12 FOUNDATION STONES - CLASS 1B MEMORIZING THE WORD OF GOD, PART 2.2 ------------------------------------------ Section 2: How to Memorize ------------------------------------------ These points can be applied to anything you are memorizing and studying, not just Scripture memorization. > Your memory can be developed like a muscle The more you use it, the stronger it gets, but lack of use causes it to weaken. The more you concentrate, the easier it is to memorize Finding a quiet place, free from distractions, will help a lot. An unfocused camera gives an unclear picture, and a wandering mind, easily distracted, doesn't get a clear picture of the things it observes, finding them hard to remember. If you give your full attention, then you'll get a good, clear picture of that verse printed on your mind. > Find the best time for you In the morning when you're fresh after waking up, or right before you start your work, is usually best. All you need is 5–10 minutes when you can concentrate without distraction, if possible. Or, try the evenings. The important thing is to find the best time for you. Some people like to start the night before by reading over the verses they want to memorize the next day, so that when they wake up, they're already familiar with them. > Sight, sound, and action Most people remember best what they see, while others remember best what they hear, and another portion best what they do in actual motions. By using all three of these faculties, you can increase your ability to remember. For example, by reading, you use your sight. If you quote your memory work out loud, you hear it too, as well as use your mouth to speak it. Then by writing the same verse to be memorized, it is often better remembered. Simply, the more involved you become with your memorization, the better you remember it. > Memory work is work It does take a certain amount of determination and self-discipline on your part. Make hiding the Word in your heart a life-long habit! When it becomes a habit, it will get easier. It's plain hard work to memorize! You have to work at it - like digging a hole or scrubbing the floor or washing the windows or dishes, it's just hard work! You've got to keep repeating and repeating and repeating and repeating! Normally you'll memorize a verse phrase by phrase, that's about the best way to do it. Don't worry if it seems to take quite awhile, especially at first, to memorize a verse. It's not a contest to see how quickly you can learn. The goal is to get it down, and keep it in your heart. > The law of memory is repeat, repeat, repeat! Set a goal or memory project for each week So you don't have to decide each day what you're going to learn that day. There are three suggested verses in each class in the Study Notes book. We'll talk more about this in a minute. > For more memory tips: See the Study Notes book, as well as Activated magazine 10, pages 12–13. ------------------------------------------ Section 3: Advice For Memorizing Scriptures ------------------------------------------ Much of what we've shared until now could apply to anything you want to memorize or study. Now we want to look at a few specifics regarding Scripture memorization. > Our decision to memorize shouldn't be based on our feelings A poor memory can be caused by constantly saying your memory's poor. But "know that you can!" and claim this verse: Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Another reason we may not get around to memorizing may be simply that we don't always feel like it, but we should memorize no matter how we feel. Feeling enthusiastic about memorizing verses is great, but it's not a good enough motivation because those feelings may not last or be consistent. Feeling enthusiastic about doing something is a motivation that comes and goes - mostly goes! The motivation that we need to hang on to comes from the facts, not the feelings. What are some of the facts about memorizing upon which we should base our decision? God's Word tells us to hide the Word in our heart. It helps us in our spiritual walk with the Lord. It helps us to help others. Some day we're not going to have the Word on paper, and what we hide in our hearts is what's going to keep us. All those facts are the consistent motivation that we need to be reminded of over and over! Psalm 1:1–2 - Blessed is the man … (2) [whose] delight is in the law [Word] of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. > Selecting verses to memorize Two important keys to memorizing are: 1. To understand why you are memorizing a certain verse; in other words, what is the purpose for memorizing it? To what practical use can you put it? 2. To make sure that you understand the meaning of all the words in the verse you are memorizing. Often there is a story or supporting passage behind each individual verse you want to memorize, and if you know the context of the verse, you will understand the verse better and be more likely to remember it. If a verse answers a question you've had, comforts you or helps you through some time of testing, this is the best kind of verse to memorize, as it has special meaning and interest to you and will therefore stick with you the longest. > How precisely do you need to remember the wording of a verse? Some verses have difficult wording. If you have difficulty remembering the exact wording, ponder these points: When you're quoting a verse to somebody, if you don't remember the verses exactly, you probably will just paraphrase them, and as long as you've caught the spirit of the verse and it means the same, that's fine. Sometimes when you're praying you really want to get the exact words of the promise to bring before the Lord. But if you can't, you can still pray and claim the promise even if you don't have the exact words. It's just as good to the Lord, because He knows what you're trying to say and the point you're trying to remember. In conclusion, if you can get the exact wording, that's best, but it's much better to learn something than not learn anything. You don't have to worry too much about having the exact words all the time, as long as you get the general point of the verse. Don't get stuck with details. If you're going to have the attitude that you haven't learned the verse until you can quote every word exactly right without one mistake, then you're going to spend lots more time memorizing than you need to. You might progress faster if you're a little less precise but learning a greater variety of verses. And eventually, as you review the verses, you'll probably get the wording correct too. > Learning the references? Try if possible to learn the references (the book, and the chapter and verse numbers) along with the verse itself. This will help you in finding the verse later on, which is especially useful when sharing your faith