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
Danielle S., Garden City, KS
Psalm 103:1-5 (NIV)
Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.
Shelley Cates in Madisonville, KY
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.
Psalm 55:17 NIV
Proverbs 9:10 NASB
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Megan in Potlatch, Idaho
LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. Psalm 16:5 NIV
Mary Beth, Atlanta, GA
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul. Psalm 108:1 NASB
Lindsay W, Albuquerque, NM Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23 ESV)
Kelsie, But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— (1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV)
Alysa, This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about : His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18 NIV)
Laurie Grove, Mt. Airy, NC
Ask of Me, and I will give you teh nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession.
Ps 2:8
NKJ
Sue, Texarkana, TX Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” KJ2000
Kristen from Indianapolis, IN
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
…But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15 (NIV)
Phoebe from Birmingham, AL: “I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, Lord, make me safe and secure.” Psalm 4:8 NET
Sarah from Siloam Springs, AR
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
Psalm 139:2 NIV
Cindy, Stockbridge, GA
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, seat his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1: 21, 22, NIV
Amy, Blacklick, OH
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 NIV
Psalms 19:14 ESV
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord,
my rock and my redeemer.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” NIV Philippians 4:6-7
Mary, Forney, TX
Colossians 3:13
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. NIV
Rachelle, Gardner, KS–“You know the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:3-4, NIV
Linda Geho, Richmond, VA
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.
I will counsel you and watch over you.
Psalm 32:8 NIV
Gwendolyn, McKinney TX
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no man has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.
1 Cor 2:9. (NIV)
Pam – Cary, NC
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I and not another. How my heart yearns within me! Job 19:25-27 NIV
James 1:22 ESV
Amy, Alma, AR
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Amy Anderson
Grand Rapids, MI
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have receieved all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
2 Peter 1:3 NLT
Lindsey, Austin, Tx
“A refusal to correct is a refusal to love; love your children by disciplining them.”
Proverbs 13:24 (The Message)
Gloria, Martinsburg, PA
Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid;
For the Lord God is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2 (NASB)
Bailey. Knoxville, TN.
Colossians 3:9-10
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Pam, Brighton, CO
Colossians 3:2 ESV (Doing the whole chapter this year)
Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. (Psalms 103:3 NLT)
Jen in Frisco, Tx
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
Ashley Potts Royse City, Tx
You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands.
1 Peter 3:4-5 NLT
“All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.” Isaiah 54:13 NIV
1John 5:1 HCSB
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent also loves His child.
Michelle Holts Summit, Missouri
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13 ESV
Lynn – Orlando, FL
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
~ Mt 11:28 (NIV 1984)
Koren Sivertson from Fredericksburg:
Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it”, whenever you turn to the right or to the left. Isiah 30:21 NASB
Vanessa from Rockport TX
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 be faint.
Isiah 40:31 NIV
Erin M. Houston, TX
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21NIV
Kimberly, Atlanta-James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
Christie. South Hadley, MA
Psalm 119:57
The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words.
Pamm in Albuquerque, NM
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
Brooke Wood
Bulverde, TX
Hebrews 12:11 (NLT)
No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
Cary Forney,TX
Philippians 4:6 NLT
Don’t worry about anything instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.
Ali Sexton-Midwest city, OK
All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.
Isaiah 54:13 NIV
I John:2:5a – Today’s English Version
But if we obey His Word, we are the ones whose love for God has really been made perfect.
Mary Beth, Selma, AL
‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’
Jeremiah 29:11
Lauren, Muskegon, MI
Proverbs 19:21 NLT You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
Logan Forney, TX
Philippians 4:6 NLT
Don’t worry about anything instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.
Katie from Madison, WI – Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before Him endured the cross despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God.” NASB
Cathy Ritchlin from Castlewood, SD Isaiah 40:31 NAS
Yet those who wait on the Lord will gain new strength, they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not get tired; they will walk and not become weary.
Angie W., Federal Way, WA
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God! Psalm 50:23, ESV