"Memorize It To Live It"

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."  James 1:22

Some of us were talking before Bible study last night and wondering how many people in the church now days can quote the Ten Commandments.  When I was growing up, we memorized scriptures.  We learned the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, John 3:16, the Lord's Prayer, the 23rd Psalms, the Roman's Road, and many more.  Do people, do our teenagers, do the children still learn and memorize scriptures today?  

When we use to learn them, we were given awards for learning them.  It was a good feeling to have accomplished the memorizing of the verses.  Back then, to me personally, it was about the award and the accomplishment.  Today, the verses that I learned have carried me through numerous difficulties and decisions in my life.

The Word isn't to be memorized only.  It isn't to be learned to gain knowledge only.  We need to apply the Word to memory and hide it in our hearts because it is life to us.  Without it we don't have life.  Without it we don't have truth.  Without it we don't have a weapon to use when the enemy comes.  Without it we don't have a light to shine when we are in darkness.  Without it we don't have a compass to point us in the right direction.  Without the Word we can be traveling down the wrong road through life.  Without it we don't have a deterrent to sin. 

Scripture memorization is not "old school" or "old fashioned".  It is vital if we are going to live a victorious Christian life.  It is vital if we are going to be overcomers.  It is vital if we are going to be successful in life.  It is vital for our eternal well-being.  "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

Have a great day.  The Word is meant to be memorized, learned and lived by.