Why is it important to teach your kids to memorize Bible scriptures?
Christianity Is Under Attack
Our country was founded on Christian principles. Our forefathers wove Biblical principles throughout the framework of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Bible reading and prayer were once incorporated into the daily curriculum of our early schools. For many decades to follow, the majority of Americans used the Bible as their blueprint and standard for morality and righteous living.
In modern times, religious liberty has come under severe attack. Groups like the A.C.L.U., Democrats, and radical Leftists hate Christianity. Conservative speech is shut down by Big Tech, college campuses, the fake news media, and in the public square. Businesses like Chick-fil-a that support Christian principles are banned from areas of the marketplace and blacklisted. These rebellious God-haters cry "separation of church and state" to eliminate Christianity from American life, even though no such statute exists in our Constitution. Say it long enough and people will believe it without a fight, they correctly presume.
Oddly enough, no one on the Left balks when Islamic extremists slaughter innocent people in the name of Allah. In fact, terrorist incidences in places like Fort Hood have been downplayed as "workplace violence."
Since conservative expression is being smothered and truth isn't given a voice, the lines between right and wrong are becoming blurry to those who aren't grounded in the faith. When school officials allow porn stars to read to children, encourage transgenders to pick their pronouns, teach homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle, and laud infanticide as a woman's "reproductive right," do your kids know all this is wrong?
College campuses are even worse. Our institutions of higher learning have devolved from breeding grounds of free thought to indoctrination centers. In 2017, Campus Renewal shared that approximately 70% of Christian teens entering college depart from their faith within the first year. Professors are no longer preparing students for successful career paths--they are anti-American hate mongers who push kids towards communist ideals that will eventually destroy our republic.
The Power of the Word of God
Hebrews 4:12 tells us ...the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Ephesians 6:17 also refers to the sword of the spirit as being part of the armor of God. We need to understand how to brandish the best weapon God gave us.
You can own a gun to protect your home from intruders, but if you don't know how to shoot it, it will be useless to you and serve no purpose. In fact, you may have no recourse in the event of imminent danger. Likewise, if your kids own Bibles but don't know what's in them, they will be powerless to fight against the evil in their generation.
The Truth Sets Us Free
When a transgender insists your child refer to him with the pronoun "xe," will your child comply or refuse, citing Genesis 5:2, He created them male and female and blessed them. When a homosexual attempts to force your child to condone his sinful lifestyle, does your child know to stand on Romans 1:27, In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error? If your daughter's friend becomes another teen pregnancy statistic and considers an abortion, will your daughter share Jeremiah 1:5, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart?
It is imperative parents equip their children to raise up a standard against the onslaught of the enemy. It's a new time, but the same devil.
Throughout every season of life, your child needs a firm anchor. When they are anxious or stressed, they need to grab Philippians 4:6, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. If your children battle sickness, they should know to cling to Matthew 8:17 for their healing, He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.
Tackling Scripture With Your Kids
The Bible can be an intimidating book for kids. Without someone to guide them through it, kids might become overwhelmed or feel it's too boring to read on their own. Younger kids and tweens will appreciate the easier to digest language of the New Living Translation.
(Paid link)
Here's a step-by-step plan to get your kids into the powerful, life-saving Word of God that will strengthen their faith and train them in righteousness so they will always be able to stand up for Truth, even if they are standing alone.
Step One: Select Scriptures to Memorize
With so many amazing scriptures, how do you decide which ones your kids should memorize first? To get you started, click here for my free resource. It contains 24 scripture cards plus one blank page to write additional verses of your own choosing.
Cut out the cards and laminate them for durability, if possible. You can make a set for each child, if they are self-pacing, you can hang them on the fridge, or you can keep them in a central location to use as flash cards.
Step Two: Select Prizes
We would like for kids to be intrinsically motivated to learn Bible verses, but they are much more committed and goal-oriented when prizes are involved. It doesn't matter if your prizes are big, small, or somewhere in between, your kids will trip over themselves trying to earn them.
Decide if you want to reward your kids after each verse they learn or in increments, like after every third scripture. You know what motivates your kids the most, so plan your prizes accordingly.
