Simple ways to teach kids biblical truths. Part 1.

I recently posted a picture of how I taught my kids how following God´s plan will enable them to live a fullfilled life and fullfill the specific calling God gave them by using their traintracks. After asking if there were moms that would like me to share my teachings through blogposts I was met with many enthousiatic messages!

Though I love a good curriculum, book or montessorri toy, the best book of all is the bible and the best way to teach your kids is by asking the Holy Spirit to fill you with creativity.

When I did arts and crafts with kids during the kids services I quickly learned that the best and most creative ideas always came by simply asking God. I would often get the ideas last minute and at random moments (hello Holy Spirit creativity while I´m about to go take a shower) but He never failed to give me the most fun, creative and accesible ideas. No need for spending tons of finances on the latest gadget to teach your kids. Just use what you have and trust the Lord that he will take that seed that you are sowing and grow it into a fruit filled tree.

So with that being said: Here´s the train track lesson I taught them...

Psalm 33:11

¨The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations¨.

God has a plan. Even within the first word (in Hebrew) ever written in the bible God already reveals His plan to end Satan´s reign on earth. His plans are perfect and He protects them making sure all things happen at the perfect time. There is no changing His plan. There´s only partnering with it or going your own way.

*Build a train track that represents God´s perfect plan and put a train on it. The track should have an ending.

When God made you He also made a plan for your life. You have a perfect place in God´s perfect plan, but often we have our own dreams and desires and so we choose to walk on our own path.

*Build another track that goes into a loop.

When we choose to go our own way it makes us feel stuck and unfulfilled. God put the desire to be part of His plan in our hearts. He gave you gifts and talents that He wants you to use. Not for yourself, but to bring glory to Him so He can shine through you and reach more people here on earth. Luckily God loves us so much that He always has a way open for us to get back onto the right track.

*Take one of the tracks away and add a connector to the two tracks.

There´s always a way to hop back onto God´s plan. That shows His grace. And though all the trains are together on the same track, they are have their own special purpose. Just like a train can have different coaches with different purposes. One carries animals, another produce and some carry people. Just like that, each person serve a different goal. All of them are important.

The bible teaches us in 1 Peter 5:8 that the devil is like a roaring lion and that we should keep an eye out for his tactics.

¨Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour¨.

He waits for you to be distracted or when you are feeling not so strong. Like for example when you are feeling sad or you are mad at someone.

*Add a lion to the set that keeps an eye out for the train.

When you take your eyes off Jesus and onto your feeling or your problems it makes you an eay target for the lion. Sometimes temporarily taking you off track.

*Make the lion jump up and hit the train from the track.

But thankfully when Jesus went up to heaven, God send us the Holy Spirit. He helps us get back onto that track and warns us against dangers. So when we stay close to God and grow into a deeper friendship with Him we learn to listen well and obey, keeping the devil and his army away. In the end God´s perfect plan includes defeating the devil once and for all, creating a new world where there is no more sin. So we can be confident that no matter what happens, the devil has already lost and he´s just scared trying his best to make us feel scared too, but with God we can be brave each and every day.

*Put the lion down and the train back onto the track. Let your kid drive it till the end.

God always wins. And we can choose to be part of that winning army when we choose to have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.

Saviour meaning we know with our hearts and say with our mouths that He came down to earth and died on the cross to save us.

Lord meaning that He is in charge and we let Him lead us.