Memorizing and Meditating in the King James Bible
Psalm 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee.
For several years in the late 1970's, I taught a Bible memorization and meditation course. I loved teaching this course as there were dramatic results with the students. The course was six weeks long, and at the end people were amazed at the amount of verses they had memorized.
When I first started, everyone used the KJV, but at the end most people were not. I noticed an immediate drop off in the students ability to memorize along with the desire. The course withered and I ended it. I feel that the 400 anniversary of the KJV, it is good time to once again present the course to those who want to hide the word in their heart.
What I am going to do is post an abbreviated course, so you can get started. This system works if you use the KJV. If you follow my instructions, memorization will be a joy and not hard labor.
As a disciple of the Lord Jesus, memorizing the word of God should be a part of a lifelong walk with the Lord.
The key to being a powerful disciple of the Lord Jesus is to meditate on His word. Memorization is a tool to meditating on the word of God. Christian meditation is actively thinking on the word of God. When you meditate on the word, you are allowing the Holy Spirit to use the word to penetrate deep into your mind. The thoughts of the word then become your thoughts and you then act on these thoughts.
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.
Memorizing the Word
First: What I want you to do, is go through the Bible and make a list of all the verses you already know but have not memorized. These are the verses you are going to start memorizing.
It is the verses you can go right to in the Bible or might have partially memorized. Verses that are special to you in some way. These verses will be a joy to memorize and not hard labor.
Take your time, but get all the ones. It does not matter if it is five or 200.
When the list is finished, you are ready to start.
I do recommend that everyone include these three scriptures:
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Next: Now get 3x5 index cards.
Start with five of the verses you selected and write them out on the card.
Then you say the verse with its "address" 25 consecutive times.
Then write on the back of the card for the first day 1-25.
Do this for 5 days and then drop down to 20 times for 5 days.
Then down to 15, then 10, and finally to five.
You will have to play with this to find how many days you need to memorize the verses as everyone is different. Some verse take longer to memorize than others.
You can work all five verses at the same time if you want. You will have to play with this to find out how many verses you can do at the same time. You work at your speed.
Then: After you finish with a verse, you should refresh your memory by going over it once a month. It helps to quote the verse to someone, and for some people to write it our from memory.
This system really does work. The more you do it, the easier it gets.
You will find that in a very short time, you will have memorized all the verses you selected. This will be your foundation to build upon. Memorizing these verses will give you confidence that you can do it, and greatly encourage you to continue.
I do not recommend that at first you memorize an entire chapter.
Please continue to add verses that stand out to your list. For example, I may post a verse on the blog that really touches you. You may be reading the word and a verse jumps out at you. These are verses to add.
Meditating in the Word
Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Christian meditation on the word of God is very simple. It means to actively think on the word. It is like talking to yourself about the word. God's Holy Spirit then will join you in this conversation. While you are memorizing a verse, stop and then ask these type questions:
What: What is the meaning of this verse? What is God trying to say? What is the doctrine of this verse?
How: How does it apply to me, my family, my work, etc?
Why: Why is this verse important to me?
Where: Where can I apply this verse to my life, etc?
When: When is the time to use this verse?
Does this verse touch sin in my life? Is repentance needed?
You can also think upon a word in the verse to build what I call a "Golden nugget of truth". Take the word "disciple" for example. Search your mind for other verses with this word in it, and put them together in your mind.
These words together will show the truth of this word. You will understand what it takes to be a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Disciple: The following are two verses, but there are many more to tie into this word.
John 8:31,32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
In the time that remains, why not fill your mind with the word of God and grow in grace. What you do with the word will last for eternity. The things of this world will not matter in a very short time.
I watched the havoc the modern translations brought to discipleship. People just stop memorizing because the modern translations are too difficult, and they are without God's anointing on them. Please see my previous teaching titled While Men Slept to fully understand the havoc of these new translations.
If you use the KJV, there will be no problem with memorizing and meditating on God's word. You will grow in grace because God's word states you will.
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
In the above verse, the word "sincere" means unadulterated and not deceitful. When you use the KJV, this exactly what you are getting: the unadulterated and sincere word of God, which will cause you to grow spiritually.
It is now 400 years since the King James Bible was first printed. It still has God's anointing on it. When you memorize and meditate on the verses of the KJB, you will realize this anointing and will know that it is still the word of God for us today. God bless you.
I am currently convalescing from an injury and have some time. If anyone is serious about discipleship and wants to memorize from the KJV, I will tutor you to get started. Please email me if you are interested.
By John McTernan:
Defend and
Proclaim the Faith
Blog: John McTernan's Insights at www.johnmcternan.name |
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