how to: memorizing large portions of Scripture

memorizing small portions of Scripture

Remember how I said I was going to write this post just a few days after the first one?  Yeah...it's been a week.  Oh well.  It was an intense week.  Here's what I've learned personally works for me on memorizing larger portions of Scripture.

Tips for Memorizing Large Portions of Scripture

Choose wisely.  A lot of the things I said for small portions of Scripture can be applied to larger Scriptures.  I think choosing wisely is especially important for memorizing chapters or even books of the Bible.  Chapters are so difficult to commit to memory, they should be packed full of truths that will help you.  For instance, I chose to memorize 1 Corinthians 1, and hopefully the entire book eventually, because I am so encouraged by that book.  The first chapter speaks of God using weakness instead of strength, and oh how I need to remember that!  So choose something that you'll be able to draw from often and that will be useful to you.

Read it every day.  I've never been able to memorize chapters by memorizing a verse at a time.  I usually commit to read the chapter every day for about a month.  If I'm busy in the mornings and don't have time to do my normal devotions, I'll just read this chapter.  It can be done so quickly, I can't make any excuses to not do it.  If I don't have it in a month, I'll keep going until it's set.

Go over it every day.  After I have the chapter in my brain, I go over it every day.  Once it's a bit more set, I might take another day to go over another chapter I've memorized, but I can't stray too long from the most recent chapter or it'll be gone.

Chill.  Memorizing a chapter of the Bible is a huge undertaking.  It's hard to commit something that long to memory.  So don't rush yourself.  You have the rest of your life to memorize this, and I'm sure you'll have plenty of time!  It's not a race.
 
Enjoy.  Scripture is God's Word to us.  I find I most enjoy memorization when I focus on what God's saying to me--encouraging me, convicting me, reminding me of His love.  His Word is beautiful, and we shouldn't ever forget to view it that way!

What this looks like for me.  I do my devotions in the morning when I'm eating breakfast.  That's when I'll read the chapter I'm in the process of memorizing.  Afterwards, when I'm brushing my teeth, I'll go over the chapter I memorized most recently.  If I feel like I've got it down, I might recite a different chapter the next day, but the day after that I'll be back to the most recent chapter.  Repeat constantly, or it'll be gone!

Leave me a comment below and let me know what you're working on currently!  If you're not in the middle of something, I'd encourage you to just take up a verse.  A little something is better than nothing at all!

O give me that book!  At any price give me the Book of God!  I have it.  Here is knowledge enough for me.

-- John Wesley

how to: memorizing small portions of Scripture

If there's one thing I've learned through memorizing Scripture over the years and attending a group at my church whose goal is to encourage others in this endeavour--it's that memorizing God's Word is hard.  It's hard to be disciplined, hard to have focus, etc.  However, in the years since I started memorizing verses through AWANA, I feel I've developed some techniques, and I thought it might be helpful to share them.  These are just ones that have worked for me, but hopefully they'll be helpful to someone else!

Tips for Memorizing Small Portions of Scripture

Choose wisely.  When I'm trying to choose what to memorize, I can be overwhelmed by all the choices.  Should I memorize something that will be helpful when I'm sharing the gospel with someone?  Something that could be an encouragement to others?  Something that I feel will help me in battling a specific sin?  The Scripture you choose to memorize should be your choice, through the Lord's leading, not just because everyone else is memorizing it.  If the Lord brings a verse to mind that you want to have in your heart, choose that!

Write it out.  When I'm focusing on a short verse or portion of the Word, I like to write it out--in my journal, on an index card, on my blog, etc.  I like playing around with typography on photographs I've taken.  It's just really helpful for me to focus on the verse as a whole by writing it out.

Go over it everyday.  No exceptions.  My grandpa told my dad once that, even if he had a really busy day ahead of him and didn't feel like he had enough time to read his Bible, he tried to read just one verse.  The Lord works through portions of His Word that are even as small as that, so why not let that one verse be the one you're memorizing?

Sit down.  For individual verses, I find I do really well sometimes when I just sit down and memorize the entire thing.  Just taking half an hour out of your day to cement those words into your head can end up being a real encouragement for you the rest of the day!

Repeat, repeat, repeat.   We all know how easy it is to lose what we've memorized, whether it be facts for a test, words to a song, or a verse.  In the first couple days, or even weeks, after I've memorized a verse, I try to go over it every day.  Once I feel I really have it down, I'll let myself go a few days without repeating it, but it's still necessary to repeat it often.  Otherwise it'll be gone, and I have to start all over again!

