Hey, Darling Things! I was so happy to catch up with many of you yesterday! I was seriously thirsty for some time with you. If you didn’t tune in to the livestream but want to catch up, check the previous post. The video will stay up for a little while. It’s not at all too late to watch it and leave a comment with your 5-song playlist (on that post, not this one please!). That post is about trading in a spirit of despair for a garment of praise! If you’re game for that, jump back to the previous entry after you’ve left your memory verse here.
Man, oh, man, I was tested all day long yesterday on whether or not I’d permit Jesus to cover me with a garment of praise. Anybody else? The day wasn’t complete until I had car trouble. Oh, and I almost forgot to throw in here that Star and Geli were bound and determined to have my raccoon for supper. I screamed to high heaven and Keith ran out in the sticks barefooted in his maroon Texas A&M pajama pants and called them off. Why the police didn’t drive up to see if there had been domestic violence, I’ll never know. Laughing. Oh, mercy, ladies. We live real lives, don’t we? The kind where you unload a dishwater that was crammed full of dishes only to realize late into the massive unloading that they were still dirty. Blast it.
I’m praising our glorious God this morning while it is still dark outside, anticipating that over the next half hour the sun will rise on a brand new day and it will be a great one. A great one, indeed, Lord Jesus. Bring it. And show Your beautiful self to us in its course.
SO, SISTERS, IT’S TIME FOR OUR 5TH VERSE! You are jotted in my prayer journal this morning where I asked God to keep you steadfastly at the process and to give you joy and victory in it and to keep your soul alive and healthy in His Word. Do not grow weary in your well doing! Always keep in mind that we’re wearing our obsessive minds out on SOMETHING. It may as well be the Word of God with the power to build it back up! Your God did not give you a spirit of fear, Sweet Thing, but of…
POWER.
LOVE.
SELF CONTROL.
I thought maybe some of you could use some fresh ideas this round so I’m going to put a few extras in here today. Two of these are from the Psalm I read to you at the conclusion of the livestream yesterday. The beauty of the first selection is that it would count for both your Scriptures this month since it’s two verses. Now, mind you, you’d still have to document the second half of it on March 15th but that’s easy to do. Right? I felt like God put a word on my heart yesterday that some of us who are really struggling with the memorization process might be making it a bit harder than it has to be in some of our selections. Try to avoid over-complicating it when possible. Only choose a really complex portion when you feel like your life and sanity depend on it and, in that case, go for it with all your might and ask God to empower you to absorb it. OK, here goes:
(1) It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; (v.2) to declare Your steadfast love in the morning, and Your faithfulness by night. Psalm 92:1-4 ESV  (See how easy those two would be, Sisters? And it would knock out your whole month of March!)
I’ll go ahead and choose the second one (out of the same Psalm) for my selection this March 1st. I’m choosing The NET Bible for my translation on this one because it makes me happy to use the word happy in a Bible verse. Thank you, Miss Shameless Sanguine.
Beth, Houston. “For You, O Lord, have made me HAPPY by Your work. I will sing for joy because of what You have done.” Psalm 92:4 The NET Bible
I’ll throw in one more because I jotted it down on an index card several months ago and set it on my desk at home where I can see it everyday while I’m having my quiet time. It hasn’t finished its work in me yet so, while it’s still on my mind, I’ll offer it up as one more possibility for some of you. I love, love, love this verse in 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.” Isaiah 30:15 The Message
Well, amen to that.
I love you guys so much! That sun is just beginning to peak through the trees. It’s going to be a great day.
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
“I want to know Christ – yes to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.” Philippians 3:10 NIV
“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 NIV
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:5 (NIV)
Anne Marie, Woburn, MA: “If you don’t know what you are doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.” James 1:5 (The Message)
Erika- Hampden, MA
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 1 Corinthians 9:24. NAS
Jeannie from Atlanta, IN –
Matthew 5:17-20 – ESV
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Juanita Perry
Raleigh, NC
ESV Ephesians 1:11-12
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of this glory.
Becki, Battle Creek, MI
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my words. Ezekiel 36: 25-27 ESV
Anna McCollister
New Palestine, IN
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 ESV
Sarah, Colorado Springs, CO
But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. Deut 6:23 NIV
Bethany, Chandler, TX
“It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night.”
Psalm 92:1-2, ESV
Therefore I tell you, fdo not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Matthew 6:25, ESV
Lisa Aurora, CO
Ephesians 4:29 NIV
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Katie Bandelin – San Antonio, TX
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:10-12 (NIV)
Sharpsburg, Ga
Psalm 16:5-6 ESV
“The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”
For You, O Lord, have made me HAPPY by Your work. I will sing for joy because of what You have done.” Psalm 92:4 The NET Bible
Joey Lynn, Las Vegas, NV
Psalm 19:14 (NIV)
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heartbe pleasing in your sight,Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Alyse, Woodstock, GA
“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:18 (NIV)
Adrienne, Valdosta, GA
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
Hebrews 13:16 (NIV)
Sarah Sykes from Arkadelphia, AR
Romans 8:25 (NET)
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.
Tammy W., Bethlehem, GA, If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 10:9-11 NIV)
Caroly, Rocksprings, TX
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5: 19-22 (NIV)
Gwen King, Wayneboro, MS – Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.(NIV)
Laura Abbott, Georgetown, TX
Col 1:10 NASB
“so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to pleae Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. James 3:5
Connie – Fulton, KY
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 NIV-1984
Mary Lou, Nassawadox/Franktown, VA
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV)
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Colossians 1:11-12
ESV
Paige
Plano, TX
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2 (NIV)
“Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”
Psalms 55:22
NIV
Kim
Amanda Barnes – Windsor,CO
1 John 4:17-18 Message
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.
Amanda Cross, Van Buren, AR
If Your law had not been my delight,
Then I would have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have revived me. Psalm 119:92-93 NASB
Erin- Denison, TX
“David said it all:
I saw God before me for all time. Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side. I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.”
Acts 2:25-26 (MSG)
Vicki, Surprise, AZ
Hebrews 13:8 NIV
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Michelle, Boynton Beach, FL
Finally, brothers and sisters, 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 (meditate/dwell on)such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 NIV
Karen, Colchester VT
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 ( NIV)
Lisa
Blue Ridge, VA
“It is good to praise the LORD and make music to Your name, O Most High,”
Psalm 92:1 (NIV)
Livonia MI
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
Melissa Droegemueller, San Antonio, Texas
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will gave thanks to you forever!
Psalm 30:11-12 ESV
*praising God for my husband’s new job starting Monday after two months of unemployment
Jill, Amarillo, TX
“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”
Psalm 94:19 (NIV)
Rachael, Jersey Shore, PA
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)
Meredith, Kosciusko
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:25 ESV
Elizabeth Meagher Mechanicsville, VA
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Mark 11:24 NIV
donna huneycutt, mt. pleasant nc
Who do I have in heaven but You? And I desire nothing on earth but You.
Psalm 73:25 HCSB
Melandie, Raleigh, NC
“For you, o Lord, have made me happy by your work. I will sing for joy, because of what you have done.”
Psalm 92:4 NET
Valerie Warnick – Seminole, Fl
For His anger lasts only a moment,but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Ps 30:5
Cheryl, Fairhope – “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3 KJV)
JoAnne, Victoria, BC Canada
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1: 19-20 (NIV)
Katy – Mount Juliet, TN
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)”Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Psalm 116:15 (ESV) Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.