This is a hands-on lesson that uses $7 in real or pretend money to teach children the importance of spending time with God every day. The suggested Bible verse to reinforce the teaching is Proverbs 3:6. This article offers a suggested breakdown, but feel free to adjust it based on the children you minister to.

Lesson:

Today we are going to talk about how you can spend more time with God. To help with that, I have $7 and each dollar will represent 1 hour. Part of the time he spends each week is at church, Sunday school, and midweek service, so let’s set aside three dollars for that.

Now let’s think of some things you can do for yourself to spend time with God. First, it’s a good idea to read the Bible every day, but that doesn’t mean you should spend hours doing it. If you haven’t been reading it every day, start with a small amount of time and add little by little. For example, if you read just ten minutes a day, six days a week, that would be an hour with God. (Show up another dollar.) Start with Mark’s or John’s book and read for ten minutes. The next day, start where you left off and read for ten minutes, and so on.

When you read the Bible, God speaks to you. What do we call him when you talk to God? Prayer, that’s right. It is also a good idea to talk to God. If you spent ten minutes a day praying at least six days a week, how much time would you have? Another hour, that is. (Show up the fifth dollar.) That gives us two hours a week with God in a way that all of us can do. You can find ten minutes to read and ten minutes to pray each day without any problem.

It’s a good start, but we can do better. The Bible tells us in Psalm 119:11 that if we keep the word of God in our hearts, it will help us not to sin. An easy way to memorize a verse is to copy it onto a 3×5 card. Then, on the first day, read it (out loud if possible) three or four times. Then quote as much as you can and read the rest. Do this until you have read the verse ten times.

The next day, take out your card, quote as much as you can, and read the rest. Do that ten times. Do that every day for a week and by the end of the week you will probably find that you are quoting the verse ten times instead of reading it. That will give you another hour a week with God. (Show another dollar.)

We have mentioned talking to God. In fact, he wants us to talk to him more than once a day. This is my challenge to you on how you can spend more time talking to God throughout the day.

– Before you get up in the morning, take a minute to thank God for something he has done.

– As you get ready for school, take a minute to pray for your parents and siblings.

– As you go to school, take a minute to pray for the bus driver or a friend who doesn’t know Jesus.

– Before your first class take a minute to pray for your teacher and for God to help you listen well in class.

– While you’re in the lunch line, take a minute to thank God for something you’ve done.

– Before your first class after lunch, take a minute to pray for your teacher or classmates and ask God to help you listen well.

– On your way home from school, take a minute to thank God for what you learned that day and pray for the bus driver.

– Before beginning your homework, take a minute to ask God for help.

– When you are getting ready for bed, take a minute to pray that God will continually help you grow closer to him.

– When you go to bed, take a minute to thank God for the day he gave you.

If you pray those ten times every day, you will have another hour of time with God each week. That gives us seven hours averaging one hour a day spent with God.

Also, if you do that, you have a wonderful promise from God that is found in Proverbs 3:6. (Read or quote the verse.) When you take a minute to talk to God about school work, or to pray for a lost friend, or to ask God for help, you are acknowledging him. His promise is that he will make your paths straight. He will guide you and show you what to do. Isn’t that a great promise? Will you choose to spend more time with God this week?