– Romans 6:23 . Now let’s see what happens if we don’t love God first. 2. 4. When your kids find all the puzzle pieces and candy treasures, have them reassemble the heart. All of this will turn the Bible from a frighteningly thick book into a useful tool in the hands of a child. Ask them: How did it feel to be a part of a gathering where no one was paired with a date? Parents and other family members are drawn closer together. Here’s an article I wrote a year-and-a-half ago on the importance of God’s Word. Children are evangelists. However, God's love does not mean we can do whatever we want. What are other ways that we can show our love for one another?” (For example, write an encouraging note, serve breakfast in bed, clean the kitchen.). One of the best ways is to teach kids how to connect with God is through a daily Bible time. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”. Go through a list — parents, siblings, grandparents, and God. If the language seems alien or difficult, find ways to ease into it. God made sure everything we need to know is in His Word. Hold up the envelope you prepared earlier. Let them see that God has been and still is faithful. Draw a picture and mail it to your teacher to tell them that you miss them and are thankful for them. “The Bible says that we should love God most– with ALL of our heart. Have you ever asked that question? First, cut out a large heart from poster board or construction paper. So reinforce that your child’s value should be grounded in God’s love. The child of God, on the other hand, no longer craves the gratification of sin but desires to know, love, and glorify his or her Father. Then at the end of each week (in the “Reflect” section) there are tons of great discussion questions and journal prompts so that your kids can delve even deeper into the topic of God's love! With your children out of the room, hide the puzzle pieces, along with several valentine candies. Romans 8:35-39 Encourage your tween to talk openly about how kids at school confuse popularity with a person’s worth. How can children show love to their parents? Then eat the cookies, after the blessing! God is perfect in love. They may not be able to grasp with great sophistication the fact that this very moment God's love is being manifested in and through suffering. God can’t help loving because it is an essential part of His character. -  Designed by Thrive Themes Explain to the kids that there is a difference between God and their parents. Got it? Most of what I said concerned Jesus' death, but there are so many other evidences of God's love seen in and out of the Bible. Let your kids see your joy in the Lord and all He has done for you. As we gaze upon the Holy Trinity, we see that God is love: the Father loves the Son who loves the Father, and from this love the Holy Spirit flows forth. If the person is a child, put the puzzle pieces in a decorative envelope or bag so the child can enjoy putting the puzzle together, too. Only the Bible can speak with authority to the human heart—including a child's heart. to get comprehensive biblical answers to these important questions about God's love. The Bible describes this love: “Not that we loved God, but that he loved us” (1 John 4:10), and “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). But kids (and even we adults!) We usually associate the love of God with the benefits we receive from Him and the blessings that come from His kind and merciful hand. Love is a core aspect of God’s character, His Person. Friends, please don’t underestimate what your kids can grasp. I don’t want his daddy.” And then you explain to the child that the reason you want your daddy is because he is so really, really, really valuable to you. Tailor your teaching to your child’s personality. If your children have already accepted Jesus, emphasize that they can go to God anytime, about anything, and ask Him to forgive them when they’ve done something wrong. 9. “Preschool Activities” © 2008 by Charlotte Adelsperger. 2. For the Lord is good. You and I know that it takes a lifetime to learn about God's love. To edit the cliché: Because we are all hopeful romantics. Explain to kids that God’s love is deeper, bigger and better than any other kind of love you can receive. God is perfect in love. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. How can I explain God's love to a suffering child? Hold up the small pair and show it to the group. Psalm 139:1 As 1 John 3:1 declares, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." Teach your child about holiness and soon the whole neighborhood might understand it. The author names are found within the article. Let's talk about that next. Explain to your child that rules are important for keeping people safe and happy. The 5Rs Bible Study™ Method is designed to be an easy, step-by-step tool to help anyone understand and apply a Bible verse to their lives in under 10 minutes a day. Explain that God’s love surrounds your child like the heart around his traced hands. The Lord enters the scene to explain what happens to a child when parents fail to guard their marriage “in the spirit”: “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. Here are just a few verses that say “God is love” to our kids. What does being picked last mean? (Genesis 1:27, 28; Leviticus 18:22; Proverbs 5:18, 19) When the Bible condemns fornication, it is referring to both homosexual and heterosexual conduct. Love is the fundamental essence of His nature and character—His very being. God is love: It is true that God does loving things. Scripture Study But there’s a problem. Lighthearted fun. There are particular ways that each child needs the Gospel. You see, you and I, and everyone else in the world, are not like God. $9 