Allison and I had the blessing last night of spending time with family to celebrate our niece's Kindergarten graduation. One thing that really impressed me was that each Kindergarten student had a speaking part where they quoted scripture in the program and they rattled their verses off easily. It was so encouraging and refreshing to hear a child speak powerfully the truth of the Word of God. And I know that every Christian parent would value and encourage their students to continue to memorize scripture. However, as adults, I want us to check ourselves and make sure as we push our children to practice these wonderful disciplines that the disciplines are evident in our own lives as well.
We need to lead these children by example. I've heard the phrase, "Don't ask anyone to do something that you aren't willing to do yourself." We do need to encourage our children to develop spiritual disciplines, but it ought to take place in our own lives as well. One hard thing about preaching is that the word of God constantly reminds me that I am just as broken and in need as those who are listening. I preach to others about putting God above everything else in their life, while I am struggling to put away the things that try to steal my affection for God in my own life. I have anxiously preached about dealing with anxiety. When I preach and tell others they need to be making disciples, it makes me take a sober look at my own life and reflect how I am making disciples. But what I want my students to see more than anything is that I am right there with them trying to seek God and fight sin in my own life. I ask my students if they would rather have a leader who is giving orders as he sits in his palace, or one who is on the front line with them willing to go first and give it all. Well Jesus was the King who came to the front line and gave His life so that we could follow Him to victory. We ought to be the same way. Our children need to see us pursuing God. And they need to be reminded constantly that things like scripture memory are important because they see that mom and dad are doing it. So please keep encouraging these things in your children, but also in your life as well.
We gave our Bible study group a week to memorize one verse. The next time we met, each one claimed they simply did not have time to do it. You may be thinking you have no time to do it. But let me address two things. First, our schedule is a reflection of what we prioritize. Second, if we look at our schedule there are probably many things in our week that aren't a priority. Not one of my students was too busy to play video games that week. So in our group we made everyone repeat the verse out loud 5 times. Then, we went around the circle and had them say it. Just about all of them had it after less than 2 minutes of practice. Keep hungering for God's Word and practice together with your children to hide God's word in your heart that you might not sin against Him.
My challenge with you is to memorize the following three verses, and if you have children to teach them as well. These are ones that I have not memorized yet, so I will learn them with you!
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)- "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who call you out of darkness and into his marvelous light."
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)- "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
John 11:25-26 (ESV)-"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
If you want to keep going, there are countless helpful websites and apps that can give you a plan to keep memorizing scripture. Just Google them!
We need to lead these children by example. I've heard the phrase, "Don't ask anyone to do something that you aren't willing to do yourself." We do need to encourage our children to develop spiritual disciplines, but it ought to take place in our own lives as well. One hard thing about preaching is that the word of God constantly reminds me that I am just as broken and in need as those who are listening. I preach to others about putting God above everything else in their life, while I am struggling to put away the things that try to steal my affection for God in my own life. I have anxiously preached about dealing with anxiety. When I preach and tell others they need to be making disciples, it makes me take a sober look at my own life and reflect how I am making disciples. But what I want my students to see more than anything is that I am right there with them trying to seek God and fight sin in my own life. I ask my students if they would rather have a leader who is giving orders as he sits in his palace, or one who is on the front line with them willing to go first and give it all. Well Jesus was the King who came to the front line and gave His life so that we could follow Him to victory. We ought to be the same way. Our children need to see us pursuing God. And they need to be reminded constantly that things like scripture memory are important because they see that mom and dad are doing it. So please keep encouraging these things in your children, but also in your life as well.
We gave our Bible study group a week to memorize one verse. The next time we met, each one claimed they simply did not have time to do it. You may be thinking you have no time to do it. But let me address two things. First, our schedule is a reflection of what we prioritize. Second, if we look at our schedule there are probably many things in our week that aren't a priority. Not one of my students was too busy to play video games that week. So in our group we made everyone repeat the verse out loud 5 times. Then, we went around the circle and had them say it. Just about all of them had it after less than 2 minutes of practice. Keep hungering for God's Word and practice together with your children to hide God's word in your heart that you might not sin against Him.
My challenge with you is to memorize the following three verses, and if you have children to teach them as well. These are ones that I have not memorized yet, so I will learn them with you!
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)- "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who call you out of darkness and into his marvelous light."
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)- "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
John 11:25-26 (ESV)-"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
If you want to keep going, there are countless helpful websites and apps that can give you a plan to keep memorizing scripture. Just Google them!