TX
…”so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world.”
Phil 2:15 (HCSB)
Elizabeth, from Wasco, CA
Ephesians 1:7 – In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Reneé, Missouri City, TX
Ephesians 3:20
New International Version (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”
Lauren, Chicago, IL. “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:2 NLT)
Sue, Port Hueneme, California
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 NASB
Christy T Edgerton, MN
“to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair…” Isaiah 61:3 NIV
Meredith Sloan – Greer, SC
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
Marcia Jordon
Fulton, MO
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
2 Peter 1:3 (NIV84)
Michele, heaven, temporarily stuck in Liverpool, NY
ὦ κύριε, σῶσον δή, ὦ κύριε, εὐόδωσον δή.
Ps 118.25, NA27
Yes, Lord, please help
Arvada,CO
God is not unjust, he will not forget the work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. Heb. 6:10 NIV
Laurie, from Newport News VA
But it was To us that God revealed these things by His spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 1Corinthians 2:10 (NLT)
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalms 51:10 NIV
Caroline – Shreveport, LA
1 John 4:7-9
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 1 John 4:7-9
NIV
Tiffany Dallas, TX
Ephesians 4:2 (niv)
Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts;point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalm 139:23, 24 NLT
Jamie, Crossett:
And therefore the Lord (earnestly)waits (expecting, looking, & longing) to be gracious to you;&therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you &show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blesssed(happy,fortunate, to be envied)are all those who (earnestly) wait for Him, who expect and look &long for Him(for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy and His matchless, unbroken companionship)!Isaiah 30:18AMP
Open thou mine eyes that i may behold wondrous things out of Thy word. Psalm 119:18 KJV
“My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father.” John 15:8 (NLV)
Be strong and of cottage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV)
Dee from Alden. He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.'” 2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV
Ps. 139:3-5 ESV
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay Your hand upon me.
Erica, Ellicott City, MD:
“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19 NIV
Darcy from Edwards AF Base, Psalm 81:10 KJV
I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt:open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.
Rebecca, Lynchburg
Psalm 37:4 (NASB) ~ Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.
“but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior, To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” Titus 1:3-4 (NAS)
Kate, Grapeland, Texas (NAS)
Elaine, College Station, Texas (ESV)
Melanie Davis: Irving, TX
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. (Psalm 59:16 NIV)
Tiffany from Georgetown, 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
“a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,” Titus 1:2 (NIV)
Laura, Dallas, Texas
Donna, Lufkin, Texas
Rosemary, Newmarket ON,
Galations 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” ESV
Melody, Cleburne, TX
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 NIV
Nikki Chandler, AZ
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the holy spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV
Cindy Matson, Kearney, NE
Mark 11:24 (NIV) “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Holli, Texas
Psalm 103:13, “As a father is kind to his children, so the Lord is kind to those who honor him.”
Dianna, Kansas
Ephesians 4:15 – Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. NIV
Katie from Parker, CO
Matthew 19:26, “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'” (NIV)
Kathleen Akridge
St. Louis, MO
For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19 (NLV)
(I’m sorry to re-post but I haven’t seen my original post from the night of the 15th)
Teresa. Chadron, Ne.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10. NIV 1984
Kellye, Knoxville, TN. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old is gone. The new has come!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV).
Jacqueline, Ephrata, PA
1 Corinthians 10:30 NIV
“So wether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”