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BIBLICAL

KEYS
Child Evangelism
“First seek the counsel of the Lord.” SHARING THE SAVIOR WITH A CHILD
1 Kings 22:5
BY JUNE HUNT
Can a child to grasp the reality of an unseen God?
Can a child understand salvation and the meaning of Christ’s death on the cross?
Some people say you should wait to talk with children about faith, salvation and
other spiritual issues until they can think abstractly. Later in the teenage years
you can reason with them . . . mind to mind, intellect to intellect. Yet parents who
wait are often dismayed as their children grow up with no spiritual roots . . . only
because of failure to plant seeds of truth in the earlier years.
“Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
(Proverbs 22:6)

I. DEFINITION
A. Child Evangelism
When Jesus called the disciples to become “fishers of men,” some of them
mistakenly took Him literally—Some disciples thought the gospel was only for
grown men old enough and wise enough to fully understand God’s plan of
salvation. But, as the song says, “Jesus Loves the Little Children,” and He clearly
delights in having them come to Him!
“People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant.
He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not
hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these’ . . .
He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.”
(Mark 10:13-16)
• Child evangelism is sharing with a child the good news of how to receive
the full forgiveness of God by entering into a personal relationship with
Christ Jesus.
• In Greek euangelizo means “to bring good news” (glad tidings).
• Evangelism means declaring the good news of the gospel.

B Gospel
A messenger holding a telegraph indicates a significant message needs to be deliv-
ered. But what if the messenger needlessly delays the delivery? The messenger who
withholds spiritual truth from a child may lose a golden opportunity . . . the timeli-
ness may be lost. The heart that was once ready to hear may no longer be open.
God is the Message-Giver, you are the messenger, and children are the ones
who need to hear.
“How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
(Romans 10:14)
• In Greek euangelion means “good message, good news.”
Eu—means good Angelion—means message
• The gospel is the good message of salvation through Christ, which is
received by faith and which is on the basis of Christ’s death, burial and
resurrection.
“By this gospel you are saved . . . Christ died for our sins according
to the Scriptures . . . He was buried . . . He was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures, and . . . He appeared to Peter, and then
to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred.”
(1 Corinthians 15:2-6)

II. CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG CHILDREN


Some people will say, “Don’t expose your children to church—wait until they can
figure out their own faith.” However, unlike adults, children are like moist clay—
their minds are moldable. As you impress Spiritual truths on the hearts of your
children, in time their lives can be conformed to the character of Christ.

A. Responsiveness
MYTH: “Young children are intellectually incapable of
responding to salvation.”
TRUTH: Young children are more capable of responding to the
message of salvation than adults.
“The disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child
and had him stand among them. And He said: ‘I tell you
the truth, unless you change and become like little chil-
dren, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. There-
fore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the great-
est in the kingdom of heaven.’” (Matthew 18:1-4)

CHILDREN HAVE:
CURIOSITY Children eagerly ask questions about everything.
“How did God make the mountains?” “Where did I come
from?” “Who wrote the Bible?“ “Where does God live?”
“What happens when people die?” “What is heaven?”
What an opportunity to answer questions correctly
with the truth of God’s Word!

Children are accustomed to being under authority;


HUMILITY Therefore, they are teachable.
God opposes unteachable adults because of their pride.
Adults find it harder to humble their hearts before the
Lord, but a child is naturally humble.

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IMAGINATION Children are able to visualize the unseen.
They love fantasy and can draw pictures in their minds
without needing to have things proven.

LESS DISTRUST Children find it easy to believe in the supernatural.


They take adults at their word. Although everything
said to a child is not always correct, children tend to
take words at face value.

DEPENDENCY Children are already dependent on adults for protec-


tion and provisions.
They have faith that food will be on the table. They
have faith that they can depend on adults to provide
clothing and meet their needs. The life we live in
Christ is to be a dependent relationship—a life of faith
and dependence on Him.

RETENTIVE MEMORIES Children can retain what they don’t understand


more easily than adults.
Children learn by rote. Many parents start Scripture
memorization with their children at age three. Chil-
dren absorb passages far more easily than adults.
Children may not understand all that they memorize,
but parents can lay a foundation upon which the Holy
Spirit can develop godly character.

EAGERNESS TO RECEIVE GIFTS Children find it more natural to receive a gift without
feeling they have to earn it.
Children can receive a gift without assuming strings
are attached. They look forward to receiving a gift,
and that is exactly what salvation is—a gift of God.

NO HARDENED HEARTS Children do not have such deeply embedded sin


patterns, addictions or beliefs that they can’t give up
their “old ways of life.”
Children have not lived long enough to be cynics and
skeptics. They are far more responsive to the message
of Christ.

75 percent of those who receive Christ do so before they are 14 years old.
90 percent of those who receive Christ do so before they are 21 years old.