with others. It's good to quote the Scripture, but if you don't know where it's found in the Bible, you run the risk of the person you're speaking with saying, "Is that really in the Bible? Where is it?" If you don't know and can't show it to them, then how does he know whether you even know the Scripture? Whereas, if you know the references to key verses, you can show them the verse right out of the Bible. That is actually one of the best ways of teaching others, letting them read the verse themselves. You will have more confidence to teach others if you know where the important verses are. If you can learn the references, that is a good thing. However, if having to learn the references is going to discourage you from learning the verses, then it's better not to worry too much about the references. One thing you can do to learn references is to repeat the reference at the beginning and at the end of a verse each time you quote it. Another possibility is to at least remember the book that it's in. Then it's fairly easy to find the verse if you need to. Do you know the way to the post office? The point is that if you are going to use the Bible as a tool, and you are going to use passages and verses out of the Bible to prove your point or to give the truth to people, if you don't know where those verses are, how are you even going to find them? How are you going to show them to somebody else if you don't even know where to find them yourself? It would be like the little newsboy on the corner, when the famous evangelist Billy Sunday asked him the way to the post office. After the boy told him, he said, "Okay, now you come out to my meeting tonight, and I'll tell you how to get to Heaven!" - And the tough little newsboy said, "Huh! You don't even know the way to the post office!" So if you don't even know how to find the verses in the Bible, how can you purport to be wise enough to tell others how to find Heaven! > What to memorize * Individual verses or short passages: The Key Bible Verses booklet contains a comprehensive list of verses on a variety of topics, ideal for your personal devotional use and for witnessing. Rather than memorizing all the verses on salvation and then moving on to the next topic, it would most likely be best to begin with learning one or two key verses from each category so that you will have a wider variety of Scriptures memorized. Then you can go back and memorize more verses in that section at a later date. You will also find three key verses in the Study Notes book for each class. If you memorize every verse in the Study Notes book, by the end of this course you will know approximately 75 Scriptures! * Longer passages and chapters: The Psalms and certain portions of the Gospels like the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 are wonderful memory projects. Psalms like number 23 (comfort) are all-time favorites. (As we proceed through the course, you'll be finding out ideas of key chapters to memorize.) > Reviewing If you plan on memorizing a number of verses, you will need an organized system of review. If you don't have a plan and method for regularly reviewing what you have memorized, you will eventually forget the verses. You can write out your memory verses in a small, sturdy notebook. If you carry it with you wherever you go, you can pull it out to review in spare moments while waiting, traveling, etc. If you are memorizing verses from a compiled booklet like the Key Bible Verses or from the Study Notes book, you could highlight or somehow mark each verse as you memorize it and this will make it easier for you to find the verses for review. In a notebook, you can write down the references and first few words of each verse you memorize and then use this for reviewing. For example: John 1:12 As many as John 3:3 Except a man John 3:16 For God so John 3:36 He that believes A seven-day calendar review system can help you retain what you learn. After you have learned a verse, you should review it twice a day for the next seven days. One convenient way to keep track of the verses you memorize is by writing them (or at least the reference) in a small diary or calendar. Then each day, take this diary and review the verses, working back seven days. In addition to this, you should work out a method of reviewing all of the verses you memorize. As your "memory diary" fills up, you could work through the diary's contents week by week. This means, every day you could review whatever you memorized during the previous 7 days, plus another seven days, and gradually work through the year like this. > Putting your verses into use Use the verses you memorize by sharing them with others, through your prayers or witnessing (telling others about your faith). * Scripture songs The ease with which most of us remember commercial jingles is one of the proofs of how it is relatively easy to memorize something that has been put to music. Listening to Scriptures that have been put to song is a very easy way to memorize them. You may eventually find yourself humming or singing them to yourself without even having consciously attempted to memorize them. > Review of main points on memorizing If you have time, you can review the main points and tips about memorizing, as follows: The more you concentrate, the easier it is to memorize. The best time to memorize is usually first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Use sight, sound, and action to help engrain the verse into your memory. Memory work is work and you have to work at it. "Repetition is the law of memory!" Memorize and review for short periods, but do it often. You need to have a plan for reviewing. Set a goal for what you will memorize each week. Regularity is a key. When quoting your verses, try to do it aloud. Keep on memorizing even when you don't feel like it, or even when it is difficult. Select verses to memorize that are meaningful for you and that you understand. Try as much as possible to learn the references, but don't worry too much about it. While it's good to memorize the verse word-for-word, don't insist on perfection. Memorize a variety of both individual verses and longer passages. Use your verses and it will help you remember them. Review your verses at a steady pace. Memorize songs of verses that have been put to music. ------------------------------------------ Concluding prayer ------------------------------------------ Thank You, Lord, for Your Word and its power. Please do help us all to be faithful to memorize Your Word, so we can quote it for our own benefit and for the sake of others. Help us to meditate on Your Words as we go about our daily lives. Please bring Your Words to our remembrance, when we're traveling or working or lying on our beds at night, so that we never forget You, but keep Your Presence close. Amen. (end)