Bible Verses

Work with your child and your students to learn each verse. Then, discuss the meaning of the verse and how it can be applied to our everyday lives. On Sundays during class, riding in the car, or at dinner, it's fun to share stories of how the children have used the verse in their lives that week.

We provide memorization verses for each week. You can add your own.

Sunday November 5
II Thess 1:11
…we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

• How do we pray for others?
• How do we know we are pleasing God?

Sunday November 12
II Thess 3:13
… brethren, be not weary in well-doing.

• Why would you ever be weary from helping others?
• List some of your good daily deeds.

Sunday November 19
II Thess 1:3
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

• What is the importance of giving thanks?
• How does giving thanks affect our faith?
• What is a charitable act?

Sunday November 26
II Tim 3:16, 17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

• Why is the Bible important?
• How has the Bible improved your life?

Sunday December 3
I Tim 6:12
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

• What is the good fight?
• How do we lay hold on eternal life?

Bible Stories

This month we celebrate National Bible week with some review of Old and New Testament characters, study some Psalms of Thanksgiving, and look at individuals who asked God to be with them.

• Prayer of Jabez: Read I Chronicles 4:10  [Shep and Lily Prayer of Jabez]
• Tent of Meeting: Read Exodus 26 and 27 The Tent Where God Lived Among His People
• Joshua and Jericho: Read Joshua 6:1-21 Walls Fall Down or How the River Jordan Became Dry, and the Walls of Jericho Fell Down
• Gideon: Read Judges 6-8:28 Trumpets and Torches, or How a Brave Man Tore Down an altar of Baal, or How the Midianites Were Surprized At Midnight
• Samuel: Read I Samuel 3 Samuel Listens or The Little Boy with a Linen Coat
• David: Read I Samuel 17:1-50 David the Shepherd
• Psalms of Praise: Read Psalms 67; 100;113;136; 139 and 145, A Psalm for Giving Thanks, The Praise Psalm, and Psalms Written by Our Readers

Exercise:
Read the Prayer of Jabez from I Chronicles 4:9-10. On a white board, have the students list the four principle aspects of the prayer. Help the students create a pneumonic for remembering the third request to ask God to enlarge or expand our borders or territory. The student might draw a picture of him/herself and cover the likeness with glue to show that God sticks to us like glue. Draw a picture as a reminder.

Exercise:
Continue adding Bible people who prayed and those who worked on having a close relationship with God. We have only mentioned a few, such as Moses, who was instructed to free the Children of Israel from Egypt. Moses was given the instructions to build the tent of meeting. Three tribes were stationed on each side of the tent of meeting. God was considered to be in the Holy of Holies – so that God would be in the center of their lives. Joshua asked the people to choose which God they were going to worship and when the people chose God, He delivered them. Gideon tested God to make sure God was going to stay close to him and guide him. Samuel discovered how to talk with God. David had tremendous reliance on his relationship with God or he never would have attempted to battle with Goliath. There are many more Bible characters to choose from – keep the list growing. Make sure you tell the story and then find it in the Bible. Read it to make sure you didn’t leave out any of the important details.

Exercise:
Talk about the different ways we can praise God. Look at the following Psalms 67; 100; 113; 136; 139 and 145.

Using I Give Thanks For… or the exercise questions below, help your pupils write their own Psalms to read at Thanksgiving dinner or anytime during Thanksgiving day.

Print/Download I Give Thanks For...

Use a series of questions for children to answer in the development of writing a psalm. The age of the children will determine how long it will take to get the answers. Older children can probably answer all the questions in one sitting or do them as homework. Younger children can handle up to about five - seven questions in an hour. Some of the questions need explanation to make certain the child understands what's being asked.

Have a sheet of paper with each pupil's name and the questions on it. If the children can print or write their answers, great. If not, don't hesitate to be the scribe. Even the older children love to have you write their words on paper.

Take Psalm 100.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. [Say something nice about God!]