Pray.  God's the One helping you through this!  He created your mind, He knows your pace, and He going to help you the whole way.

Enjoy.  Scripture is God's Word to us.  I find I most enjoy memorization when I focus on what God's saying to me--encouraging me, convicting me, reminding me of His love.  His Word is beautiful, and we shouldn't ever forget to view it that way!

One of my favorite verses that I've memorized is Galatians 5:1 - "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."  This is one of my favorite verses to use in fighting sin.  Usually I'll just remind myself of the first part of the verse--you are free!--and that's enough.  Those are my favorite verses to memorize--short, sweet, and powerful.  Sometimes you don't need a bomb to shake the enemy off, just a series of powerful little punches!

I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.

Psalm 130:5 

I'm going to write another post on memorizing larger portions of Scripture within the next few days--keep looking for it!

weekdate #18

I have enjoyed this past week so immensely.  There have been times of great worship through fellowship and coming together with the church, and times of laughter and fun.

One of the times of laughter was on Wednesday.  Every Wednesday morning I go to observe a class for my intro to teaching class.  This particular Wednesday, my dad was having a young man in our acquaintance assist him at his job.  The man had left his truck at our house and unintentionally blocked my car in the driveway.  But that wasn't going to stop me.  I just slammed on the gas and went backwards over this little hill, shattering some white pole sticking out of the ground in the process.  I hope it wasn't too important.  Anyway, I got out to make sure the car was alright, and didn't pay attention to what was behind me when I got back in.  I mowed our trashcan down before I'd even realized that I hit it.  So that was fun.

This weekend and into the next week, Mark, Luke, and Sara-Grace are visiting.  My family and I had such a good time with them this morning as we visited Heritage Christian Fellowship, where my dad was guest preaching, and Mark was speaking on how his parents and siblings are serving as missionaries in Cameroon.  This evening we had the Bible memorization meeting at the church and we were able to hear some of Mark, Luke, and Sara's songs.  It was such a wonderful time of fellowship.

All throughout this week, I have been filled with such immense joy in the Lord.  I have been struggling for several months now, ever since I got back from Glorieta, with having joy in the Lord.  My biggest regret of my time in Glorieta was my lack of persistence in attending church, and not actively trying to engage in godly fellowship with those around me.  I don't necessarily regret my decision in going to Glorieta.  I had a fantastic summer of meeting new people and experiencing new challenges and blessings.  But the damage to my faith was so great, I would never return to work there.  I feel that I fell so far back in my faith over the summer, and I'm only just now beginning to gain some ground forward again.

God has been so patient and good to me.  He is so kind.  Honestly, His mercy and grace have just been consuming me over the past weeks, and I am overwhelmed.

At the memorization meeting tonight, Mark shared a passage from Isaiah that I was really encouraged by.  For the discouraged, doubting believer:

Isaiah 43:1-7

But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.  For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.  Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.

"Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west.  I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'  And to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'  Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made."

weekdate #013

1. This week I have my first Spanish test, and my anthropology midterm is in two weeks (!!!).  This semester is flying by already.  My intro to teaching class starts on Wednesday; so excited!

2. Last Tuesday I went to a BSU college Bible study.  It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the teaching, so I think I'll keep going with Rachel.

3. Then on Wednesday Rachel and I went to another college Bible study that's starting up out where we live.  Unfortunately, since we have a class starting next week it was our only chance to be able to go, but it was really good!

4. Saturday night was the Bible memorization meeting with the Living Word Initiative.  It was so good to see everyone. :)

5. Today is my mom's birthday!  Yay!

6. Chloe and I had a photo shoot tonight. :) Enjoy!

weekdate #010

1. This week I have been adjusting to being back home.  It's really strange to be back.  Everything at home is exactly the same as when I left, so it's almost like this summer never happened.

2. I'm back to sleeping normally in my own bed.  I woke up on Tuesday (?) and had no idea where I was, but otherwise it was a pretty easy transition.

3. On Monday Rachel, Ellie, and I went to ABQ for some shopping.  Santa Fe has nothing on ABQ when it comes to places to shop; it's nice to be back.

4. I took Ellie and Chloe to see Ice Age 4 this week too.  It was really good!  I'm not sure if that was the final movie of the series?  It seems like making a fifth would be going a bit too far.

5. On Thursday I went with Rachel to a Bible study in town.  It was really good!

6. On Friday Rachel, Ellie, and I went back up to Glorieta to see a friend of ours.  We all went to Santa Fe to the plaza again.

7. Saturday was the church Bible memorization meeting.  It was so good to see everyone, and encouraged me to renew my re-memorization of 1 Timothy.

