Artwork by Daniel Venturo
Practical application should always be a natural outflow of Bible study. Now that you have studied what God’s Word says about the Lord’s holiness (view last week's post here), it’s time to start applying these truths to Gospel ministry.
Since understanding God’s holiness is such an important part of understanding the Gospel, it’s crucial that you know what God’s Word says about this attribute of His character. You should not only know about doctrinal truth—you should also have its scriptural foundation locked away inside your heart. David said, “I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11). Memorizing Scripture both keeps you from sin and gives you the resources you need to obey God. In the context of Gospel ministry, Scripture provides you with the tools to effectively engage people in Gospel conversations. Trying to explain the Gospel without using Scripture is like trying to pound in a nail with your fist. Scripture is the essential tool that will break open hearts and expose them to the Savior.
But how can you be prepared to know both the actual words of Scripture and their references? Below are a few tips for how you can do a better job of learning memory verses, alone or as a family. Since we have been studying God’s holiness, I have included a list of select verses about the holiness of God.
Ideas for Learning Verses as a Family
1. Make up a song. For years, my family has learned Scripture passages by giving them a tune. Choose a passage and learn one new verse every week. Give the verse a song—either one person can make up the tune, or you can work together. If it’s easier, put the words to an existing melody. Every week, sing every verse you have learned up to that point.
2. Offer prizes. Buy some prizes and put them in a basket or other container. If you can say five memory verses to your parents, you can have a prize! Start with the list at the end of this devotional. Parents can say passages to each other for a prize, as well!
3. Make it big. Choose a monthly verse and write it somewhere prominent, like your refrigerator. You can also use paper and markers to make a poster together. Have older kids? Learn calligraphy and use italic lettering to make a theme verse for your family. Use scrap wood to make a frame if you wish.
4. Play a game. At dinnertime, choose a verse. The first player begins by saying one word in the verse. Go around the table and take turns adding words to the verse or passage. Don’t forget the reference!
There are many active outdoor games you could play as well. Be creative! For example, you can do relays. Divide into teams. Choose a finish line. Each person on each team must run to the finish line as fast as possible and then run back to his/her teammates. When you arrive at the finish line, say one word of the verse you have chosen to memorize. Keep going until your team has recited the whole verse. Whoever says the whole verse first wins!
5. Hand motions. Pick a short verse. Assign each word a hand motion. Review the hand motions with your small child every day until he/she can repeat the hand motions and recite the verse. Use short verses or short sections of verses.
Tips for Learning Verses by Yourself
1. Repeat often. To learn a verse, follow this procedure: 1) Read the verse, preferably out loud. Repeat seven times. 2) Recite the verse in your head until you can say it without looking. 3) The next day, try to say the verse again. Keep working until you know it by heart. 4) If you are learning a passage, do the same thing every day until you have learned the whole passage.
2. Write it down. Write the verse or its reference on somewhere you look often, like a planner, calendar, or the notes section on your phone. Whenever you are waiting, even if it’s just a few minutes, look at the verse and try to say it to yourself.
3. Listen. Use a Bible app to listen to the passage you are learning whenever you are driving, cooking, or mowing the lawn.
4. Use a verse memory app. Follow a plan on a verse memory app like Verse Locker. Do it with a friend and check up on each other’s progress.
One of the biggest hindrances to verse memorization is a busy life. The key is to use those little moments of waiting time to fullest effect.
Take God’s Word seriously by hiding it constantly in your heart.
Select memory verses for this unit on God’s holiness: Lev. 10:10; Lev. 19:2; Ps. 15:1; Ps. 99:9; Is. 5:16; Is. 6:3; Is. 57:15; I Pet. 1:15-16
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Used by permission. All rights reserved.