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. [Say something about how glad we are to serve or belong to God and how we do that.]

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. [What do you know about God and your relationship to Him?]

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. [What should we do for God?]

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. [What is true about God?]

After you've gathered the answers, type out or print each psalm.

The students get pretty excited about their ability to write down their ideas. Caryl Krueger's article in Parenting explains how to develop the parallel structure of the psalm. Synonymous structure means the first part of the line makes a statement and the second part echoes or repeats the meaning of the first part.

Example: Ps 92:1 Lord, it is good to praise you. [1st line of the verse] Most High God, it is good to make music to honor you. [2nd line restates the first]

Another type of structure is the antithetical. First line states, second line is the opposite.

Example: Ps 1:6

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: [first line] but the way of the ungodly shall perish. [the second line is the opposite of the first line]

There are other types, but these are the easiest to teach children.

Now try the following questions. I've listed the five-year-old's responses below.

• What would you like to say to God?
• What do or would you thank God for?
• What makes you happy or glad?
• What makes you sad?
• When are you afraid? [if they haven't been introduced to any concept of fear, you might want to skip this and the next question.]
• What makes you afraid?
• What do you need help with?
• Where is God?
• How do you know God exists?
• How have you been blessed by God?
• Why should we obey God?
• Do you have friends?
• What do you like about your parents or friends?
  • Are those comments true about God as a parent or friend?
• Do you have enemies?
  • How can you love your enemies?
• Sing a song to God.

After you have their responses to the questions, put them in an order - with praise in the beginning and closing, the tough answers to life's questions in the middle.

Here is an example from a five year old.

Psalm 151

Thank you, God, for keeping me safe. I love you.

You made everything here on earth. You are very helpful all around the world. I'm glad you made us.

Thank you, God, for making me glad. Thank you, God, for loving me and my family.

Thank you for loving my brother and seeing his needs. Give him the strength to walk, run, and jump. Keep him from falling and feeling sad.

Hold me tight the way I hug and kiss my Mom. Help me not feel hurt when my parents say, "No."

Please help me feel safe when the lights are out. I am grateful for you, God, and all that you have made.

Jacquelyn

It really was quite simple and effortless.

Get a nice piece of paper and let them draw an appropriate picture to go with their psalm.

Post these masterpieces on a bulletin board at church.

Exercise:
Help your pupils study the Psalms and build a "first aid" kit of verses to help in times of trouble.

Example:

Ever have an embarrassing moment?
Ps 25:20
O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.

Is cheating a challenge?
Ps 25:21
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

Sunburn?
Ps 121:6
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

Afraid to go to bed at night?
Ps 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Concerned about health?
Ps 67:2
That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

Afraid?
Ps 56:3
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Ps 56:11
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Exercise:
Introduce your pupils to some of the sayings in Proverbs. What kind of images are used to help them remember the Proverbs.

Let the children find the hidden images of the words in the Proverbs picture.

Print/Download Proverbs
Print/Download Proverbs Answer Sheet

Exercise:
While working on the Prayer of Jabez, use the Picture Code for the third request in the prayer.

Print/Download Picture Code
Print/Download Picture Code Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Use Gideon’s Army as a way to discuss Gideon’s relationship to God and his willingness to serve God. Look at how Gideon tested God to make sure He’d be close to him. Color the picture of Gideon.

Print/Download Gideon's Army
Print/Download Gideon's Army Answer Sheet

Print/Download Do You Know Who Said It?
Print/Download Do You Know Who Said It Answer Sheet

Exercise:
National Bible Week is the same week as Thanksgiving. Help the pupils all month long get a better understanding of their Bibles. Play Match Old Testament Characters or create your own matching games for the Bible characters your students have studied. Ask the students to tell the story about each character.

