Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin aganist you.” 

    While in a SUV on a drive down to Biloxi, Mississippi, I was speaking to my college professor about church building designs and we were sharing our background of our faith to each other.  We were discussing that many people today have quit memorizing scripture, and how that has had an influence on church services throughout the past 40 or 50 years.

       Greg believed that services today are about projection - throwing an image up onto a wall, text, or the next visualization to describe a point in a sermon.  I agreed with him, and wondered why more Christians don’t know God’s word.  Comparing today to 2,000 years ago, Old Testament rabbis and their disciples had the entire old testament memorizied (39 books total).   Today, a handful of very talented pastors and select individuals know both the Old and New Testament by heart. 

        When the radio comes on, or a familiar song or tune plays, our brains quickly jump at filling in the lyrics to our favorite band, to a song that’s playing in the background - but how much of the Bible have we memorized?  Two weeks ago the high school students at my home church were asked the same question - and the group overall lacked any verses except for John 3:16.

Benefits to Memorizing Scripture

1. Memorizing Scripture will help you fight Satan when he sends temptation your way.   Jesus was tempted in Matthew Ch. 4 and responded to each of the Devil’s questions with the Old Testament law, given by Moses to the Israelites.  (Jesus’ responses to each of the Devil’s questions can be found in Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16, 6:13 respectively)

2. Memorizing Scripture will help you to witness to other people, especially to non-believers.

3. Memorizing Scripture will give you wisdom in decision making, and will guide your steps in your life if you follow what God has told us how we should live.

4. Memorizing Scripture will give you peace. (Isaiah 26:3)

The Topical Memory System was developed by the Navigators - a ministry dedicated to reach, disciple, and equip college students - about how to relate bible verses to topics and to make them easier to memorize.   A collection of sixty verses, organized into five major categories, break down verses that relate to most any topic.  After memorizing these sixty, you are encouraged to research your own verses, or to start memorizing a book fo the Bible.  

FREE DOWNLOAD:
Topical Memory System, Adobe PDF

Topical Memory System, Microsoft Word
I recommend downloading both, but especially the Microsoft Word version - there are templates already made for if you want to make your own scripture cards.

Need something to carry it in?  You can purchase small vinyl versepacks to hold them in, and in many cases a leather businesscard holder will work great too (especially if it has a little window in it on the outside, so you can see the verse you’re currently trying to memorize.  You can also just simply carry them in your pocket.  I know friends who use their cellular flip phone to store a few verses inside of it - because they always have their phone with them.  My friend Andrew carries his in his wallet - so everytime he opens to get some cash he sees his verses.

What does the Bible say about Memorizing Scripture?   There are many verses that hit this topic, here’s a few:

•Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart so that I might sin aganist you.“ 

•Joshua 1:8 “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it night and day so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

•2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

•Deuteronomy 32:46-47 “He said to them, ‘Take to heart all of the words I have delcared to you today, so that you may command your children to obey carefull all of the words of this law.  They are not just idle words for your - they are your life.  By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.’“