Tuesday, January 1, 2013

the STANDard :: january

throughout the course of 2012, i chose a scripture verse (or verses) to memorize and meditate on for each month.  i invited you to join me and i pray that your life was altered based on what you read and what God inevitably revealed to you through His Word.






last year i titled the memory verse blog posts {12 in 2012}. clearly, as we enter 2013, that title must change.  and so... from here on out, each month i will post a verse or passage of scripture that i intend to memorize and meditate on under the heading:




the obvious definition of the word 'standard' is:  'something of recognized excellence or established authority' or 'serving as a basis of value, comparison or judgement'.  the Word of God is 'the STANDard' by which we want to compare our lives.  as believers in God and followers of Jesus, we look to the Bible as the STANDard by which all else is compared.  therefore it is the right thing for us to continually hide the Word in our hearts and allow it to penetrate every motive. we must force every decision, attitude or thought through the filter of it's pages.

in addition, the first half of the word Standard is STAND.   in Ephesians 6, we are told to 'put on the whole armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to STAND your ground, and after you have done everything to STAND.'  STANDing brings to mind boldness, action and courage.  we STAND in His name, by His strength, for His Glory.

and finally, a STANDard is also a banner or flag.  from Old Testament Bible days until now, flags and banners represent loyalty and allegiance.  in Numbers chapter 2,  God spoke to Moses and Aaron, instructing them to tell the Israelites to arrange themselves "each under their STANDard, and holding the banners of their family."  together, as a body of believers, we seek to do the same. we may not memorize the same verses, but as we seek the Lord through His Word, i truly believe He will do great things... in and through us...both individually and collectively!

last year i wrote each verse in multiple places. as you can see above, i put each verse on a card and attached it to a ribbon on the door in my office. in addition, i wrote my verse for each month on a giant chalkboard that hangs in my dining room.  i typically wrote it also in my journal as well as in the notes app on my phone. i highlighted it in my Bible app too... memorizing is not my forte. every little bit helps.  i want these words written on the backs of my eyelids. hidden in the depths of my heart.  there may come a time when i need these truths more than i can imagine.  i want to invest in my future, now.

here is my first passage for this new year:

Galatians 6:14-16 (the message)
For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this STANDard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!

please take a moment to post your verse in the comment section... 
lets make this something we do together as a family, serving to sharpen and encourage each other.

happy new year













12 comments:

Andrew Bynumm said...

There's always a standard for making things that we should reach every time. Even with these Printed Fabric Banners, you always have to follow some rules or even guidelines to make it the best ways possible and that's the point of it.

Kamari Copeland said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kamari Copeland said...

1 Timothy 4:14-16 (MSG)

11-14 Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.

15-16 Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.

Leah Eash said...

For with God nothing will be impossible. Luke 1:37

Whitney J said...

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 (NLT)

We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

Mary said...

I gave birth to my first child on December 31st 2012
so this verse reflects that...
Psalm 139:13
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.

Mary-Venice, fl

Tiffany said...

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases: His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion," says my soul," therefore I will hope in Him." The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. - Lamentations 3:22-25(esv)

Anonymous said...

And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed,
“The Lord ,the Lord God,
merciful
and gracious,
longsuffering,
and abounding in goodness and truth,
keeping mercy for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
by no means clearing the guilty,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6, 7 NKJV)

Brittney said...

"God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."
1Cor. 10:13 (NASB)
I recently suffered a miscarriage and my husband and I were devastated. This verse and many others, have helped us, along with great friends and family and our local church, be able to endure through this trial.

Unknown said...

I love you so much!!!My dream is to meet you and sing with you! I thought your daughter on facebook and she added me, I would love to have contact with you, Crystal, apaixoanda'm with you, already sang their songs. Dream sing with you!

Unknown said...

I LOVE YOU,CRYSTAL! SO MUCH! SO MUCH,SO MUCH,SO MUCH!!!!

Naturally Tamara said...

I am late to this but I am making the Standard apart of my daily routine. This is awesome.
Psalm 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!