Martin Wickens

Whether you call it devotions, quiet time, or something else, Christians need to spend time with God each day.

To help my own children and children in the church I put together a leaflet titled “Quiet Time Helps for Children”. It goes through five sections:

1. Motivation
2. Preparation
3. Understanding
4. Application
5. Prayer

I want to share them here and maybe it will be a help to you. They are just brief points which could all be expanded upon and explained further. But the size of the leaflet limited what could be included.

Motivation – Why I Read My Bible

Purpose: The Bible is God’s Word and tells me Who He is, who I am, how everything began, why I am here, and what the future holds. Purpose is not ultimately found in what we do, but in who God is and who He has made us to be. It is about being, not doing.

Identity: When I read the Bible I see who God has made me to be and how He is working in me to make more like Jesus. I understand how much God loves me and desires His good in my life. Our identity is linked with our purpose and so again I want to emphasize that is about being, not doing.

The Gospel: The Bible tells me about God’s holiness, my sinfulness, the punishment my sin deserves, but how I can be freely forgiven because of Jesus Christ.

Life: The Bible has wisdom to guide me throughout my  entire life. As a child, a teenager, or an adult, God’s Word gives me instructions that will help me every day. God’s grace empowers and enables me to obey.

Preparation – How Should I Read My Bible?

• Forgiven: I should ask God to forgive me of any thing I know I’ve done wrong.
• Faith: I should be faithful to read my Bible often and have faith to believe what I read.
• Focused: I should do my best to pay attention to what I am reading and not get distracted.
• First: I should make time to read God’s Word before others things I might want to do.

Understanding

What Questions Can I Ask?

All the W’s: Who, what, where, why, when?

Three P’s
Primary Association—What did the message mean to the first people who heard it or read it?
Prophetic Anticipation—What did the message mean for the future of the people who first received it, or what may it mean in my future?
Personal Application—What does it mean to me today?

Application – Fill in the Blanks

Because God’s Word Says

_____________________________________

it means I can

__________________________________.

Prayer – How Can I Pray? Remember ACTS!

• Adoration — Give God praise and honor
• Confession — Admit your sin & ask God to forgive you.
• Thanksgiving— Tell God what you are grateful for.                        
• Supplication   — Ask God to help you and others.

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You can take a look at the leaflet by clicking on the link to the PDF here: