No book of the Bible is so controversial, so polarizing, and so Christ-centered as the book of Revelation. And as war continues in Ukraine, many people are suffering and praying the words, “How long, O Lord?” That’s why Charles Morris is returning to a conversation he had in 2009 with Karen Heimbuch, who memorized the entire book of Revelation and recited it dramatically for thousands of people over the years.
In the very beginning of Revelation, John promises that anyone who hears or reads its contents will be blessed. It is our prayer that this conversation with Karen Heimbuch will help you gain a better understanding of the Bible’s most intimidating book.
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When was the last time you tried to memorize Scripture?
The Bible teaches that there is value in hiding God’s Word in our hearts, but it’s an undertaking many of us don’t attempt very often.
Psalm 119 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Colossians 3:16 tells us to “let the word of Christ dwell in us richly.” And Deuteronomy 6:4-9 goes even further by saying believers must bind God’s law on our foreheads, teach it to our children, talk about it wherever we go, and make it an integral part of our lives.
There is no question, memorizing Scripture is important—but it’s also intimidating. For this reason, we sat down with Karen Heimbuch, best known for memorizing and performing the entire book of Revelation. We asked her to give some practical advice on how to learn God’s Word by heart.
Karen also gave 12 simple steps for us to practice the valuable discipline of memorizing Scripture:
1. Choose a familiar portion of Scripture; a passage that has already been a blessing to you.
2.Ask the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Truth—to help you “hide God’s Word in your heart.” Also ask for pure delivery. After all, you want to accurately convey God’s heart and “inflections” when you present His Word.
3.Re-format the text as necessary. Investing time in this step can easily cut the time needed for memorizing in half! Most Bibles are formatted for two columns per page, which does not always allow for ease in Scripture memorization. Re-formatting a text makes it much easier for the eye to retain whole phrases. For instance, compare a traditional two-column format with its re-formatted version:
“Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the
word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty,
sixty or even a hundred times what was
sown.”
“Others, like seed sown on good soil,
hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—
thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”
4. Consider color-coding, especially when you recognize patterns.
5. Always read aloud when memorizing. Once the accuracy of your interpretation is confirmed, try rehearsing it that same way every time.
6. Visualize what you are reading. Discover the connecting dots. See the big picture.
7. Memorize a verse like you eat a sandwich: Bite by bite, phrase by phrase.
8. Look for key words, especially verbs and nouns.
9. Be sure to chew each bite! Look up any words you don’t understand in a concordance or Bible dictionary.
10. Use acronyms, rhythms or rhymes, even tunes, when memorizing lists.
11. Sustain flow of delivery by using gestures and inflections as needed.
12. Review what you have memorized during the day before you go to sleep at night.
In a two-disc CD set, this best-seller features the entire book of Revelation, as read by Karen Heimbuch, set to an original score by Michael Harriton and recorded by the world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra. Once you start listening to this dramatic reading with a powerful background, you will not be able to stop. This is the perfect gift for those who know Christ as Savior and those who haven’t yet met the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Revelation is a worship encounter like you’ve never experienced before.
A tiny hole in the curtain allowed us to view the packed house beyond the stage. It was my first theater production and I had the first line. Palms wet with sweat, I kept imagining myself stumbling over my lines and staring blankly into the dim faces of the audience without anything to say.
But when the curtain was finally drawn, I walked out and faced my fears. All the practice leading up to my performance paid off, and I nailed every line. I am no longer an actor, but now I have a new ambition: I want to memorize Scripture.
I long for the ability to recite Psalm 42 while doing dishes or driving to the store or walking to the mailbox.
So, finally, I’m going to take the challenge. And I want you to you join me.
I’ll be following a simple plan laid out in the book His Word in My Heart, by Janet Pope. In it, she offers an easy-to-follow guide for memorizing Psalm 1 and all 3 chapters of Titus. Sound intimidating? Keep reading.
Psalm 1 is a wonderful passage to start with because it immediately motivates the reader to memorize God’s Word:
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water…
Titus was written by the Apostle Paul and is filled with rich practical and theological insight. It’s a total of 46 verses, making it short enough for a beginner to memorize, yet substantial enough for anyone to be proud of.
Pope writes that before memorizing Titus, she would have never been able to summarize it to anyone, even though she had read it several times. After memorizing it, though, she is convinced that she will never forget the content, even if she forgets the word-for-word text.
Still not sure you want to take the challenge? Take a look at Karen Heimbuch’s 12 Simple Steps for Memorizing Scripture. And I’d recommend getting a copy of Janet Pope’s His Word in My Heart.
When you commit to memorizing Scripture, you’ll quickly find that it’s easier than you think and the benefits are endless. I invite you to join me and countless others in this noble challenge of memorizing God’s Word. I guarantee you’ll be glad you did.
You can learn more about Janet Pope here. Corum Hughes works on the production team for HAVEN Today and is the managing editor of the All About Jesus blog. His passions include running, biking, reading, watching movies, and seeking Jesus in places He is seldom sought. Corum lives with his wife in California.
A tiny hole in the curtain allowed us to view the packed house beyond the stage. It was my first theater production and I had the first line. Palms wet with sweat, I kept imagining myself stumbling over my lines and staring blankly into the dim faces of the audience without anything to say.
But when the curtain was finally drawn, I walked out and faced my fears. All the practice leading up to my performance paid off, and I nailed every line. I am no longer an actor, but now I have a new ambition: I want to memorize Scripture.
I long for the ability to recite Psalm 42 while doing dishes or driving to the store or walking to the mailbox.
So, finally, I’m going to take the challenge. And I want you to you join me.
I’ll be following a simple plan laid out in the book His Word in My Heart, by Janet Pope. In it, she offers an easy-to-follow guide for memorizing Psalm 1 and all 3 chapters of Titus. Sound intimidating? Keep reading.
Psalm 1 is a wonderful passage to start with because it immediately motivates the reader to memorize God’s Word:
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water…
Titus was written by the Apostle Paul and is filled with rich practical and theological insight. It’s a total of 46 verses, making it short enough for a beginner to memorize, yet substantial enough for anyone to be proud of.
Pope writes that before memorizing Titus, she would have never been able to summarize it to anyone, even though she had read it several times. After memorizing it, though, she is convinced that she will never forget the content, even if she forgets the word-for-word text.
Still not sure you want to take the challenge? Take a look at Karen Heimbuch’s 12 Simple Steps for Memorizing Scripture. And I’d recommend getting a copy of Janet Pope’s His Word in My Heart.
When you commit to memorizing Scripture, you’ll quickly find that it’s easier than you think and the benefits are endless. I invite you to join me and countless others in this noble challenge of memorizing God’s Word. I guarantee you’ll be glad you did. Corum Hughes works on the production team for HAVEN Today and is the managing editor of the All About Jesus blog. His passions include running, biking, reading, watching movies, and seeking Jesus in places He is seldom sought. Corum lives with his wife in California.
Janet Pope has been memorizing scripture for decades. In this video she shares how the pursuit of memorizing entire books of Scripture has changed her life, and how this practice will change your life too!
Most of us want to memorize Scripture, but so many other things become our priority. So we daily strive without doing the most important thing, the best thing – putting God’s Word in our hearts and minds.
The good news is YOU can do it. In this updated classic, Janet Pope will share practical tips and strategies – including how to use technology – to help you to start memorizing the Living Word today.
A diligent student of the Bible, Janet Pope’s passion is to lead others to the oasis of God’s Word. She has memorized over 120 chapters of Scripture, including 14 books of the Bible.
