Lisa notes

TO MEMORIZE

4  And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.
5  “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Isaiah 12:4-5 (ESV)

4  A y w s i t d: “G t t t L, c u h n, m k h d a t p, p t h n i e.
5  “S p t t L, f h h d g; l t b m k i a t e.”

TO REVIEW

1  You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
2  “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
3  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:1-3 (ESV)

1  Y w s i t d: “I w g t t y, O L, f t y w a w m, y a t a, t y m c m.
2  “B, G i m s; I w t, a w n b a; f t L G i m s a m s, a h h b m s.”
3  W j y w d w f t w o s.

TO DO

1. Recite it to someone else.

Try reciting all the verses in your chapter to someone else today. It’s a great way to review. And it’s also a great way to invite others to help you stay accountable in this powerful spiritual discipline.

2. Prepare for Monday.

Use this weekend to cut out next week’s verse (our last! Isaiah 12:6).

TODAY’S TIP

* Plan ahead

We are almost finished memorizing Isaiah 12. It’s not too soon to start thinking about what you want to memorize next.

Maybe it will be another chapter. Maybe it will be individual verses. Memory Classics was a summer challenge we undertook at Do Not Depart in 2013. This list of memory verses includes ones you may already be familiar with. Check it out and see if these are verses you’d like to learn next, or verses that you’re ready to review again.

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

There may be many verses that you’re familiar with from your past but don’t fully recall anymore. Don’t discount those from your list of verses to learn (again). Whenever I return to scriptures that I once knew but have grown hazy, I’ve been blessed even more the second time around. (Plus, they’re much quicker to relearn the second time than they were the first!)

Implanting truths deeper and deeper into your soul is always time well spent.

LINKS

• Classic Memory Verses
• Printable of Classic Memory Verses
• Isaiah 12 3×5 cards

* * *

What scripture would you like to memorize next? Please share in the comments.

TO MEMORIZE

Repeat 3-5 times, twice a day.

4  And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.
5  “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Isaiah 12:4-5 (ESV)

Practice using 1st letters, twice a day.

4  A y w s i t d: “G t t t L, c u h n, m k h d a t p, p t h n i e.
5  “S p t t L, f h h d g; l t b m k i a t e.”

TO REVIEW

1  You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
2  “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
3  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:1-3 (ESV)

1  Y w s i t d: “I w g t t y, O L, f t y w a w m, y a t a, t y m c m.
2  “B, G i m s; I w t, a w n b a; f t L G i m s a m s, a h h b m s.”
3  W j y w d w f t w o s.

TO DO

1. Bless someone else.

The words we learn aren’t just for us; they’re for all. Find a way today to bless someone in your community with the beautiful truths you’re uncovering in your memory verses.

Whether it be in conversation or in writing or in prayer, send God’s love back into the world to bless others in the way he is blessing you. 

With this chapter, I’ve been sharing a picture on Instagram each week.

In our Hide His Word Facebook group, Marilyn shared this idea that I love:

“I have copied scriptures on my phone and printed a 4×6 photo at Walmart and this has helped me memorize. Then I always make extras to give away.”

2. Practice in Scripture Typer.

Tomorrow you’ll take a break, so give your all today to type in Scripture Typer all the verses you’ve learned so far. It shouldn’t take long to do.

TODAY’S TIP

* Use light as a prompt

Notice today where you see light coming in, and use that as a prompt to think about the light of God in your memory verse. An overhead light in your kitchen; a table lamp in your bedroom; the small bulb in the back of your refrigerator; the huge sun lighting up half the world at a time.

Just as there are many types of light, so there are many ways that God will use these words in your life to spotlight what you need to see and share.

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Be patient if the truth of a passage is slow to sink in. Sometimes God turns the light on like the flip of a switch, but other times he lets it creep in slowly like the sunrise in the morning.

But both are lights that will illuminate our day. He will always give us the right amount of light we need to get through the day at hand.

Be grateful for the insights you are receiving, and look forward to the extra light he’ll continue to shine on your days in the future.

LINKS

• Turn on the light with scripture memory
• Light on dark

* * *

What light are you seeing by right now? Please share in the comments.

TO MEMORIZE

Repeat 3-5 times, twice a day.

4  And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.
5  “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Isaiah 12:4-5 (ESV)

Practice using 1st letters, twice a day.

4  A y w s i t d: “G t t t L, c u h n, m k h d a t p, p t h n i e.
5  “S p t t L, f h h d g; l t b m k i a t e.”

TO REVIEW

1  You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
2  “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
3  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:1-3 (ESV)

1  Y w s i t d: “I w g t t y, O L, f t y w a w m, y a t a, t y m c m.
2  “B, G i m s; I w t, a w n b a; f t L G i m s a m s, a h h b m s.”
3  W j y w d w f t w o s.

TO DO

1. Write in your journal.

What do this week’s words mean to you? How have you seen the Lord moving through them in your own life? What songs of praise can you sing to the Lord for what he’s done?

2. Review all the verses in Scripture Typer.

TODAY’S TIP

* Take it personally.

For the words to take root, view them as personal. Consciously think about how they not only applied to their original audience, but also how they can apply to you. The more connections you make with your own life, the better.

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

It’s easy to get in the mindset that we are working the words. But in reality, it’s the Word working us.

While we struggle (and hopefully delight, too!) over each word, there’s a greater transformation happening that we can’t see.

