MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE

Transcription

1 THE L.I.F.E. PLAN MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE BLOCK 6 THEME 6 - YOUR DEVOTIONAL LIFE LESSON 3 (203 of 216)

2 BLOCK 6 THEME 6: YOUR DEVOTIONAL LIFE LESSON 3 (203 OF 216): MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE LESSON AIM: Share important reasons to memorize Scripture. SCRIPTURE: (Psalm 119:11) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Culture today is counter to memorization. Everything is built to relieve man of this responsibility. We have smart televisions and smart telephones which almost do the thinking for us. We certainly do not have to memorize telephone numbers any more. They are in storage in our phones and all we have to do is select the correct menu where we can find them. With the press of a button, or even by asking our phone to dial the number for us, our calls are made. Time was when everything had to be committed to memory. We memorized phone numbers, birthdates, and anniversaries. School children had to memorize the multiplication tables, at least through the number twelve. Now, many of us may only know a small handful of phone numbers. Memorization has nearly become a lost art in our own lifetime. One area which still pays off in rich dividends is in the area of Scripture memory. While we have gotten away from this blessing and discipline in the church of today, its rewards are no less beneficial. Many of us memorized Bible verses as children in Sunday School that are still in our hearts today. We can recall chapter and verse as well as the text and quote them just as we learned them years ago. They will be with us as long as God allows us to have a sound mind in this world. Scripture memory affords many blessings to the person who practices it. Let s talk about three of these blessings. First, Scripture memory makes it possible for us to meditate in God s Word. It is a wonderful thing to have a copy of the Bible in our own language. This is a blessing that not every person on earth has to enjoy. We love to read the Bible and spend time with God, centered around his Word. However, there are times when we are busy going about the everyday business of life when we cannot carry an open Bible with us, reading it and pouring over its content. But, if we have memorized Scripture, we can call up the verses we have memorized and dwell on them no matter what else we may be doing. We can be busy with our hands in one area and at the same time, meditate on God s word. Meditating on the Word is not to assume a trance-like position or mode, seeking to distance ourselves from reality. It is to think on the Word and digest it in our hearts so that we can live it in our lives. Meditation may be done to help us relate Scripture with Scripture. As we think on one verse, we may be reminded of a similar verse in another place and a connection is made in our minds with these Scripture references. This broadens our command of the Scriptures when we are able to see these important connections. We may meditate also to help us understand a verse or verse portion which has been unclear to us in the past. By thinking on it, dwelling on it, pondering over it, looking at it from every angle, we can begin to understand the truth contained in the verse. Meditation, therefore, helps us get to the truth which may be hidden to the natural eye. Meditation also helps us in the self-examination of our lives. As we think on the truth, at the same time, we can look at our own life to see if we measure up to the truth or not. Meditating on the Word reveals the discrepancies

