Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[gregorydc]

Here is another question from me. I have noticed most everyone on here seems to be well versed in scripture and seem to have many memorized. How do you do it? I have a terrible scripture memory (as in quoting verse and chapter)  I can remember what it says when people as me a question but for quoting verse and chapter I am horrible. How do you any of you remember verse and chapter?
completely baffled,
Greg

[newgene87]

I'll give a crack at this. Where I am in my journey - I can match "almost" anything with the "Book" first. I give all that honor and glory to God for giving me the desire a LONG time ago for simply reading. Once you read and get a feel where you are in the text - its the Spirit of truth that exercises your memory. First step is being able to find which book it's in. Everything else comes from Repitition in Reading. Just get a feel of the text - you'll learn writers of the Scriptures have their distinct way of writing, so you should be able to find the book first (meaning: paul has his own feel, john is very particular; the gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke are tricky tho.) I say, it comes with reading faithfully and being aware of where you are while reading. Hope that helps. I'm grateful my mind works like a search engine and God breathes in the particular book and I narrow down the chapter and verse just by "muscle memory" of reading so much. Asking God for the desire and will to know and do is Prominant tho

Eugene

[Gina]

Hey Greg,

Most times I google what I remember a verse to say and I'll get links to sites like bible-gateway and bible.cc.  Then I'll just pick the verse(s) I was aiming for.

Reading Ray's articles has helped me  since he:

(1) makes sense,

(2) is a joy to read,

(3) actually (unlike most teachers) uses lots and lots and LOTS of scriptural backup.  (I'm not that well-versed.)

I know that some (not me) were already well-versed in the scripture before they found Ray because they came out of the Worldwide Church of God and Mormonism and/or they just really liked studying the scriptures.  But most importantly, God gave them the ability to memorize scripture.   

I'm pretty sure we're all using programs like e-sword, and sites like bible-gateway. 

So there ya go. 

[Gina]

And this will assist you:  http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/board,14.0.html

[lilitalienboi16]

I use biblegateway.com and just search words. I know the gist of a scripture im looking for and can type in key words to get the whole thing to come up and then copy+paste it. Works like a charm, no memorization needed

[Dave in Tenn]

I'd be lost without esword and the search function.  But even that wouldn't work if I hadn't been a (mostly) good boy and paid attention in church and sunday school.  I have a fairly decent memory for having read something, but am not much at memorizing chapter and verse.  Sometimes I have to give up too.

[Ian 155]

I always tell my kids to "STUDY" if ya want to PASS, guess I need to take my own advice ...Little less TV and more study I would imagine this advice is not cool but it is true, even to me my school going Kids Hate that phrase...

2Ti 2:15  Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

[Rene]

Hi Greg,

I am also terrible at memorizing scriptures, but if I can remember key words to a scripture, I use Strong's Exhaustive Concordant online http://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html and search for it that way.  Just like esword, it is a great resource tool.

Rene'

[indianabob]

Hi Grergorydc,

Unlike public school with its rules and testing, studying God's manual for life allows open book study and copying from the papers of other students. There is no competition with other students, we all study together and after 12 years of school we get a passing grade (just kidding). 
The purpose is to GROW in grace and knowledge.
We do not have to reach any certain level of understanding.
We do not have to compare ourselves with others. 2Cor 10:12
We are not in competition.
We each have to build upon the gifts that God has given to us.

What I have done for example is to read Romans and just mark the passages that got my attention at that time. Then I make notes on separate papers and when I have a thought I can pull out my study notes and refer to them.
I have found that certain problems in life keep reoccuring with regular frequency and so I don't have to know the whole Bible in order to answer questions in my own mind. In this way I can refer to one of my papers or study notes consisting of perhaps 2 or 3 pages rather than having to begin in Matthew and leaf through the whole new testament hoping to stumble upon the verse I am seeking.

In this regard then a computer program such as e-sword or a bible site like "biblegateway.com" becomes much easier and faster to use effectively.
Although it is good to truly KNOW your Bible it is also a good plan to use the Bible as reference and just know where to look for the passage of interest.

A science professor with whom I worked several years past, used to send his teen age children to live in Mexico with a family in that Nation and they sent their child to live with him in order to learn each foreign language. The secret to learning a new language and many other skills is complete immersion. So when each child arrived at the sponsoring home they had to speak only the new foreign language for the entire eight weeks. When they returned to their own home they had a much better grasp of the second language than they ever would have gotten in the classroom environment or from studying audio tapes.

Birds of a feather, flock together. 
Please let me know if this was of any help. Indiana Bob

[Dave in Tenn]

What I have done for example is to read Romans and just mark the passages that got my attention at that time.

Bob, the first time I read the New Testament, I did just that...marked al the passages that got my attention (mainly things I'd never heard 'preached' to my satisfaction, but others as well that spoke to me then).  By the time I got to Romans, I was marking pretty much everything.     I had to be a little more judicious with my pencil after that.   

