HOW TO USE THIS MATERIAL:

 

It is important that we follow God’s command and memorize scripture but also to follow His method so we may remember.  Too many times we memorize scripture only to forget the reference or sadly over time forget the entire verse.  This happens because we only hid the verse in our minds.  The Bible tells us to hide His Word in our hearts.  So how does a verse get from the mind down into the heart?  The only way is by following God’s method.

 

• STUDY

 

2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

 

Spend time searching through the Bible for similar verses.  Research the words and the meaning to the verse, making sure you have a good understanding of how the verse applies to you.  Memorized scriptures are weapons to help us battle temptations and make wise decisions, but if we do not know how a verse applies it becomes a useless weapon.

 

• DAILY REVIEW

 

Write the verses down and keep them always in front of your eyes.  Proverbs 3:21-23, “My son, let them not depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.”

 

Proverbs 4:20-23, “My son, attend unto my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

 

• MEDITATION

 

Psalm 119:97, “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.”

 

Think on the verses you have memorized, remembering that memorized scriptures are the keys to receiving the wisdom of God.

 

• PRAYER

 

Pray for God to help you in the battle you will face when memorizing scripture.  The devil will be fighting you in this area and the battle will be tough, but don’t give up and determine to stay in the fight.  God’s bountiful blessings are awaiting those who obey.

 

Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”  When our prayers are in tune with His Word, it is pleasing to our Lord.  Memorized scripture helps us keep our prayers and thoughts right with God.

 

Psalm 49:3, “My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.”  When we pray through the verses we have memorized, we allow ourselves to examine our hearts, reflecting on their truths and allowing the Holy Spirit to convict and work in our hearts.

 

• SONGS

 

Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  In this verse, memorized scripture dwells richly in the heart of the Christian and God uses that scripture to teach and admonish others.  These scriptures were put to song.

 

Ephesians 5:19, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”  Scripture songs are a pleasing and beautiful sound to our Lord.  Also note that it doesn’t matter if you are off key or not, God is listening to the heart which sings beautifully every time when sung with a heart full of love for God.

 

• DISCUSSION

 

Deuteronomy 6:5-7, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou riseth up.”

 

We are to talk about scripture when we sit down, when we walk, when we lie down and when we rise up.  Basically we are to be talking about scripture all day long.

 

• TEACHING

 

In Deuteronomy 6:5-7 it talks about teaching our children. But God also wants us to teach others.

 

Deuteronomy 31:12-13, “Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.”  Notice that the purpose was to instill the fear of the LORD.  Proverbs 2:1-12 informs us that the method to obtain the fear of the Lord begins with reading His Word and hiding it in our hearts.

 

A word of caution: Do not attempt to overload your brain with too many verses at the same time.  God asks us to do all things decently and in order, 1 Corinthians 14:40.  If you try to memorize too many at one time, your brain may get confused, you may scramble the references and get discouraged.

 

I suggest you take a few verses at a time.  Write them down and begin memorizing the words along with the reference.  Many people find it helpful to write the verses down several times a day until they have them retained in their head.  Then begin studying the verse using the lesson provided.  Keep the verse in front of your eyes, meditating on the meaning and praying.  Discuss your findings with another Christian and seek out someone you may teach.

 

I find it amazing every time I discover that a new verse has transported itself from my brain to my heart, only by God’s doing.  It encourages me because I know that my heart, unlike my head, will never forget.  That’s just where I need God’s Word to be in order to guide me each step along this road called life.

 

I challenge you to make a commitment and begin memorizing scripture.  Then watch how God will miraculously work in your heart and the heart of others!