More on Family Devotions-Why and How???

Proverbs 22:6-Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

I previously shared the experiences my family has had with our family devotion time. It's been a great experience that has completely changed all of us. I would love for every believer to make this a part of their family life! The ultimate goal of family devotions, as well as everything we do in life, is to bring glory to God. By setting aside time to learn God's word and pray to him every day as family, we are disciplining ourselves and our children to put God in his rightful place.

The place where our busy schedule does not come before God. The place where we as a family can honor God with our time, affection and attention. The place where we seek to know him more and love him more.

We can certainly teach our children lessons from scripture throughout the day and trust that God is using and blessing that time to shape and mold them. However, it is also critical to be intentional with our children. Nothing is more powerful than the word of God. It is alive and active. And opening up the word of God, reading and it and memorizing it as a family is POWERFUL. It helps each person to see the importance of putting God first and living to know him above all other earthly tasks or reasons.

We as parents are given a responsibility. The responsibility for the spiritual instruction and vitality of our families. Wow, what a weighty task! But God's grace is great and if we are seeking him, will cover all our shortcomings. So seek him. In the morning when you wake up. In constant prayer as you go about your day. And in your bed as you fall asleep. But don't seek him and leave your family out. Seek him WITH your family! Open up the Bible with your children at a consistent time every day.

The time that works best for your family may be different than what works best for mine. Night-time has been the best time for us and has been an easiest time to to keep consistent with. Dinnertime or morning may be a better time for you. There will be NO perfect time. We are busy creatures with what we fill our days with. You may have to make some hard choices. You may need to let go of an activity or something that is overfilling your schedule. Those are the choices that give glory to God, showing that HE is the most important to us.

Those are the choices that show your children that JESUS is more important than everything else. 

Do you feel ready to make a choice like that? To make a choice to Honor God as a family. To bring your kids up to know him, to love him, to seek him, and to put him above all else. If you feel like you are not ready, guess what? Do it anyways! If you feel that you are too busy, or your scared that your kids will not be interested. Guess, what? Do it anyways! Just step out in faith and give God what you have. He will show up in ways that will AMAZE you. He will work in the hearts of your family. He will work with the little we know, the little we have, and do HUGE things because that is what he does! His strength is in our weakness, and he blesses our obedience. So, trust. Make the hard choices, carve out the time, sit down with your whole family and an open bible and TRUST. Trust that God will speak and move and show himself to you.


Here are some Bible verses that show us the responsibility we have to spend this consistent time with our family learning about him and worshiping him together. 

Psalm 78:5-7: “He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, thechildren yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.”

Deuteronomy  6:6-7
"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise”

Ephesians 6:4 "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

Clearly, the family is central in passing along the faith. 

What are the benefits of Family Devotions?

• Glorify God
• Bring Joy to the home
• Effect change in the world

What should we do during Family Devotions?

• Read
• Share
• Pray
• Memorize

Where Do I start with Family Devotions?

Ages 4-10

If your children are ages 4-10, see my previous blog entry titled Our Experience with Family Devotions. I have a list of children Bibles and devotions we have used and grown greatly from. 

Ages 10+
If you have kids older than 10 or just ready for more, see the link given below from the Radical website. There is a specific reading plan for family worship and an organized schedule and plan that is very helpful. 

Family Worship Guides From Radical


Ages Birth-4
If you have kids from birth to 4 or 5, I recommend a lot of music. Songs are a great way to hide the word of God in the hearts of little ones. Below are some great CD's as well as some helpful books.










This is NOT just something that I think is a good thing for some families to do. I think it is something that as believers we MUST ALL do. 

Carve out the time to teach your children to walk in his ways. 

God gave us children and families for a very specific reason. It is not just to raise good kids. It is to raise kids who KNOW and LOVE HIM and will show the next generation the LOVE and TRUTH that only comes from knowing Jesus. Huge responsibility, but don't forget the huge grace that covers us when we walk in faith! 

Jeremiah 29:13

 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.