Print/Download Match Old Testament Characters
Print/Download Match Old Testament Characters Answer Sheet

You might also want to work with those Bible characters who expressed gratitude. The following exercise helps children match the person with the event that they are most grateful for in Prayer of Thanksgiving. Ask students to add other Bible figures to this list.

Print/Download Prayer of Thanksgiving
Print/Download Prayer of Thanksgiving Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Discuss with students how they use their Bibles. Talk about why the Bible is important and work with How I Use My Bible. Expand this activity for your age group and the materials you’ve covered in class.

Exercise:
Ask your pupils to write a Thank You letter to God. Make sure they include all the things they are most grateful for.

Exercise:
Share why you love the Bible with your students. Ask them to look for articles in newspapers and magazines, or to search for ideas in television programs and movies that mention God, the Bible, or the importance of gratitude this next week. Have them bring the results next Sunday. Were they surprised about how much or how little was mentioned? What can we do to help people be more Bible literate?

Exercise:
Bible review – have fun talking about Saul’s conversion. Answer the questions about Saul/Paul in Review of Paul.

Print/Download Review of Paul
Print/Download Review of Paul Answer Sheet

Exercise: In preparation for National Bible Week  November 19-26
Have your pupils make posters to put up around the church to remind everyone of this important week.

• The poster might include questions about the Bible like:
  • How many books are in the Bible?
  • How many books are in the Old Testament?
  • How many books are in the New Testament?
  • What is the shortest verse in the Bible?
  • What is the longest book in the Bible?
• Or questions about Bible characters and stories?
  • Who was the first prophet?
  • Who brought down the walls of Jericho?
  • Who are the women in Jesus’ genealogy?
  • What is the 5th commandment?
  • How old was Jesus when the Wise Men arrived?
  • How many Beatitudes are there?

Exercise:
Also for National Bible Week: Have a contest and see who can recite the most Bible verses or create a Bible Jeopardy game for Sunday school pupils and church members.

Exercise:
Plan an activity for your pupils to share with their families to recognize National Bible Week

• Agree to read the Bible as a family for 15 minutes after dinner.
• Share any Bible verse that has helped you.
• Assign a different task for each day. The following is just an example. Create a program that will work for your family.
  • Sunday, quote your favorite verse and discuss it.
  • Monday, have each member tell his or her favorite story.
  • Tuesday, play twenty questions about a character in the Bible.
  • Wednesday, divide up the responsibility for writing a prayer for each meal on Thanksgiving. Make certain it includes a Bible verse. Ex. The Bible says to Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Thank you God for everyone sitting at this table. Thank you for ….
  • Thursday, each person gets to share his or her prayer prepared for all of the meals.
  • Friday, write out your favorite Bible verse and give it to a family member.
  • Saturday, list all the things you learned about the Bible this week to share in Sunday school.
  • Sunday, share what you learned with your Sunday school class.

Prayer of Jabez
I Chronicles 4:10 [Shep and Lily Prayer of Jabez] “…that Your hand would be with me.” [teachers see – Swap Shop]

• What is the meaning of: “that Your hand would be with me?”
• How would you practice holding on to God?
• Read some other translations. Now how does that verse read?
• How would you know that God is with you?
  • At home?
  • School?
  • While playing?
• Five year-old Katie on Story Telling, talks about God sticking to her like glue.
  • Why would you want God that close?
  • What kind of a relationship do you have with God?

Tent of Meeting
Read Exodus 26 and 27 The Tent Where God Lived Among His People

When God talks to Moses at the burning bush, He promises to be with Moses’ mouth. He promises to be right there with Moses when he delivers the Children of Israel from Egypt. God wants a with-it relationship with us. No separation. He gave Moses instructions to build the tent of meeting (traveling tabernacle). It was to be built with three of the twelve tribes on each side of the tent. God was believed to be in the Holy of Holies. The people thought God lived there with the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark contained the tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written. So God and God’s laws were intended to be the center of our lives. God wanted to be with His children. So you can see the third request in the prayer of Jabez shows that it is natural for us to want God close in every aspect of our lives.

