Do you love the word of god

This year at Calvary we are attempting to read through the entire Bible together. For those who are on the “Bible Bus,” today we are reading Genesis 25-26 and Matthew 13. That means we are reading about Isaac and Ishmael and the beginning of the story of Jacob and Esau. Plus we are reading the wonderful Parables of the Kingdom from the lips of our Lord. All week long I’ve been receiving e-mail messages from folks who have joined us in our journey through God’s Word. Plus I’m getting a healthy share of questions about the various chapters we are reading together. Two people mentioned how they are impressed by an expectant mother who is confined to bed rest until her baby is delivered. Because she has extra time, she’s already into February’s passages in her Bible reading. But it doesn’t matter whether you read ahead or not. The important thing is to get closely acquainted with the Bible in 2002. That will be a blessing to you and to the whole church.

Last week I issued a challenge for some brave souls to memorize Psalm 119 this year. That’s a big task because it’s the longest chapter in the Bible. During the week I heard from two people who told me they planned to do it. Both are women, which didn’t surprise me because most of us men just can’t face a challenge like that. “I just can’t do it,” we say. Well, you won’t know whether you can or not until you put down the remote control and pick up your Bible. Then I heard from another woman and later I learned about a group of three men who are meeting each week to memorize Psalm 119. This morning one woman gave me a card and had me check her out on the first three verses.

The most touching message came from one of our teenagers. Here is part of her e-mail to me:

Hello Pastor Ray, I just wanted to let you know that your challenge for people to memorize all of Psalm 119 really spoke to my heart and I have been doing so since last week. When you said that memorizing this would bring people closer to the Lord, I had no idea how much truth was in that statement. Since memorizing is not one of my strong points I have had to rely on the Lord from the start of taking on this challenge. I can honestly say that I have never been so close to the Lord, or have had Him on my mind more than I have this past week. I’m sure many others have thanked you for giving that challenge by now, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you! The Lord is amazing, and it is amazing how far I am in my memorizing journey. I’m three times as far as I am supposed to be at this point. Now that is a miracle! You have kindled my steady flame of passion for the Lord, to a blaze! God Bless!

That young lady has discovered a wonderful secret for spiritual growth. If she stays on course, God is going to do great things in her life this year.

Better Than Silver or Gold

In this message we are looking at the 13th stanza of Psalm 119. I mentioned last week that this is an acrostic psalm, which means that each of the 22 stanzas begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this stanza, each verse in Hebrew begins with the letter mem. These eight verses are filled with joy and with love for God’s law. The psalmist gives us his theme in verse 97 (ESV): “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” This is a familiar theme in Psalm 119. Consider some other things the psalmist says about God’s Word:

It is his delight, v. 16.

He finds wonderful things in it, v. 18.

It is like music to him, v. 54.

It is better than silver or gold, v. 72.

It is like finding great treasure, v. 162.

Does that sound a little strange to you? I confess that on one level, it sounds a bit strange to me. Most of us don’t think of the Word of God in these poetic terms. We are not accustomed to thinking that the Bible is more valuable to us than silver or gold. So the idea of “loving” God’s Word may seem a bit odd. But if this sounds strange to us, that says something about us; it says nothing at all about the psalmist. We are the ones who are a bit out of joint.

Do you love God’s Word? How would you answer that question. In his Treasury of David, Charles Spurgeon lists eight marks of true love for God’s Word. Before we plunge into the text, perhaps it would be good for all of us ponder these eight marks to see how we measure up.

1) Reverence for the authority of God’s Word.

2) Admiration for its holiness.

3) Jealousy for its honor.

4) Respect for all that it says.

5) Diligence in the study of it.

6) Eager desire to obey it.

7) Readiness to praise it.

Great desire to share it with others.

“Oh, how I love your law!” said the psalmist. Then he gives us four reasons why he loves God’s law and why we should love it too.

I. Superior Wisdom

“Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts” (Psalm 119:98-100 ESV).

In these verses one reason is mentioned three times: God’s Word gives us wisdom! Note the phrases he uses: “Wiser” “More insight,” and “More understanding.” But is this the boasting of a man who thinks too highly of himself? Is he some sort of smart aleck who thinks he is better than everyone else? Where does his great confidence come from? Answer: God’s wisdom is superior to human wisdom. If you learn what God says, you will know things the people of the world have never discovered.

A. Superior to the wisdom of my enemies 98

All of us have enemies at one time or another. They try to intimidate us by clever talk, crafty schemes and evil threats. They may attempt to frighten us into thinking that they are smart and we are stupid. They may be boastful “know it alls” who put down anyone who disagrees with them. Do not be misled by their vain boasting. They may have street knowledge and even a certain degree of intellectual ability. They are no doubt shrewd in worldly wisdom and gifted at twisting our words and manipulating the facts to make us look bad. But be not dismayed. They do not have true wisdom. That is reserved for those who know the truth of God.

But how does the Word give me superior wisdom? Verse 98 says, “it is ever with me,” which means that as I internalize the Word of God, it becomes a part of my life. I can never get this wisdom by sitting in my recliner, watching TV all day, drinking Coke and eating popcorn while I watch the Chicago Bears beat the Philadelphia Eagles. (A bit of hopeful prophecy at this point.) If I want true wisdom, sooner or later I’ve got to turn off the TV, put down the remote control, and pick up my Bible. Only then will I discover the wisdom that delivers me from my enemies.

B. Superior to the wisdom of my teachers 99

This is a verse beloved by students at Bible colleges everywhere. But we should not think that the psalmist intends to demean the role of teachers. Far from it. Teaching is a noble profession and teachers deserve our respect and our support. It doesn’t matter if your teachers do not know the Lord. Teachers have knowledge and you need the knowledge they have. So we ought to respect them and learn from them as much as we can.

But there are limits to all human knowledge. And that is true even if you have a B.A., an M.A., a Ph.D. or an M.D. or any other advanced degree. Human wisdom can only take you so far. Let me illustrate. In virtually every public school science class in America, students are taught that evolution is the only true explanation for human origins. In most places, it is taught as a dogma, not as a theory. Evolution in the ultimate sense is more than a scientific theory; it is also an all-encompassing worldview that attempts to account for everything in the universe apart from God. And woe to the Christian teacher who attempts to show the weakness of evolution and the possibility of divine creation. Such a teacher puts his job at risk by challenging the status quo. It is at this point that a knowledge of the Bible is essential. If you know Genesis 1-11, you truly have “more understanding” than your teachers. If you know about the days of creation and how God created Adam from the dust of the earth and how he took the first woman from Adam’s side, and if you know about Noah’s flood, the Tower of Babel and the dispersal of the nations, you have a depth of knowledge and a wealth of understanding that goes far beyond your teachers.

I should add that I am not among those who believe that our children’s faith will necessarily be destroyed by attending a public school. Far from it. But I do believe that if our children are not grounded in the Bible, if they do not know what they believe and why they believe it, and if they do not know how to study the Bible on their own, they are likely to be in big trouble when their faith comes under attack.

Note again the reason why the Word gives us this sort of wisdom: “Your testimonies are my meditation.” God is able to teach you directly from his Word, but it takes time and effort and determination. It doesn’t happen by chance.

C. Superior to the wisdom of the aged 100

You cannot read the Bible without being impressed with the high value placed on the elderly. They are to be loved, revered, respected, cared for and listened to. Your elders have experience and you need the benefit of their experience. There is always much to learn from those who are older than you.

However, old age by itself does not equal wisdom. There is such a thing as an “old fool.” In fact, the world is full of “old fools” who started out as “young fools” and then simply grew old. Wisdom comes from years spent obeying God’s Word. The “understanding” he mentions in this verse means the ability to penetrate with insight into difficult issues. We know how to tackle hard problems because we have learned what God says in the Bible.

