Bible Memorization

I agree with, believe in, and have benefited spiritually from memorizing scripture. Without a doubt. But, at least for me, the way it really "stuck" in my mind was to memorize the Shorter Catechism with at least one scripture reference. That has done more for me than anything else in being able, not only to remember scripture, but to apply it as well.

My son and I memorized the Shorter catechism over about a two year period several years ago and I can still remember most of it and the scriptures that go along with it. But the really cool thing is the way it pops into my head when I am reading and studying a Christian book, listening to a sermon, or reading my Bible. I can be cruising along in Hebrews and when I get to Hebrews 2:17, my mind immediately goes to the idea of Christ being our Prophet, Priest and King, in this instance our High Priest.

Heb. 2:17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Now, to be sure, the verse is explicit in saying that He is our faithful High Priest and you don’t have to memorize Question and Answer 25 to see that in the passage, but if you DO memorize the Q and A then your mind will “flesh it out a bit”:

Q25: How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?

 A25: Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God; and in making continual intercession for us.

Now we’re getting somewhere! Not only do you have the benefit of seeing again that the writer of Hebrews is presenting Christ as our faithful High Priest, you also rehearse in your mind what it means that Christ is our High Priest. You can thrill again in the understanding that not only did He give Himself a sacrifice for many but He is the One who offers that sacrifice up in our place. And that offering up satisfies God and reconciles us to Him, but because he is the Eternal High Priest, He is making continual intercession on our behalf!

You may be thinking, “Hey, wait a minute! Why memorize the words of men? Isn’t that putting the Catechism before the Scripture? No. It really isn’t. Think of the Catechism as a scaffolding upon which you will construct not only your scripture memorization but also your scriptural understanding. It is an organized way of building precept upon precept. The questions and answers form the "bones" upon which you'll apply the "flesh" which is the Scripture and then the "ligaments and tendons" are the theology and doctrines that connect them all together into a functioning system or "body".

If you are interested in this method (called catechism) or if you're just curious about the Shorter Catechism, here are some links:

The Shorter Catechism (Reformed/Presbyterian)
The Shorter Catechism (Baptist)

And if you are interested in a great study guide, check out G.I. Williamson's The Shorter Catechism Volumes 1 and 2.

’The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains, proves that he has no brains of his own.’  Charles Spurgeon

God's Minute

January 19

And which of you with taking thought can add to His stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow; they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, tha Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will He clothe you, O ye of little faith?--Luke 12:25-28

O GOD, Who knowest our necessities before we ask, and the manifold temptations we meet with day by day, help us to put our whole trust in Thee when despair and misgivings assail us. Suffer us not, we beseech Thee, to become the prey of useless forebodings, nor to lose the things which belong to our peace, through the habit of morbid and sinful worry. So guide us, in all our way, that we may keep our faces always toward the light, that our shadows may lie behind us. Of Thy great mercy enable us to perceive our blessings, that we may always serve Thee with a glad heart and quiet mind, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Bishop Charles E. Woodcock, D.D., LL.D.,
Louisville, Kentucky

In another life

In another life, or so it almost seems, I was a preschool teacher. It's been so long ago now that I seem to have almost forgotton that fact. Until I come across something like this:

This little guy's name is Myron. He would be a junior in high school now.

I remember Myron because he had a special name for me: Mz. Shemboogey. With a last name like Shenberger I've heard it all--Mrs. Hamburger, Mrs. Cheeseburger, Mrs. Shoeberger, but my favorite was Mz. Shemboogey.

Search lines

I've never blogged about my search lines before but this morning's were just too good.

1. rebecca writes snickerdoodles

2. teakettle boiled dry copper

(I feel great sympathy for whoever must have boiled his/her copper teakettle dry. . .because of this I shall refrain from calling him/her a cotton headed ninny muggins.)

Quondam

Todays Dictionary.com word of the day:

quondam \KWAHN-duhm; KWAHN-dam\, adjective:
Having been formerly; former; sometime.

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? Galatians 4:8-9

As quondam slaves to the weak and elementary things of this world, let us reflect today upon Peter's words:

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.