Teaching Kids God's Word

See it, say it, believe it, obey it!

Kurt and I have often said that discipling our children is the most rewarding and yet the most difficult assignment the Lord has ever given us! As a young mom I was so often at a loss to know what to do in daily parenting situations. I turned to the only source of instruction that I knew could be trusted 100% of the time – God’s Word. I wore out the pages of my concordance desperately searching for specific words of wisdom. The good news is, I was never disappointed. The Bible really does speak to every situation of life, in every season of life.

By myself I tended to parent to change behavior (get them to “be quiet, be still, be nice, share, get along, stop arguing and complaining,” etc.) and I expected immediate results! I came to realize that I was just reacting and the results even on the best days were temporary and only skin deep.

But when I applied God’s Words something supernatural happened. There was an authority there that I lacked on my own. The wisdom and discernment of God’s Word spoke to each member of our family (including myself, I might add)! 2 Timothy 3:16 declares that, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

More and more, I began to use God’s Words instead of my own words to guide my little tribe. In order to do that, I needed to know God’s Word and so did they. That’s how Picture Scripture was born.

We had so much need in our house for God’s Word to be at work even before these little people could read! I needed a disciple-making tool to help us picture Scripture so we could hide it in our hearts and let it get to work from the inside out. “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11).

The drawings were very basic, just simple symbols of words strung together. While I taught the verse, we colored the page. Then every day we reviewed that verse until we all had it memorized. I also began using the verse in everyday situations where that truth needed to be applied.

For example, at chore time we, ” . . . worked with our hands in delight (Proverbs 31;13). Whining because we don’t want to go down for nap? “Do everything without complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:14).” Pulling apart the toy screaming, “I had it first,” prompted Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing from selfishness . . .” And on and on and on!

Week by week (because that’s what it takes to shape hearts – a long time!) we all began to be changed, little by little, to loving and living more like Jesus. From toddlers to teens, the Bible never disappoints. “The Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).” Young hearts, and even older hearts – it handles them all perfectly!

Through the years other moms and grandmas have asked for copies of those early sketches. Picture Scripture: Bible Memory Like You’ve Never Seen it Before is a compilation of many of the originals and is designed to serve as a super practical, simple to use tool for training hearts of any age. I’m convinced that we can never have too much of God’s Word stored away. When His Word lives inside of you and me, the Holy Spirit has something to work with!

This edition of Picture Scripture covers these areas of a child’s heart:

• Obedience
• Sin and Forgiveness
• The Mouth
• Anger
• Arguing and Complaining
• Cheerfulness
• How to Treat Others
• Fear
• Timing
• Serving God
• God’s Love
• The Enemy

This Christmas, give the gift of Scripture – Picture Scripture! Order a copy on-line at www.furtherstillministries.org.

I’m praying that God will take this simple tool and multiply it’s worth in your life and in the lives of those with whom you share it. These truths are transformational for kids of any age!