10 Reasons to Memorize Scripture

How does a mother train up a child in God’s way, if His Word is not continually in her heart, guiding her parenting techniques and giving her the strength she (desperately!) needs for this God-given mission? Today Sandra encourages us to memorize Scripture and reap God’s bountiful blessings!

Do you struggle memorizing bible verses? I must admit I do – if I just read the verse. But by using different creative methods, memorizing doesn’t have to be a drudgery – it can be fun! What if you were offered R1000 (or perhaps $100) for every bible verse you could memorize in the next seven days? Do you think your attitude toward Scripture memory and your ability to memorize would improve? Any monetary reward would be small compared to the immense and incalculable value of the treasure of God’s word deposited within your mind.

The Word of God is like a treasure casket full of extremely valuable gems and gold and there is no safer place to put it than in our hearts (Psalm 119:11; Matthew 13:44). As parents, if we are enthusiastic and eager to learn the Word of God, then our children will also want to follow our example. Think how wonderful it would be to go through a difficult time, a trial or a temptation, and have memorized verses available, at a moments recall, to encourage you in your walk with God or to comfort a friend.

Today I would like to invite you to look into some of the incredible benefits of memorizing… And stay tuned for the next post where I will be sharing some of our favourite Scripture Memory Tools!

Why Memorize?

So, why memorize? Are there any benefits of knowing the Bible by heart – after all most people have a bible (if not 2 or 3 or more!) and, often, even with them on their phones. Couldn’t we just read it?

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of memorizing bible verses.

1. Imitating Jesus

Jesus memorized and quoted Scripture. In Matthew 4:1-11 He begins His quotes with “It is written”. Altogether, He quoted 24 books of the Old Testament 180 times in the New Testament! He is our example and we should follow Him. Memorizing Scripture has the effect of making our gaze on Jesus steadier and clearer. If we want to be like Jesus we will recite Scripture from memory like He did.

2. Spiritual Growth

Let the more important passages of Scripture connected with the lesson be committed to memory, not as a task, but as a privilege. Though at first the memory be defective, it will gain strength by exercise, so that after a time you will delight thus to treasure up the words of truth. And the habit will prove a most valuable aid to spiritual growth.

CG 511.4

Do you need to write things down in order to remember them – I sure do! I make lists when I go shopping, so as to not forget important items. God knows we can’t remember everything or keep His commands without being frequently reminded. This is why He told us to renew our minds in Scripture daily. He already wrote down what we need to know! Bible memorization renews and transforms our minds. (Romans 12:2) Do you need to be spiritually transformed? I know I do.

3. We are Called to Memorize the Word

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, make it an integral part of your life (Colossians 3:16; Deuteronomy 6:4-9). This command is not burdensome but life-giving.

Several times each day precious golden moments should be consecrated to prayer and the study of the Scriptures, if it is only to commit a text to memory, that spiritual life may exist in the soul. 4T 459.1

Gods precious Word is the standard for youth who would be loyal to the King of heaven. Let them study the Scriptures. Let them commit text after text to memory and acquire a knowledge of what the Lord has said. ML 315.2

4. It Gives Wisdom

The Bible says wisdom is more precious than rubies (Proverbs 8:11) and gold (Proverbs 16:16). Wisdom is only words if not applied. Words become wisdom when they are internalized and the heart changes. Are we prepared to sacrifice all to acquire the wisdom God wants to freely give us if we ask? God is the author and giver of all wisdom (James 1:5; James 3:17). When we study and memorize the Bible we acquire a knowledge of God, who He is, what He has promised and who we are in Christ.

In Luke 2:52, it says Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and in favour with God and man. Scripture memory gives us wisdom to make the best decision-making choices each day (Psalm 119:97-100). It equips us to handle the headaches and heartaches of life (Proverbs 3:5-6). We learn what His will is for our lives (Romans 12:2).

There is a remedy for every malady found in the Bible! That Remedy is Jesus as found in His Word. He is the Word made flesh! (John 1:14) Memorizing Scripture is like having a handy first-aid kit with you all the time. You are ready for any emergency that comes your way! As a mom, I can then be better equipped to meet the needs of my family, teaching my children the right way, and discipling them. The Word of God is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect (complete) thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.” (2 Tim 3:16)

Here is a picture of the Child Training Bible which you can find on their website.

It gives character traits and bible verses, teaching how to overcome negative traits of character.

Memorising these verses will give great wisdom in discipling our children. When I know the correct verse for a given situation it makes it so much easier, like giving the right medical treatment to the right disease.

5. It Enlarges Our Prayer Life

The Bible teaches us what to pray, and how to pray. When you feel you don’t have the right words in prayer, turn to Scripture. There are many prayers in the Bible to memorize. For example: Jesus’ prayer (John 17), the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), Jabez’ prayer (1 Chronicles 4:10), Hannah’s prayer of praise (1 Samuel 2:1-10) and David’s prayer for deliverance (Psalm 3).

