Have you ever wondered how some people can stand up in a church service and recite long sections of Scripture from memory — not just a verse or two, but a whole chapter or even an entire book of the Bible? Perhaps you walk away saying, “How do they do that!”
Dr. Andrew Davis, the author of this short but powerful 31-page book, is pastor of First Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina. He is also one of those people. He has a passion for memorizing large chunks of Scripture, as evidenced by the fact that he has memorized 35 books of the Bible.
Please note what I just said. Dr. Davis has not memorized 35 Bible verses; he has memorized 35 Bible books. Is that not an amazing accomplishment?
This personal antidote is critical, because as the title clearly indicates, this book is primarily about how to memorize large sections of Scripture. Specifically, the author makes a compelling case for memorizing individual books of the Bible, and then he provides a detailed step-by-step method for doing it.
The author’s method for memorizing a complete book of the Bible is quite simple and can be summarized in one word: repetition. This is not rocket science. Dr. Davis unpacks a daily routine of systematically working your way through a book, verse by verse and chapter by chapter, memorizing one verse each day. But the key is to recite all the verses you’ve already learned before adding a new verse.
I believe that Dr. Davis has presented an excellent system for committing larger portions of Scripture to memory. If a person takes this task seriously, and does what this book teaches, by the grace and power of God, it is possible for any Christian to memorize an entire chapter or book of the Bible for the glory of God. Your relationship with God will undoubtedly be enhanced and taken to a new level of intimacy. Is this not the promise of Psalm 1? The man who meditates on the Word “day and night” will be like “a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:2-3).
The second half of the book is where Dr. Davis’ method for memorizing an entire book of the Bible is explained. And that is what you’d expect to find here, in light of the title.
But I also like this book because of what is covered in the first half of the book. Chapter 1, “Scripture Memorization Commanded,” presents the biblical basis for Scripture memorization. The author takes you on a tour of many passages that either directly or indirectly instruct us to memorize God’s Word.
Chapter 2, “The Benefits of Scripture Memorization,” is self-explanatory. Again, from Scripture, the author explains the multitude of blessings that await the believer who makes a habit of Bible memorization.
And Chapter 3, “Overcome Excuses for Not Memorizing,” will convince you that you have no valid reason for ignoring this essential discipline for Christian growth.
Whether you prefer to memorize individual verses or an entire book, the initial three chapters alone make the book well worth the bargain 99-cent purchase price. I highly recommend this book to any Christian who wants to hide God’s word in his heart, “that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).
This book is available on Amazon.com here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JJPZUZM
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