Download the Gospel Alphabet to share with your kids (pdf)
Sometimes it’s easy to take food for granted. But without it the body doesn’t get the nourishment it needs.
The same is true for our hearts. They need truth and love just like our bodies need fruits and veggies. God’s Word is the healthiest food you could give your heart. What we fill our minds with affects our thoughts and actions.
Billy Graham said one of his biggest regrets was not knowing more of the Bible, even though he spent so much time over his 99 years of life studying and preaching God’s Word.
“Begin reading, studying and memorizing Scripture as never before,” Mr. Graham said. “We are to be girded and undergirded with the Word. Read it, assimilate it, feed on it; let it be your staff and strength.”
When you commit Bible verses to memory, God’s promises and truths can give you strength for today and for the future. Laws or bullies could take a Bible from your hands, but nothing can take away Scripture hidden in your heart.
If you don’t know how to get started, keep reading for a few kid-friendly tips.
Tips for Memorizing Scripture
- Make a song with actions
Putting Scripture to a tune can help you remember it longer. Singing stores information in a different part of your brain and helps improve memory. This is between you and God, and He enjoys a joyful noise (Psalm 100:1). - Ask a friend to join you
Goals are easy to make but hard to keep. Memorize Scripture with a friend and check up on each other every few days. Watch your friendship deepen along with your understanding of God’s Word. - Choose one translation
Different translations have different wordings, so picking a consistent translation can help you avoid confusion. Do some research to see what translation is the best fit for you.
Applying Scripture to Your Life
Scripture doesn’t have to be memorized like a math formula or biology vocabulary. The purpose of Bible memorization is heart and life transformation.
Here are some questions to get you thinking deeper:
- What does this verse teach me about God and how to live for Him?
- How could this verse change my thoughts and actions?
- Why is this verse included in the Bible?
Five Bible Verses to Start Memorizing
- “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” —Psalm 23:1–3
- “And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” —Matthew 22:37–39
- “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” —Romans 10:9
- “And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” —Colossians 1:17
- “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” —Micah 6:9
The Bible reveals God’s wisdom and beauty within the story of how He interacts with His creation. By reading His Word, you can know the answers to this life’s biggest questions and experience God’s peace no matter what you’re going through. The best time to get started is today.
Is the Bible hard for you to understand? Get encouragement from Billy Graham.
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