This is a practical lesson that uses $ 7 in real or play money to teach children the importance of spending time with God every day. The suggested Bible verse to reinforce the teaching is Proverbs 3: 6. This article offers a suggested breakdown, but feel free to adjust it according to the children you minister to.
Lesson:
Today we are going to talk about how you can spend more time with God. To help with that, I have $ 7 and each dollar will represent 1 hour. Some of his time each week is in church, Sunday school, and midweek service, so let’s set aside three dollars for that.
Now let’s think about some things you can do yourself to spend time with God. First, it’s a good idea to read your Bible every day, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend hours doing it. If you haven’t been reading it every day, start with a little time and add it little by little. For example, if you read only ten minutes a day, six days a week, it would be one hour with God. (Pick up another dollar). Start with the book of Mark or John and read for ten minutes. The next day starts where you left off and reads for ten minutes, and so on.
When you read the Bible, God speaks to you. What do we call it when you talk to God? Prayer, that’s correct. It is also a good idea to talk to God. If you had to spend ten minutes a day praying at least six days a week, how much time would you have? Another hour, that’s correct. (Show fifth dollar). That gives us two hours a week with God in a way that we can all do. You can find ten minutes to read and ten minutes to pray each day without any problem.
It’s a good start, but we can do better. The Bible tells us in Psalm 119: 11 that if we hide God’s word in our hearts, it will help us not to sin. An easy way to memorize a verse is to copy it onto a 3×5 card. Then on the first day, read it (out loud if possible) three or four times. Then quote as much as you can and read the rest. Do this until you have read the verse ten times.
The next day, take out your card, quote as much as you can, and read the rest. Do that ten times. Do that every day for a week and by the end of the week you will probably find that you are quoting the verse ten times instead of reading it. That will give you another hour a week with God. (Show another dollar).
We mentioned talking to God. In fact, he wants us to talk to him more than once a day. This is my challenge to you on how you can spend more time talking to God throughout the day.
– Before you get up in the morning, take a minute to thank God for something you have done.
– As you prepare for school, take a minute to pray for your parents and siblings.
– While going to school, take a minute to pray for the bus driver or a friend who doesn’t know Jesus.
– Before your first class, take a minute to pray for your teacher and for God to help you listen well in class.
– While you’re in the lunch line, take a minute to thank God for something you’ve done.
– Before your first class after lunch, take a minute to pray for your teacher or classmates and ask God to help you listen well.
– On the way home from school, take a minute to thank God for what you learned that day and pray for the bus driver.
– Before starting your homework, take a minute to ask God for help.
– When you’re getting ready for bed, take a minute to pray that God will continually help you get closer to him.
– When you get into bed, take a minute to thank God for the day He gave you.
If you pray those ten times a day, you will have another hour of time with God each week. That gives us seven hours, which on average is one hour a day that we spend with God.
Also, if you do that, you have a wonderful promise from God found in Proverbs 3: 6. (Read or quote the verse). When you take a minute to talk to God about school work, pray for a lost friend, or ask God for help, you are acknowledging it. His promise is that he will direct your ways. He will guide you and show you what to do. Isn’t that a great promise? Will you choose to spend more time with God this week?
