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5 Ways to Teach Your Child the Bible

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Almost six years ago, a sweet, six pound, premature baby girl made me a Mommy. My life had changed forever – in a beautiful way. I remember trembling in awe our first days together as I contemplated the responsibility of being a parent.

As my little one has grown and God has blessed us with two more daughters, I have pondered these verses in Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 often:

“These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Teach them Diligently

As a Christian parent, God has commanded us to teach His Word diligently to our children. I love that this passage encompasses all aspects of daily life together: when we sit in our houses, when we are out and about, at bed time, and in the morning.

What I have taken away from this is that I can incorporate biblical teaching at any time.

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Here are a few things I’ve done that have helped me to walk this out:

1) Start the day with a prayer – during breakfast or shortly after, I gather my kiddos together and we say a brief prayer to invite God into our day. It goes like this: “Dear Jesus, thank you for today. Help us to love you, to love others, to be kind, and to have fun.”

I am continually amazed at how pointing our gaze towards God at the onset of the day will set the tone for the whole day.

2) Practice Scripture Memorization together – I choose one short passage per week for us to memorize together. About a year ago, I began creating little tunes to go along with each passage, which made the memorization so much easier for all of us. When the girls can recite the passage and reference from memory, they get a piece of candy, which they love. You can sign up to receive these “Scripture Songs” here.

3) During Times of Instruction and Correction – Teaching God’s Word to our children in times of correction will help them to understand the foundation for our beliefs and values.

For instance, when talking to one of my children about a problem they have with complaining, I may refer to a verse we memorized together: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing,” discussing what God says in His Word about the importance of a thankful heart.

4) Out and About – As we walk with our children around this great big world they will see or hear things that they do not understand. When this happens, they look to my husband and me for direction.

Stewardship, Poverty, Crime, and every human issue can be discussed through the lens of God’s Word and provide a solid framework for them to process life.

5) When They Lie Down – Like many Christian parents, we read our children Bible stories at bedtime. They love hearing these stories of men and women in Scripture and how they handled adversity, prosperity, and every other problem known to man.

These are just a few ways that we train our children in God’s ways and His Word. I’m learning as I go and eager to learn from all of you. What have you found most helpful as you teach your children God’s Word?

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How to Memorize Scripture the Easy Way

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I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s and I will never forget the weekend nights that my brother and I listened to every single song in “Casey’s Top 40” – songs we mostly knew by heart.

Most of us know hundreds of songs by heart and can belt out every last lyric with only the first few measures of the song played. Songs committed to memory – for fun.

I began to think about how this could apply to Scripture memorization when a Jewish believer in Christ opened up the Torah for the first time before my eager eyes. I stood in awe as he sung – yes SUNG the words of the law according to Jewish tradition.

I was even more amazed when I learned that included in this process of cantillation there were trope marks – the equivalent of musical notes assigned to each Hebrew word – thus making the Torah a song in the heart of Jews worldwide.

I would like to propose that Scripture memorization doesn’t have to be a tedious, frustrating task. One way this is possible is to make it a song in our hearts.

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Memorizing Scripture can become a fun and relatively easy part of your daily routine. Chuck Swindoll wrote, “I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture. . . . No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified.”

The Bible is replete with passages that instruct us to commit God’s words to heart. Here are just a few:

Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Deuteronomy 6:6-8 “these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Where to start? I’m so glad you asked! Our family has been creating our own little Scripture Songs for the last year and we would like to begin to share them with you all.

If you would like to receive a passage of Scripture put to song each week for the next 12 weeks, simply sign up here.

Children of God from 3-100 can memorize God’s Word easily. Let’s start singing!

 

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When You Feel Like You’ve Got Nothing to Give God

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image Have you ever had a day or a season when you feel at the end of your rope? You’ve worked, you’ve tried, you’ve given your all – and you just keep coming up short? Perhaps you are just tired…weary…exhausted from daily life.

You want to be strong, full of life, whole and healthy, a conduit of God’s Presence – but you feel empty, dry, spiritually poor – you pull out your pockets and find you have nothing to give. Would you believe me if I told you that you do?

That the one thing you have is the only thing you need to bring to God? In fact, the only thing that He wants from you?

Blessed Are The Poor in Spirit

My pastor preached at church on Sunday about the Church of Laeodocia. This church might have been materially rich, but they were spiritually poor.

The problem was – they didn’t know it. God counseled them in this way: “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” — Revelation 3:17-18

If they were truly spiritually bankrupt, with what could they “buy from him” the true riches of Heaven? As my pastor pointed out so thoughtfully – their currency was their need.

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Nothing in My Hand I Bring

The one thing God wants us to bring Him is our need. It’s true! In fact, He says, “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” – Isaiah 66:2

Your weakness unlocks God’s strength. Your emptiness invites God’s fullness. Your brokenness invites God’s healing.

Sometimes I think we want to bring ourselves to God already perfected – you know, like a pretty package with a neatly tied bow. But we can’t… We’re a mess. We know it and He knows it.

Good News for the Poor

When we feel we can’t even pray, when we can’t seem to lift our gaze His way, that is the very moment we need Him most. If you are empty, dry, broken, and spiritually poor today -you are in the perfect place to meet with God.

Bring your heart and all its empty, broken places before God. As the Psalm says so beautifully,”Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” – Psalm 62:8

Here’s some very good news for us poor souls: Jesus is here and He wants “to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” — Isaiah 61:3

So if you feel you’ve got nothing to give God today, don’t let that hold you back. It’s the broken He accepts. It’s the humble He hears. It’s the wounded He can heal.

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