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
Billie, Greenville, KY “And he opened his mouth and taught them saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'” Matthew 5:2-3
Pat W. Green Bank, WV.
(verse from song “I’d Rather Have Jesus”)
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 (NLT)
Marsha, Knoxville, TN
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”
Proverbs 9:10 (GWT)
Millie from Huntsville, AL
Deuteronomy 31:8
And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8 KJV
Cathy, Houston. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. Psalm 112:2 NLT
Using this verse, also. Thanks Cathy.
Angie W., Federal Way, WA
Therefore lift up your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Hebrews 12:12,13 ESV
Julie, Chesterland OH
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is Yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all.
1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV
love it!! ~been out of town..just now able to log on~then changed mine when i read this 🙂
DIANA FROM BRIDGE CITY TX:
NIV: GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD. HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed. Hebrews 12:12 NIV
Letha. Mountain Home, Arkansas. “I will always put my hope in you; I will praise you more and more. I will tell of your goodness; all day long I will speak of your salvation, though it is more than I can understand. Psalm 71:14-15 GNT
Aleta Westfield IN, KJV 1 Chronicles 16:36 Blessed be The Lord God of Israel forever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised The Lord.
jeri, stillwater, ok The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. 2 Samuel 22:2 (NIV)
Brea B. – Gardendale, AL
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)
Teresah, Redmond, Oregon
“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawlwess. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.”
Psalm 18:30 NIV
Heidi~Lindale, Texas
1 Chronicles 29:11 The NET Bible
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.
(Loved your tutorial on memorization, Beth! Thank you!)
Kristin A. in Cheney, WA (formally Renton, WA until a couple days ago!)
“O Lord, You are great, mighty, majestic, 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
Ashley Edwards, Dallas, Ga John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”
John 1:23 (NIV)
Brittany in Carrollton, TX: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, (Philippians 2:3 NIV)
Michelle, Frisco, Texas
Isaiah 55:12 – You will go out with joy and be led forth with peace.
Vicki, Lubbock, TX– I will not leave you as orphans;
I will come to you. John 14:18 NIV
June, Coarsegold, CA: “Return to your rest, O my soul; for The Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” Psalm 116:7 NASB
Deborah from Seward, Alaska
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6 NASB
Love this! Scripture memorization is so important!
Lowell, NC
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3
ESV
The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 (NLT)
Kathleen Saint Joseph, MI
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.
HCSB
Stephanie from Pickerington, OH
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (James 1:22 NASB)
Ann Ft Lauderdale, FL
“O Lord, You are great and 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
Allison Ross, Cypress TX
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14 NIV
Laurin, Harrisburg, NC “If you love Me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15
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
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy & beloved,
compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,”
Colossians 3:12, ESV
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12 NIIV
Crystal Johnson from Columbia, SC
Psalms 119:54 (NIV) “Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.”
“Be watchful,
stand firm in your faith,
be courageous,
be strong.
Let all that you do
be done in love.”
I Corinthians 16:13-14
RSV
Linda, Ft. Collins, CO
Karen, Christy, Cheryl A Cord of Three Strands
Jay, OK
John 13:34,35 NIV
A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Amy, midlothian va
Psalm 13:6 niv I will sing to The Lord, for he has been good to me.
Emily Jordan
Virginia Beach
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek His face always.
Psalm 105:4 (NIV)
Vicki, Smithwick/Marble Falls, TX
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
2 Cor. 4:17 (NIV)
Micah 6:8 (NIV)
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your GOD.
Cindy/Midland
Sandy – Dodge City, KS
He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 62:6 NIV
Darcy, Clermont, FL.
So teach us to consider our mortality, so that we might live wisely. Psalm 90:12 NET Bible
Southlake, TX “My times are in your hands…” Psalms 31:15a NIV
Pat G. Birmingham, Al
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
“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
Kristin, Clearwater, FL
Beth, London ON
1 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 rule of all.
Mary from Brookfield, CT
You have been traveling around this mountain long enough. Head north.
Deuteronomy 2:3
Common English Bible
Samantha from Texarkana, AR
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. (Proverbs 30:8 NIV)
Christina Brown
Louisville, KY
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Psalm 51:12 NIV