Hey, Everybody! I am jotting this post several days in advance because I’ll be at a Living Proof Live in Atlanta, Georgia the day this goes up. In fact, if you read this before 11:15 CST (12:15 Atlanta time) on Saturday, we’d be incredibly blessed if you’d pray for our remaining time to be so flooded with the presence of God that we can hardly bear the glory.
I’m so proud of you for making it this far in our Scripture memory process! Sisters, you have worked hard. Let yourself feel the holy nod of God. He has tremendous joy in seeing His children esteem His Word highly enough to store it like treasures in the vault of their hearts. We’ve arrived at a milestone of sorts in this journey. June is tremendously significant for our team because this is the month we come to the halfway marker. Once we get into July and August we have less memorization in front of us than we have behind us. That’s a big deal.
This time around I’m choosing a verse that I’ll be challenging the attendees to memorize at the Atlanta Living Proof Live. I’m not sure a verse could be more fitting for the pure act of praise. I love Scriptures that not only speak about God but speak straight to God. Get a load of this one:
Beth, Houston. O Lord, You are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt Yourself as the ruler of all. 1 Chronicles 29:11 The NET Bible
Any of us who memorize a fair amount of Scripture have certain go-to approaches that have helped us along. If you’ve got a method that is working, by all means, go with it! But, if you’re interested in memorizing the same verse and would like some suggestions about how to tackle it, I’ll share what works for me. Keep in mind that the methods of Blonder Than She Pays To Be could be madness to someone else so take this or leave it depending on your learning style.
With any verse, I start looking almost immediately for how I can reason out the word order. The first thing I’m going to notice in 1 Chronicles 29:11 is that there are 6 rapid-fire descriptions of God in the first sentence. In this verse, I’d reason that it’s fitting for the word “great” to be first among the descriptions because many of us are accustomed to using the terminology that God (or the Lord, in this case) is great. It’s an easy, accessible word. The next three descriptions all begin with “M”: mighty, majestic, magnificent. As I prepare for Atlanta, I’ll be saying those three words over and over in that order so that they’ll get ingrained in my thinking. They have an amplifying rhythm to them, too, because the first one (mighty) is two syllables, the second one (majestic) is three syllables, and the third one (magnificent) is four syllables. Does that help at all with the word order and how they roll off your tongue? Say them until you feel the syllables build and you might latch onto them pretty quickly.
After the beginning “G” (great) and the 3 “M’s”, we have another “G.” This time it stands for “glorious.” That’s a word I love to say so I’m hoping I can remember it pretty easily. G-M-M-M-G. Are you beginning to catch on? (I think I just heard somebody yell “NO!” Was that you?? I tried to warn you that I can make things harder than they have to be. Laughing. You might need to be the one telling your sisters here how to tackle a wordy verse. Just give me an “E” for effort here and maybe an “A” for affection. I do so seriously love you.)
The last of the 6 descriptions is “sovereign.” To me, that’s always the final word on anything that has to do with God. If I’m confused or I can’t fit in my brain why this happened or why God approached a particular thing a particular way, I finally come to a measure of peace by stating this biblical truth: He is sovereign over all things. In the exact words of 1 Chronicles 29:11, “over all the sky and earth.” I love visual language and that, Sister, is plenty visual. Span the galaxies in the universe with your imagination then put your scope on our planet and zero in. (I know I’m really pushing it right now with some of you but the way I’d keep it straight that “sky” comes before “earth” is that it starts with an “S” like “sovereign” right before it. If I’m getting on your last nerve, never mind.)
Then put the finishing touches on the verse with this: You have dominion and exalt Yourself as the ruler of all!
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not expecting that we’d have it down pat in the brief amount of time it’s taken us to walk through those few paragraphs but what about 15 days? That’s how long we’d have to get those words steeped into our souls. Could we get them down over the course of two weeks? Yes, ma’am, I do believe we can! And, if not word-for-word, just think how much we’ve meditated on descriptions of our God! That is time NEVER wasted. Let’s ask God to give us the supernatural unction to accomplish this memorization and remind Him how much glory He could receive from our being able to extol His preeminence like that over and over while we’re…
praying…
driving…
walking through our neighborhoods…
on our treadmills…
rocking our babies…
getting chemotherapy…
getting physical therapy…
sitting with an elderly loved one…
healing from a heartbreak…
or so happy that we need some way to tell Him how marvelous we think He is before we burst.
