Should God’s People Memorize His Word?

YOU will never understand a Bible truth more than when you memorize it!

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15

Memorizing God’s Word takes deliberate intentional effort, diligence, and brings the greatest reward (Psalm 119; Proverbs 2-4; Jeremiah 15:16, etc.). Memorizing Holy Scripture comes by repetition and association.

Where are you weak? Find one or more Bible verses that address your weakness. Write them on an index card. Memorize them.

THE MORE SCRIPTURE YOU MEMORIZE, THE MORE POWERFUL A VESSEL, A WEAPON YOU BECOME IN THE HANDS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Proverbs 4:4; 24:5; 2 Timothy 2:21, etc.).

When stating this, at times the excuse-making, lazy people become upset. Instead of repenting and applying their God-given faculties and time to Him, they attack the mere messenger for stating biblical and self-evident truth.

I’ve heard people misquote verses like the following verse and seem to attempt to use this as an excuse for not memorizing the words of God…..

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;” Hebrews 10:16

If this were the case, if the LORD was doing it all for us and we have no need to get those words of His into us, why then did the LORD command us to “read,” “study,” “retain,” and “meditate” upon His Word? (See Revelation 1:3; Nehemiah 8:8; 2 Timothy 2:15; Proverbs 4:4; Joshua 1:8.)

Knowing King James Bible truth is what equips you with divine substance to share (1 Peter 3:15).

Concerning His words, the LORD commands His people to “write them upon ….”

“And thou shalt WRITE them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” Deuteronomy 6:9

“And thou shalt WRITE them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:” Deuteronomy 11:20

“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; WRITE them upon the table of thine heart:” Proverbs 3:3

“Bind them upon thy fingers, WRITE them upon the table of thine heart.” Proverbs 7:3

The “write” is to engrave, to inscribe (Hebrew kathab). When we obey the LORD by posting His Word where we can view, read, see, and meditate upon His words, they will become more and more inscribed, engraved upon the table of our hearts as an essential component to conduct our lives forward in God’s will. How else could His words be “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” if we don’t even know those words very well? (Psalms 119:105)

Someone might say: “But brother under the New Covenant we have the Holy Spirit now.” True and He enlightens and bring to our remembrance His Word and yet, He can only bring to remembrance to us that of His Word that we’ve put in us, right? Notice closely what Jesus taught:

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26

Notice that the Holy Spirit is our “Comforter” and Teacher and yet He brings back to our “remembrance” specifically those things He has “said unto” us. And, the primary way God speaks is through an open Bible, not a closed one. In other words, the LORD speaks to those who are His true disciples, students. And His students study His words (2 Timothy 2:15).

On that note, brother Chris Sitter writes:

“Our job is to put the Word in us, and it’s the Holy Spirit – who will bring it out.”

You cannot possibly fully, properly meditate upon a bible truth you don’t first memorize or at least become very familiar with.

Is the LORD you claim to love important enough to you to memorize His Word?

It’s not till you memorize a Bible verse that you really begin to see what He’s saying in it. Try it.

ANYTHING you say out loud enough times WILL be memorized! Proverbs 4:4

Don’t just read it – MEMORIZE IT!

WHEN we have a weakness, the best thing to do is pray and find Scripture dealing with that thing. Write it down on index cards and begin memorizing, quoting, and meditating upon it (2 Peter 1:3-4; Psalms 119:11, etc.).

When taking college courses, I reduced the most important test information down and put it on index cards. Worked amazing.

“Christ’s words must abide or continue in us. We must study His words, fairly devour His words, let them sink deep into our thought and into our heart, keep them in our memory, obey them constantly in our life, let them shape and mold our daily life and our every act.” R.A. Torrey

Those who don’t love God enough to devour His Word daily – simply don’t love God – they are full of self!

“IF (IF, IF) ye CONTINUE in my word, THEN are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32

IF you aren’t continuing in the Word it’s because you aren’t continuing, abiding in Christ (John 15:1-6).

Something special definitely happens when those divine words flow through your eye gates into your mind and through your hand – onto an index card!

