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
Lisa, Slidell, Louisiana
James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith
produces perseverance.
Miranda, Edmonton Alberta, Canada
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalms 51:10 NIV
Marcie, Pacific Grove, CA
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Danielle Dallas, GA
Psalm 127:2
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning to late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones. (NLT)
Linda Duff, Spring,Texas – The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Acts 5:41 NIV
Jessica from Lancaster, SC… “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 Corinthians 10:5 NIV
Lisa, Little Elm, TX:
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 63:7 NIV
Dianna, Missoula MT
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Bonnie – Manakin, VA
Psalm 16:5 HCSB
Lord you are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future.
Paige, Atlanta, NIV
Isaiah 54:4
Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
AMEN!
Shera Jenkins Lynchburg,VA
Many are the plans in (my) heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15:16 NKJV
Terri, Fountain Valley
“For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.”
– Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)
Kristin from Lexington, Kentucky
And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Hebrews 10: 21-22 NLT
Nancy–Yonges Island, SC
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
John 15: 8-9
“So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t be discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” Galations 6:9 NLT
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
James 14:27 NKJV
Rachel from Philadelphia, Phil. 4:6 NIV: Do not be anxious about anything,but in every situation,by prayer and petition,with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Erma, Houston
Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider what great things he has done for you. 1 Sam. 12:24 NIV
Winchester, KY
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 NIV
Vickie in Louisville,
Have I not commanded you? Be strong & courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NIV
Cindy, SLC
love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres
I cor 13:6,7,NIV
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. Colossians 3:5-6
Shaunna, New Strawn, KS
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ “
Amy, Winter Haven, FL
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 NIV
Haley from Atlanta,GA
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;
and He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 (NKJV)
Mary, Alcoa, TN
Hebrews 11:6- And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Debbie, St. Charles, MO
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 NIV
Mel Ann – Millry, AL
Consider it pure joy, my brothers (and sisters – added by me), whenever you face trials of many kinds for you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. And perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 NIV
Christy-Fayetteville,AR
1Samuel 16:7 NIV
“The LORD said, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. ‘ “
Connie
Dallas, Ga
Romans 12:11-12
New International Version (NIV)
11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Stacy from Amherst, NE
“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)
Katie from Crawford, Texas – 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV84): “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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.'”
Sharon Stiglic, Boca Raton, Fl.
“May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O’Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14 NLT
Karen~ Greer, SC: Isaiah 54:13 (TNIV)
“All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace.”
Julie, Broken Arrow, OK
Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever. Psalm 73: 23-26 (NLT)
Kathie Mullins, Chino Hills, CA
James 1:5 (NIV)
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Steph, Clermont, FL
Isaiah 54:13 ESV
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Stephanie Turpin
Glenpool, Oklahoma
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Isaiah 41:13
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.
Janeen
Westerville, OH
Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)
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.
Beth – Marietta, OK
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jer 29:11 – NIV
Leah – Ramona, CA
And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. – Romans 4:23-24 (NLT)
Emily, Plano, TX
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” NIV
Liezil from Stettler, AB Canada:
James 1:6-9 (NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and make it bud and flourish, so that is yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
-Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV
Saint Paul, MN
Colossians 1:19-20
“For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile himself to all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (ESV)
“I command you: be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
(New American Bible)
Lubbock, TX
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
Katie from College Station, TX
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and make it bud and flourish, so that is yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
-Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV