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
Ruth Larkin – Shawnee, KS
Isaiah 30:15 – The Message
God, the Master, The Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: “Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on Me.
Lynn from Shelby Twp., MI
“Not only so but we also rejoice in our suffering because suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He had given us” Romans5:3-5 NIV
Diana V., Pueblo. CO
Psalm 119:43 NIV “Do not allow anything to snatch the word of truth from my mouth, O Lord, for I have put my hope in Your laws.
Darl, Bakersfield, California
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7 NIV
Linda
Belton,TX
For the Lord is good;
His steadfast love endures forever,
And his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100:5. ESV
The Lord is my light & my salvation,
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life,
of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1 (ESV)
Cindy L., Madison, AL
I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me! Psalm 13:6
Shea Williams from Birmingham, Al.
Know this my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:19-20 ESV
Lindsey from Grapevine, Texas
“Not that I have already attained this or am perfect but I press on, to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”
Phil 3:12 ESV
Shea Koone, Dongola, IL
Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Woodstock, GA
Psalm 119:36-37
“Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” NIV
Christine Andrews, Texas
Psalm 13:5-6 (NIV)
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
Celia, Kingsport, TN – Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who greatly delights in His commandments. Psalm 112:1 NAS
Beth, Lititz PA
Hab 3:19
The sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of the deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
Bailey
Batavia, Ohio
My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
Psalm 73:26
KJV
Leslie, Greenville, KY. 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
Kim, New Port Richey, FL
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
Paula, Three Rivers, MI
“May the words of my mouth and the the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. Hebrews 10:24 (Good News Bible)
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15 NIV)
Proverbs 31:26 (NLT)
When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.
Cheryl, Austin: “She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27 (NASB)
Diana V., Pueblo. CO
Psalm 86:11. Teach me Your way O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11
Melanie Toups
Bridge City, TX
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. — Psalm 37:3-4 (NASB)
Heather
Springfield, VA
Matt 5:15-16 (NIV)
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Lisa Braun, Warman, SK Canada
Ezekiel 37:5 NLT
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!
(for the Stepping Up study we are doing)
Psalm 121:3-4 HCSB
He will not allow your foot to slip; Your Protector will not slumber. Indeed the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep.
Sarah
Appleton, WI
Galatians 4:4-5, NLT
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
Psalms 37:4 esv
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Trenton tx
Ann from Salisbury, NC
2 Corinthians 5:21 HCSB
He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Lisa of Dripping Springs, Texas
Matthew 7:12 NIV
“So in everything, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-35 (NLT)
Cindy, Tucson, AZ
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV84)
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Barbara Birmingham,Al
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58. ESV.
Lilly Palacios, Brooklyn, NY
Psalm 37:4, NIV
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Fort Lewis WA
He has shown you, O mortal, 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 NIV)
Jill, Amarillo, Texas
“Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.”
Jeremiah 33:3 MSG
Enter with the password: “Thank You!” Make yourselves at home,
talking praise. Thank Him. Worship Him. Psalm 104:4 Message
Sara, Prairie Village, KS – “Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” Psalm 36:5.
Tarah Bolivar, MO
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Psalm 51:12 (NIV)
Pam McCullough, Early, Tx.
“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”
1 Peter 3:3-4 (New Living Translation)
Colossians 3:8-10a
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self
Karina in Independence, MO
For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; the Lord my God illumines my darkness. For by You I can run through a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. Psalm 18:28-29 AMP
Ann. Ft Lauderdale, Fl.
“He sent His Word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.” Psalm 107:20
NKJV
Jerrianne, Lakewood, CO
“O Lord, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with you.” Psalms 125:4 NIV
Lenna, Nebraska
Let the gift of undeserved grace and the understanding
that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you
keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen.
(2 Peter 3:18 CEV)
Lisa, Seward Alaska, Some of you say “We can do anything we want to.” But I tell you that not everything is good for us. So I refuse to let anything have power over me. CEV 1Corinthians 6:12!
Jen from Wyoming This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:8 NIV
Sherry Unruh from Warman, SK (Canada)
He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. ~Psalm 121:3-4 HCSB
Sheila from Phenix City, AL
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 ESV