Of course, most of you have your own Scripture selections and I have just put you through the wringer for nothing! So, whether you’re sharing 1 Chronicles 29:11 or bringing your own verse to the table, let’s see them! I’m blessed almost out of my bleached blond mind to get to do this with you, Sister. You are a tremendous joy to me.
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
Hannah, Baton Rouge, LA
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment so that you may be approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. Philippians 1:9-10 ESV
Jennifer Craven in Winston-Salem, NC
For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
Romans 12:3 NLT
Jennifer from Leesburg, GA:
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1 NASB
The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 NIV
Janna, Frisco, TX
Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. Proverbs 26:20 NIV
Shirley, Fair Oaks, Ca
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the spirit is love and peace. Romans 8:6, NIV
Susan
Corinth, TX
Susan
Corinth, TX
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
Romans 8:1 NIV
N FORT MYERS, FL
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16)above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
EPHESIANS 6: 15, 16 NKJV
Patsi from Porter, TX
O Lord, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler of all. 1 Chron. 29:11
Indiana
“O Lord, You are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt Yourself as the ruler of all.”
1 Chronicles 29:11 The NET Bible
Stephanie, Columbus, OH John 17 KJV For the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ
Ellen, Aurora, OH
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence.”
Jeremiah 17:7
April, Fort Worth
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalms 32:7 NIV
Connie Windham
Trout, LA
1 Chronicles 29:11 NASB
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.
Rae from Greenwood, AR. ” It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. ” NIV
Riverton UT
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2 NLT)
Joanne, Tomball
“…times of refreshment will come from the presence of The Lord…” (Acts 3:20 NLT)
Shaunna Sturgeon
New Strawn, KS
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22 ESV)
Heidi ~ Oak Harbor WA.
I received mercy for this reason:
that in me . . .
Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience
as an example
to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life.
I Tim 1:16 ESV
Elizabeth N., Castle Rock, CO
I Thes 4:1, NASB
“Finally then brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.”
“The Lord looks down from heaven; He sees all the children of man.” Psalms 33:13 ESV
Lisa S. in Montgomery, TX
1 John 5:21 NIV
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
lissa from Granbury, tX
I’ve just returned from a mission trip to Costa Rica where we taught this verse in spanish to some very sweet and special kiddos. Part of my heart is still there! Here’s one of the verses we taught them…I will never say this verse without picturing their sweet faces!
For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. Luke 19:10 ESV
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
James 5:13 NIV
Dana
Boerne, TX 78006
Skeet from Monroe, Ga.
I Cor. 13:11 (NIV)
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Melissa Irwin; Franklin, TN
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?” Psaml 27:1 (NASB)
Julie Elrod, Smyrna, GA: 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:3-4 NIV
Ceffie Bridgeport WV Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 NLT
Sue, Kingsport, TN.
“O Lord, You are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt Yourself as the ruler of all.”
1 Chronicles 29:11 NET Bible
Sorry so late- out of town 3 weeks without Internet.
Jennifer, Wilmington, DE
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize
for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Phil 3:14 NIV
Rebecca
Boise, Idaho
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
1 Peter 5:6-7 HCSB
Jeannette Z. from Mission, TX
John 3:30KJV
He must increase, but I must decrease.
Miriam, Columbia, SC
“In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10 (NIV)
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 such things. (Philippians 4:8 NIV)
Bethany, Pittsburgh
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 such things. (Philippians 4:8 NIV)
Elizabeth, Easley, SC
“The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1 NASB
Bowie, MD
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things wich are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
KJV, Col. 3:1
Shannon ~ Bethesda, MD
“No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Joshua 1:5 NIV
“For God has not given is a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:7
Dana from Waterford, Ohio
(1 Timothy 6:10) NIV
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Charlotte, Tomball, TX, Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17, NKJV.
Melissa, Nicholasville, KY
“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” Psalm 119:37 (NIV)
Heal me LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will will be saved, for you are the one I praise.
Jeremiah 17:14 NIV
Karen Buchanan, Dover, AR. KJV Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.”
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 HCSB)
Heidi, Round Rock, TX
Pam from Celina, TX
Psalm 91:1-2
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’.” NIV
Hilary, Buffalo, NY
She is more previous than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her
Proverbs 3:15 NIV
Penny G
Coweta, OK
Phil 1:10 (NIV)
so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,