The Lord is moving through our efforts, renewing our spirit to match his own Spirit.

That metamorphosis is not one we can force to happen, but we can lay ourselves open to it, inviting God in, to shift our hearts to receive more joy, more peace, more love.

Memorizing scripture is so much more than increasing vocabulary; it’s remodeling our hearts. 

LINKS

• Not perfecting the words; the Word perfecting me
• Take it personally

* * *

Is there a scripture that you take very personally? Please share in the comments.

 

TO MEMORIZE

Repeat 3-5 times, twice a day.

4  And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.
5  “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Isaiah 12:4-5 (ESV)

Practice using 1st letters, twice a day.

4  A y w s i t d: “G t t t L, c u h n, m k h d a t p, p t h n i e.
5  “S p t t L, f h h d g; l t b m k i a t e.”

TO REVIEW

1  You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
2  “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
3  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:1-3 (ESV)

1  Y w s i t d: “I w g t t y, O L, f t y w a w m, y a t a, t y m c m.
2  “B, G i m s; I w t, a w n b a; f t L G i m s a m s, a h h b m s.”
3  W j y w d w f t w o s.

TO DO

1. Box the nouns; circle the verbs.

This is for us grammarians. If that’s not you, skip down to #2. But it’s helpful to me to notice the sentence structure, particularly when a verse is heavy with an element.

Isaiah 12:4 is heavy with verbs, so by memorizing these 4 words, you’ve almost memorized the whole verse along with them:

Give – call – make – proclaim

2. Look for other word patterns.

As mentioned yesterday, notice how the second half of this chapter (Isaiah 12:4) begins much like the beginning of the chapter (Isaiah 12:1): “[And] you will say in that day: [I will] give thanks. . .”

Singing is also repeated from Isaiah 12:2, “God is…my song” to Isaiah 12:5, “Sing praises to the Lord” (and we’ll see it again in verse 6).

3. Make a review plan.

The best way to retain what you’ve learned is to review it periodically. I *try* to review a chapter twice a week after I complete it, then move it to once a week for a month, then put it on the rotation to review one chapter a week in a list with other chapters I’ve learned.

4. Practice all verses in Scripture Typer.

TODAY’S TIP

* Keep your memory verses together.

Once you start learning verses, it’s helpful to gather them together in a notebook or folder or box. You can then flip through them in order to ensure that everything gets reviewed periodically instead of forgotten. I keep mine in a binder specifically for Bible verses.

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

I’m sure you already know this, but: You won’t retain every word you’re memorizing. Don’t let that discourage you though. Because remember, it’s not about the word-for-word learning anyway; it’s about the heart. By planting these words into your heart through memorization, the message will sink even deeper. And by God’s grace, the message will stay, even if the words fade.

However, most of the words don’t have to fade away if you’ll continue to review periodically. You won’t have to review daily, but do make it a practice to return to them now and again to keep what you worked to gain.

LINKS

• 3-step review to remember
• How to make a Bible notebook

* * *

What word patterns have you noticed so far in the verses you’re memorizing? Do you have a plan for review? Please share in the comments.

(If you’ve become discouraged in your efforts to memorize, be sure to read “5 reasons to not give up” at the end of this post.)

TO MEMORIZE

Repeat 3-5 times, twice a day.

4  And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.
5  “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Isaiah 12:4-5 (ESV)

Practice using 1st letters, twice a day.

4  A y w s i t d: “G t t t L, c u h n, m k h d a t p, p t h n i e.
5  “S p t t L, f h h d g; l t b m k i a t e.”

TO REVIEW

1  You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
2  “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
3  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:1-3 (ESV)

1  Y w s i t d: “I w g t t y, O L, f t y w a w m, y a t a, t y m c m.
2  “B, G i m s; I w t, a w n b a; f t L G i m s a m s, a h h b m s.”
3  W j y w d w f t w o s.

TO DO

1. Add in this week’s 1st letters.

Say this week’s verses once in the morning and once in the afternoon by looking at 1st letters. See 1st letters cards here and 1st letters one-page here.

2. Add newest verses to Scripture Typer.

Begin today with the Type It step for Isaiah 12:4-5. Review older verses.

3. Dig into background information on the new verses.

A great  online study guide is here from David Guzik. Add any interesting findings in your journal.

These are some thoughts I jotted down from Isaiah 12:4-5:

The second half of this psalm starts like the first half (except for “And”) . . . “you will say in that day.”

It’s a hymn of praise—proclaim and celebrate!—not just a private prayer.

God’s goodness and works are to be the subject of these praises.

TODAY’S TIP

* At least do a little

Do you know FlyLady’s philosophy? “A little housework done imperfectly is better than no housework done at all.”

The same applies to us as we memorize scripture. Learning a verse halfway is better than not learning it at all. God works through our imperfections if we make the effort to give them to him.

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Five reasons why you should not give up now (and these apply to more than scripture memory):

1. Because if you give up, you definitely won’t finish. If you keep going, you just might make it.
2. Because you’re learning patience.
3. Because a little is better than none at all.
4. Because success may be just around the corner.
5. Because God can do the impossible.

LINKS

• 1st Letters 3×5 Cards
• 5 reasons to not give up
• Blue Letter Bible Study Guide for Isaiah 12

* * *

What are you trying to not give up on? What keeps you moving on? Please share in the comments.