Hey, Everybody! Welcome to Verse 3! One month down, only eleven more to go! I say that with a grin because I don’t want it to fly by. There are stressful aspects to what we’re doing here on our team because victory is labor intensive and demands focus and discipline. You can’t really cheat at your memory work. I mean, either we take the time for the constant repetition until it’s embedded underneath that skull of ours or we don’t. But, at the same time, it’s also rejuvenating, don’t you think? And fun? And, admit it, the team aspect of it is glorious.
In fact, I hope God is using this whole process to bring some of you back to life. I’m picturing all of us women like that valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37. Scattered in that broad dell of ours are skeletons of dead-tired, depleted girls from all over the United States and in at least a half dozen other countries. Thousands of us. The breath of God’s words falling on us, rattling our bones, wrapping us with new wine skins, filling our lungs, and beginning to raise us to our feet: a mighty army brandishing Swords. (Eph. 6:17) We use these swords to battle darkness and not one another. We are not Peter who, in an impulsive fury, left poor Malchus with one less ear in John 18:10. There they were, in the most critical moment in human history thus far and Jesus had to stop what He was doing and stick the man’s ear back on the side of his head. (Luke 22:51) Enough of this! Jesus commanded. The people around us who we are called to reach and serve in Christ’s name are not drawn to weapons and shredders but they are indeed drawn to courage and valiance and gracious strength. A well-trained soldier knows who his enemy is and who his enemy is not.
I’m looking forward to your verses! I am starting some memory work out of the one-chapter book of Jude today. I find this verse fascinating because the inspired penman really meant to write his audience about one thing when God sidetracked him to another. These dimensions of divine inspiration make my mind spin. I love thinking about it. Here goes mine:
Beth, Houston. Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Jude 1:3 (ESV)
Contend for the faith. Lord, show us, teach us, equip us, fill us, and anoint us with holy affection, sound minds and doctrine to contend for the faith. Show us how to fight for our faith without wounding and scarring the people we were called to influence in the process. This can get tricky. Show us how it’s done.
I’m honored to serve you, Sisters, and to draw swords with you in this battle against the blackest darkness. Built up in Christ by the breath of the Spirit, focused and deliberate, we can be a mighty army.
OK, let’s have it. Your names, cities, verses, references, and translations.
Live and love well out there today, you hear?
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
Rose, in Dallas:
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand… For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
Isaiah 41:10,13
Dawn, Dubuque, Iowa
” I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 NIV
Atlanta Ga
“Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think on such things.”
Philippians 4:8 ESV
Cheryl, Chadbourn. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Psalm 34:3 NKJ
Oops…Typo! Should be Ps. 34:2!
2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline.
Nikki – San Diego: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
Emily, Abu Dhabi, UAE
“Sing, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,”
says the Lord.
Isaiah 54:1 NIV
Janet from Odessa, TX
Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for The Lord and not for men.
Colossians 3:23. HCSB
As she thinks in her heart, so she is. Proverbs 23:7
Dana
Clarksville
Amplified
Daniel 4:37 “Now I, Nebuchanezzer, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, whose works are all faithful and right and whose ways are just. And those who walk in pride He is able to abase and humble.”
2/3/2013
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. NRSV Hamburg, Ar
Monika
Shamong, NJ
“You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.”
Isaiah 26:3 ESV
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” I Pet 3:12. ESV
LuAnn, port Huron, MI Isaiah 26:9 NLT All night long I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek for God. For only when you come to judge the earth will people learn what is right.
Carrie – Allenton, Mi
Jeremiah 29:13 ESV – You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in your weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9
Christine, Denham Springs, LA
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.
Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.
Psalm 17:6-9 NIV
Laura
San Antonio, TX
James 1:9-12 NASB
But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position, and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will fade away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass, and the flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed, so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Amory Concord, NC
John 15:4″Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
Grace A. from Greenwood, IN
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.
Phillipians 4:8 NIV84
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. -Colossians 2:8
Kristin
Clearwater, FL
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name will teach you all things, and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
John 14:26 NIV
Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Psalm 19:11-12 NAS
Megan–Kansa City, KS
1 Cor 6:19-20 NIV
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
Rebecca-Springfield, OH
Galatians 5:16 (NIV)
“So I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Stacey Douglas, Sicklerville, NJ
Ecclesiastes 5:5 “It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fullfill it”
Stacey Douglas, Sicklerville, NJ
Ecclesiastes 5:5 “It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fullfill it”
Kathy, Danvers
Hosea 6:3 NIV
Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge Him.
As surely as the sun rises,
He will appear;
He will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.
Sara Cain. Hiram, GA(Soon to be Ft. Worth, Texas).
“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5 (NIV)
Livia
Wick, Scotland
The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17
NIV84
And, in Hungarian:
Veled van Istened, az Úr, ő erős, és megsegít. Boldogan örül neked, megújít szeretetével, ujjongva örül neked.
Zofóniás 3:17
Hungarian New Translation (NT-HU)
Katie, Amarillo. “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8 NIV1984
ESV, Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Christine, Laurel and Emily unfortunately we were out of town to submit on the 1st Psalm 57:2
Joni, Littleton CO
“Here’s what I want you to do: find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role play beofore God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God and you will begin to sense His grace.”
Matt 6:6 MSG
Aleta, Woodburn Or, Romans 5:5 (NIV) And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
LaVonne, Peachtree City, GA
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14 NIV 84
Catherine ~ Grants Pass, OR
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NIV
Stacia, Salina Kansas
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew:34 (NIV)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
Kristi from Paducah, KY
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Ps 51:12 NIV
Marilyn DeCoursey – Rochester Hills, MI
Marilyn – Rochester Hills, MI
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13 – NIV
Do not be afraid of sudden terror,nor of troubles from the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught. Proverbs 3:25-26 (NKJV)
Lori from Athens, Ga.:
Romans 6:13-14 (NIV)
“Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”
Nancy, Kansas City – “It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.” (NIV)
Danette, Melber KY
Philippians 3:13-14 NIV
….Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Jennifer from Brandon, MS “Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” Philippians 4:7 (MSG)
Piiamari, Canton, MI
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6 (NIV)
Gena, Elgin, Texas
My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.
Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)
Sue Bailey, Bellingham,WA
Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,to comfort al who mourn.