Again, note the reason this is possible: “I keep your precepts.” The Bible is not magic. It will not change you by itself. You don’t get wisdom by osmosis. If you want this superior wisdom, you must do what the psalmist did. Look at the key phrases in verses 98-100:

With me—Read it

Meditate—Study it

Keep your precepts—Obey it

Read … Study … Obey. Follow that formula and you too will have superior wisdom.

II. Spiritual Discernment

“I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me” (Psalm 119:101-102 ESV).

The second blessing of loving the law of God is spiritual discernment. The psalmist declares that the Bible keeps him off the wrong road and keeps him on the right road. Every day we are faced a thousand times over with the choice of going one direction or the other. One road is the path of obedience that leads to joy, peace, fulfillment, and a deeper knowledge of God. The other road is the path of temptation, sin, compromise, bitterness, anger, violence, lust, pride, greed, gluttony and sloth. And each day we choose again and again which road we will follow.

If we know and love God’s Word, the truth itself will pull us in the right direction. We will know which way to go and the Word will help us choose the right path. Consider the famous words of Psalm 119:9 (ESV), “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.” One function of God’s Word is keeping us on the path of moral purity. It puts a “guard” around the mind to keep us on the right track.

Notice the two parts of this spiritual discernment. First, there is self-restraint: “I hold back my feet.” It is an intentional act, meaning, “I could do that but I won’t.” Or as I have taught you before, Christians should say, “Others may, I cannot.” We have a higher calling in life. We are called to keep God’s Word as the foundation for all that we do.

Second, there is personal submission: “I do not turn aside.” As I was studying this text, it occurred to me that this is one of the reasons why we all need rules. Husbands need rules, wives need rules, parents need rules, and so do children. We all have various rules that govern us either at school or on the job. You can hardly go anywhere without various rules governing your conduct. At the Christian college I attended, there were so many rules that they had to publish them in a small book. Some of those rules seemed rather trivial at the time, and some of the students made a career of rebelling against them. But now I see things differently. One reason for rules is to help us develop personal convictions so that when the rules are not in force, we will still choose to do the right thing. Christian men need some rules about what they will read and watch. Those rules will help them late at night when they are in a hotel room alone or surfing the Internet after everyone else has gone to bed.

A famous evangelist says that when he was young, his parents gave him a Bible with these words inscribed inside the front cover: “Sin will keep you from this book or this book will keep you from sin.” How true this is. In every situation of life, the Word of God will show you what to do. It is the only reliable source of absolute moral truth. Follow what it says and your life will be pure and clean. Robert Murray McCheyne was famous for praying this simple prayer: “Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can ever be.” That’s a wonderful prayer that is answered day by day as we learn to love God’s Word.

Verse 102 answers a crucial question: How does God speak to us today? Many people look for dreams, visions and other unusual manifestations. Note what the psalmist says about his experience with the Bible. As he read it, he discovered that “you yourself have taught me.” He heard the voice of God in the pages of the Bible! What a tremendous truth this is. We are personally taught by God as we read his Word. Would you like God to speak to you? He does! He will! When we come to the Bible reverently, humbly, with open hearts, God speaks directly to us.

III. Lasting Joy

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103 ESV).

In those days honey was the universal sweetener. Back then people used honey the way we use sugar and artificial sweeteners. The writer is telling us that he has a “sweet tooth” for God’s Word. To most of us, that is an unusual and perhaps even a strange thought. To us sweetness speaks of chocolate cake and Krispy Kreme donuts. We don’t normally think of sweetness when we read the Bible. After all, this is a big book filled with history and doctrine and prophecy and lots of words that are hard to pronounce. Plus the Bible is printed in a big book that is often quite bulky. It’s hard to associate the thought of sweetness with the Bible as a whole.

What does he mean? I think the key is in the phrase “your words.” Note the plural. In my last message I laid stress on the fact that he used the singular “word” and not the plural “words” when he spoke of the “word” of God as forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). In that verse the singular was most fitting. However, in this verse he does not say, “How sweet is your word to my taste.” That would have been true and proper, but he didn’t say it that way. Instead, he used the plural “your words.” That’s a key insight. As we ponder the words of the Bible one by one, phrase by phrase, verse by verse, they become sweet to us.

Think of a piece of hard candy. How do you eat it? You put it in your mouth and let it dissolve slowly. As it dissolves, the sweetness fills your mouth. If you try to put 20 pieces of candy in your mouth, they won’t fit and you’ll end up spitting them out. The sweetness you seek comes slowly, one piece at a time. Martin Luther said the way to study the Bible is to pick a verse and then shake it like you shake a fruit tree. If you keep shaking a verse, sooner or later the fruit will fall in your lap. Luther also said if the fruit doesn’t fall, go to another verse. Eventually you will find a verse where the fruit falls in abundance. There you can stop and feast on God’s Word.

Consider the familiar words of Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” Roll that around in your mind for a moment. It is the Lord himself who shepherds me. And he is my shepherd at all times, in every situation, no matter where I am or what I am doing. Even when I stray from him, he never leaves my side. And even though he is the shepherd for others, he is a personal shepherd—”my shepherd,” known by me and I am known to him. Therefore, I do not want, I will not want, I cannot lack for any good thing. I have never been in want, I am not in want now (no matter my circumstances), and I will not be in want tomorrow. Such a shepherd is my Lord to me.

Now that’s very simple, isn’t it? And much more could be added. But even as I wrote those words, I felt the fruit falling all around me. This is how the Word of God becomes sweet to us. Word by word, phrase by phrase, verse by verse. If we will savor it, its sweetness will fill our hearts.

How desperately we need this. We live in a garish, loud, mean, harsh, strident, ugly and abusive age. We need to turn aside from the sounds of the world and fill our minds with something beautiful. Once the Word of God becomes sweet to you, you will become a sweeter person. The old chorus says it very well:

Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before,

Every day with Jesus, I love him more and more.

Jesus saves and keeps me, and he’s the one I’m waiting for.

Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.

And that sweetness comes to us as we spend time with our Lord in his Word.

IV. Holy Hatred

IV. Holy Hatred

“Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:104 ESV).

This final “blessing” sounds odd to us. I am sure if we were writing this stanza, we would end it with the part about sweetness. That’s a nice place to finish. Much nicer than “Holy Hatred.” But the Christian life is more than sweetness. There is also a hard edge to our faith. Whether we like it or not, we live in an ugly world where evil people do terrible things. And even apparently nice people can sometimes be incredibly cruel. If we are going to grow spiritually, we must learn to hate evil. Take a moment to contrast the end of the stanza with the beginning. Verse 97 says, “Oh, how I love your law” and verse 104 concludes with “therefore I hate every false way.” One essential part of Christian discipleship is learning to hate evil. Before we can fully love God’s Word, we must also hate what God hates. If we love God’s law, we will hate every false way. We will never learn what is true unless we also learn what is false and turn from it. There is a very practical ramification from this truth. If you ignore the Bible, sin will not seem very bad to you. Apart from the Bible, sin will seem “sort of bad” and “not very good” but it will not seem “exceedingly sinful.” The world will seem like your home and sinners more attractive than saints as long as you neglect God’s Word.

There is no contradiction between verses 103 and 104. They belong together. Loving the Word makes us sweeter and stronger at the same time. As God’s Word grows sweeter, every false way will become more repulsive to us.

Let’s wrap things up by considering again the theme of this stanza: “Oh, how I love your law.” Do not make the mistake of reading the word “love” as some sort of emotional, sentimental attraction. The Hebrew word used here is much stronger than that. It means to make a lasting commitment to someone or something. To love God’s Word means to commit yourself to making it the foundation of your life. This sort of love cannot happen by accident. It is a combination of desire plus diligence. You don’t wake up one day loving the Bible. That is a cultivated habit that is developed over time.

Let me make this very personal for everyone who reads these words. Please consider these four questions:

Do I love the Word of God?

Do I love to hear it preached?

Do I love the Word when it rebukes me and convicts me?

Do I love to share it with others?

If you want this sort of love for God’s Word, here are five steps you must take on a regular basis:

Read it.

Ponder it.

