The discipline of scripture memory is a very under-appreciated part of the Christian life. Memorizing scripture fills your head with the things of God instead of the characteristics of the world. As Jesus memorized scripture to fight away temptations, we should do the same. Memorizing scripture also gives you tools to use when talking to people you come across in your daily life. Memorizing scripture is hard, though. Here are a few scripture memory tips to keep you on track.
Read the verse out loud
The first scripture memory tip is to read it out loud. When we read out loud, it helps commit it to memory more so than if you say it in your head. Have you ever noticed that when you have a dream that you seem to forget it within a few minutes of getting up? Next time that happens verbalize what the dream was about, and you’ll likely remember a lot more of it.
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Listen to an audio Bible
There are countless apps for listening to the Bible, and you can use them to replay the same verse over and over. This method is especially helpful for memorizing larger chunks of the Bible at a time. If your d-group tries to remember something like the Sermon on the Mount, you’ll appreciate being able to listen to it in the car while you are commuting to work.
Understand what the passage means
Don’t just aim to memorize passages of scripture but seek to learn who wrote them, why they wrote them, who they were written to, and the context surrounding the book. The more you can learn about a particular passage, the easier it will be to memorize it. You can use a Study Bible to help determine this information.
Write it down
Studies have shown that writing things down helps commit them to memory. If you are struggling to memorize a particular passage, take the time to write it down on an index card. You can then use that index card during the day to read and speak from as you go about your day. We also sell a scripture memory deck that you can take with you wherever you go.
By Replicate Staff
Originally posted on Replicate’s blog here. Used by permission.