CHAPTER 46: NOTE TAKING 2022
Nobody takes good notes. Nobody!! If you did, and you could actually read them wouldn’t you look smart all the time! So I’m going to outline a few ways to take notes. If I were you, I’d pick one of them and do it right, or all of them. You want to look smart, don’t you? Of course, you do, you’re in charge, large and in charge.., c’mon. Be all you can be!!
The bible may be the most extensive note taking history book I’ve ever read. It is the notes of “God’s testimony.” That’s cool, right? How about your testimony? How can people find your testimony? You can tell them? What if you’re dead? Or maybe just not there? Who will remember without notes? Who would remember God’s testimony without notes? A whole bible of notes! 1000s of years of God happenings, where would we be? What about my testimony? Kids, you listen to it every Wednesday, and you have my notes. Typos included, no extra charge. This is what me and God been working on, super cool, yea? Where did I learn about notes? Clearly I strive to take example from the Bible!
2 Timothy 3:16 ESV
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
Romans 15:4 ESV
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
I’ve learned four ways of note taking. Pick one, or use them all. You really want to get smart? Sit down and revise your notes, and revise them again — share your notes, tell people about your notes, give thanks for your notes. Like I said, 4 options — Here we go, first option.
- Listen and don’t write anything down. This one is fun, but as a productive tool, maybe not. You enjoy the listener like an entertainer. Maybe you remember some of it, or not. Even on the best of days when I think I’m remembering everything somebody says, I’m not. Want to hear a go nowhere phrase? “I learn better by listening and not writing.” Option #1 Dumb. Let’s go to number 2 option for taking notes.
- Writing too many things down. With number two, a few points are made clearer, and other points are lost. I can’t listen entirely. Writing and listening is impossible. One or the other will suffer, especially if the information is new to me.
- Writing quickly and rewriting an expanded version later. Depending on your level of skill in shorthand, this can be pretty effective. Grab the information as quickly as possible, pay attention to the details with determination. In that setting, I’ve done pretty well.
- Listen with a recorder and write notes later. Waiting until another time to prepare notes from a recorder is awesome! You can hear intention, voice intonation, facts you didn’t hear the first time, a specific order of information, and best of all, listening over and over again and I get to enjoy the show the first time!!
The best advice? Don’t be foolish and pretend that your ability to comprehend is greater than it is. Get the information at the time, rewrite your notes beautifully, “the art of the blessing” as we say. Place them in a book, in order, your writings, a great enjoyable diary of you and God and your life that He’s given you. Enjoy new information over and over again in your notes. Integrate the facts now and forever. Use them to overcome the obstacles that come against you.
Habakkuk 2:2 English Standard Version (ESV)
2 And the Lord answered me:
“Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
Get it, God told Habakkuk to write things down, so you can run with it, use it, be blessed by the Word. Habakkuk wrote down what the Lord directed in about 650 BC, during the Assyrian domination of Babylon. Without his notes, we wouldn’t be talking about it now. Years later probably around 90 AD John the apostle had a vision of the new Jerusalem. We wouldn’t know about the New Jerusalem if John hadn’t written it down. Want to know about it? Cool, you can read the notes!!! Read the instructions, the notes, live life with a solid set of plans.
Revelation 21:5
New International Version (NIV)
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Isaiah 8:1
New King James Version (NKJV)
1 Moreover the Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll, and write on it with a man’s pen concerning [a]Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.
Maher-shalal-hash-baz—Make speed to the spoil, hasten to the prey.
Wow, what is that? I’ll tell you? Isaiah, wrote down accurately something very, very important. Way back in a world far far away from today, it was foretold in scripture that the Assyrian army would, in the near future of that time, destroy Damascus and Samaria. It happened. Nobody would’ve believed it, had Isaiah not written down the prophecy and then it actually happened. It happened as foretold by the prophet. Prophecy is not joke, kids, it’s the real deal, as told only by the Lord, nobody else.
Proverbs 8:9
New Living Translation
9
My words are plain to anyone with understanding,
clear to those with knowledge.
God made clear notes, just for you. When people say they don’t understand, it’s important to help. When you don’t understand, get help. When it’s your turn to write notes, be clear, committed and prepared to share them with others that the information may be understood. Rewrite them as needed. Clear and correct.
John 14:29
New International Version (NIV)
29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
That is the Bible. It tells the past, present and future. God is coming and when He does, nobody can say, “hey nobody told me!” Why? Because it is written in the book!! Scripture, the ultimate set of accurate notes. Now, buy yourself a recorder and quit being goofy. Take good notes.
1 Corinthians 14:19
New International Version (NIV)
19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Same with writing. Re-read your notes, make them matter, make them relevant, make them correct, share how they have changed your thinking, your life, the lives of those around you. More is not better, better is better. As you may have heard before.
Hosea 4:6
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Kids, you can’t lead if you don’t read. And you can’t remember if you don’t write good notes. Chapter 46, Note Taking. Do it for God, yourself, children and generations of grand babies to come.
Proverbs 19:20
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.
Remember this, when the opportunity drops by, when the Holy Spirit rolls up, when it’s time to do what needs to be done, I envision the Angel of God, the gate keeper to the next level of life, asking of me the following question: “What is your name, and are you responsible.” The correct answer? “My name is Patrick, and I am responsible, for all of it, the good, the bad and the ugly, no excuses. May God help me.” I believe in that instance, I am moved forward — and am allowed passage into “a vast sea of opportunity.”
In acceptance of His will be done.
Take notes, you’re gonna need ‘em.
Amen.