Memorize it.

Talk about it.

Pray over it.

The particular details do not matter so long as you are doing these five things. Sooner or later, the Bible will become very precious to you and reading it will go from drudgery to duty to daily delight. If you would like to take a step in the right direction, here’s a simple prayer I encourage you to pray right now.

Lord, implant in me a love for your Word. Write your truth upon my heart. Let your Word be my joy, my strength, and my wisdom. And let it be the source of all that I say and do. May I love your Word today more than yesterday and tomorrow more than today. May your Word be precious to me because it comes from you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Do you have any thoughts or questions about this post?

The Bible is a living book. But, is it living to you?  Specifically, do you let the word of God dwell in you in such a way that you experience its vital functions changing you inwardly?

Colossians 3:16 says,

 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God.”

Such a rich indwelling of God’s word will greatly affect your Christian life. It will fill your heart with grace—the enjoyment of God.

And it will do so much more…if you “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”

In this post we’ll consider eight vital functions of the Word of God that you can daily experience by letting His Word dwell in you richly. Then we’ll mention some practical ways to let God’s word dwell in you so that you enjoy these functions in your daily life.

Eight Vital Functions of the Word of God

Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is “living and operative.” That means it’s “vital”—its functions are of  life–the divine life. And our receiving such a living and operative word is essential to our growth in God’s life.

Realizing these eight vital functions of the word of God will give you eight reasons to let His word dwell in you in a rich way.

1. Enlightening

First, God’s word enlightens us.  When the word of God comes, the first thing it does is bring light into our inner being. Consider God’s first speaking in the Bible,

 “And God said, Let there be light…” (Gen. 1:3).

 When God speaks, first there is light. When we let God’s word dwell in us, we will be inwardly enlightened. This was the testimony of the psalmist who said,

 “The opening of Your words gives light, imparting understanding to the simple.” (Psa. 119:130)

2. Nourishing

Second, the word of God becomes food to nourish us. This means that while God’s word is enlightening us, it also nourishes us.

In Matthew 4:4 the Lord Jesus said,

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God.”

 By this word the Lord Jesus was indicating that He as a man took God’s word in the Scriptures as His food and lived on it. We should follow this pattern.

We should have the attitude of the Lord Jesus toward God’s Word, and consider it as food to nourish our inner man. In this way God’s Word will nourish us to live the Christian life.

3. Quenching your thirst

Third, the word of God quenches our thirst because it is the water of life.

Isaiah 55:10-11 says,

“For just as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and does not return there, until it waters the earth and makes it bear and sprout forth…so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me vainly, but will accomplish what I delight in, and will prosper in the matter to which I have sent it.”

These verses indicate that God sends His word to water His people to accomplish His purpose in them.

So when we receive God’s word into us, it waters us and  “makes us bear fruit and sprout forth.” That is,  it sanctifies us, transforms us, and conforms us to Christ’s image (Rom. 8:29).

 4. Strengthening

Fourth, the word of God makes us strong in our spirit and also in our soul. By such a strengthening in our spirit and soul, we will also be healthy in our body.

In 1 John 2:14 it says,

“…I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you and you have overcome the evil one.

Being strong is connected to having the word of God abide or dwell in us.  When we let God’s word abide in us, it becomes the best cure for our spirit, soul and body. It really strengthens us and heals us.

5. Washing

Fifth, the word of God washes our inner being organically and metabolically.

Ephesians 5:26-27 says,

“That He [Christ] might sanctify her [the church], cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, that He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

As we let the Word of Christ dwell in us, the washing water of life in His word cleanses us inwardly, metabolically removing all our spots and wrinkles, so that we might be beautified to be Christ’s bride.

6. Building

Sixth, the word of God builds us up. As believers in Christ, we are the many members of Christ’s Body, the church (Rom. 12:4-5). As such, we all need to be built together. But our natural, peculiar disposition, often makes it  difficult for anyone to deal with us, much less to build us together with our fellow members.

However, the word of God can touch us inwardly and make it possible for us to be built up in the church. Acts 20:32 says,

“And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up…”

When we let the word of God dwell in us, it will cause us to grow up into Christ, the Head of the Body, joining us together with His other growing members and causing us to be built together as His one  Body (Eph. 4:15-16).

7. Completing and perfecting

Seventh, as members of Christ’s Body, we all should function. But in order to function, we first need to be perfected by the Word of God. When God’s word nourishes us, we grow. Then through the growth, the functions come forth.

Second Timothy 3:16-17 says,

“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.”

 The nourishment we receive from the word of God completes us and perfects us as members of the Body. By letting the word of God dwell in us, we are not only nourished for our growth but perfected in our function.

8. Edifying

Finally, we also need to be edified, or built up in a personal way, to make up the lack in our virtues.

For example, we may be short of such virtues as patience, wisdom, humility, or kindness. As the word of God dwells in us, it edifies us in the matter of virtues.

The more we let the word of God dwell in us, the more virtues we will have. Our kindness, patience, wisdom, and humility will all be increased by the word of God dwelling in us.

How to let the word of God dwell in you in a richer way 

We need to let the word of Christ  make its home in us, giving it the full liberty, freedom, and right in our being. Here are some ways to give God’s word more room within you.

1. Feed – First, take the Word as your daily food to nourish you each morning (Jer. 15:16; 1 Tim. 4:6). You can do this very effectively by pray-reading or praying over two or three Bible verses with spontaneous prayers of thanksgiving, praise, or petition.

2. Read – Spend regular, daily times to read  through the Bible (Acts 17:11). It is good to read through the books of the New and Old Testament consecutively, according to a schedule. ReadHisWord.com has been a useful tool to keep me on track.

3. Sing – Sing the Word as the psalmists and early believers did (Col. 3:16). You can sing hymns full of Scriptures or turn the verse you’re enjoying to song. Hymnal.net is a great resource for this.

4. Speak – Find some like-minded companions with whom you can speak the Word–mutually teaching and admonishing one another  (Col. 3:16).

In response to this word it’s good  to pray,

“Lord, I offer my whole being to You and Your word. I give You access to every part of my inner being. Lord, make my inner being a home for You and for Your word. Lord, I choose to let your Word dwell in me richly so that all of its living functions can operate in me to carry out Your will.”

If the points in this post have encouraged you to let the Word of God dwell in you, please share your appreciation in a comment.

References and Further Reading:

• This post was inspired by The Functions of God’s Word presented in the Life-study of Colossians, Message 64, by Witness Lee.
• Here are a few songs and hymns to strengthen the point of this post:
  • Let the Word of Christ dwell in you
  • My heart is hungry, my spirit doth thirst and view lyrics
• Photo credit: mimicry at Morguefile

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (James 3:13-18)

The Revelation behind this is so simple a child can understand but so misunderstood some of the world’s greatest bible scholars have not mastered it. Whenever you are preparing the soil of a heart to plant Jesus you must do so with tact and wisdom.

First of all, you must know your audience and you must not serve meat to an infant or give milk to a mature adult. The only way you can discern this is by the Holy Spirit. The word of God should not be debated or argued over. It is not meant to be a subject which one shows his or her knowledge and intelligence. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ…not the gospel of you and me so we have nothing to glory about.

Notice, what the text says, “It is first pure and then peaceable”. Look at the word pure…that means in faith and not weakened by any outside added impurity. It is like drinking water from an untouched spring that is cold and fresh.

Secondly, “peaceable” you can only receive peace from the Prince of Peace and that is Jesus Christ. This word itself means “relating too or bringing peace”. So if he isn’t empowering you or leading you then stop immediately and wait until he gives you the go ahead.

Thirdly, it is gentle; If you were going to hold or kiss your infant you wouldn’t grab him so hard that you hurt him… you would gently pick him up and bring him to your lips holding his head. You have to do the same thing with the word of God.

Gently, move from subject to subject, in faith, massaging the seed into that fertile heart. Lastly, it is “full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy (no disguises nor deceits)”, this one is the exact picture of Christ. He did nothing but bear fruit while he was here and he did so without partiality (the Samaritan woman at the well).