8. I probably spent four days this week trying to write my 20 random things post.  It is hard thinking of 20 random things about myself!

9. Yesterday we had some really strange weather out here.  We actually saw a funnel cloud!  That is incredible for where I live since it's so mountainous.

10. I am so excited for my birthday this Friday!

 Hurray for my 400th post!

weekdate #007

1. Monday I went to visit my grandparents with my mom and sisters.  We had such a great time!  It was absolutely beautiful up there.

2. This week I bought a camera!  I've never had my own camera before, and I'm really excited for it to get hear.

3. On Thursday Rachel and I, along with some friends, went to try out a new Bible study in town.  It wasn't really what I'm used to, but we had a good time, and are going to go again this week.

4. On Friday Rachel, Ellie, and I went into town to do some shopping and get hair cuts and stuff like that.

5. Then on Friday night was the ladies' Bible study, which was on justice this time.  I'm not sure if I'm going to do an attributes of God post on that; I can't seem to come up with much for it, but we'll see.

6. On Saturday we went to Chloe's soccer game, and then to a plant nursery nearby to get my mom her mother's day present (finally).  It was beautiful there!

7. Saturday night was my last memorization meeting at the church before I go to Glorieta.  It was such a sweet time.

8. Sunday was my last time at church for who knows how long!  It's really sad to think about that, but I'll be back at the end of the summer.

9. Today we got together with some friends to have a sort of going away thing for Rachel and I.  It was so much fun, even if I did get sunburned. :)

10. Today's my first day for my online class--I'm taking my first education course.  It looks like it won't be too terrible.  We'll see. :)

weekdate #003

1. This past week I've been really busy with homework, especially getting ready for finals next week.  I was supposed to have a math exam last Thursday, but my teacher graciously allowed it to be a take home.  My math final is on Thursday, and over the weekend I've been preparing study sheets for my other three weeks that will be on the 1st and the 3rd.

2. On Wednesday my family and I went to the botanic gardens.  It was so beautiful!  We're going to try and go again next month when everything's blooming and before Rachel and I...

3. go to Glorieta!  In February, Rachel and I were both hired to work at Glorieta (this is where my youth group and I went for Regeneration last summer) for the summer, from the end of May to the second week of August.  We'll be living there all summer, but it's only about an hour away from home so hopefully we'll be able to visit occasionally.  I'm really nervous about moving out for the summer, but I'm also so excited to see what God will do!  Only one more month!

4. The weather has just been so beautiful lately.  Rachel and I are trying to walk a lot more than drive at school; there are a lot of places close enough that we can walk to.  It's a lot of fun!

5. Work on Friday was CRAZY.  It's spring break around here, and it's really obvious at McDs!  I only have two more full days before quitting before Glorieta!

6. Saturday night was my church's memorization group (Living Word Initiative) meeting.  It was so great!  I feel like I'm really treasuring my church family lately since I know I won't really be seeing them over the summer.  Saturday's meeting was a huge encouragement to me.

7. I rearranged my wall where I had Djamsel's picture hanging up so I could put Majoie's up too.  I put this quote in the middle because it reminds me of how God's going to provide for me so I can provide for them, however long He sees fit.

8. Speaking of Majoie, I'm going to try and write my first letter to her tonight!  I am still just so excited that I'm able to sponsor her.  I loved having a little boy to sponsor, and now I have a little girl too! :) God is so good!

9. This week I have discovered coffee!  I'm liking a walking advertisement. :)

10. Like I said in my last Everyday's Thanksgiving post, I've been going through "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.  I really liked one of his tips in the book where it says that you should smile at people as genuinely as possible, really focusing on them and acting happy to see them.  So I've been trying to do that this week, and it's amazing what an effect it has on people!  I've really enjoyed seeing how, even with just a smile, you can really make someone's day better.

new year's resolutions

I love making new year's resolutions.  I'm always sad about the previous year ending, but it's nice to have resolutions sort of be a "plan" for how I want the next year to go.  Here's a few of the most important ones:

~ finish reading through my Bible (I didn't quite finish last year) and try and read through it again

~ I want this next year to be one in which I spend more and more time in God's Word, trying to make it a habit for the rest of my life.  It's really hard to do that with school and work and everything else, but I want to try and "fast" from the other things in my life that aren't necessary and take up so much time, and fill that extra time with the Bible.  The day after I decided this I read an interesting part of a book by Amy Carmichael that seemed to fit exactly what I was thinking about.  I wanted to include it here.