Free prizes might include:
Step Three: Assemble Journal & Dive In
Purchase a plastic pronged folder. Make a list of all the scriptures included in your challenge and insert them in the folder, followed by a list of prizes, and as many blank pages as you have scriptures to learn.
Before you begin, discuss the goal of memorizing scriptures. Stress that it's to write God's Word on their hearts so the Spirit can guide them into all truth throughout their entire lives. Even if they forget the exact words down the road, they will not forget the concept that was deposited, and it will help them sort right from wrong. Measuring every situation they face against God's Word will help prevent them from being polluted by the world. They will learn to be "in" the world but not "of" it when they abide by higher standards.
Introduce each scripture by finding it in the Bible and reading the entire chapter or passage where it's inserted. Break down the meaning of the verse they are learning and make it relevant to them by connecting the concept to real life.
Next, have them write the scripture in their journals and draw and color a picture to match the message.
Post the scripture card where it's most visible, like the kitchen refrigerator, bulletin board, or in their rooms. When they aren't expecting it, quiz them to see how much they remember.
Overachievers will cram to learn the scriptures fast to secure the rewards. This is not ideal, since cramming only helps them remember the verses for a short term. Make your kids chew on each scripture for at least 3-4 days before they can advance to the next one. Keep quizzing them throughout each day until it's time to tackle a new one.
Older kids should recite each verse word-for-word, but younger learners can receive more slack, meaning it's okay for them to convey the gist of the harder passages. Search online for scriptures that are put to song to help them learn verses, or cut out each word and have your kids arrange them in the correct order.
Once your kids accomplish the goal in the 3-4 day window (or longer if needed), award the prize and start over with the next one!
Faith Building
We all need to know what the Word says, not only to help us live right and make wise choices, but to under gird our faith and help us face life's storms with courage and tenacity. We need to know the Word to know how to pray, how to share the message of the Good News, and how to encourage others. As they say, teaching is learning twice. Helping your kids to delve into the meat of God's Word while memorizing key verses is as good for you as it is for them. Don't put it off--kick off your family scripture memorization challenge today!
Christianity Is Under Attack
Our country was founded on Christian principles. Our forefathers wove Biblical principles throughout the framework of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Bible reading and prayer were once incorporated into the daily curriculum of our early schools. For many decades to follow, the majority of Americans used the Bible as their blueprint and standard for morality and righteous living.
In modern times, religious liberty has come under severe attack. Groups like the A.C.L.U., Democrats, and radical Leftists hate Christianity. Conservative speech is shut down by Big Tech, college campuses, the fake news media, and in the public square. Businesses like Chick-fil-a that support Christian principles are banned from areas of the marketplace and blacklisted. These rebellious God-haters cry "separation of church and state" to eliminate Christianity from American life, even though no such statute exists in our Constitution. Say it long enough and people will believe it without a fight, they correctly presume.
Oddly enough, no one on the Left balks when Islamic extremists slaughter innocent people in the name of Allah. In fact, terrorist incidences in places like Fort Hood have been downplayed as "workplace violence."
Since conservative expression is being smothered and truth isn't given a voice, the lines between right and wrong are becoming blurry to those who aren't grounded in the faith. When school officials allow porn stars to read to children, encourage transgenders to pick their pronouns, teach homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle, and laud infanticide as a woman's "reproductive right," do your kids know all this is wrong?
College campuses are even worse. Our institutions of higher learning have devolved from breeding grounds of free thought to indoctrination centers. In 2017, Campus Renewal shared that approximately 70% of Christian teens entering college depart from their faith within the first year. Professors are no longer preparing students for successful career paths--they are anti-American hate mongers who push kids towards communist ideals that will eventually destroy our republic.
The Power of the Word of God
Hebrews 4:12 tells us ...the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Ephesians 6:17 also refers to the sword of the spirit as being part of the armor of God. We need to understand how to brandish the best weapon God gave us.
You can own a gun to protect your home from intruders, but if you don't know how to shoot it, it will be useless to you and serve no purpose. In fact, you may have no recourse in the event of imminent danger. Likewise, if your kids own Bibles but don't know what's in them, they will be powerless to fight against the evil in their generation.