Remember how the Jews did not mix with the Samaritans, well this was one of the first people he told he was the Messiah. He did this to show God’s love for all his children not just the Jews.

When you are sharing the word of God you cannot be a hypocrite because God has sheep of many flavors and colors. Also, the vessel sharing this precious seed must not do so to provoke envy or jealousy because that results in instability and chaos and is from human wisdom…not from up above. He or she must remain at all times a fresh water faucet, being truly skilled in the art of living, and a fountain that does not run for selfish reasons or promoting ones own agenda.

If you sow the fruit of righteousness in peace you will fulfill the scripture “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15), Amen.

Before Jesus left for Calvary, He encouraged His fearful disciples with these words –

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (Jn 14:26)

While this passage is one that uniquely applied to the disciples, it is applicable in principle to all believers. Indeed, the principle in John 14:26 begs the question “How can the Spirit bring to mind Scriptures that we have not previously stored in our mind?”

As John Butler says “The principle for believers is that the Holy Spirit helps us to remember Scripture and spiritual lessons. When a verse pops into the mind when teaching, preaching, studying or pondering a decision of some sort—it is not your memory that is bringing that text to your mind, but it is the prompting of the Holy Spirit that is doing it. However, for the Holy Spirit to prompt your memory, you must have previously stored the Scripture in your memory. The Holy Spirit is like the recall button on a calculator—if you do not put anything in memory in the calculator, the recall button will not bring up any information.” (Analytical Bible Expositor: John)

Beloved, let me encourage you to have a healthy spiritual diet and to daily “eat” His Word as if your very (spiritual) life depended on it, because it does! (Mt 4:4, Job 23:12–note, Jer 15:16–note, Ps 119:109–note, etc).

God’s instructions to Joshua preparatory to entering the promised land to fight the good fight of faith in order to possess his promised possessions remains a proven “formula for spiritual success” for saints today who like Joshua have been set apart that we might become experiential possessors of our positional possession of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your wayprosperous, and then you will have success. (Joshua 1:8–note)

The best thing.
In the best place.
With the best of results.

David, a man after God’s own heart writes…

The law of his God is in his heart. His steps do not slip (Psalm 37:31)

Spurgeon comments: “The best thing in the best place, producing the best results. Well might the man’s talk be so admirable when his heart was so well stored. To love holiness, to have the motives and desires sanctified, to be in one’s inmost nature obedient to the Lord — this is the surest method of making the whole run of our life efficient for its great ends, and even for securing the details of it, our steps from any serious mistake. To keep the even tenor of one’s way, in such times as these, is given only to those whose hearts are sound towards God, who can, as in the text, call God their God. Policy slips and trips, it twists and tacks, and after all is worsted in the long run, but sincerity plods on its plain pathway and reaches the goal.”

John Trapp commenting on the phrase “The law of his God is in his heart” in Ps 37:31 adds: “He hath a Bible in his head, and another in his heart; he hath a good treasure within, and there hence bringeth good things.”

How sweet are Thy words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth (Psalm 119:103, cp Ps 19:10)!

Spurgeon comments: He had not only heard the words of God, but fed upon them: they affected his palate as well as his ear. God’s words are many and varied, and the whole of them make up what we call “the word”: David (Ed: The author of Ps 119 is not known for certain although many think it was David) loved them each one, individually, and the whole of them as a whole; he tasted an indescribable sweetness in them. He expresses the fact of their sweetness, but as he cannot express the degree of their sweetness he cries, “How sweet!” Being God’s words they were divinely sweet to God’s servant; he who put the sweetness into them had prepared the taste of his servant to discern and enjoy it. David makes no distinction between promises and precepts, doctrines and threatenings; they are all included in God’s words, and all are precious in his esteem. Oh for a deep love to all that the Lord has revealed, whatever form it may take. (Amen!)

Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth. When he did not only eat but also speak the Word (Ed: Which is one of the advantages of memorizing it!), by instructing others, he felt an increased delight in it. The sweetest of all temporal things fall short of the infinite deliciousness of the eternal word. When the psalmist fed on it he found it sweet; but when he bore witness of it, it became sweeter still. How wise it will be on our part to keep the word on our palate (Ed: How better than by treasuring it in our heart! cp Mt 12:34, Lk 6:45) by meditation and on our tongue by confession. It must be sweet to our taste when we think of it, or it will not be Sweet to our mouth when we talk of it.

They (God’s Words = Ps 19:7, 8, 9–note) are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10)

Spurgeon Comments: More to be desired are they than fine gold, yea, than much fine gold. Bible truth is enriching to the soul in the highest degree; the metaphor is one which gathers force as it is brought out; — gold — fine gold — much fine gold; it is good, better, best, and therefore it is not only to be desired with a miser’s avidity, but with more than that. As spiritual treasure is more noble than mere material wealth, so should it be desired and sought after with greater eagerness. Men speak of solid gold, but what is so solid as solid truth? For love of gold pleasure is forsworn, ease renounced, and life endangered; shall we not be ready to do as much for love of truth?

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Trapp says, “Old people are all for profit, the young for pleasure; here’s gold for the one, yea, the finest gold in great quantity; here’s honey for the other, yea, live honey dropping from the comb.” The pleasures arising from a right understanding of the divine testimonies are of the most delightful order; earthly enjoyments are utterly contemptible, if compared with them. The sweetest joys, yea, the sweetest of the sweetest falls to his portion who has God’s truth to be his heritage….The inexpressible delights of meditation on Scripture.

Thomas Watson comments: Love the word written. Ps 119:97 (read Spurgeon’s note, especially his comments on “Meditation”). “Oh, how love I thy law!” “Lord,” said Augustine, “let the holy Scriptures be my chaste delight.” Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a garden, every truth is a fragrant flower, which we should wear, not on our bosom, but in our heart. David counted the word “sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.” There is that in Scripture which may breed delight. It shows us the way to riches: Dt 28:5 Pr 3:10; to long life: Ps 34:12–note; to a kingdom: He 12:28. Well, then, may we count those the sweetest hours which are spent in reading the holy Scriptures; well may we say with the prophet (Je 15:16), “Thy words were found and I ate them, and Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I have been called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts.”

Aldous Huxley (who was interested in the supernatural but was not a believer) made a statement that relates to Scripture memorization when he declared that “Each man’s memory is his private literature.” (Interesting thought!)

Isaac Watts – Without memory the soul of man would be a poor, destitute, naked being, with an everlasting blank spread over it, except the fleeting ideas of the present moment.

William Evans – It has been said that “all other abilities of the mind borrow from memory their beauty and perfection.” In a very real sense it is true that all other faculties of the soul are useless without memory. Of what profit is all our wisdom, our reading, our study if we are unable to preserve the knowledge we have acquired? Of what benefit to us are all the intellectual attainments of our lives if they are lost as soon as they are obtained? Memory makes rich the mind by preserving all the results of our study and learning…Memory is the treasurer of the mind. (How to Memorize)

Rob Morgan – Think of (Bible memorization) as a shopping spree for the mind, a chance to collect and store up treasures you’ll enjoy for years (Ed: I would add for eternity!, cp 1Ti 4:7-8– note, Isa 40:8, Mt 24:35). Restoring the art of Scripture memory is crucial for us, our churches, and children. It’s vital for mental and emotional health and for spiritual well-being. Though it’s as easy as repeating words aloud, it’s as powerful as acorns dropping into furrows in the forest. It makes the Bible portable; you can take it with you everywhere without packing it in purse or briefcase. It makes Scripture accessible day and night. It allows God’s Word to sink into your brain and permeate your subconscious and even your unconscious thoughts (Ed: Illustration – think of a tea bag dipped in a cup of hot water – the more it is dipped, the greater the permeation of the water by the flavor of the tea. God’s Word is the “flavor” and our heart is the cup!). It gives you a word to say to anyone, in season and out of season. It fills your heart and home with the best thoughts ever recorded. It saturates the personality, satiates the soul, and stockpiles the mind. It changes the atmosphere of every family and alters the weather forecast of every day. It takes one minute a day, or five or ten—whatever you can devote to it. It can be done in your bath, your bed, at your desk, or in an airplane (you can’t say all that about too many things). It can be done on the go, in traffic jams, while shaving, at sunup, or before bedtime. It can be done alone, with another person, or in groups. It’s an amazingly versatile habit but also a vital one, profitable whether we’re in the nursery or in the nursing home. (100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart- Robert J. Morgan – Highly Recommended) (Also available on Wordsearch Bible software)

