Keep in Mind

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Why should I memorize Scripture? After all, it’s 2021! The Bible is everywhere, and I can access it anytime I need to on my phone or other devices.”

Well, I would suggest the following reasons why you should memorize God’s Word:

1. Memorizing God’s Word is expected by God. 

John 15:7 reminds us:
“If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Colossians 3:16 commands us to:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

These verses, and numerous others, explain that the Word of God is not meant to be a book that sits on a shelf but something that lives within our hearts. It can’t be denied that as we memorize and make the Word of God truly a part of our lives, that’s when it will have its greatest impact. 

Pastors Todd and Julie often say this is a “get to,” not a “got to.” In other words, it is a privilege to “get to” read God’s Word, and it’s a privilege to “get to” memorize God’s Word!

2. Memorizing God’s Word is a tool for meditation.

Psalm 1:2 states:
“But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.”

Joshua 1:8 says:
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

Proverbs 4:20-22 states:
“My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.”

All Christians get to read and meditate on the Word of God. In fact, statistics show that the number one indicator of spiritual maturity and growth is daily reading and studying the Word of God.

But, meditation goes one step further. To meditate means to fill our minds with God’s Word so much that we take it with us, we’re able to chew on it, wrestle with it, and let it begin to shape our lives. 

Consequently, memorizing Scripture is a tool that enables us to continue meditating on the Word of God throughout our day. And a wealth of scientific data demonstrates that memorizing is an excellent exercise for our brains, which is also beneficial!

3. Memorizing God’s Word equips you to be victorious over sin and live obediently with God.

Psalm 119:11 says:
“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Let’s be honest; when we are tempted to sin, we don’t immediately pull out our devices and look to Google or the Bible app to see what the Bible says about this or that. But if you have memorized specific verses of the Bible that are meaningful to you, you always have them with you, especially during temptations.

4. Memorizing God’s Word enables you to know what you believe and equips you to refute the lies we encounter (both within ourselves and in culture).

John 14:15 states:
“If you love me, obey my commandments.”

Titus 1:9 reminds us:
“He [a Christian leader] must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

This is desperately needed in a culture that is trying to tell us, the Church, what Christians should believe. And as we’ve learned from our sermon series “Mind Games,” all of us can—either consciously or unconsciously—allow lies to creep into our thinking which can ultimately lead us away from the life God truly wants for us.

Memorizing Scripture helps negate those lies that surround us, both inside and out!

5. Memorizing God’s Word allows us to think about good things.

Philippians 4:8 commands us:
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Any of us can be overwhelmed by the negativity on social media and allow it to fill our minds. Yet, as Christians, we’re instructed to fill our minds with God’s Word. 

While these are all compelling reasons to learn and start memorizing Scripture, you might be wondering how you even begin? There are many exceptional programs and apps available to help you master this task. But for now, here are some of the most common and practical methods Christians have used over the years to memorize God’s Word:

1. Choose one translation to memorize from.
There are so many good translations today, whether NIV, ESV, NLT, etc. Just pick one translation and memorize your verse in only that translation. This will make it an easier and quicker process.

2. Write the verse out on note cards or in a journal. 
Think of the last time you took a class at school or college. Why did you take notes? Experts know that we learn better not just by hearing something but also by writing it down. Consequently, many reputable memorization programs insist on writing the verse down up to five or ten times in the first few days.

The point to grasp—do more than just read it!

3. Say it out loud.
In conjunction with the above, as you write the verse out, say it out loud and repeatedly! This allows you to read it, write it, and now hear it too.

4. See it often! 
Get creative here. People often take their note cards and put them in their cars, on the bathroom mirrors, on their desk at their office, or even take a picture of them with their phones to scroll through periodically during the day.

5. Get the verse from the head to the heart! 
This is where study and meditation can help. Why? Because you’re not just memorizing words, but honestly seeking to understand those words. It’s incredible how much easier it is to memorize a verse when it moves from the mind to also the heart and soul. 

Never forget that learning the text by heart is secondary to the primary goal of taking the text to heart.     

And as Pastors Todd and Julie often say, “The goal is not just to get in God’s Word, but to get God’s Word in YOU.” 

6. Memorize with someone.
As with exercise, having an accountability partner who coaches and encourages you is invaluable in the memorization process. 

7. Audio Bibles can be helpful!
Reading and writing Scripture is critical, and hearing it can also be a great aid in memorization, such as listening while driving or exercising. 

8. Repetition and review are key!
Some people can memorize verses in one day, but it might take time for the rest of us. So a goal should be that you can quote the verse without any help within a week or two. 

And then, move to the next verse while occasionally reviewing the previous ones.

9. Lastly, there are a few apps available that can help with this process, many of them stressing the same points we’ve mentioned above: 

• YouVersion
  
• Getverses.com
• Remem.me 
• Memverse.com

So let’s do this! There isn’t a more rewarding spiritual practice than memorizing Scripture because it can enrich your prayer life, your reading and studying of God’s Word, and guide you as you live your Christian life. 

I’m starting with Philippians 4:8 because I need to think on things that are good, noble, and pure, like the Word of God. 

Remember:

God expects you to do this, as shown above!

God equips you to do this by giving you His Word!

You can do this! And wait until you see the difference it will make in your life.