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
Val, Stoughton, WI
Deuteronomy 4:4 (NASB)
“But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you.”
Jenny in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Deuteronomy 5:32-33 (NIV)
“So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”
Amanda, Pikeville KY
Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding;
Proverbs 3:5 NIV
Sam, York
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.-Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)
Miranda Matteson
Bellevue,NE
The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them, He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17-18 NIV
Ellen; Fort Polk, LA
Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.
Psalm 39:7 HCSB
Tracy from Euless TX
Matthew 12: 36-37 NASB
But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgement. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.
Paula, Brownwood, Texas
The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
Luke 1:73-75. NASB
Janie B from Poetry Texas
Is 7:9 NIV
The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand firm in your faith,
you will not stand at all.’”
2 Corinthians 12:9-11, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness… For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Michelle Harris
Fishers, IN
Gail, McDonough, Ga
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.
Philippians 4:8 NIV
Alyson
Marietta, GA
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generation, for ever and ever! Amen
Ephesians 3: 20 – 21 NIV
Vanessa, Victoria,TX
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” NIV
Kim, Huffman, TX. “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. For man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19-20, NIV).
Linda, Bend, OR
Psalm 146:1-2 NIV
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life. I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Holly G. Littleton, Colorado:
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:3-5 ESV)
Laura, Nebraska
Psalm 37:7 NKJV
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Jacci from Denver
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8 (NIV)
“Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 1:8
Leigh, Houston, TX
Romans 1:16, NIV 84
“I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”
Heidi, Denver, CO
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 ESV
Cathy Moore
Montpelier Ohio
John 15:1 ESV
I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Vinedresser.
In Knoxville, TN
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
2Peter 1:3
Jo Ann, Philadelphia “When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.” Psalm 27:2 NASB
Denissa, Brownfield, TX
That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 NLT
LaShay from Saltillo, MS – “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)
Julie in Ft. Wayne, IN
“Submit yourselves then, to the God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 NIV
Margot Martinez, Round Rock, TX
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)
Dawn in Chesterfield, SC: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” Matthew 6:33
Sheryl
Ankeny, IA
The Spirit of the Sovereign L ord is upon me, for the L ord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. (Isaiah 61:1 NLT)
Hilary from Langley, BC, Canada:
“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.
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:31 NOV
Nicole, Murray
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,” Colossians 2:6 (ESV)
Sallie Belle Howell- Tupelo MS 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)
Lucinda Cook in Buda TX
“As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness!”
2 Peter 1:3
Tracy, Waldorf, “The Lord is far from the wicked but He hears the prayers of the righteous.” Proverbs 15:29 NKJ
Tricia from Fairfax, VA
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 56:3-4
From Stafford, Texas
Philippians 4:4-6 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known to God.” NASB
Jennifer Pipes, Arkansas
“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
John 14:27 NLT
Kim
Wadena, MN
“Trust in The Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5,6
Pauline, Eau Claire, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,the evidence of things not seen”. Hebrews 11:1 NKJV
Beth. This was perfect timing. I’m entering a new season & following God right now seems very unstable. I have no intention of quitting writing this Bible Study or leading it in a group… But while I write in obedience to Him, I feel terrified that ill really mess up. I want this all to be His with nothing of me making it reek. Your advice on memorizing was exactly what I needed to here for my current season of writing. Thank you. & please say a prayer for me as you are led. <3 Carrie– VA
Jenny in Kelowna, BC Canada
Revelation 3:20 (NIV)
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
(For Jan 1st)
Michelle, Fort Belvoir, VA
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV
Katelyn, Fort Worth, TX
Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19, NLT)
Ellen K in Findlay, OH
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, Ephesians 4:1 NASB
Val from Snohomish,WA
Because all things in the heavens and on the earth were created by him, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers, all were created through him and for him and he himself is before all things and in him all things are held together. Colossians 1:16&17
O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble. Isaiah 33:2 ESV
Teresa, Bessemer, Al “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. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Hilary; Salem, OR: Psalm 3:2&3: “So many are saying, ‘God will never rescue him!’ But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.” (NLT)