• How close do you keep God?
• How often do you talk to God in a day?
• What was so important about the Tabernacle? (the design of it was given by God to Moses)
• What is the significance of the Tabernacle? (God is willing to meet with His children)
• Describe the tent of meeting.
• Why was there only one door? (Only one way to go to God)
• What was the purpose of the altar of brass? (Sacrifice)
• What are we asked to sacrifice today? (Human will)
• What was the laver used for? (Cleaning)
• What was in the Holy Place? (Seven-branched Candlestick; Table of Shewbread; and Altar of Incense)
• How many loaves of bread were on the Shewbread table? (12)
• What does this number represent? (Twelve tribes of Israel)
• What covered the Holy of Holies? (veil)
• Who could enter the Holy of Holies? (Only the high priest. They tied a rope on his leg. If anything happened to him, they could pull him out since no one else could go into the Holy of Holies.)
• What was in the Holy of Holies? (The Ark of the Covenant)
• What was in the Ark of the Covenant? (the Ten Commandments)
• Draw the tent of meeting or find a picture of it to work with.

Joshua and Jericho
Read Joshua 6:1-21 Walls Fall Down or How the River Jordan Became Dry, and the Walls of Jericho Fell Down

• Who is Joshua? (Moses’ successor, he knew how important it was to stay close to God – look at Josh 24:15)
• Would you agree with Joshua and his family and choose God?
• Why was it important for Joshua to choose God?
• What kind of a city was Jericho?
• Could they walk right in and take over the city?
• Why not?
• What instructions did God give Joshua and his people? (Josh 6:3-5)
• Why do you think they were told to just walk around the city?
• What weapons were they going to use?
• What was God teaching them?
• What were they to do with the things they found in the city? (Josh. 6:18-19)
• What happened on the seventh day? (Josh.6:20)
• Who was saved from destruction? (Josh. 6:17, 23-25)
• Did the spies keep their word to Rahab?
• Why is it important to keep your promises?
• What lessons did God want the Children of Israel to learn about conquering Jericho?

Gideon
Read Judges 6-8:28 Trumpets and Torches, or How a Brave Man Tore Down an altar of Baal, or How the Midianites Were Surprized At Midnight.

• Who is Gideon? (a judge who had a very close relationship with God – so close that he tested God to make sure God was with him.)
  • Who appears to Gideon? (Judges 6:11-13)
  • What does the angel ask Gideon to do? (Judges 6:25-28)
  • What was wrong with the altar Gideon's father built?
  • Which commandments were the people breaking by having an altar to Baal?
  • What kinds of things do people bow down to today?
  • How did Gideon's father react? (Judges 6:29-32)
  • What kind of a person was Gideon?
  • What did God want Gideon to do after he broke down Baal's altar? (Judges 6:16,17, 34-35)
  • How did Gideon test God? (Judges 6:36-40)
  • Imagine trying to thresh wheat so no one sees what you're doing. How difficult is that?
  • The angel of the Lord appears before Gideon and asks him to do what?
  • What personal altars do we need to knock down?
  • When the angel appeared to Gideon, was it for the sole purpose of destroying Gideon's father's altar to Baal or for something else?
  • What else did God want Gideon to do?
  • Why do you think God would have selected someone like Gideon? After all, he was from the weakest of the twelve tribes, he doubted his ability, and he tested God.
  • How did Gideon test God? (Judges 6:37-40)
  • What is fleece?
  • How many times did he test God?
  • After God passed the test, what did Gideon do?
  • Do we ever test God? or Is it a good practice to test God?
  • Who was Gideon to defeat? (Judges 6:16)
  • Gideon had to select an army. How many did he recruit? (32,000 Judges 7:3)
  • Why did God want a smaller army? (Judges 7:2)
  • What did Gideon do to reduce the size of his army? (Judges 7:3)
  • How many left because they were afraid? (22,000)
  • What did Gideon have to do to reduce the size of the 10,000? (Judges 7:5-6)
  • Describe why those who didn't drink from their hands would be a bad risk militarily?
  • What were God's instructions to this army?
  • What have you learned about God?
  • What have you learned about listening to God?

