The four parts of a 'successful' scripture memory program

1. Apply what you memorize
2. Memorize with 100% accuracy
3. Memorize as much as you can
4. Stick to if forever

• Memorizing the word of God has little value if you do not have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

  
  I could memorize the entire bible, but it will not save me from my sins unless I know Jesus Christ. I could know the entire bible, and believe it to be true, but unless I personally have accepted Jesus Christ as my redeemer and master, I will only serve to condem me. The beginning, therefore, is a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

• Memorizing the word of God has little value if you do not truly believe that it is God's word, inspired and trustworthy and authoritative.

  
  Many teachers in the mainstream protestant denominations have abandoned the teaching that the Bible is the inspired, living, word of God. They may have much of it memorized, because they beleive it is good teaching. Even so, its power will have no effect on the life of a person who condiers it to be myth. It will still condem me in the end, but I would never see its transforming power.

• Memorizing the word of God has litte value if you do not use it in real life applications. You must obey it.

  
  I have spent time in the past memorizing scripture, but have not bothered to put it into practice. As it says in Hebrews, I learn to distinguish good from bad by using the truth that I know on a daily basis. This is the most important point of all. I must apply what I have learned. The application must be made in my everyday life as I interact with others around me.

• Memorizing the word of God has little value if you do not meditate on it and study it in its context for understanding.

  
  Memorization by itself does not ensure that I understand the passage. After I have memorized it I must make the effort to meditate on it to make sure that it soaks in.

• It is important that you do not brag about the amount of scripture that you have learned. As a matter of fact, make it a point not to deliberately advertize how much scripture you know. Make sure that it is not a source of pride.

  
  This was my problem several years ago. I was concerned more with what people thought that what God thought. I was more concerned with my glory than with God's. Now I realise that this is is a sign of an unhealthy relationship with God and unhealthy feelings about my own self-worth. It is sin, but more, it is an indication of immaturity. After realizing this, I am less prone to act like this and my goal and pleasure is to serve God with my actions and not myself.

• Why is it so important to learn what you have learned with 100% accuracy?

  
  In my past attempts at memorizing scripture, I would work with a verse until I could recite it, but when quickly onto the next one. I became so interested in learning new verses that I spent little time in review. Soon, though, to my surprise, I had completely forgotten the verses I had already learned. I could no longer recite them when I wanted to. It was as if I had not learned them in the first place. Then I saw that I actually had not learned them in the first place. Therefore, if I do not learn them with 100% accuracy, I will not be able to recall them to mind when I need them later.