Reading God’s Word

Yes, it’s January, a new year and it’s time to set some goals, establish some new habits and grow. How about making one of your goals incorporating God’s Word into your daily routine? Okay, like anything else, it’s easy to set a goal to read everyday and then find that you have already forgotten that goal by next week. That’s okay, at least you made the decision to want to read more. Now don’t let your mess-up stop you, start again. Adjust your goal if you need to and keep trying. Good habits aren’t formed overnight, but little by little you can reach your goal if you don’t give up.

How can you incorporate more of God’s Word into your life this year? Well here are some things that have helped me in my pursuit of God’s Word.

• Like I already said, “Never give up!” So you forgot yesterday. Today is a new day and God’s mercies are new every morning, start again today. This is not a competition or about some kind of star for your crown, reading God’s Word is about a relationship with Him. He wants to speak His love to your heart through His Word.
  
• Ask yourself, “What can I do?” Mornings may not be your thing, can you read in the evening? If you can’t spend 15 minutes, could you spend 5? You spend at least a minute every morning brushing your teeth, why not spend the same amount of time in God’s Word.
  
• Ask God to help you. Ask Him to remind you and show you a time that works for you.
  
• Download the “You Version” Bible Ap and at least read the daily verse. Better yet, read the daily verse when you get up, when you eat lunch and when you go to bed at night. Then ask God what He is saying to you through that one verse.
  
• Read a story with your preschooler before bed. See it through their eyes. You will both enjoy it.
  
• Find an ap that reads the Bible out loud so you can listen while you are driving or doing other things. I think the YouVersion Bible Ap does this as well – not sure, check it out.
  
• Personally I like to spend a half hour or more in God’s Word every morning. However some mornings that’s just not possible so I do what I can and I ask God to somehow help me be aware of His presence everyday. When I am open to God, He is always faithful to bring His Word to mind and speak to me through it. I love how personal He gets as I look to Him. He always knows just what I need to hear. An added benefit to reading God’s Word or reading positive words is that it literally over time changes our mindset. We begin to thing more positive when we are filling our minds with what is positive.
  
  PRAYER:
  God,
  I want to commit to reading your Word this year and to spending time in relationship with you and yet I know life gets busy and sometimes the day has gone by and I have forgotten. I’m so thankful that you don’t forget about me. Help me to mindful of you and show me how I can look to you daily. Speak to me through your Word that I might know you and walk with you. Help others who are struggling with this too and I especially ask that you would help our kids to develop a love for your Word. Redeem us, renew us and revive us as we look to you. Amen
  
  FUN WAYS TO READ GOD’S WORD (Parents)
• For young children, use a picture Bible. I like The Beginner’s Bible or The Jesus Storybook Bible. For older kids, there is actually a Minecraft Bible, but take your child with you when picking out a Bible and let him/her choose. The Bible Ap For Kids is good for preschoolers and is also interactive.
  
• Act out a story and then talk about it. Be overdramatic.
  
• Give your child something to say or do as you are reading a story such as give a thumbs up if something is good or thumbs down if it’s bad.
  
• Draw a picture of what you have read.
  
• Make the story simple to understand.
  
  MAKING GOD’S WORD PART OF YOUR CLASS TIME (Teachers)
• When you are telling a Bible story, always show the kids that the story come from God’s Word, the Bible.
  
• Learn a simple verse together with your class. Make it fun by hopping, clapping, singing or doing something fun as you are learning the verse. Give stickers to kids when they have it memorized.
  
• Think of creative ways of telling the story – Try telling it in rhyme, act it out, put motions with the story such as swaying in the wind, saying, “Pitter, patter” for rain, giving yourself a hug every time you say something about God’s love, etc. Ask questions, create suspense by asking, “What do you think happened next?” or by having a mystery bag with an object in it that relates to the story.
  
• Pair activities with the story – EX: If you are talking about Jesus calling His fishermen disciples to follow him, fish for foam fish in a tub of water.
  
• Ask God to help you watch for teachable moments to share God’s Word any time during class.

To Do With Your Child

SHARE A STORY- Jesus Is Baptized – Matthew 3:13-17

One day, Jesus came to the Jordan River where John was baptizing people who wanted to live for God. Jesus wanted John to baptize Him too, but John said, “Why do you want me to baptize you? I should be baptized by you instead!“

Jesus said, “I want to be baptized because I want to obey my Father God. I want to do what is right. I want to do what He wants me to do.” (Baptism – Jesus asked John to dunk Him into the water to show that He wanted to live for His Father God.)

So John did baptize Jesus and as soon as Jesus came out of the water, a dove came down from heaven and God said, “This is my Son. I love Him and I am very happy with Him.”

Jesus did what His Father God wanted Him to do. He obeyed and did what was right. He wants us to know that we can live for God too. We can live for God because Jesus will be our forever friend and will help us know what to do. He will help us know what the Bible says about God. God shows us in His Word, the Bible, how we can live for Him and love Him with all our hearts.

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for being my forever friend. I want to love you with all my heart and obey just like you obeyed God. Help me to listen, learn and obey the Bible so I can know you better. I know you love me and that I can always talk to you. Amen

THE MAIN IDEA IS TO –
KNOW: Jesus is God’s Son.
TALK ABOUT: Doing what God wants me to do.
ASK: Who wants to be your forever friend? Jesus wants to be my forever friend.
MEMORIZE: PS. 119:105 NIRV – (Hold hands open as though holding a book.)
Your Word –   (Hold hands open as above.)
Is like a lamp –  (Clap hands.)
That shows me the way. –  (Walk in place.)

AND DO: Obey God’s Word because Jesus will help me.

• Turn off the lights when taking your child to bed some night, use a flashlight to lead you on your way. Talk about how the Bible is like a light that helps us know the way to go.

• If you don’t yet have one for your child, buy a Children’s Bible and read a story with your child everyday. For preschoolers, I like the “Beginner’s Bible.” There is also a “Beginner’s Bible Calendar” which is fun and The Bible Ap for Kid’s is also a great way to engage your child with the Bible.