Free resources –

• Study / Group Leader’s Guide 15 page PDF;
• 100 verses Word Document, each verse separate

C H Spurgeon tells a story which illustrates the importance of “internalizing” the Word of God…

Now what is a diamond? Suppose it is one worth two hundred thousand pounds — and some of those I have mentioned are said to be worth more than that — yet it is nothing but a little solidified gas. This diamond may fitly represent the whole world, with all its pomp’s, and vanities, and pleasures, and glories. Puff! it’s gone into thin air; death turns; it all to gas. Set your affections on those things which time cannot destroy, which eternity cannot impair.

There is a very beautiful story connected with the “Sancy” or “De Sancy” diamond, which is said to be worth about eighty thousand pounds. It is a comparatively small stone; and if I were stupid enough to wear such ornaments, I could wear it on my finger, if set in a ring. This stone was sent on one occasion by the Baron de Sancy, to whom it belonged, to his king, who was in ‘want of cash, and had proposed getting a loan of 40,000 pounds. The diamond was to be the security; in fact, to put it plainly, it was “to be left at the pawnbroker’s.” The Baron gave the stone to a trusty servant to take to the king. The servant disappeared, and people suspected that he had gone off with the diamond; but his master declared that he knew his servant too well to believe such a thing possible.

After some time the servant’s body was found, a little way from the road: he had been murdered and robbed. The Baron commanded that his clothes should be carefully searched for the missing diamond; but it could not be. found. He then ordered that he should be cut open, and the diamond was found in his body. He had swallowed the gem, which he had been unable in any other way to conceal from the robbers.

We should carry the truth of God within ourselves, in our hearts; so that if we were dissected, there would be found the truth of God in our innermost being. You remember that the Psalmist said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” (Ps 119:11) (What the Stones Say)

Do you have difficulty memorizing Scripture? You are not alone. The most common reasons I hear for not memorizing Scripture are “Bible verses are for the children” or “I don’t have a good memory” or “I’m too old to memorize” and probably the most honest “It’s too much work and to tell you the truth I’m just too lazy!” But considering the advantages of memorization and meditation gleaned from just the two verses quoted above should be reason enough to motivate every believer to seriously consider (or re-consider) Scripture memorization as an integral part of disciplining (gymnazo – what does this sound like? what does it say about “spiritual discipline? Will it be a “no brainer”? Obviously not.) ourselves

“for the purpose of godliness” which “is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1Ti 4:7, 8–notes).

As an aside note that Paul is not giving Timothy [or us] a suggestion but is commanding [Present imperative] that spiritual discipline be an integral component of one’s lifestyle, one’s daily delight! Be careful! Don’t fall into the subtle trap of legalism! Memorizing God’s Word is to be our our delight, not our dread, not our drudgery! All of God’s commandments come pre-packaged with all necessary components because His commandment always includes His enablement. The only way redeemed but still fallen men and women can keep the command continually (which is what the present tense calls for) is by continual yielding to and dependence on the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit is God’s provision of enablement for every commandment! May our Father grant each of us to continually walk in the freedom and power that found only in the Spirit of Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen

If we truly believed what Paul wrote his young protégée Timothy, I think we would take the approach of the suffering saint Job who declared…

I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured (tsaphan = same Hebrew word found in Psalm 119:11 – “I have treasured [tsaphan] Thy Word…”) the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:12–note)

Two verses earlier Job had made the incredible (considering what transpired in his life in Job1 and Job 2!) declaration…

But He knows the way I take. When He has tried (bachan/bahan = Investigation to determine essential qualities of object – for an informative study see the 9 uses in Ps 7:9; 11:4-5; 17:3; 26:2; 66:10; 81:7; 95:9; 139:23 – note 3 synonyms in Ps 26:2, the first “examine” = bachan/bahan) me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:10–note)

Here’s the question — Do you see any relationship between Job 23:10–note and Job 23:12–note? Specifically, do these verses suggest some insight into how Job was able to persevere (“You have heard of the “endurance of Job” James 5:11) in the face of incredible sufferings and afflictions? I think you see the point — the value of Scripture memorization in surviving in a cannot be overemphasized!

I hear so many serious believers say “I ought to begin memorizing Scripture” only to find out weeks or months later they never followed through. Let me encourage you. Today is the best day in your life to begin the adventure of “eating” God’s Word in Scripture memorization. You will never regret your decision to launch out into the “great adventure” that lays ahead.

For additional motivation, read through some of the articles in the next section and then in the following section consider one of the established programs to begin your journey. If you would rather not use a computerized program, I would recommend the Navigator’s Topical Memory System – TMS (see also Scripture Memory Secrets) because it won’t overwhelm you and yet is still solid food which if you practice it, will train (gumnazo) your senses…to discern (diakrisis) good and evil. (He 5:14–note).

The Bible is the language of heaven, and will not pass away (Mt 24:35), so let us enter into this spiritual discipline with delight, great joy and a sense of expectation, not out of a sense of guilt, legalism or onerous duty. We are not our own but are children and “bond-servants (doulos) of the Most High God” (In the OT the Name is El Elyon – Sovereign Over All) (Acts 16:17), who should be motivated by the love of Christ (2Cor 5:14) to have as our earnest “ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him” (2Cor 5:9) As with any “spiritual discipline” there is always the subtle danger of becoming pharisaical or prideful and we are ever in danger of failing prey to a subtle form of legalism.

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JOHN PIPER’S TESTIMONY
RE: MEMORIZING THE WORD

At the beginning of 2009, John Piper challenged his congregation to memorize Scripture in his sermon entitled If My Words Abide in You…

(John Piper began this sermon by reciting Psalm 1, Psalm 16, Psalm 103, Romans 5:1–8, Romans 8, Matthew 6:25–34, and 1 Corinthians 13.)

The point of reciting these Scriptures is to motivate you by way of example to memorize Scripture in 2009. This message is a mingling of my testimony of the value of memorizing Scripture with Jesus’ testimony in the Gospel of John.

My Testimony

My testimony can be summed up in eight short sentences.

Memorizing Scripture makes meditation possible at times when I can’t be reading the Bible, and meditation is the pathway of deeper understanding.

Memorizing Scripture strengthens my faith because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ, and that happens when I am hearing the word in my head.

Memorizing Scripture shapes the way I view the world by conforming my mind to God’s viewpoint.

Memorizing Scripture makes God’s word more readily accessible for overcoming temptation to sin, because God’s warnings and promises are the way we conquer the deceitful promises of sin.

Memorizing Scripture guards my mind by making it easier to detect error—and the world is filled with error, since the god of this world is a liar.

Memorizing Scripture enables me to hit the devil in the face with a force he cannot resist, and so protect myself and my family from his assaults.

Memorizing Scripture provides the strongest and sweetest words for ministering to others in need.

Memorizing Scripture provides the matrix for fellowship with Jesus because he talks to me through his word, and I talk to him in prayer.