Samuel
Read I Samuel 3 Samuel Listens or The Little Boy with a Linen Coat

• Samuel is another one who listens to God and wants a close relationship with God.
  • What did Samuel hear?
  • Who was speaking to Samuel?
  • Who did Samuel think was calling him?
  • What did Eli tell Samuel to do?
  • Memorize the verse: I Sam 3:9 Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.
  • Are you listening to God?
  • Have you ever heard God speak to you?
  • Why is it important to stay close to God?

Samuel was a little boy when he heard God speak to him – so we don’t have to be a grown-up to hear God.

David
Read I Samuel 17:1-50 David the Shepherd

• This story took place when David defeated Goliath.
  • Who do you think David listened to?
  • What was David? (shepherd) What do shepherds do?
  • Why did Jesse, David's father, send David to the battlefield? (to take food to three of his brothers in the army)
  • What did David see when he got to the front lines? (a giant named Goliath)
  • What was Goliath's boast?
  • Why was everyone afraid in Saul's army? (Goliath was 9' 9" - 11' tall, his armor weighed more than David)
  • What did David offer to do?
  • Why was David so confident that he could defeat Goliath? (lion and bear)
  • A shepherd’s slingshot isn't like the ones we use today. It consisted of a small patch of leather with two long straps. An average shepherd could hit a target over 50 yards away. The stone flew off the patch at over 60 miles an hour.
  • Why didn't David wear Saul's armor?
  • What did Goliath say when he saw David?
  • What was David's ringing statement to Goliath? (I Sam 17:45 Thou,46 (to ;)Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand;)
  • What “Goliaths” need defeating in your life?
  • Are you afraid of anything?
  • How can you run to meet your fears?
  • What is required to get rid of fear?

Make a list of all the lessons you have learned from David.

• David refused to give in to fear.
• He refused to let size make a difference.
• He volunteered when no one else would.
• He stood up for his nation and his God.
• He was confident in his ability to succeed with God.
• David used the tools he had and relied on what he knew (he had tested his sling; he knew he could use it effectively).
• He "ran" to meet Goliath (I Sam. 17:48).
• He didn't let negative comments keep him from defeating a foe.
• He trusted and relied on the fact that God was with him.
• Can you rely and trust that fact?

Psalms of Praise
Read Psalms 67; 100; 113; 136; 139 and 145 A Psalm for Giving Thanks and A Praise Psalm.

• As this is Thanksgiving season, work with the students on understanding the songs and prayers of praise in Psalms. Many of the Psalms request God to stay close to the person. See the exercises about writing your own Psalms for Thanksgiving.
  • What is a psalm?
  • What does a psalm do?
  • Do you know any psalms?
  • What is your favorite psalm?

Ask the students to open to Psalms. The longest chapter, the shortest chapter, and the midpoint in the Bible can all be found in The Book of Psalms.

• Open your Bibles to book 5 of the Psalms and search for the shortest and longest psalms. (For younger children use Psalms Quiz)
  • The shortest psalm is Ps. 117.
  • The longest psalm is Ps.119.
    • How many verses in each?
  • The mid point of the entire Bible.
    • Psalms 118:8
    • 594 chapters before Psalms 118
    • 594 chapters after Psalms 118
    • Add these numbers together and you get 1188.
    • Read the verse out loud.
      • "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."
        • What does that tell you about your life?

Don’t forget to read Hot Topic on Competition, Make a Difference; the Guest of the Month, Teen Q & A ; the Bible Overview and Bible Characters about II Thessalonians.

Encourage your pupils to find ways to ask God to stay close to them and for them to want to stay close to God.