Hang in memory’s hall the precious words of Christ. They are valued far above silver or gold.

6T 81.3

Having the bible implanted in your mind gives you a vast library in your “memory hall” to draw the precious promises of God from while praying.

If we follow the simple plan during prayer of ABC – Ask, Believe and Claim, then we need to know what to claim. We need to know where to find the gem in the treasure chest in order to claim it as ours. By memorizing key verses and storing the powerful promises of God in our minds, we can come boldly to the throne of grace and claim these saving truths as ours, through Jesus. Connecting the powerful Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) with prayer makes the Bible personal. I hope you will find praying the Scriptures a blessing!

6. It Helps us to Obey and Resist Temptation

Psalm 119:9 tells us that the God’s Word is a preventative method for avoiding temptation. The Bible should be our first line of defense – not our own thoughts, reactions, or the opinions of others! For example, when tempted to get irritated and speak harshly to someone, the application of Proverbs 15:1 “a soft answer turns away wrath” can prevent much heartache and “I’m sorry”s. When tempted, Jesus immediately responded with a bible verse. “It is written” can be our immediate response too – praise God! A way to resist the devil! (James 4:7)

We must be better acquainted with our Bibles. We might close the door to many temptations, if we would commit to memory passages of Scripture. Let us hedge up the way to Satan’s temptations with “It is written”. AG 262.4

Build a wall of Scriptures around you, and you will see that the world cannot break it down. Commit the Scriptures to memory, and then throw right back upon Satan when he comes with his temptations. LDE 67.2

7. It Helps us to Witness to Others

Have you ever spoken to a friend or stranger, and wanted to encourage them with a Bible verse, or share a truth, but you didn’t have your Bible with you or know the exact words or where to find it? Knowing our Bibles well, being able to recall texts to defend our faith, makes God’s Word more convincing. If others see that the Bible is important enough to you to memorize, they will see value in it too.

Sharing from the heart, what you have taken time to internalize, study, and value, changes you. You understand it on a deeper level, its more personal than reading it off a screen or book. And this witness or testimony, empowered by the Holy Spirit, touches other people’s hearts. In this way you can share your love for Jesus through your love for His Word. And He promises His Word will not return unto Him void (Isaiah 55:11; Hebrews 4:12). Just like in 1 Peter 3:15, we can be ready with a defense to anyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is found in us.

We can find comfort and encouragement for ourselves and for sharing with others (2 Cor 1:3-4). There are thousands of promises to read, memorize and claim as gifts to us from God in the Bible. Why not memorize and share one of these promises of hope today with someone who is sad, lonely or depressed? (1 Thess 4:18)  For example, share 1 Thess 5:18 “in everything give thanks” as a remedy for discouragement.

8. It Brings Blessings Into Our Lives

God promises blessings with continual meditation of His word. (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1) Some of these blessings are spiritual vitality, profound hope, peace and joy, greater love for and communion with our Creator.

9. It Improves Our Time

We can be using those little moments during the day! For example, while doing a chore like washing the dishes or baking bread, or if we have to wait in a queue or have an unexpected delay. These little moments can be improved by reviewing memory verses. This time spent will never return void! (Isaiah 55:11)

If we have some spare time, we will not go to a magazine to read some foolish, trifling, lying story, but we will find something in the Word to commit to memory. WR, September 15, 1909 par.6

Keep a pocket Bible with you as you work, and improve every opportunity to commit to memory its precious promises. LDE 67.4

10. There will come a time when we will not have our Bibles!

None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict. GC 593.2

The time will come when many will be deprived of the written Word. But if this Word is printed in the memory, no one can take it from us. LDE 67.5

Study the Word of God. Commit its precious promises to memory so that, when we shall be deprived of our Bibles, we may still be in possession of the Word of God. 10 MR 298.3

Looking back into History we can see how much the Waldenses valued the Bible, “the Gospels of Matthew and John were committed to memory, with many of the Epistles.” GC 68.2 “Copies of the Bible were rare; therefore its precious words were committed to memory. Many were able to repeat large portions of both the Old and the New Testament.” GC 67.1 And with the Reformers, “all who could read were eager to study the word of God for themselves. They carried it about with them, and read and reread, and could not be satisfied until they had committed large portions to memory.” GC194.1

Start today!

Memorizing God’s Word provides a defense against sin, comfort for a friend, it improves our prayer life, helps us to know God better, reproves our actions and leads us onto the right road, it improves our time, it helps us and our children want to be more obedient and be like Jesus, and so many more blessings!

With all these amazing benefits why don’t we memorize more? May God inspire us, and empower us to take His Word, read it, internalize and digest it and may it become a part of us as food becomes a part of our blood and chemistry physically. May we make the Bible our supreme treasure, whether memorizing a few verses, longer passages, whole chapters or even books! Let us remember that we can do all things through Christ which gives us strength and that there is no better investment than Memorizing the Bible.

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