*Note on Prayer and Fasting

   This note is to those to whom the idea of “prayer and fasting” is new, and who are rather puzzled about it.
   First, what does it mean?
   It means a determined effort to put first things first, even at the cost of some inconvenience to oneself. It means a setting of the will towards God. It means shutting out as much as possible all interrupting things. For the thing that matters is that one cares enough to have time with God, and to say no to that in oneself which clamors for a good meal and perhaps conversation. It is that which is of value to our Lord. Such a setting of the will Godward is never a vain thing. “I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me in vain.”
   But we must be in earnest. “When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.”

   A few simple Don’ts:

   1. Don’t get into bondage about place, or position of the body. Where did our Lord spend His hours of prayer? We know how crowded and stuffy Eastern houses are; we know that sometimes, at least, He went out into the open air to a hillside; to a garden. Where did Elijah spend the long time of waiting on his God? Again, out in the open air. I have known some who could kneel for hours by a chair. I have known others who could not. David “sat before the Lord.” Some find help in going out of doors and walking up and down; this was Bishop Moule’s way. Some go into their room and shut their door. Do not be in bondage. Let the leaning of your mind lead you; a God-directed mind leans to what helps the spirit most.

   2. Don’t be discouraged if at first you seem to get nowhere. I think there is no command in the whole Bible so difficult to obey and so penetrating in power as the command to be still—“Be still, and know that I am God.” Many have found this so.

Ah, dearest Lord! I cannot pray,
   My fancy is not free;
Unmannerly distractions come,
   And force my thoughts from Thee.

The world that looks so dull all day
   Glows bright on me at prayer,
And plans that ask no thought but then
   Wake up and meet me there.

All nature one full fountain seems
   Of dreamy sight and sound,
Which, when I kneel, breaks up its deeps,
   And makes a deluge round.

My very flesh has restless fits;
   My changeful limbs conspire
With all these phantoms of the mind
   My inner self to tire.

Faber

   This is true. Let the tender understanding of your God enfold you. He knows the desire of your heart. Sooner or later He will fulfill it. It is written, “He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him.” “I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me in vain.” (Thank God, for using the poor name Jacob there. Do you not often feel very much like the seed of Jacob? I do. “Surely, shall one say, In the lord have I righteousness and strength.” There is none of either in the seed of Jacob.”

   3. Don’t feel it necessary to pray all the time; listen. Solomon asked for a hearing heart. It may be that the Lord wants to search the ground of your heart, not the top layer, but the ground. Give Him time to do this. And read the Words of Life. Let them enter into you.

   4. Don’t forget there is one other person interested in you—extremely interested; he will talk, probably quite vehemently, for there is no truer word than the old couplet,

**Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

As far as I know the only way to silence his talk is to read or say aloud (or recall to mind) counter-words, “It is written, . . . It is written, . . . It is writing”; or to sing, for the devil detests song. “Singing . . . in your heart,” “singing . . . to the Lord”—either or both are too much for him.
   But let the Spirit lead as to what to read. “Let Thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.”

   5. Don’t give up in despair if no thoughts and no words come, but only distractions and inward confusions. Often it helps to use the words of others, making them one’s own. Psalm, hymn, song—use what helps most.

   6. Don’t worry if you fall asleep. “He giveth unto His beloved in sleep.”

   7. And if the day ends in what seem failure, don’t fret. Tell Him about it. Tell Him you are sorry. Even so, don’t be discouraged. All discouragement is of the devil. It is true as Faber says again:

Had I, dear Lord, no pleasure found
   But in the thought of Thee,
Prayer would have come unsought, and been
   A truer liberty.

Yet Thou art oft most present, Lord,
   In weak distracted prayer;
A sinner out of heart with self
   Most often finds Thee there.

For prayer that humbles sets the soul
   From all illusions free,
And teaches it how utterly,
   Dear Lord, it hangs on Thee.

   Then let your soul hang on Him. “My soul hangeth upon Thee”—not upon my happiness in prayer, but just upon Thee. Tell Him you are sorry, and fall back on the old words: “Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee”—unworthy as I am. Let these words comfort your heart: “The Lord . . . lifteth up all those that are down.” “Cast not away . . . your confidence,” there is a “great recompense of reward” waiting for you a little later on.

   But maybe it will be quite different. “Sometimes a light surprises the Christian when he sings,” or waits with his heart set upon access to his God; and he is bathed in wonder that to such dust of the earth such revelations of love can be given. If so it be, to Him be the praise. It is all of Him.
   “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

~  I want to try and read one good, edifying book every month.