That’s my testimony. I hope it will motivate you to make your own discoveries. But what matters most is the testimony of Jesus. So focus for a few minutes with me on a phrase in John 15:7. (If My Words Abide in You)

Pastor Ray Stedman has a great discussion of the danger believers face in this area of legalism. His transcript is very good but if you have time I would recommend listening to his message as it adds inflections, etc, not possible in a written document. (Legalism – transcript or Legalism – Mp3)

The practice of Jesus Himself is ample testimony to the value of Scripture memorization. Jesus said Thus saith the Lord or God said or It is written or Have you not read that it was said 92 times! Clearly our Lord Jesus Christ, fully God and fully Man, left an example (hupogrammos) for (us) to follow in His steps (1Pe 2:21–note). As Paul commanded the saints at Ephesus we should be imitators (mimetes) of God, as belovedchildren (Ep 5:1–note)

Many years ago the village priest in Kalonovaka, Russia, took a special liking to a pug-nosed lad who recited his Scriptures with proper piety. By offering various inducements, the priest managed to teach the boy the four Gospels, which he recited nonstop in church one day. Sixty years later he still liked to recite Scriptures, but in a context that would have horrified the old priest. The prize pupil who memorized so much of the Bible was Nikita Khrushchev, former premier of the Soviet Union! John W. Alexander, former president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, gives us this warning:

“There is little merit inherent in the mere process of memorizing Scripture. One could memorize voluminous portions and be an atheist. Satan memorized enough to use it to tempt Jesus…Memorizing is helpful when we yearn for Scripture to energize our whole lives….What makes the difference between superficial and beneficial Scripture memorization? I believe it is prayerful meditation. Memorization in itself may sharpen our intellectual capacities, but that’s about all. Memorization with a view to meditation helps us think straight in a crooked world. (excepted from Memorizing God’s Word)

Dr. Howard Hendricks has made the statement (and I paraphrase) that if it were his decision, every student graduating from Dallas Theological Seminary would be required to learn 1000 verses word perfect before they received their degree. May his tribe increase!

Well known Bible teacher Dr. Chuck Swindoll has written:

“I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture…No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified.” (from Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life)

Considering such indisputable benefits to one’s spiritual health, one has to wonder why there is not more emphasis on Scripture memory and meditation in the average American church. Could it be that it is still true that

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart? (Mt 13:19)

But (Jesus introduces a dramatic contrast) the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest (kalos) and good (agathos) heart (kardia), and hold it fast, and bearfruit (karpophoreo in the present tense = they have the blessing of being continually “spiritually fertile and fruitful” bearing fruit that will last throughout eternity – Jn 15:16NIV, Jn 15:5, – Do miss this “once in a lifetime offer too good to refuse”! You only go around once! cp James 4:14, Jas 1:10, 11–note, 1Pe 1:24–note, Job 7:7, Ps 103:15–note) with perseverance (hupomone). (Lk 8:15).

So brothers and sisters let us persevere with great delight in this discipline of Scriptural memorization for one day we will discover the glorious truth that this was one of the most fruitful investments of our time that we could have ever made in this life.

INVEST IN A “STOCK”
THAT WILL NEVER DECLINE
AND WILL PAY DIVIDENDS FOR ETERNITY!

In my own practice of memorizing God’s Word, I have found that one of the most critical aspects (other than a constant dependence on prayer that God might graciously grant me a heart hunger to eat His Word) is frequent and systematic review of verses. I use a “multi-pronged attack” including: Typing or writing out scripture on small cards that I keep in my pocket for those times I’m stuck in elevators, long winded meetings or long lines at the super market. I also dictate the current verses I am focusing on into a mini recorder (Ipods work too) which is great for redeeming those times I get caught in traffic jams on the freeway and allows you to have several cassettes of your “favorite” verses. Most of these recording devices allow easy playback so that you can keep your eye on the road while driving. I also keep a small pocket sized Bible close at hand (car, briefcase, etc) to allow quick review of verses in context and I highlight those verses I have already memorized.

The Bible on tape/CD/Mp3 is another great modality, especially if you have a long commute time. CD versions are advantageous because they can be quickly “rewound’ to the beginning of a chapter to facilitate repetition. REMEMBER that NONE of these ideas or the resources below are of any value in memorizing the Word of God if you have not first sought the God of the Word. Otherwise all of these “tools” can be misused and potentially produce pride, pedantry and a Pharisaical attitude as alluded to earlier. The foundational keynote of “humility” is sounded by James who reminds us after

putting aside (apotithemi) all filthiness (rhuparia) and all that remains (perisseia) of wickedness (kakia), in HUMILITY (prautes KJV = “meekness” – with a meek disposition, a gentleness of spirit) receive (dechomai) the word (logos) implanted (emphutos), which is able (dunamai) to save (sozo) your souls (Jas 1:21–note, cp the attitude of a little child in Mt 18:3,4)

As someone has well said sin will keep you from the Bible or the Bible will keep you from sin. Bibles that are “falling apart” usually belong to people who are not.

THE MEMORIZED “WORD OF LIFE”
IS THERE WHEN YOU NEED IT!

Beloved, you never know when you might need to recall the memorized Word. Darlene Diebler Rose was a missionary who was captured by the Japanese in WWII and spent four years in a prison camp. Below is her testimony to the power of God’s memorized Word, which truly became to her the “Word of Life!”

As a child and young person, I had had a driving compulsion to memorize the written Word (Ed: One cannot help but believe this was the All Seeing God’s gracious providence, His Spirit giving her the desire and power to “eat” His Word, for God knew WWII was coming!). In the cell I was grateful now for those days in Vacation Bible School, when I had memorized many single verses, complete chapters, and Psalms, as well as whole books of the Bible (Ed: Are you as convicted as I am?). In the years that followed, I reviewed the Scriptures often (Ed: This is the key – review, review, review!). The Lord fed me with the Living Bread that had been stored against the day when fresh supply was cut off by the loss of my Bible. He brought daily comfort and encouragement—yes, and joy (Ed: Cp 1Thes 1:6) —to my heart through the knowledge of the Word. . . . I had never needed the Scriptures more than in these months on death row, but since so much of His Word was there in my heart, it was not the punishment the Kempeitai had anticipated when they took my Bible. (Evidence Not Seen- A Woman’s Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II- Darlene Deibler Rose)

A CONTEXTUAL
CAUTION

One note of caution – Be careful when memorizing single verses that you do not “wrench” them out of their context, lest you give the passage a meaning (and an interpretation) God never intended. Always examine the context surrounding the verse you are memorizing or even better memorize larger sections of Scripture, including chapters or even entire books.

As Billy Graham once said…

I am convinced that one of the greatest things we can do is to memorize Scripture.

When was the last time you memorized a passage of Scripture? God’s Word has a cleansing effect. You must (no excuses please – I include myself here!) get into the Word so that it can get into you and can then become effective in your life, as the Spirit uses it (“the washing with water through the word” – Ep 5:26–note) to renew your mind and transform your thinking (Ro 12:2–note) so that you are enabled more and more to discern the will of God (Eph 4:14–note; He 5:14–note). The Word daily imbibed and diligently obeyed is one of the best protectors and preventatives against the polluting power of this present evil age (Gal 1:4), an age which is in the process of passing away as are even it’s evil desires (1Jn 2:17–note).

William Evans (1910) writes…

A few suggestions will be helpful here.

1. Memorize the location of the verse together with the verse. You will find it just as easy to say, “John 1:29, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” as you would if you merely said, “Behold the Lamb of God,” etc., omitting to state the reference.

2. Learn it. Don’t get a faint, indefinite idea. If you want to remember any text in after years, let it make a deep, clear and vivid impression on your mind the moment you learn it.

3. Read the verse over, say twenty times; close your Bible and see if you can repeat it correctly, then to be sure, read it again. Once writing the verse is worth a dozen repetitions of it by mouth.

4. Review. This is the secret of memorizing. Review every day, every week, every mouth, and every year.

5. Practice. Use the passages of Scripture. Seek occasions for talking to persons who have difficulties.

• 1-Value of Personal Effort in Soul-Winning by William Evans;
• 2-Elements of Success in Personal Soul-Winning,
• 3-The Personal Worker – His Qualifications,
• 4-Instructions to the Soul-Winner
• The Great Doctrines of the Bible – William Evans

See also William Evans’ book “How to Memorize”

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Why Memorize Scripture?
by John Piper

First, a few testimonies:

I have it third hand, that Dr. Howard Hendricks of Dallas Seminary once made the statement (and I paraphrase) that if it were his decision, every student graduating from Dallas Theological Seminary would be required to learn one thousand verses word perfect before they graduated.

