Scripture memory #5

I've been committing more Scripture to memory this year, along with Beth Moore and thousands of her blog readers.  The goal is to choose a Scripture the first and fifteenth of each month and work on memorizing it for two weeks and then pick another little chunk of the Word to study and memorize next, so that by the end of the year, it's a great new habit, and we'll be armed with truth and full of His Word.

I haven't posted all of them here yet, but these are the verses in my little spiral notebook so far for 2009:

1.  Jeremiah 33:3  Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.  (NIV)

2.  Isaiah 33:6  He is your constant source of stability; He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; He gives all this to those who fear Him.  (NET)

3.  Jeremiah 20:9  But if I say, "I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name," His Word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shot up in my bones." I am weary of holding it in.  Indeed I cannot.  (NIV)

4.  Malachi 3:16  Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.  A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name.

and for this time,

5.  Psalm 37:34  Wait for the Lord and keep His way.  He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.  (NIV)  

I also like this one in The Message:  Wait passionately for God, don't leave the path.  He'll give you your place in the sun while you watch the wicked lose it.  (MSG)

Now if you see me in the street, please be gracious.  I'll admit I don't have these all down yet.  Maybe that's part of why I'm posting them here.  When I was in high school, I was in a discipleship class at church, and we had lots and lots of Scriptures we were memorizing.  I had a big test coming up, and I was given a great opportunity to spend a day studying.  I was in BMP (Behavior Modification Program, also known as in-school suspension).  I was caught cutting class... I know, the things you learn from a person's blog, right?  So my fellow delinquents and I were confined to this room for the entire school day.  There was to be total silence.  We could do school work, read a book, write... just as long as we were silent.  So I used the time to memorize my Bible verses.  I spent the entire day writing out the Scriptures over and over and over.  It really helped.  So I think (if I ever get a chance this week.... oh for the days of in-school suspension, forced to silence in my own little world!) I'd like to spend some time writing these five out over and over until they're inscribed on the tablet of my heart.

This week's verse was found this morning.  We went to look at a house down the street from my sister's house a few days ago and absolutely fell in love (more on that another time)... I updated my facebook status with "Jenny is praying, hoping, wishing, dreaming about the house we looked at down the street today. So perfect for us in so many ways. It's in God's hands."  A friend commented on my status and included the verses John 15:7 and Psalm 37:4.  So this morning I took some time to read through Psalm 37.  I have an NIV/ Message Parallel Bible, so I read it through in both translations.  The whole chapter is basically saying to cling to God and keep to His ways.  Don't worry about what anyone else is doing, just keep trusting Him.  He'll keep His promises and He'll never let us go.  

Since the middle of December when Joe lost his job, God has been providing for us in amazing ways.   Psalm 37:18-19 says, "The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever.  In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty."  This has definitely been true for us.  I have been so impressed with Joe throughout this time.  He has been the bigger man and not lost his temper or tried to get revenge or be in competition with his old boss (as some felt he would be justified in doing).  We put all of our trust in God and had total peace that He would lead us and provide for us.  For Christmas, we had family coming to visit from Colorado and didn't know how we could provide food for everyone, but we received a couple of unexpected checks in the mail so I was able to go shopping.  Then while they were here, Joe's mom and sister-in-law and I went shopping again, and our cupboards were fuller than ever.  We ended up with enough food to last until we moved out at the end of January (just a few runs for butter, eggs and milk now and then).

The whole chapter also talks about the righteous inheriting the land.  I know we can sometimes make the Bible mean to us what we want it to, so I'm careful to claim that as a specific promise about a certain house, but I do know that God is preparing a place for us.  And according to Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."  There is a specific house right down the street that seems so perfect for us (more of a realistic dream home than the HGTV dream home I posted about before!).  It's in His hands, and we trust that He knows our desires and knows what's best for us.

I went to Beth Moore's blog this morning to leave a comment with my verse and the one she posted goes right along with it.  I think I'll try to get my #5 down this week and do the one she chose next week.  It's Hebrews 10:35-36:  So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded, YOU NEED TO PERSEVERE so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.  (NIV)

I feel like we're on the verge of a breakthrough and I'm excited to see what God has in store.

more Scripture memory

A new year. A fresh start. A clean slate. A future wide open. I've been contemplating things I'd like to do differently in 2009, things I'd like to do more of, and things I'd like to continue doing. I'll make a list at some point.. but I decided not to make it a list of resolutions, but rather of goals for the year. At the very top of my list is memorizing more Scripture. God's Word is alive and active and so powerful... when we use it. But to use it, we have to know it. I want His Word hidden in my heart. There are lots of verses I've memorized over the years that are like lifelines to me. There are so many more hidden in The Word that I really want to commit to memory. So I was thrilled to discover on Beth Moore's blog that she invited her readers "siestas" to join in one big accountability group and memorize Bible verses together. You can check it out here and here... and join in!

The verse I chose first was sent to me in an email this morning by my womens ministries pastor at our old church, in response to a request for prayer for my husband as he is seeking employment, wisdom and direction right now.  (We'd appreciate your prayers too.)

Jeremiah 33:3  Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.  (NIV)

And the Message Bible states it this way:  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.

I also like the verse Beth chose to start with:

Isaiah 33:6  He is your constant source of stability; He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; He gives all this to those who fear Him.  (NET)