~ Work hard at my job and do my best, even if I don't love it all the time.

~ Honor God through school and get good grades.

~ Nail down exactly what my plans for school are.

~ Write more poetry, fiction, music, etc.

~ Eat fruit regularly.  I make this resolution every year and never follow through with it, but I hope I can actually do it this year. :)

~ Write more actual letters to people.  I used to love doing this, and I think writing a good letter is a dying art.

~ Provide a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal for a family in need.

~ Learn how to pray.

~ Adore Him more and more.

~ Memorize more of the Word.  About halfway through this year I'd memorized quite a bit.  I've lost most of it now, though, and I'd like to try and get it back, along with memorizing more.  I've been so encouraged by the memorization group that was formed in my church this year.  We press on together!

~ Learn how to cook more, and try to actually enjoy it (I really just can't stand cooking).

~ Find a way to serve others consistently.

~ Work on my friendships.  I'm generally really terrible at this--I don't keep up on what's going on in people's lives, and then I don't like telling them about what going on in my life, but I know friendship is a gift from God, so I need to work on improving those.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer said something about this that encouraged me: "It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian [friends] is a gift of grace, a gift of the Kingdom of God that any day may be taken from us, that the time that still separates us from utter loneliness may be brief indeed."

A friend hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.
-- Anonymous

~ Give more than most would think is wise. By this I mean not only time and strength, but financially as well.  I read a quote sometime this year that said something like, "As soon as I have any money, I give it away, lest it makes its way into my heart."  Now if only I could find out who said that!

~ Cultivate a gentle, quiet spirit.

~ Get wisdom (Pro. 4:7).  My dad preached a great sermon on this today.

* excerpt taken from Edges of His Ways by Amy Carmichael, pages 247-250

** William Cowper

31 Days of Song, Day #17

Tonight was my church's monthly Bible memorization meeting.  I love just getting together with all those fellow followers of Christ and listening as we go over Scripture together.  There are some passages of the Bible that are made so much more beautiful when we have the knowledge that others have committed them to memory and they are being lived out.  What a blessed time it was!

"Angels We Have Heard On High" is another great Christmas song that I really enjoy.  The only thing I don't really like about it is that by the time you finish singing "Glooooooooooria" you're about to suffocate and keel over.  It's a great song overall, though.

* And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" Luke 2:13-14

"Les Anges dans nos Campagnes" was a French carol dating from the 1700s, which appeared in several different versions.  It was published in English in 1862, the words saying:

Angels we have heard on high / Sweetly singing o'er the plains,

And the mountains in reply / Echoing their joyous strains.

Glori, in excelsis Deo!

An older version had the title "Harken All! What Holy Singing!"  The words, translated into English, said:

Hearken, all!  What holy singing / Now is sounding from the sky!

'Tis a hymn with grandeur ringing, / Sung by voices clear and high.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Still another primitive version speaks from the shepherds' vantage point, saying:

Shepherds in the fields abiding, / Tell us when the seraph bright

Greeted you with wondrous tiding, / What you saw and heard that night.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Hymns are usually authored by human beings like us, but in this case obscure verses by unknown French poets were coupled with a refrain that was literally composed by angels in heaven: Gloria, in excelsis Deo.  that's the Latin wording for the angelic anthem "Glory to God in the highest!"  It comes from Luke 2:14 in the Vulgate, the Latin version of the Bible.  The Latin word Gloria means "glory," and in excelsis is the phrase for "in the highest".  Our English words excel and excellent come from the same root, meaning "to rise" or "to ascend" or "to be high".  The Latin word Deo means "God".

   This was the song proclaimed by the angels over Shepherds' Field the night Christ was born.  The musical score stretches out and emphasizes the words in a way that is uniquely fun to sing and deeply stirring, as we lift our voices to proclaim: Jesus has come!  Hope has arrived on earth!  A Savior is born!  Glory to God on High!  Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

* excerpt taken from Then Sings My Soul Special Edition by Robert Morgan, pages 42-43

Memory, memory

Tonight was the first meeting for a Bible memorization group at my church.  It was really great!  This group is going to get together once a month to encourage each other in memorizing portions of the Bible.  Our goal is to one day be able to quote the entire New Testament, with each person contributing a part.  Who knows if that goal will ever be realized, but no one can accuse us of dreaming too small!

I've memorized big chunks of Scripture before, but I've slowly lost almost all of it over the past year.  My first goal is to regain all of that, and then continue on to memorize more and more.  It's such a precious tool--to hide God's Word in your heart.  Let's see how far we get!