Chuck Swindoll wrote,

I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture. . . . No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified” (Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994], p. 61).

One of the reasons Martin Luther came to his great discovery in the Bible of justification by faith alone was that in his early years in the Augustinian monastery he was influenced to love Scripture by Johann Staupitz. Luther devoured the Bible in a day when people earned doctorates in theology without even reading the Bible. Luther said that his fellow professor, Andreas Karlstadt, did not even own a Bible when he earned his doctor of theology degree, nor did he until many years later (Bucher, Richard. “Martin Luther’s Love for the Bible”). Luther knew so much of the Bible from memory that when the Lord opened his eyes to see the truth of justification in Ro 1:17–note, he said, “Thereupon I ran through the Scriptures from memory,” in order to confirm what he had found.

So here are a few reasons why so many have viewed Scripture memorization as so essential to the Christian life.

1. Conformity to Christ

Paul wrote that

we all, . . . beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2Cor 3:18)

If we would be changed into Christ likeness we must steadily see him. This happens in the word.

The Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord” (1Sa 3:21).

Bible memorization has the effect of making our gaze on Jesus steadier and clearer.

2. Daily Triumph over Sin

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. . . . I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:9–note, Ps 119:11–note).

Paul said that we must

by the Spirit . . . put to death the [sinful] deeds of the body” (Ro 8:13–note).

The one piece of armor used to kill is the “sword of the Spirit” which is the word of God (Ep 6:17–note). As sin lures the body into sinful action, we call to mind a Christ-revealing word of Scripture and slay the temptation with the superior worth and beauty of Christ over what sin offers.

Remember however as John Blanchard has warned…

There is more to Christian growth than knowing what the Bible says; nobody is ever nourished by memorizing menus.

3. Daily Triumph over Satan

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness he recited Scripture from memory and put Satan to flight (Mt 4:1-11).

4. Comfort and Counsel for People You Love

The times when people need you to give them comfort and counsel do not always coincide with the times you have your Bible handy. Not only that, the very word of God spoken spontaneously from your heart has unusual power. Pr 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” That is a beautiful way of saying, When the heart full of God’s love can draw on the mind full of God’s word, timely blessings flow from the mouth.

5. Communicating the Gospel to Unbelievers

Opportunities to share the gospel come when we do not have the Bible in hand. Actual verses of the Bible have their own penetrating power. And when they come from our heart, as well as from the Book, the witness is given that they are precious enough to learn. We should all be able to sum up the gospel under four main headings (1) God’s holiness/law/glory; (2) man’s sin/rebellion/disobedience; (3) Christ’s death for sinners; (4) the free gift of life by faith. Learn a verse or two relating to each of these, and be ready in season and out of season to share them.

6. Communion with God in the Enjoyment of His Person and Ways

The way we commune with (that is, fellowship with) God is by meditating on his attributes and expressing to him our thanks and admiration and love, and seeking his help to live a life that reflects the value of these attributes. Therefore, storing texts in our minds about God helps us relate to him as he really is. For example, imagine being able to call this to mind through the day:

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. (Ps 103:8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14–notes)

I used the word “enjoyment” intentionally when I said, “communion with God in the enjoyment of his person and ways.” Most of us are emotionally crippled—all of us, really. We do not experience God in the fullness of our emotional potential. How will that change? One way is to memorize the emotional expressions of the Bible and speak them to the Lord and to each other until they become part of who we are. For example, in Psalm 103:1–note, we say,

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

That is not a natural expression for many people. But if we memorize this and other emotional expressions from the Bible, and say them often, asking the Lord to make the emotion real in our hearts, we can actually grow into that emotion and expression. It will become part of who we are. We will be less emotionally crippled and more able to render proper praise and thanks to God.

There are other reasons for memorizing Scripture. I hope you find them in the actual practice.

Listen to John Piper discuss his approach to memorizing Scripture. Two of the keys? Pray for discipline and set aside time. How do you memorize Scripture?

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Simon Kistemaker on his comments on Jude 1:17 makes a statement that relates to Bible memorization…

In the days of the apostles, the believers relied on memory for the singing of psalms and hymns in their worship services. They learned by heart numerous messianic passages from the Old Testament and retained the message of the gospel they had heard from the apostles. They were forced to develop their retentive memories because they had only limited access to the written books of Scripture kept in local churches. In our day we have become accustomed to relying on the written word and therefore fail to exercise our memories. We claim that as long as we are able to refer to something in print, we have no need to memorize it. Our minds, then, are like erasable boards; we retain facts for immediate use but soon replace them with new information.

This mind-set also prevails when we worship God on the Lord’s day. Routinely we enter the sanctuary each Sunday morning to hear the pastor preach, yet our minds will retain his message for only a few days. As statistics show, during a given Sunday we retain only 30 percent of the sermon the pastor preaches that day. This percentage dwindles to less than 5 percent by the last day of that same week.

In the Old and New Testaments, however, we are told to treasure God’s Word. The psalmist rejoices in that Word and confides to God, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11). And Jesus exhorts the churches in Thyatira and Philadelphia with these words: “Only hold on to what you have until I come” (Rev. 2:25; with variation, Rev 3:11). (Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude)

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From Valley Bible Church (Why Memorize)

Why we should memorize Scripture

A. It helps us

1. It renews our mind (Romans 12:2)

2. Purifies our heart (Psalm 119:9; Hebrews 4:12)

3. It helps us resisting temptation (Psalm 119:11; Matthew 4:1-11)

4. It helps us to know God (Psalm 119:10)

5. It provides guidance (Ephesians 5:17)

6. It aids us in worshipping God (John 4:24; cf. John 17:17)

7. We are commanded to meditate on God’s Word (Joshua 1:8)

8. It helps our prayer life (John 15:7)

9. It helps our study of the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15)

10. It can protect us against wrong doctrine (Ephesians 4:14)

B. It helps others

1. It helps us to evangelize unbelievers (ex. Acts 2:14-36)

2. It helps us to teach believers (Psalm 119:24)

Why we don’t memorize Scripture

Excuse: “I have a poor memory.”

Excuse: “I don’t have time.”

Excuse: “I am too old.”

Excuse: “I have tried before and failed.”

Excuse: “Why bother now that I have my new computer program.”

Excuse: “Memorizing Scripture will make me spiritually proud.”

The real reason is that we choose not to.

Bible memory verses often taken out of context

A verse out of context is a pretext. We all have probably used Bible verses to say things that are simply not meant by the biblical author. We should understand what the Bible says and not divorce words from their context. Bible verses are often taken out of context when we have heard others use a verse in a certain way and believe that understanding to be correct. Then every time we read the verse in the Bible we impart to the verse what we think the meaning is, rather than reading it for what it says. This is a problem even if our misunderstanding does not lead us into doctrinal error. We still miss the true meaning of the verse that is misused. Furthermore, it begins to warp the context for other verses

Romans 8:28 – “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” The common understanding – God works everything out for our good. The correct understanding -God works all things together for good as long as the condition is met: We must love God and be called according to His purpose. This certainly does not apply to everyone. Loving God and being called according to His purpose are two sides of the same coin. If this is true for us then this promise applies to us.

Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.” The common understanding – Christ is standing at the door of every person’s heart. Each person has the opportunity to receive Him into their life and enjoy salvation which brings true fellowship with Jesus Christ. The correct understanding – Christ is addressing the church of Laodicea, through a messenger. This is not a verse directed at individual unsaved people that we may encounter in our evangelistic endeavors. It is to a church whose members were professing believers but were in fact spiritually dead. The church is called to repent and become zealous for God. (Read the entire excellent 8 page paper – Why Memorize – from Valley Bible Church, Lancaster, CA)

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Rick Warren answers the question – Why Should You Memorize Scripture?

