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
Jeanette- Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Isaiah 51:3 The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. NIV
Pam, Wassenaar, The Netherlands
2 Timothy 1:7 CEV
“God’s Spirit doesn’t make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control.”
Brea Rich from Ripley, MS
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV84
Heather, Lombard, IL
The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him. Exodus 15:2 NASB
Juleann, Wayne. Isaiah 54:13 (NKJV)
13All your children shall be taught by the LORD, And great shall be the peace of your children.
Erin, Detroit
Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.
Proverbs 28:6 (ESV)
Jenn, Lakeland:
Galatians 5:16 (the Message)
“My counsel is this: live freely, animated, and motivated by God’s spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsion of selfishness.”
Johanna in Tampa, FL
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him. Psalm 37:23
Leah Beth, California, Psalm 51:10, NIV
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Cory O, Las Vegas, NV
Do not conform yourself to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God-what is good and pleasing to Him and is perfect.
Romans 12:12 (Good News)
Davida, Athens, Ga….”For the LORD your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 NLT
“I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8 (NASB)
Marina
Canyon Country, CA
Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
Psalm 86:11 NIV
Shannon, Buda, Texas
Look to The Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
Psalm 105:4 NIV
Debbie
Kokomo, IN
But, the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23
NIV
18 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. — American Standard
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson
“Holding fast to the head” in Lake Providence, LA! 🙂
Betty, Waveland, IN “I’m asking for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet.” Psalm 27:4 (MSG)
Christy from Holland, MI
“Look to the Lord and His strength; see His face always.” Psalm 105:4, NIV
Phyllis Baker, Metairie, LA Psalms 119:37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word
Karen H., Stephenville, TX
Romans 11:36 (NASB)
For from Him and through him and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Psalms 119:9-11
9 How can young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Mary Lou, Forest City, Iowa
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. I Peter 5:10 NIV
Laura from Nokia, Finland
“The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” (Psalms 118:14 NIV84)
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for The Lord and not for men, knowing that from The Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving The Lord Christ.” Colossians 4:23-24
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 8:38-39 ESV
Alice from Houston, Texas
Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 NASB
Rachael, Jersey Shore, PA
Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. (ESV).
Cathy, Fridley; The Lord is may chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; becausee he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Psalm 16: 5-8 (ESV)
Dawn from McKinney
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”
Hosea 4:6 NIV
Ronda Bradley, Junction City, KS.
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
…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.
Joshua 3:5 Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you. (NIV)
Liz from Hilliard, OH
There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 12:18 (AMP)
John 16:33 (NIV)
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Tammie from Ferris, TX
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all of your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13 ESV
Tessa Pierce Nacogdoches TX
Proverbs 3:9 NKJ
Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the FIRSTFRUITS of all your increase.
(The Lord speaks to me about my worship offering thru this verse!)
Saskatoon SK – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Phil 2:3 NIV
Amy, Birmingham, AL
…I will not forget you. Behold I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands…
Isaiah 49:15b,16a. NAS
Aly Ziegler, Bozeman
Psalm 63:3-4
“Because your love is better than life, I will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live and in your name I will lift up my hands.”
Janet Long Clinton, MO
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)
Leah Barbee, Georgia
Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without
Holiness no one will see the Lord. NIV
Debbie, Holbrook, NY Proverbs 3:19,20 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding He established the heavens. By His knowledge the deeps were broken up and the skies drip with dew. NASB
Julia, Alamo, TN
Psalm 112:7 NIV
He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast,
trusting in the Lord.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? Jer 17:9 (KJV)
Jennifer Grayson
Wilmington DE
“If you make the Most High your dwelling-even the Lord, who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.”
Psalm 91:9-10
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9 NIV)
Christy, Justin, TX: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10 – NIV)
Debbie, Alpharetta, GA. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under triial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12 NIV
Melissa…Goshen, KY
You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 (NET)
Judy, from Selah, WA
Psalm 34:4-5 “I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” NKJ
Terri, Natchitoches, LA
Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 106:1 NIV