Bible Verses to Teach Your Children

Fellow parents, if you haven’t made a practice of this already, it may be a good time to start encouraging your children to memorize Bible verses.

Our twin daughters are now three and a half so I started to compile a short list of Bible verses they could memorize. Of course, the possibilities are endless when it comes to Scripture memorization, but here are a few verses that came to mind.

1. “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

2. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother….that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Ephesians 6:1-3

3. “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20

4. “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.” Proverbs 1:8 (see also Proverbs 4:23 and 23:22)

5. “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 (Maybe this one would be good for the teen years)

6. “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

7. “Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

8. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Perhaps you could memorize some of these verses along with your kids. It certainly won’t hurt if you don’t already know them by heart. But always remember the responsibility that God has entrusted to you to train up your children in the ways of the Lord. “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

More than anything as parents, we want to instill in our kids a love of Scripture and a desire to know Him through His Word. Of course, there is a Holy Spirit component, which we must not forget, but there is also need for parents to be intentional about exposing their children to the Scriptures.

If you think of it, pray for Steph and I because this is as much for us as for anyone. And if you would like us to pray for you, be sure and drop me a note. I would love to pray for you in this regard.