The Truth Sets Us Free
When a transgender insists your child refer to him with the pronoun "xe," will your child comply or refuse, citing Genesis 5:2, He created them male and female and blessed them. When a homosexual attempts to force your child to condone his sinful lifestyle, does your child know to stand on Romans 1:27, In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error? If your daughter's friend becomes another teen pregnancy statistic and considers an abortion, will your daughter share Jeremiah 1:5, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart?
It is imperative parents equip their children to raise up a standard against the onslaught of the enemy. It's a new time, but the same devil.
Throughout every season of life, your child needs a firm anchor. When they are anxious or stressed, they need to grab Philippians 4:6, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. If your children battle sickness, they should know to cling to Matthew 8:17 for their healing, He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.
Tackling Scripture With Your Kids
The Bible can be an intimidating book for kids. Without someone to guide them through it, kids might become overwhelmed or feel it's too boring to read on their own. Younger kids and tweens will appreciate the easier to digest language of the New Living Translation.
(Paid link)
Here's a step-by-step plan to get your kids into the powerful, life-saving Word of God that will strengthen their faith and train them in righteousness so they will always be able to stand up for Truth, even if they are standing alone.
Step One: Select Scriptures to Memorize
With so many amazing scriptures, how do you decide which ones your kids should memorize first? To get you started, click here for my free resource. It contains 24 scripture cards plus one blank page to write additional verses of your own choosing.
 |
| Sample of free resource |
Step Two: Select Prizes
We would like for kids to be intrinsically motivated to learn Bible verses, but they are much more committed and goal-oriented when prizes are involved. It doesn't matter if your prizes are big, small, or somewhere in between, your kids will trip over themselves trying to earn them.
Decide if you want to reward your kids after each verse they learn or in increments, like after every third scripture. You know what motivates your kids the most, so plan your prizes accordingly.
Free prizes might include:
- 15 minutes of extra screen
- 30 minutes up past bedtime
- 15 extra minutes reading in bed
- Chore pass
- Trip to the park
- Play date
- Overnight stay at grandparents'
Monetary-based rewards might be:
- Chocolate or candy
- Trip to Dairy Queen
- Cash
- Book markers
- Toy
- Bath bomb
- Book
- Movie Theater
- Water balloons
- Trip to the donut shop
- Glow sticks
- Craft supplies
It takes diligence to commit scriptures to memory. We reward after each one, but do what works best for your family.
Step Three: Assemble Journal & Dive In
Purchase a plastic pronged folder. Make a list of all the scriptures included in your challenge and insert them in the folder, followed by a list of prizes, and as many blank pages as you have scriptures to learn.
Introduce each scripture by finding it in the Bible and reading the entire chapter or passage where it's inserted. Break down the meaning of the verse they are learning and make it relevant to them by connecting the concept to real life.
Next, have them write the scripture in their journals and draw and color a picture to match the message.
 |
| The girl is being a "doer" of the word by praying. She's not a hearer only, which is why the ear is crossed out, and she's not a person who deceives herself. |
 |
| With a Bible in its hand, the smiley face is being a "doer" of the Word as it shares the gospel with the world. |
Post the scripture card where it's most visible, like the kitchen refrigerator, bulletin board, or in their rooms. When they aren't expecting it, quiz them to see how much they remember.
Overachievers will cram to learn the scriptures fast to secure the rewards. This is not ideal, since cramming only helps them remember the verses for a short term. Make your kids chew on each scripture for at least 3-4 days before they can advance to the next one. Keep quizzing them throughout each day until it's time to tackle a new one.
Older kids should recite each verse word-for-word, but younger learners can receive more slack, meaning it's okay for them to convey the gist of the harder passages. Search online for scriptures that are put to song to help them learn verses, or cut out each word and have your kids arrange them in the correct order.
Once your kids accomplish the goal in the 3-4 day window (or longer if needed), award the prize and start over with the next one!
Faith Building
We all need to know what the Word says, not only to help us live right and make wise choices, but to under gird our faith and help us face life's storms with courage and tenacity. We need to know the Word to know how to pray, how to share the message of the Good News, and how to encourage others. As they say, teaching is learning twice. Helping your kids to delve into the meat of God's Word while memorizing key verses is as good for you as it is for them. Don't put it off--kick off your family scripture memorization challenge today!
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