3 in our lives, giving us the opportunity to correct the things that do not align with the Word of God. Next, memorizing Scripture creates a guard in our hearts against sin. David, in the theme verse for this lesson, said that he memorized God s Word so that he might not sin against God. As we read the Scriptures, we come across those things in life that please God and those things which are displeasing to him. The natural propensity of man, of course, is to do those things which are displeasing to God. If we have memorized Scriptures which tell us to not do something, when we are tempted to do those things, we may recall the Scripture which told us to avoid that thing. The Scripture becomes a guard for us, warning us that we are about to step into an area with which God is not pleased. If we listen to the guard of Scripture, we can avoid the sin and do the right thing in the eyes of God. Conversely, when we have memorized Scriptures which speak of things which are pleasing to God, we can know that when we follow the exhortation of those verses hidden in our heart, God is pleased with our actions and with our obedience to his Word. A third benefit of Scripture memorization has to do with the spiritual warfare in which the believer is engaged on a daily basis. We have an adversary which walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. A person who has hidden the Word of God in his heart is not an easy person to devour. This is one who can put up a fight with the enemy and prevail through the use of the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. When we memorize Scripture, we are building a magazine of spiritual munitions in our heart from which the Holy Spirit can draw when we encounter the enemy. The Holy Spirit will call up just the right Scripture from our memory to help us in the time of need. Jesus demonstrated this in the wilderness during the time of his temptation. With every attack and temptation from the devil, Jesus responded by saying, It is written, then he proceeded to quote a verse of Scripture that met and won over the temptation of the moment. The Word of God will work in the same way for us if we will hide it in our heart, making it ready for the time of need. The final benefit we will mention about Scripture memory is that it aids us in witnessing for the Lord Jesus Christ. We never know when God is going to drop us in the middle of an opportunity to share the gospel. We can be prepared for this by memorizing Scriptures about salvation. There are many passages which speak to the need of the heart of man and what God has done through Jesus to meet that need. We should hide these Scriptures in our heart to be ready when the Holy Spirit opens the door for us to witness. From the Word we have memorized, God can use us to lead a person to faith in Jesus Christ. There are also those times when we have opportunity to respond to the questions people are asking about life and the things they are experiencing. We can be ready with the answers by memorizing Scriptures which speak to the different needs and experiences we all encounter in life. When a question is presented to us, we can ask God to give us the answer we need to give to them by helping us recall just the right verse we have memorized from the Word of God. Solomon said there is nothing like being able to share just the right words to him that is weary. The Word of God is one of the most important things we have in order to get through life in this world. The other top two things are the Holy Spirit and prayer, but even they work in conjunction with the Word of God. Scripture memory is a great benefit we have for living. It takes a little work to do it, but it pays off in blessings which are to be had in no other way. Do not sell yourself short on these blessings by failing to hide the Word of God in your heart.

4 LESSON OUTLINE BLOCK 6 THEME 6: YOUR DEVOTIONAL LIFE LESSON 3 (203 OF 216): MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE Benefits of Scripture Memory: I MEDITATION A. Helps us connect Scripture with Scripture B. Helps us understand the truth C. Aids in self-examination II GUARDS OUR HEART A. Things not to do B. Things to do III SPIRITUAL WARFARE A. The enemy attacks B. The Holy Spirit counter-attacks with the Word of God IV WITNESSING A. Sharing the gospel B. Answering questions SCRIPTURES TO BROADEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING 1. Take a concordance and look up the Scripture references to meditation. LINES OF THEOLOGICAL CONNECTION 1. THE DOCTRINE OF THE SCRIPTURES Memorizing the Word of God Meditating on the Word of God 2. PNEUMATOLOGY The work of the Spirit through the Scriptures in our memory 3. THE DOCTRINE OF SATAN Satan has no defense against the Word of God 4. ANTHROPOLOGY Be prepared to defend your faith with the Word of God Be prepared to extend the faith with the Word of God

5 QUESTIONS ANSWER KEY 1. List four benefits of memorizing Scripture. Helps us to meditate in the Word; guards our heart, helps in spiritual warfare; helps us witness for Christ 2. What benefit do we get from meditating on the Word of God? It helps us connect the Scriptures with each other; helps us understand the truth; helps us in self-examination 3. How can the Holy Spirit help us either in spiritual warfare or in a witnessing opportunity? He can call up a Scripture from our memory that will meet the need of the moment 4. Share a time when the Holy Spirit gave you a verse to use in a time of need. Student response 5. Is Scripture memory a part of your spiritual disciplines? Student response 6. What important verses do you need to hide in your heart beginning today? Student response

6 BLOCK 6 THEME 6: YOUR DEVOTIONAL LIFE LESSON 3 (203 OF 216): MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE THOUGHT 1. List four benefits of memorizing Scripture. 2. What benefit do we get from meditating on the Word of God? 3. How can the Holy Spirit help us either in spiritual warfare or in a witnessing opportunity? 4. Share a time when the Holy Spirit gave you a verse to use in a time of need. 5. Is Scripture memory a part of your spiritual disciplines? 6. What important verses do you need to hide in your heart beginning today?