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
Houston, Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit & bridle to stay on track. Psalm 32:9 The Message
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? James 4:1 NIV
Galatians 5:26
The Message (MSG)
That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
Dwan
Kings Mountain, NC
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe with your heart God raised from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9, NIV
Dawn, Clever, MO:
Romans 8:1 (ESV) “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Karin from Clinton, NJ
But I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.
Philippians 3:13b NLT
Carol, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Job 33:4 NIV
Gabby, Lake View,New York
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
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1 NASV
Meredith, Trabuco Canyon, CA
“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 ESV
Cindy in Raleigh NC
Psalm 30:11-12 NIV
You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.
June 1. Proverbs 6:16
16 There are six things Yahweh hates,
and seven things are abominations of his soul
Michelle
Dallas, TX
27 yrs old
Micah 6:8 NIV
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly[a] with your God.
Kelly, Denton, TX
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1 (NIV)
Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Luke 6:37-38 (NIV)
Jamie in Mason, OH
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers… Rom 8:38 NIV
So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
Psalm 107:12 (NIV)
Stephanie
Pawleys Island, SC
Molly from Pierce,NE
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Romans 12:12 ESV
Meredith from Blacksburg, VA
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
Romans 8:26-27 ESV
“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” Psalm 115:3. NIV
Brooke- Dallas
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
John 10:10 NIV
Jill Sayles, Puyallup, WA
Numbers 22:38, NLT
“Balaam replied, ‘Look, now I have come, but I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message that God puts in my mouth.'”
Ola, Woodbridge:
A gentle answer turns anger away. But mean words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1 (NIRV)
Amber ~ Clarksville, TN
“I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say.” Psalm 39:1a NLT
Crystal in Warren, PA
Psalm 16:11 (GNTD)
You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.
Visalia, CA
But he said tome “my grace is sufficient for you,my power ismade perfect in weakness
2 Cor 12:9
Double Masectomy with reconstruction
Donna, Fort Wayne, IN
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1 ESV)
Cheya, Houston. “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,” Ephesians 3:18
Kelly, Hollidaysburg, PA
“Then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised.” ~Genesis 21:1 (NLT)
1Peter1:14-15 (NIV)
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.
Anita
Justin, TX
Stephanie
Madison, Ms
John 15:4, NIV
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
Janice, Tulsa. 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
Tricia, Conroe, TX
“But you’ll welcome us with open arms when we run for cover to you. Let the party last all night! Stand guard over our celebration. You are famous, God, for welcoming God-Seekers, for decking us out in delight.”
Psalm 5:11-12, The Message
Carolyn R.
Houston, Tx
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:30 NIV
Jamieb
Corbin,ky
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalms 23:6 KJV
Shellie, Modesto
“A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” Proverbs 12:10 KJV
Shellie, Modesto
“A tailbearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.” Proverbs 11:13 KJV
Shellie, Modesto
“An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.” Proverbs 11:9 KJV
Laura, Baton Rouge
Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about such things. Phil. 4:8 ESV
Lisa S, Plano TX
(06/01/13)
The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV
Stacey, Tomball, Psalm 103:11 NIV
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.
Brittney, San Angelo, TX
Ps 103:6 “The Lord performs righteous deeds, and judgments for all who are oppressed.”
Lindsay, Albuquerque, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;” Acts 2:25 ESV
Kelsie, Albuquerque, “Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.” Ezra 10:4 ESV
Alysa, Albuquerque, “By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place;” Proverbs 3:19 NIV
Kirby from Parsons, KS
“I can do everything through HIM who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 NIV
Amy, Buda, TX
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
James 1:2-3 NIV
Dawn, Beavercreek, OH
“And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation …”
Romans 5:4 (NLT)
Kim Safina Central Coast California
“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false…”
Habakkuk 2:2,3
Dusti Pugh, Carthage, TX
(6/01/2013)
1 Peter 4:8 NIV
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.
Kim, Richmond, Tx, “Go to the ant you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!” Prov 6:6
Jodi Alley, Humble, Tx
Romans 8:38-39 NKJV “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”