4 Targets to Help Know Your Bible

How well do you know the Word of God?  I am pretty sure that the average believer wouldn't call himself a novice, but he also wouldn't call himself a Bible scholar.  Let me ask the same question a different way - do you know the Word of God better today than you did a year ago today?  What verses have you memorized over the last year? Do you purposely take time to memorize scripture? Statistics show that those who regularly read, study, and memorize the Bible often have a specific time and place they dig into the Bible every day.  So, what time of day and in what place do you do your daily "digging into the Word?"  By this time you might be thinking something like: "None of your business...that is between me and the Lord!"  Well...it is between you and the Lord -- but it is also a command from the Lord.  I am asking you to be transparent with yourself today...to stop the excuses and be honest.

So, let me start with some transparency on my part.  Back in 1994, I
attended a preacher's conference.  I was fresh out of college and in pastoral ministry for only 2 years.  My heart was stirred beyond an emotional response...I was utterly convinced of my need to memorize the Bible -- aggressively!  I began my Bible memory quest with an emphasis on Bible verses I "kinda knew"...and then I categorized them into a topical index....and then I added more verses to those topics.  The Lord started stirring questions in my heart like, "What if the Bible became illegal and I didn't have a copy of the scriptures except what was already in my heart and mind?" That's a question we are seeing become reality around the world today. The aggressive nature of my Bible memory quest was turned up several notches as I embarked on memorizing the entire New Testament book of James.  Scripture memory has truly been a lot of work, a great blessing, and a tremendous help in my walk with the Lord over the last 2 decades. 

Now, over the last the 6 years, I have taken this conviction of scripture memory to my church family -- and as the pastor -- I have instituted a Bible memory program.  I developed a 5 year scripture memory program based on a theme that is divided into 12 topics (1 topic per month).  The first 5 year theme was "Discipleship."  So, I led my church to memorize 5 verses on topics like: Content in God, Fearing God, Praising God, Trusting God, and 8 other topics on the same theme.  What a help this has been!  When my church family is counseling, soul-winning, discipling, or in need of direction themselves --- they have a ready made Bible verse index in their heart -- ready for their easy reference!  I know that some have been more involved than others in the Bible verse memory pursuit, and others have been recently added to our church, so our church website has a page dedicated to the review of this topical index. You can find this scripture memory plan at http://www.gracebaptistmarshfield.org/?page_id=75.

In September of 2014, we began our new 5 year Bible memory theme: "More About Jesus!"  I have been VERY excited about this theme.  We are now memorizing Bible verses on topics like: God's Presence, God's Power, God's Knowledge, God's Unchanging Ways, and much more!

It has been very curious to me why so many adult believers have found justification to not pursue scripture memory.  I mean, isn't the Bible clear on this subject?  Here are a few example:

• "But the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword...." (Heb. 4:12)
• "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"  (Jer. 23:29)
• "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." (Joshua 1:8)
• "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."  (Ps. 119:9-11)

So, is it because the church does not know of the declaration of God's power and blessing in and through His Word?  Or is it because the church is too lazy or maybe easily distracted to another purpose?  Or does the church simply not believe God's promise?  The old preacher J. Vernon McGee expressed such a burden with these words:

 "In my opinion, the greatest sin in the church of Jesus Christ in this generation is ignorance of the Word of God. Many times I have heard a church officer say, "Well I don't know much about the Bible, but..." and then he gives his opinion, which often actually contradicts the Word of God! Why doesn't he know much about the Bible? These things were written aforetime for our learning. God wants you to know His Word."  --J. Vernon McGee

To study, memorize, and meditate on the Word of God cannot be an emotional response.  The decision will not last.  A believer must yield his will to these two convictions:

1. God's Word is truth and powerful. 
2. I desperately need to personally know the Word of God. 

This kind of conviction requires action.  The believer cannot merely "shoot from the hip" and expect something great to happen.  The believer must aim for a target!  Consider these targets this week:

1. The PRIORITIES Target: Choose to make Bible study a top priority.  We always make time for what we believe is important.
2. The PLACEMENT Target: We tend to eat our meals, go to work, and go to bed around the same time every day -- because these things are important to us.  Choose a time and place at the beginning of your day for your "daily digging" into the Bible (Ps. 63:1).  Choosing a specific time and place for Bible study will set it apart as important and will make it less likely to be ignored or skipped over.
3. The PRESSURE Target: We all have unexpected pressures that seem to fall into our lap in any given week.  We oversleep...we have a business trip (which completely changes our regular routine)...we get sick.  So, come up with a back-up plan to stay on target.  If all it takes is to have extra pressure in our life to skip our priorities target -- well...the "roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" will be certain to bring about extra pressure on a regular basis.
4. The PURPOSE Target: Regularly memorize Bible verses by topic and then take time to review them.  Memorized scripture will (among other things) help make scripture meditation more plausible and it will help guard your heart.  Time is the #1 or #2 reason (often exchangeable with "I'm too old") why people say they cannot memorize scripture.  I agree that we seem to be busier than ever before, but that just means we need to become more creative and goal oriented.  Perhaps something is in the daily schedule that really shouldn't be there?  Instead of skipping over Bible study, something else really ought to go!  Look, we cannot afford to miss a day of work with no more vacation time left -- ANNND, even more so, we cannot afford to miss a day of hiding God's Word in our hearts! Think about it.  God's Word can discern my thoughts and the intents of my heart (Heb. 4:12)...God's Word can keep me from sin (Ps. 119:11)...God's Word is like a hammer that breaks a rock into pieces (Jer. 23:29).

Yield your will to God's Word.  Make God's Word top priority in your life (your boss, your family, and even complete strangers will thank you!).  Aim for the targets of personal Bible study.  Start today.