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
Kathryn, West Palm Beach, “For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.” James 1:11 NIV
Julia from Cincinnati, OH
“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”
Romans 12:12 (NLT)
Julie, Gresham, OR
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17 (NIV)
Kendra Green, Bryan, TX
“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Josh1.9.nlt
Shannon, Columbia, SC
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
Debbie, Corpus Christi, TX:
“For I am The Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, Do not fear, I will help you.”
Isaiah 41:13 NAB
Ellen
TN
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
the conviction (evidence) of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 NASB
Christine, Chandler, AZ:
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God,the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
James 1:27 ESV
Elaine, McVeytown
And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21: 2-4 NLT
“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
Vanessa, Rio Rancho NM
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
Roxanne Hummelstown, pa psalm 27 7-8
Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, “Seek[d] my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
Diana Plyley “Lord you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious and sovereign over all the sky and earth. You have dominion as exalt Yourself as ruler of all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11 NEat bible
Lakeisha, Mays Landing, NJ
Yours, O Lord is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty.
Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord and this is your
Kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over al things.
1 Chronicles 29:11 NLT
Christine Friend, Flagstaff, AZ
Proverbs 16:9
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. (NLT)
Kim from Cincinnati, OH
“A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”
Proverbs 29:11
Veronica – Atlanta , Georgia
But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7 (Living Bible)
Tangila, Pearland TX
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (Romans 12:10 NLT)
” My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days are ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139;15-16 NIV
Denise from Lenexa, KS
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
James 4:7-8a NKJV
Andrea Dublin, OH
Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Anna McCollister
New Palestine, IN
“Saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers, in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
Hebrews 2:12 ESV
Fort Worth, TX
“The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.” Psalm 121:5 NLT
Laura, League City, TX:
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 ESV
Mary, Frisco, Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NLT
Cory Anna, Atlanta
“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)
Galatians 5:22 NIV
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.”
Nicole in Tahoka, Texas
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (James 1:2, 3 NIV)
Sheryl, PA
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”
John 14:16 NIV
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Psalm 138:8 ESV
Shawna Longmont, CO
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 (NIV)
Crystal Ogden
Tenaha, TX
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 1 Chronicles 29:11 NLT
Susan, Locust Grove VA
2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Michelle Alosa Concord, NH
Ephesians 2:8 NIV
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift from God”
Laura Jackson, Humble, TX
“Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honored.” Proverbs 27:18 KJV
Maryjo from Chandler, AZ
. . .so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,. . . Ephesians 3:17 NIV
Emma from Olathe, KS
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34 ESV)
Vanessa, Rockport TX
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (Isaiah 40:28, 29 NIV)
Amy Gossen
Carthage, MO
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NIV)
Margie Allen,TX
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
John 1:16 NIV
Rejoicing in hope, preserving in tribulation, devoted to prayer
Romans 12:12
Bonnie, Alexandria, LA
I Chronicles 29:11, “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.”
The Net Bible
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV
Brenda C Lee’s Summit, MO “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.” 1Peter 3:1-2 NIV84
For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13 NIV
Erika from McKinney, TX, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NIV
Jen, Frisco
1 Chronicles 29:11
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
Beth Lititz PA
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised. (Hebrews 10:36 NLT)
Taryn from Corinth, TX
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)
Debbie
Georgetown TX
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22, 23 ESV)