[gregorydc]

Thank you all for your information!  You were all very helpful in my plight. I feel better that I know where I can get close to the information in scripture and I do use bible gateway quite a lot. I also listen to the bible while I'm at work on "faith by hearing" website audio bible app. Which is why I don't know exactly what verse it is because it just gives chapters of the book your in. Then I also have the problem. Of focusing sometimes with song lyrics from the past 30 + years floating around in my head plus ignorance and stupidity brought on by other people and myself ( that stuff just pops in unannounced and mostly unwanted) and is kinda hard to keep in constant prayer and going over stuff in my head with that going on.  Sorry rambling there. Anyway thank you all for your help so if I try to answer someone without scriptural support you may understand why. Plus most of my reading on here comes from my mobile since my computer is not really available to me at this moment.  Sorry rambling again
thank you all again. And if there is anything more I would take any advice I can get on this
Greg

[acomplishedartis]

One of the negative things of being so digital is that maybe we are loosing some memorizing skills.

What if... we would lack 'electric energy'  and 'internet connection' for a big season?  Would we use more time to meditate and memorize? Or we would be 'lost' with out our nice and convenient tools?...

[newgene87]

One of the negative things of being so digital is that maybe we are loosing some memorizing skills.

What if... we would lack 'electric energy'  and 'internet connection' for a big season?  Would we use more time to meditate and memorize? Or we would be 'lost' with out our nice and convenient tools?...

Great point! we would be amazed to call to mind how scribes throughout the centuries had much of the Torah memorized and most scriptures by memory without search tools and concordances. Or better yet, the two disciples, on the road to Emmaus which was bout a 7 mile journey - "they talked together of all these things which had happened (regarding Jesus resurrection, death, preaching)" (Luke 24:13-14). And on the way Christ appeared to them, and "opened their understanding, they they might understand the Scriptures"...and that was "beginning at Moses and ALL the prophets, he expounded..." (Luke 24:27,45). We should have a major advantage with all the technology today but we are losing vital "memorizing skills" as you said Moises.

So all in all, "Repetition is the Mother of All Studies". Read. Understand "Christ is the Word of God", "spoken" and "written", the inspiration is the Holy Spirit, they all connect and read. The principle of Deuteronomy 6:7-8 is a great principle.

Thanks Moises. May we all take advantage and use this wonderful mind the Lord has blessed us with. Not just tools . Reading and repetition is the way

[Gina]

Ray said he learned a lot when he began to walk the talk.  It's true.  You'll find yourself in situations that can be almost overwhelming and then scriptures start flooding back to  your brain. 

I love the digital age myself.  And I know Ray thanked God for the internet.  It's hard to imagine any one of us ever finding Bible-truths.com if it weren't for the technology we have access to  today.      But seriously, I don't think it's a hindrance at all.  If God wants you to memorize scripture He'll make sure that happens.  Remember who God chooses -- the weak, the this, the that ...  see?  There's true equality with God.  (God is no respecter of persons' memorization skills.  lol )

[Extol]

One of the negative things of being so digital is that maybe we are loosing some memorizing skills.

What if... we would lack 'electric energy'  and 'internet connection' for a big season?  Would we use more time to meditate and memorize? Or we would be 'lost' with out our nice and convenient tools?...

 I've felt this way for years, ever since I overheard a guy in the library who was talking on his cell phone:
 
 "What's his number? Uhh, I don't know anymore! My cell phone has made me stupider. I used to know all my friends' phone numbers, now they're just all stored in my cell phone so I've forgotten them."

 That very day, I deleted all of the Contacts on my cell phone, so I would be forced to remember them. Since then, I've also been taking care to not dumb myself down by relying too much on technology. (I also make efforts to avoid other modern things that make people lazy: I don't go to drive-up windows, I take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.)

 If you go on other message boards, or places like YouTube with a lot of commenters, everybody thinks he/she is the smartest person in the world. But you know what they're doing? They're all, in the privacy of their homes, going to Google and finding everything they need at the push of a button, so they can make their impregnable arguments and look smart...when in fact they're not as smart as their ancestors--unless you call being computer savvy "smart".

 I criticize technology, but like others here, I do appreciate its blessings. There is, of course, Bibletruths.com. And also the ability to find virtually any verse you need on Google, Biblegateway, etc. 

[Gina]

Well, (you always know when I start off a sentence with the word "well" something big is about the follow... so pay attention to all the words! ), the way I think of memorizing bible passages is like this:


When some people want to recall a verse in the book of Isaiah for instance, we can now say, Isa. 26:9, and most of us know almost immediately what that verse is (not me, I'm still in the process of remembering it - ha!)

But you see what I'm saying? 