Million Match! Explaining God’s Love and Justice to Kids That evening, when I was tucking my daughter into bed, she said, “I don’t totally understand who goes to heaven and hell.” We had talked about this topic on many occasions before, but of course it’s something hard for kids to understand. "I love to sing the songs I learned and sang as a little girl to and with my granddaughters. Yes, I will give families hope this Christmas! They feel they’re the only ones who aren’t walking hand-in-hand with adoring boyfriends or girlfriends. Help them to memorize the names of the books of the Bible. God is perfect in love. Is there a loving God? That’s why Jesus came — to make a way for them to cross back to God and be forgiven. Any argument that attempts to disprove the existence of God … Explaining God’s Grace? How can God’s love bring me everyday joy and peace? I've found the best way to teach kids about God's love to encourage kids to create a daily quiet time habit where they learn how to grow close to God each day through Bible study. When teams are being picked at school, do you want to be picked first or last? State truths about God in simple specific remarks. The 5Rs Bible Study™ Method consists of 5 steps: This simple method allows anyone to read any verse, understand it fully, relate it to their lives and then create a simple plan to implement that truth into today's life circumstances. Every one of us clings to the hope of lasting love because human intimacy serves as a picture of a love rooted in God himself. We are selfish, we hurt others, we disobey, and do lots of other bad things God tells us not to do. God can't be put under a microscope—He can only be felt. Try to bring it down to their level, and always be willing to plant seeds of love. Love is the fundamental essence of His nature and character—His very being. Most likely it includes a reunion, a kiss or even a wedding. Go through a list — parents, siblings, grandparents, and God. How does God’s love free me to reach my fullest potential. God cares: We can cast our anxiety on God because He cares (1 Peter 5:7). Show them the maps at the back. “The Bible says that we should love God most– with ALL of our heart. Remind your children often, I love you so much, and God loves you, too. Alicia is a wife to her best friend and husband of 19 years, and a mom of four very vibrant children (ages 17 to 8). Its okay to love other things, and God gave us lots of fun things to love in this world, but He wants us to love Him first and Him the most! Let me introduce you to a simple way to teach your kids to how to study the Bible using a simple, step-by-step Bible study method–that includes Bible verses about love! I wrote the Be Loved 5Rs Bible Study™ Journal so that moms like you and I could teach our kids to HOW to study God's word while also learning deep insights about God's love. Bless the mailman/woman by leaving them a gift and thanking them for their hard work. Give examples. Start naming some different things that you love.” Remember that Judaism is filled with ideas of God's love, in the prayers, in the Bible. God is love. By throwing this party, how were you showing your friends your love for them? I was again filled with wonder and love to hold this precious infant in my arms, to contemplate the miracle of birth, and to see a child born into mortality who had come so recently from the presence of our Father in Heaven. Check out the letter again with the Bible verses that brought it to life. Revealing how we often confuse God’s love with human love, this book looks to the Bible to explain how and what God loves—helping readers understand that God is fundamentally a God of love. Thank Him for the people who love you and for those you love. Cultural influences can be a powerful factor in the way tweens define their worth. God reveals His love for believers particularly by preparing an eternal home with Him. The second account to consider is the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–31). 1) Grow kids confidence by teaching them to love God and to treasure the Bible. 10. How can you respect and honor people around you, such as your classmates? 1) Day 1: Connect to that week's topic through a heartfelt devotional message. Even with children, God's Word is the seed that produces life (1 Peter 1:23). John 14:2-3 promises, "In my Father's house are many rooms. ~Psalm 100:5, Discover God Bible (NLT) But here in 1 John, God makes it very clear that love begins with Him. For example, teens can write down the answers for such questions as “What was the tackiest Valentine’s Day gift you ever received?” or “If you could be a piece of Valentine’s Day candy, which one would you be and why?” Read the answers aloud and have partygoers guess which answer belongs to which guest. We agreed that this is something we could strive to do better every day. Hold up the printout that says, “God = Love.” Then refer back to the 1 John printout. Our lives often speak louder than our words – and this is especially true as we are with our children. Now, think of the best scene. As you know, most of my life sized questions happen on the way to school. It seems the love that parents have for their children is as close to unconditional love as we can get without the help of God's love in our lives. And believe me when I tell you, my kids typically start these discussions. The Bible, on the other hand, says that you can never really grasp God’s nature until you learn to look at Him through your children’s eyes. Let your child join you. Tell the child how God created the earth and that humans were tempted by the devil to do disobey God. We can teach them about His love as we embody the following qualities of our eternal Bridegroom and heavenly Father. Love is an attribute of God. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless” (Malachi 2:16). Then eat the cookies, after the blessing! If I could, I would ingrain the following Bible verse on every child’s heart: ... Another thing I appreciate is how Love Letters From God sets the stage for us to teach our children to search God’s Word for His personal promises and commands to them. We are sorry that this was not useful for you! God is love. This article is a compilation of articles written by various authors. Love is endless to receive and endless to give. How to explain God is an age-old quandary. Follow her on Instagram at @vibrantchristianliving and learn more about the Connected Bible Community and group coaching programs at VibrantChristianLiving.com. In my book, I outline seven common personalities in kids (the defiant child, the fearful child, the difficult child, and others). The Bible teaches us in Proverbs 22:6 to “Train them up in the way they should go and when they are old they won’t depart from it.” This is even more complicated when trying to explain this great truth to a child who has experienced so much pain, rejection, heartache and loss. God becomes important to the child when the child is aware of God’s work in the child’s life and the people in the child’s life. Each week for six weeks your child will study a specific topic about love using three powerful strategies. All rights reserved. Quick, name your favorite romantic movie. Understanding the different manner of God’s love helps us to see its immeasurable magnitude . Yes, we must teach our kids about God's love at an early age, but we also must show them practical ways to access God's love through every stage of their lives. Preparation  Your local Christian bookstore can recommend a children’s Bible storybook that retells some of the Bible’s main stories in ways he can understand. "Who loves you?" My husband bought her a … Why do we love such stories? Introduce the Bible to children by telling the children that God “talks” to us in the Bible. The greatest demonstration of God’s love was this gift of His Only Son. Sweet mamas, you share God’s love with your kids simply by being there! The most important thing you can do for a child is to teach him or her the good news about how to be right with God, how to be forgiven of sin through the person and work of Christ.Over the years, many have asked me, "How can I explain the gospel to children in terms they understand without toning down the hard demands of Christ? The following is a list of some scriptures that support the principles: As it is written:”There is no one righteous, not even one.” -Romans 3:10. I love to read it. How can we teach kids the important skill of how to continually discover more about God's love? As God’s child, we are a part of His family (the church), promised a home in heaven, and given the right to approach God in prayer (Ephesians 2:19; 1 Peter 1:3–6; Romans 8:15). Does being picked first make you more valuable as a person? When they ask tough questions, dive together into God's word for the answers. There are no guarantees, unfortunately, that our children will follow Jesus. We talked about Brahman and Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad. God gives himself: Jesus said that the greatest love is when someone lays down his life for another (John 15:13). Then bring in the concept of God as a loving being who looks after them and wants the best for them, just like their parents. This is a great guideline to use in explaining the Gospel. They listen to what adults say about God, and they generally accept our statements without Children best grasp the reality of God's love when they experience it at home. It's a great way to learn about God's love as a family! In addition, be certain of your own commitment to Christ, and ask Him to help you be an example of His love and truth to your son. How incredible the message of love God sent us through His word. A good Bible study method (especially one for kids) must be: I created the 5Rs Bible Study™ Method for my own kids, and now I want to help you introduce it to your kids too so they can know about God's love! We continue to love our children through good times and bad, and we don't stop loving them if they don't meet the expectations we may have for them. Trace the hands of your child so the thumbs of the traced hands touch. Whether your children are toddlers or teens, or somewhere in between, they need to understand God’s love for them. I answered by telling her about God's love. Explain that the world is filled with evidence of God's concern and artistry. Because His love usually manifests itself in good things that happen to us, we sometimes fall back in shock and consternation when we see a child … This compiled article is copyright © 2008 by Focus on the Family. Any argument that attempts to disprove the existence of God by physical means is a weak one. God’s Love: Little Shoes, Big Shoes For this object lesson you will need to pairs of shoes, one infant-sized and a large pair of mens’ shoes. (Place the red heart before your child to represent God’s love.) Go here if you want to read more Bible verses about God's love. Remind him that you love him very much. Hold your child in your lap at the dinner table. God is perfect in love. Children may decorate the heart with crayons, markers, valentine stickers or other art supplies. For instance: Pick a character trait of God and a Bible story to demonstrate it. It's such a fantastic way to teach your kids about God's love and to help them learn how to build a Bible study habit! On the heart, print a Bible verse about God’s love, such as John 3:16, 1 John 3:16 or 1 John 4:10. 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