“Whoever looks intently into the perfect law … and continues in it — not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it — they will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1:25NIV)

If you’re serious about being spiritually strong and mature, the greatest habit you can develop is memorizing Scripture. In fact, the Bible says in James 1:25 that it’s one of four habits that leads to a blessed life: “Whoever looks intently into the perfect law … and continues in it — not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it — they will be blessed in what they do” (NIV).

• Read your Bible. “Whoever looks intently …”
• Review the Bible. “… continues in it …”
• Remember the Bible. “… not forgetting what they have heard …”
• Respond to the Bible. “ … but doing it …”

You don’t want to be a spiritual baby anymore. It’s time to grow up and live the blessed life you’re meant to live. Hiding God’s Word in your heart is an important way to start.

You may not think you have a good memory, but you remember what’s important to you. You remember the phone numbers and dates that you care about. I’ve heard people say they can’t memorize anything, but they can quote songs from the 1960s and rattle off the statistics of their favorite baseball players.

Memory is a skill you can learn. It’s a muscle you can strengthen. In fact, memorizing Scripture will cause your brain to have a stronger memory in other areas. I guarantee it. Study after study has shown this.

Why is it important to memorize Scripture?

• You’ll always have God’s Word with you. When you’re tempted, you don’t have a Bible open or by your side. When you’re witnessing to someone who doesn’t know Jesus, is under stress, needs comfort, or is in a crisis, there’s usually not a Bible around. You need God’s Word in your mind so you can remember it and review it right when you need it.
• You can meditate on Scripture wherever you go. You can’t review God’s Word unless you remember it. If you’ve memorized Scripture, you can think about it when you get into bed at night or as you drive to an appointment. You can think about the Bible because you’ve memorized it. That’s called meditation. The only promise of prosperity and success that God gives us in the Bible says that meditating on his Word is the key (Joshua 1:8).

Start memorizing Scripture today. Pick a verse a week. In a year, you’ll have memorized 52 verses. In two years, you’ll have memorized more than 100 verses.

Talk It Over

• What changes do you need to make so that you are regularly reading and studying the Bible?
• You already know the ways you learn and memorize best. What tools, tactics, or people can help you memorize Scripture?
• How do you respond when God brings Scripture to mind in certain situations? How should you respond?

Courtesy of http://www.preceptaustin.org, a wonderful website for study of Scripture. See http://www.preceptaustin.org/Memorizing_His_Word

Speak the Word of God, and your becomes His voice!

Key Supporting Verse:

He who hears you hears me and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”” (Luke 10:16a)

Here Is Why This Is Important:

The reason Jesus left us here is for us to become His disciples. His purpose is to work through each of us to continue the work of spreading the Gospel Truth that He began when He was here!

And What Was It That Jesus Did?:

• He spoke.
• He taught.

Jesus taught all of us a very important principle in that first part of Luke 10:16. When people hear a follower of Jesus (could be you or me) as we speak the Word of God (anything in the Bible), the listeners are hearing Jesus speaking through the voice of the speaker.

However, if you read the verse in context, you’ll see that Jesus commissioned those who had dedicated their lives to doing His work. There is no indication that the power of His spoken Word is available to unbelievers or even casual, cultural Christians.

Nevertheless, the good news for us is that there is great power in the Word of God. This is not like fictional characters who, by way of special effects, can cause “supernatural” things to happen. That’s fiction. But the Word of God is not fiction.

Here’s how that is true:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14)

I don’t understand the “how” of those words, but I believe that somehow God literally IS His Word! As someone has said, the Bible is the written Word, and Jesus is the “living Word”.

Here are verses supporting the assertion that there is power in God’s Word:

It may “feel” awkward at first, to speak God’s Word out loud in the presence of others. Don’t let that stop you! Don’t be ashamed. Those “feelings” were likely put into you by a demon hoping to get you to back down and not give voice to what they hate.

On the contrary, speak out boldly! Take a step of faith and open your mouth, not because of what you FEEL, but because of what you KNOW! Put the devil in his place, and you will soon become aware of the presence of God as never before!

But you can’t give to others what you do not have. That’s why I keep banging the “Scripture memory” drum!

This principle accompanies the one stated earlier:

Here’s an example of how Jesus applied the principle of quoting Scripture when being harassed by the devil. He modeled it for us as an example of how we can use the spoken Word of God to rebuke the devil.

When the devil tried to tempt Jesus after His forty-day fast, here’s how Jesus responded (emphasis mine):

The Temptation of Jesus

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And after fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. ³ And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” ⁴ But He answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

⁵ Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple ⁶ and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command His angels concerning you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.’”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ⁸ Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him, “All these I will give You, if You will fall down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.’”

¹¹ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to Him.

(Matthew 4:1~11)

In that passage, Jesus demonstrated for us how the spoken Word has power over temptations of the devil!

Do you realize how awesome and how important that is? You speak an appropriate Scripture passage, and in so doing put the lie to whatever the devil is trying to get you to believe and act on.

When you or I do that, the devil has to obey!

Why? Because to the devil, there is no difference between Jesus speaking the Word and you or I speaking the Word! The devil feels the power and does what he’s told!

The power of God is in His Word, and we access that power when we speak the Word of God!

In the following passage God revealed a glimpse of the grandeur and majesty with which He regards His spoken Word.

Note the underlined text:

¹⁰ For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, ¹¹ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10~11)

God SPOKE! And Look What Happened:

• He spoke — and the universe came into existence.
• He spoke through Moses — and the Red Sea parted.
• He spoke — and the lepers were made clean.
• He spoke — and Lazarus rose from the dead.
• He spoke — and water turned into wine.
• He spoke — and multitudes were fed.
• He spoke — and the blind could see, the dumb could speak, the deaf could hear, and the crippled, the lame, the paralyzed, and the bleeding were healed.
• He spoke, “It is finished!” — and thereby threw open the gates of Heaven for all who believe in Him and obey Him.

By way of story, God has even revealed to us a “How-To” process for accessing the power of His Word, thus giving us a part in His process of bringing about things that would be impossible without Him:

Note the underlined text:

The Valley Of The Dry Bones

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. ² And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. ³ And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” ⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. ⁵ Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶ And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸ And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. ⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Ezekiel 37:1-10)

Notice the first order of business:

The first thing He told the prophet Ezekiel to do (see the underlined phrase) was to “Hear the Word of the Lord”!

God is saying to the prophet (and to us), “This is what I want you to say. Now, SAY IT!“

This was an impossible situation: bringing life back into a bunch of bones. But not just any old bones; DRY bones!!

God instructed a mere mortal — just like any one of us — to speak words that He gave them.

So the point is??

In the heat of the battle, when the devil has you whimpering in fear and is freaking you out to the max, there’s no time to try to look it up in your Bible or call a friend. No, you have to know God’s Word. Scripture memory is the answer.

An Important Point Regarding The Principle That Calls Us To Speak The Word Of God:

Recall that in Isaiah 55:11 (quoted earlier) God said His Word “shall accomplish that which I purpose”.

We, as His ambassadors, are called to do what He would do if He were here in the flesh. We’re instructed to do His work. That likely does not include requesting a new car or thinking we are empowered to call down the wrath of heaven upon someone we don’t like!

So I’ll say it again: you cannot know what God would do until you have a good grasp of what He has said in His Word.

Think Of It Like This:

Suppose you were in desperate need of legal help.

Let’s imagine you’ve been unjustly accused of a serious crime, but the evidence against you appears overwhelming.

Which of these people would you rather have as your advocate?
A) Someone who is “interested in” the law and plans to go to law school.
B) A seasoned top-notch defense attorney with decades of experience.

Right… So would I!

Speaking for myself, I want to BE  the biblical equivalent of that top-notch attorney!

I’m gladly paying the price to reach that goal. It’s not a burden; it’s a joy and a delight!

How About You?

— Jan