Memorize Scripture

Winter holiday idea:  Memorize Scripture and teach children to memorize Scripture.

Challenge them to memorize Scripture and give them points for each verse that they can recite properly.  Teach them the meaning of the verses and have a quiz at the end of the holiday.

Start with Ps. 8, Ps. 13, Ps. 23, Ps. 117, Ps. 121, Ps. 131,

“When should we read, pray, memorize? Every day without exception. No less than fifteen minutes and no more than thirty minutes a day. One chapter a week should be manageable by most readers. If you find yourself overwhelmed, take a week's refreshment and see my book for ideas in getting unstuck. Then return to the spot where you left off. The Lord will surely bless your effort.”

Scripture by Heart: Devotional Practices for Memorizing God's Word  Joshua Choonmin Kang

Start to memorize new Bible portions by repetition:

• Pray for wisdom to memorize Scripture – James 1:5 – God gives generously.
• Copy the verse reference and verse text on an index card that you can carry with you.
• Develop and practice a plan that allows you to recite your verse (silently or out loud) numerous times throughout the day. For example, when you wake up each day, recite the verse from your “verse repetition card” at least three times. As you get ready for the day, place your verse card within sight so you can recite the verse as you are doing something else.
•  During the day, remember to use the extra seconds and minutes to recite the verse reference and text from your card. You will be surprised how many times you will be able to read from your verse card in your off times” (such as walking from one place to another, cleaning up, etc).
• Use the Bible verses that you memorize in your prayers.  You can pray the whole book of Ephesians as a prayer to God.   Pray Psalm 117 like this:  “I want to praise you, O Lord, with all the nations.  I want to extol You with all the preople.  For your love is great toward us.  Your faithfulness endures forever.  I praise you, o Lord.”
• Put actions to the verse
• Within a few days, you will discover that you can recite the verse reference and text without looking at the card. When that begins to happen, renew the “repetition, not memorization” plan with a new verse.
• Periodically, review the verses you know.  When you cannot sleep at night, repeat the verses!!  This is medicine for sleeplessness!! Do not count sheep – that is a waste of time!!

When the Lord Jesus was tempted by Satan, he knew how to conquer him with Scripture. Are we able to use the Sword of the Word to conquer Satan?  Eph. 6: 17 – Sword of the Spirit . Ps. 119:11  

Write down in a small book all the verses or portions of Scripture you know and revise them from time to time.  

Joshua Choonmin Kang says: Why Memorize The Bible?

I can think of four reasons:

To know God. All we need to know about God, at least on earth, the Bible tells us. It records God's life and his works. It quotes Jesus as saying that in eternal life we will know more about God. But for now the Bible is our best source for learning about God.

To imitate Christ. Everyone in the New Testament who personally received Christ was called a disciple, and with that came a responsibility. Disciples must emulate their teacher. They must imitate the teacher's way of thinking and acting. As the disciples do this, they become more like Christ himself. But it doesn't happen overnight; it's a gradual, never-ending process.

To worship God. Worshiping God is the cause of our existence, the very reason for our existence. The Lord puts it quite plainly. "My chosen people [are] / the people whom I formed for myself / so that they might declare my praise" (Isaiah 43:20-21).

To fulfill God's mission.Jesus committed the Scriptures to memory and had full mastery over them. His being was filled with the Scriptures. As a child he grew in wisdom on account of them. He walked in them, proclaimed them even from the cross, even as he was accomplishing God's work of redemption.

In the footsteps of the first disciples, we too have a mission to the world. We must diligently commit the books of the Bible to memory, which will transform our hearts as stewards prepared with the truth of his Word.

The apostle Paul speaks to this point explicitly: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).