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
Nia Stivers in Bridgeport, AL
“so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive to their husbands, so that God’s message will not be slandered.”
Titus 2:4-5 HCSB
Kyndra, Houston, TX
Matthew 6:33, “But seek frist his kingdom and his rigteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” NIV
Tracy Carden
Whitesburg, TN
I am going to send you what my Father promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. Luke 24:49 (NIV)
Melanie, Bowling Green, KY
The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. (Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV)
Marissa from Houston, TX
Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,”
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5 NIV
Cheri, Savage, MN 1John 4:4 NLT
But you belong to God, dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
Sherree from Mansfield, TX
He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30
Kim, Petersburg, VA
“Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
Ephesians 3:17 NLT
Gloria, NYC. “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe” 1 Tim 4:7b,8,10 ESV
Stephanie, Kansas City, Missouri
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
Elizabeth, Charleston, WV (for Jan 1)
For I know the plans for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Isaiah 43:1b-2 ESV
Kim from Arlington, I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, hears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NKJV
DeAnne, Bothell, Washington
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:9-10 NLT
Meredith from Columbus, Ohio: 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)
Heidi McClure :: Locust Grove, GA
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, Romans 8:1-3 ESV
Katie, Charleston SC
I sought the Lord, and He answered me,
He delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:4, NIV
Melody Cheyenne
Job 8:21 NIV. 21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.
Zephaniah 3:17 NIV The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
Kristin in Panama City, FL
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” Psalm 28:7 NIV
KaRetha, Denham Springs, LA
“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.”
Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Christy: Ada, Oklahoma
“The weapons we use in our fight are not the world’s weapons but God’s powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments. We pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10: 4-5
(Good News Translation)
Annabel,Whitewater,KS
God,set Israel free from all of their troubles.
Psalm 25:22, NIrV
Deb Dorris, Effingham, IL
Everyone should be quick to listen. But they should be slow to speak. They should be slow to get angry
James 1:19b (NIrV)
Psalm 40:4 NIV
“Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.”
Dorian from Grimes, IA
“The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me;
thy steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever.
Do not forsake the work of thy hands.”
~Psalm 138:8 RSV
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be careful in all circumstances, for this God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
I will love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer. My God, my strength, in whom I will trust. My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies.
Psalm 18: 1-3 NKJV
Lindsay English – St. Johns, MI
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:5-6 ESV)
Lynn, Jacksonville, FL
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and He saves those whose spirits have been crushed.”
—Psalm 34:18 NCV
Birmingham, Alabama
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NASB)
Jean from Columbus, Ohio “Though they plan evil against you, though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.” Psalm 21:11 ESV
Sara K, Downey, Ca
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
Michelle from Tulsa
Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Kim, Redlands, CA
Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
NIV
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive by heavenlyprize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us.
Philippians 3:14
New Living Translation
Amory in Concord, NC
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver”
Proverbs 25:11 ESV
Sara, from Virginia “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,” (James 1:2, NIV)
Kimberly from Elkhorn WI,
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8 NIV
Amber Moon, Lincolnton, NC
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2, NLT
Chazmin of Pointe A La Hache, Louisiana
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble
You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Psalm 32:7
New American Standard Bible
Mary, Frisco “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 NIV
Lindsay from Myrtle Beach, SC
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Psalm 139:7 ESV
Linda, Delray Beach FL
“From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.”
John 1:16 (NIV)
Bethany Trent Harrisburg, NC
Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep his commandments.
Deuteronomy 7:9 NAS
1 Chronicles 16:23-24 (NIV)
“Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
proclaim His salvation day after day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
Jennifer
Charleston, SC
Cheryl, Houston. Js 1:5-6 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. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind”.
Stacey from Royal Oak, MI
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5 (ESV)
Tammy, Greenville, SC “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.” Isa. 41:13 NIV