Scripture
Week 6: Memorize Scripture
We are told to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” to “take every thought captive” and to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 10:5; Heb. 12:2). But how are we to do this? Anyone who has tried to simply change their thinking has experienced how difficult that can be. It can feel self-defeating to simply try to think differently.
Our thought patterns and ways of thinking have been developed over years of habitual practice and are not easily broken. And these thought patterns are powerful. That is because what we think about shapes the person we become. We become what we think about.
So what do we do? How can we become like Jesus in our thinking? Is it possible to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2)?
Memorizing scripture is one of the most potent and powerful practices in the way of Jesus. Dallas Willard once said, “Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation.” The Psalmist writes, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11). If we want to change our thinking, overcome sin, be transformed, and take every thought captive we must fill our minds with God’s word. This is what Paul meant when he told us to take up the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). In fact, this is how Jesus himself overcame temptation in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11). To follow Jesus we must learn to live by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4).
The practice for the week: This week we will put scripture to memory.
01 – Select a passage. Choose one of the following passages of Scripture to memorize this week.
Option 01: Galatians 2:20 — I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Option 02: 1 John 4:7-9 — 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Option 03: Matthew 16:24-26 — 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
02 – Write it down. Write down the verse on a cue card or your phone. This way you can look at it throughout the week.
03 – Read it out loud. Read it over and over again. Read it slowly and out loud if you can.
04 – Say it from memory. Once you have read it out loud enough times, try saying it without looking at the words. Maybe just start with a line at a time until you can say the whole thing.