John 3:16  -- what's that verse?  Maybe you know, but maybe you find it easier to remember it this way : 

For God did so [THUS] love the world, that His Son -- the only begotten -- He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.

That's the way the verse of scripture was originally before King James "authorized" it, right?

When were verse numbers and chapters assigned to the scriptures? 

And why were they assigned?   If memory serves me, it was for the express purpose of making referencing the scriptures easier...   

So what are we going to say about that?  Are we now "lazier" and "stupider" all because we rely on numbers associated with verses? 

Ray said that when Jesus opened up the scriptures to the disciples' understanding, Jesus taught them PRINCIPLES -- Jesus did not take them through each and every word and verse and chapter. 

It's good to remember verses and what the bible says, but ultimately we're here to learn principles:

From:  How Hard is Getting Saved:

How many ever read that verse? How many of you know what it means? I told you how Christ opened up their understanding and they knew what the Old Testament was talking about.

( http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3849.msg29183.html#msg29183 )
 
Ray taught us many principles.

[gregorydc]

So Gina what I hear you saying is that what I usually do during the day at work,( listen to the bible on mp3) by hearing the word of God and actually having things "click" when I hear them is as good as memorizing them?  I can relate to and feed back pieces and parts of the bible when asked my opinion but only in paraphrases. Off the top of my head.  Maybe the "lazier and stupider" may be me too?  Idk bad rumors? Lol. But that said thank you that does help me. That does make since to me though the quote from Rays paper you quoted always made me wonder why all the memorization,that and the fact the scribes and pharisees realized that Peter and John where unlearned men, but were able to expound upon the scriptures.  These always made me wonder why people wanted to memorize. I know I need to learn more. And to have scripture memorized is a good way to help teach others the truth.  Plus I always wondered on memorization why didn't Jesus just speak what he "read" in Isaiah instead of reading it from the scroll? Just curious
Greg

[newgene87]

2 Timothy 2:15 (Youngs)
be diligent to present thyself approved to God-- a workman irreproachable, rightly dividing the word of the truth

2 Timothy 2:15 (Darby)
Strive diligently to present thyself approved to God, a workman that has not to be ashamed, cutting in a straight line the word of truth.

Memorizing is good but as Gina said, PRINCIPLES are key. And that's how we "rightly divide the word of truth"

John 14:17
the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it doth not behold him, nor know him, and ye know him, because he doth remain with you, and shall be in you.

John 16:13
and when He may come-- the Spirit of truth-- He will guide you to all the truth, for He will not speak from Himself, but as many things as He will hear He will speak, and the coming things He will tell you

The biggest principle is to know the Scriptures are ONE. Christ is the Word of God. Christ is the fulfilments of ALL in Scriptures. And it takes spiritual maturity to see when it speaks of Christ, it speaks of us, "...because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17). So as you read, the spirit of truth is what guides us to truth that's needed. Its all in principles. As you read, pray that the spirit of truth guides you - and it's Christ IN you, that will supply your needs.

[Gina]

So Gina what I hear you saying is that what I usually do during the day at work,( listen to the bible on mp3) by hearing the word of God and actually having things "click" when I hear them is as good as memorizing them?  I can relate to and feed back pieces and parts of the bible when asked my opinion but only in paraphrases. Off the top of my head.  Maybe the "lazier and stupider" may be me too?  Idk bad rumors? Lol. But that said thank you that does help me. That does make since to me though the quote from Rays paper you quoted always made me wonder why all the memorization,that and the fact the scribes and pharisees realized that Peter and John where unlearned men, but were able to expound upon the scriptures.  These always made me wonder why people wanted to memorize. I know I need to learn more[/b]. And to have scripture memorized is a good way  to help teach others the truth.  Plus I always wondered on memorization why didn't Jesus just speak what he "read" in Isaiah instead of reading it from the scroll? Just curious
Greg

You're welcome, Greg.  I like it when my posts aren't in vain (relief )  I'm sorry -- what verse in Isaiah are you referring to?  But seriously.  I think that He read from the scroll for their benifit -- if you want my take on that.  Think of it this way:  Jesus IS the word.  He didn't have to memorize that scroll.  He wrote the scroll.  Hmmmm?

I like HOW Ray taught the principles that he taught us.  He makes wanting to search the truths out (in trying to find the scriptural backup) fun because there's an absolute there.  There's only one truthful answer, so you can know without a doubt whether what you're doing is sin or harmful to you and others, or not. 

And if you take nothing else away from anything I've said to you here, PLEASE take this:  Matthew 11:30 and  !!

And you can take this:  Acts 14  (oops, almost said Acts II -- my bad)  !!, too.

ha!

[Gina]

Oh and here's a qualifier  (a "witness") to Matthew 11:30: 

1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are NOT BURDENSOME [ !! ]... ,