How to memorize the bible permanently?

[debrakay]

I can only tell my story.  I accepted Jesus as my savior at age 21 and have been studying scripture and reading it for 49 years now.  My mind is not the kind of mind that memorizes and retains word for word.  There was a time I compared myself to those who were able to recite verse and reference with ease and felt there was something wrong with me since I was unable to do that.  Holy Spirit reminded me that Jesus spoke in parables to the people because they needed to hear the teaching in a way they could relate to and understand.  They were not theologians or scholars and needed to hear and understand in simple ways.  We are still in that same kind of world where we need to be able to speak to others about Jesus in a way they can relate to.  They do not need memorized verses and scripture references to be saved.  They need the forgiveness and salvation from Jesus and then the learning and growing will begin. 

We are instructed to meditate on the word of God, day and night and seek him.  The Hebrew word meditate means to speak it, study it, talk about it.  We should each have the words of God stored in our heart and mind so when it is time, we are able to have a personal conversation on a personal level with another about the meaning of the different scriptures.  Sometimes the memorization of scripture is not what needs to be spoken to another but the actual intent and reason for the scripture.  After all these years I may not be able to give you the exact address of a verse, but I can speak about it with the knowledge and experience I have learned regarding those certain passages that Holy Spirit needs me to share.  Each mission field is different for every single one of us.

[chongjasmine]

Just to clarify, while it is my desire to memorize whole bible, now I struggle with just a few verses. Also, how to know which verbs to memorize? Any website with a yearly memorization plan?

[Marilyn C]

I find that writing on the forum and quoting verses, actually, over time helps you to remember these. 

[grahampaul]

25 minutes ago, chongjasmine said:

Just to clarify, while it is my desire to memorize whole bible, now I struggle with just a few verses. Also, how to know which verbs to memorize? Any website with a yearly memorization plan?

 a set of scripture retemery cards may help.small enough to fit in a wallet/purse and handy to read .

[grahampaul]

19 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

I find that writing on the forum and quoting verses, actually, over time helps you to remember these. 

indeed it does

[Neighbor]

44 minutes ago, chongjasmine said:

Just to clarify, while it is my desire to memorize whole bible, now I struggle with just a few verses. Also, how to know which verbs to memorize? Any website with a yearly memorization plan?

Evelyn Wood, Evelyn Wood, Evelyn Wood. Learn to learn, do not read word by word by word. The faster you can read the better your comprehension and retention of the information will be.

Also add hand eye coordination drills- writing by hand using pencil on paper or chalk on a chalk board in cursive writing  not printing of letters one by one. You will soon be able to See entire blocks of information rather than observing one word then another an another. Word by word by word reading is a killer of comprehension skill and memorization ability.

Again Evelyn Wood Evelyn Wood Evelyn Wood- take the course, invest in the book(s) but take  the course.

Have a purpose a Godly purpose in the memorization; do not be "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

If you do want to just start out learning verses find a local church that has an AWANA kids group and ask to be a volunteer listener to the kids as they recite the verses they have learned- and use the list yourself. 

 

[Sower]

15 hours ago, chongjasmine said:

How to solve that problem? What can I do to remember the scripture long term instead of short term?

The only reason you do not remember scripture verses is because you do not use them, or re-read them, over and over till embedded. You could, with just an average intelligence, memorize one scripture a week, if you were faithful to your goal. Or, make it one a month. Thirty days to memorize just one sentence.

After a year that is twelve verses you have hid in your heart that you didn't have before. In ten years that is 120 verses. A no brainer. Nothing is going to stop you but yourself from memorizing, or else listening to that inner voice telling you that you just can't do it. You actually can in Christ. Ask God which verses you need to memorize.
Goal setting doesn't work for anyone unless you are serious.

Forget doing it to show your peers. Do it as unto the Lord!......

PS;

I use my memo pad on my phone to store special verses. When I'm just sitting around taking a break, I punch them up and read through them. Not actually memorizing them I have instilled the intent within, and can almost quote them. Not a goal to, but a side benefit to reading them often.

[farouk]

4 hours ago, debrakay said:

I can only tell my story.  I accepted Jesus as my savior at age 21 and have been studying scripture and reading it for 49 years now.  My mind is not the kind of mind that memorizes and retains word for word.  There was a time I compared myself to those who were able to recite verse and reference with ease and felt there was something wrong with me since I was unable to do that.  Holy Spirit reminded me that Jesus spoke in parables to the people because they needed to hear the teaching in a way they could relate to and understand.  They were not theologians or scholars and needed to hear and understand in simple ways.  We are still in that same kind of world where we need to be able to speak to others about Jesus in a way they can relate to.  They do not need memorized verses and scripture references to be saved.  They need the forgiveness and salvation from Jesus and then the learning and growing will begin. 

We are instructed to meditate on the word of God, day and night and seek him.  The Hebrew word meditate means to speak it, study it, talk about it.  We should each have the words of God stored in our heart and mind so when it is time, we are able to have a personal conversation on a personal level with another about the meaning of the different scriptures.  Sometimes the memorization of scripture is not what needs to be spoken to another but the actual intent and reason for the scripture.  After all these years I may not be able to give you the exact address of a verse, but I can speak about it with the knowledge and experience I have learned regarding those certain passages that Holy Spirit needs me to share.  Each mission field is different for every single one of us.

@debrakay Reminds me of the words of Anne Steele in the 18th century:

"O may these hallowed pages be

My ever dear delight!

And still new beauties may I see,

And still increasing light!"

[Neighbor]

And then there is the famous sermon by the prince of pastors  Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon titled the Wordless Book: http://www.romans45.org/spurgeon/sermons/3278.htm

A hope is found within this particular sermon that the words along with the meaning and application of the Bible will become well known. So well known that one might figuratively read a wordless book and make personal application of it's message.

The wordless book might be of help in sorting out passages for proper application in daily life. The three wordless book's  pages each colored, one Black  one Red and  one White are used for  sorting verses into their purposes, and hopefully might be a  most helpful way to build up a catalog of memorized verses as they are then put to use in life's sojourn, and "read"in the wordless book of the mind's eye.

[Marathoner]

Something that touches upon what @Sower shared above: I have found that specific passages of scripture "come to life" in my walk with Christ and I am directed toward them for learning and edification in the Lord. 

This is how that "contextual understanding" becomes a part of us. Repeating passages verbatim isn't necessary when we understand what passages mean; for example, the Lord spoke of the "sign of Jonah" in the Gospel and so I became familiar with the book of Jonah. I can explain what I learned from Jonah's example using my own words. 

So long as what I articulate is *reflected* in scripture and true to the Lord and His words, then I have done well. Rote memorization isn't needed.