New Year and Scripture Memory

Memorizing Scripture in the New Year.

One means in which God uses in the process of Progressive Sanctification is scripture memory.  The Holy Spirit can not bring back to mind what you never read or put in your mind and heart.

When struggles come with employment, relationships, or temptation in multiple forms what comes to mind?  Worldly wisdom or God's word?  Have we hidden away nuggets of truth to help in these times of struggle?

This is nothing new, radical, and certainly not worthy of the ad hominem (legalism).  This has been the practice of the church for hundreds of years.  This is not just a new years Bible reading plan.  This is actually taking the time to purposefully put God's word into your heart.  Tools to be used in the hard times.

Consider from Westminster Confession of Faith and the London Baptist Confession (Of Sanctification), "by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them" or later in the LBC 1689 "in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ as Head and King in His Word hath prescribed to them."

Consider a portion from a local church fellowship under the topic of sanctification, "a gradual conformity to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit through the means of the Word of God and prayer"

Note both the earlier mentioned confessions are nearly 350 years old.  The value of using scripture has not changed.  Consider some direct Biblical statements:

Ps 1:2 "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

Ps 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

Ps 119:16 "I will not forget they word"

Ps 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

John 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth"

Please consider some reasons people give for not memorizing scripture (this is not an all-inclusive list):

1.  I don't have time.  (But I do have time for facebook, sports, tv, movies, etc).
2.  I can't memorize well.  (I bet you can if you tried).
3.  How about some more "spiritual" sounding excuses:
     a. I just need to live by grace alone.  (Church history mentions "means of grace."  One which is scripture).
     b. I just need to keep preaching the gospel to myself over and over. (And where will you find this gospel content?  Which parts will you preach to yourself?  Only the indicatives? "promises").

These are just some of many references to the value of scripture.  Read it.  Memorize it.  I'm glad I was challenged in the past to memorize scripture.  With time and patience verses, chapters, and eventually entire books of the Bible will be hidden in your heart.

May God give you grace to read and memorize His word.