WHEN you memorize the Word, it then owns you, and you own that treasure! (Proverbs 4:4)

“I know sometimes while I am writing out God’s Words on index cards, my hand wants to shake with emotion…I love him so much…I tend to get so excited and want to show the world what I have just read!!” Mary B.

In Israel, the LORD instructed those in places of authority to hand-record His Word.

“And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law (Word) in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:” Deuteronomy 17:18-19

It was Satan himself who cast doubt on God’s Word and added just one word to what God had said to the man and woman (Genesis 3:1-6). Apparently Adam and Even didn’t listen to and intimately know the words of God – “EVERY word of God.” This led to the fall of mankind and is today leading to the downfall of many – because they don’t give detailed attention and absolute daily diligence to knowing “every word of God” (Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 4:4).  It is my opinion that when someone despises or so much as casts doubt upon God’s Word and/or the need for believers to intimately know God’s Word, such a person is under the influence of Satan who “cometh immediately and taketh away the word.” Is this not the work of the enemy? Jesus says: “Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts” (Mark 4:15).

“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

“EVERY word” God has given us in His written Word is important! Listen to what the LORD tells us in Joshua 1:8:

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8

“Success” and prosperity, as defined by the Almighty, comes from knowing, meditating upon, and observing to do God’s Word.

GOT Bible verses memorized? Now that we have a verse memorized, meditating on it, mulling it over is vital for it’s application. Amen for sure. Many times, when tempted to burst forth with words that may not be edifying or appropriate, Colossians 4:6 comes to me. Have had this one committed to memory for a while. Upon reciting it, mulling it over prayerfully, the LORD comes shining through – every time!

If the Word of God is not to depart out of our mouths, according to Joshua 1:8, how could anyone object to and resist the need to memorize Scripture? Jesus had God’s Word memorized from His childhood and quoted it to the Devil verbatim while being tempted (Matthew 4). What higher precedence and example could there be for memorizing and knowing Scripture?

We cannot possibly properly meditate on a divine truth we haven’t memorized (Proverbs 4:4).

“Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.” Proverbs 4:4

“I’ve found that reading a verse that catches my eye over and over during my daily reading helps me retain.” Jon Crane

God’s Word cannot get into us unless we get into it.

“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?” Proverbs 22:17-21

God is able saints. Memorizing verses like these has helped this disciple mightily: Psalms 57:7; 63:8; 1 Chronicles 16:11; 22:19

The following is a divine command:

“STUDY to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

At times, some bring up the verses which speak of God writing His Word upon the hearts of His people. Yet, in context, this seems to be speaking of Israel, when they are ultimately restored to the LORD (Hebrews 8). It certainly doesn’t negate the need to know God’s Word intimately.

Did the LORD not tell His people to know His Word? Yes and He instructed them to surround themselves with His Word. Here’s an example of such divine instruction:

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” Deuteronomy 6:6-9 

Also, by experience we all know that we’ve been in situations, discussions, etc., where we lacked the distinct words of of the LORD that would have spoken perfectly to the topic being discussed.

Some seem to wish to shirk the responsibility to diligently study, know, meditate upon, and memorize God’s Word by saying things like “the LORD wrote His words on my heart” or “I am led by the Holy Spirit and so don’t need to know God’s Word that well.” This is seriously concerning and pure error.

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err (go into error), not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” Matthew 22:29

When are God’s people “destroyed”?

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 4:6

God’s people are “destroyed” when they lack the knowledge of God’s Word.

When do God’s people increase in strength?

“A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.” Proverbs 24:5

As we personally study and know God’s Word, His strength in us will be increased accordingly. God’s people increase in His strength when they are personally filled with the knowledge of His Word.

The LORD instructs us to write, record, retain His words upon the table of our hearts and by doing so we will obtain His favor:

“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; WRITE THEM UPON THE TABLE OF THINE HEART: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.” Proverbs 3:3-4

“Whoso despiseth (disrespects, despises) the word (the need for it) shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.” Proverbs 13:13

Study Psalms 119.

MEDITATING ON GOD’S WORD

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