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B. Readiness
All growth is a process, and each child will mature differently. Only God knows the
true disposition of a young heart when a child has reached an age of accountability—
the age when a child is capable of accepting or rejecting the Savior. As you nurture
young children from birth in things of the Lord, rely on your own spiritual sensitivity to
determine when they are ready to move from “spiritual baby food” to the “meat of the
gospel.”
SPIRITUAL BABY FOOD
Sharing love through physical touch
Seeing and meeting their emotional needs
Speaking with a loving tone of voice
Smiling each time you see them
Soothing their hurts and disappointments
Spending time reading to them
Saying no and enforcing it
Sharing ways to be thoughtful of others saying please and thank you
Setting an example by your response to others, forgiving and meeting
the needs of others
Saying bedtime prayers in the secure love of the Lord

M EAT OF THE GOSPEL


MYTH: “Adults shouldn’t impose their religious beliefs on children
because they are not ready. When children grow into adulthood,
they can make up their own minds.”
TRUTH: Children give clues as to when they are open for change and
ready to receive the Savior.
Children are READY to hear the gospel when they are:
Reaping consequences from their own negative behavior
(feelings of guilt and shame)
Expressing worry about the future
(fear of darkness, separation, storms, death)
Asking a lot of questions
(“What happens when people die?”)
Drastically changing their behavior
(withdrawal or sensitivity)
Yielding to positive authority
(release of a rebellious spirit)
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone
who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect.”
(1 Peter 3:15)
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III. CAUSES OF NOT SHARING CHRIST WITH A CHILD
If you discovered the cure for cancer, would you be willing to share it? Of course!
Any intelligent, responsible adult would. Then why is there a reticence to share the
Savior with a child? The reason for some may be ignorance and for others, it may be
feeling too sophisticated to talk about spiritual things . . . too embarrassed. Yet the
brilliant “evangelist” the Apostle Paul was not too sophisticated to say, “I am not
ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who
believes” (Romans 1:16). The power to save is in the gospel itself. Your responsibility
is to share it.

A. Surface Causes
ARGUMENT: “I don’t think my child is a sinner.”
ANSWER: All people inherit a sin nature, a natural bent to sin.
“Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are
wayward and speak lies.” (Psalm 58:3)

ARGUMENT: “Children can’t understand abstract truth.”


ANSWER: Children can understand dependency—being dependent
on parents, and dependence on Christ is necessary for
every child to become a true Christian.
“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear
fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear
fruit unless you remain in Me.” (John 15:4)

ARGUMENT: “As an adult I never learned how to share about salvation.”


ANSWER: As an adult, now you can learn. It’s never too late to learn.
“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon
your hearts. . . . Impress them on your children.” (Deuteronomy
6:6-7)

ARGUMENT: “I don’t want to be a part of anything where fear tactics


are used to get children to respond.”
ANSWER: Just because negative tactics have been used by some
people doesn’t mean that child evangelism should be
rejected. Jesus did not hinder children from coming to
Him.
“Jesus . . . was indignant. He said to them [His disciples], ‘Let
the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” (Mark 10:14)

ARGUMENT: “I feel too inadequate.”


ANSWER: The Holy Spirit is the One who is adequate. He will
empower you to speak the truth. God gives every authen-
tic Christian the Holy Spirit upon salvation.
“The Spirit of Truth . . . will guide you into all truth.”
(John 16:13)

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B. Root Cause for Parents Not Sharing
WRONG BELIEF: “I’ll leave it to the church to give my child the
necessary spiritual instruction.”
RIGHT BELIEF: “I have the God-given responsibility to prepare
my child spiritually to accept Jesus personally as
Savior and Lord.”
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you
teach and admonish one another with all wisdom,
and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
(Colossians 3:16)

IV. STEPS TO SOLUTION


A. KEY VERSE to Memorize
“[Jesus] said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and
become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”
(Matthew 18:3)

B. KEY PASSAGE to Read and Reread


Psalm 78:2-7
Parents Prayer of Commitment
Dear Lord,
I pray for the wisdom and courage to communicate Your
hidden truths to the children You place in my care. I will not
hesitate to talk about Your power and praiseworthy deeds to
the next generation, so that they, in turn, will tell their
children and their children’s children the wonders You have
done. My responsibility is to teach my children to put their
trust in You. May they never forget Your deeds and always
keep Your commands. My utmost desire is to encourage
impressionable young hearts to resist being rebellious and
become loyal to their loving, most holy God.

C. Practical “P’s” for Preparing a Child’s Heart


A child’s heart is like soil that can be moistened and tilled—to receive the seed of
Christ. In the Bible, Timothy stood tall as a young Christian leader known for his
sincere faith. His soil had been tilled with the testimony of both his mother and his
grandmother—two women vital to Timothy’s growth.
“I [Paul] have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first
lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice
and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”
(2 Timothy 1:5)

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Never underestimate how God might use you in the life of a child.
P ortray the character of Christ.
• Realize that, with children, more is caught than taught.
• Model before your children Christ-like qualities such as integrity,
forgiveness, patience and humility.
• With humility admit that you need Christ to make you Christ-like.
“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your
teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that
cannot be condemned.” (Titus 2:7-8)
P raise God in the presence of your child for specifics.
• “Thank you, Lord, for giving us this sunshiny day.”
• “Thank you, Lord, for raindrops which the ground drinks.”
• “Thank you, Lord, for the gift of our family so that we can love
and learn from each other.”
“I will extol the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my
lips.” (Psalm 34:1)
P lay and sing Christian songs with your child.
• Purchase tapes, records and videos with spiritual truths.
• Sing Scripture songs from your heart—don’t be self-conscious.
• Put Scripture to music. Make up a spiritual song.
“Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of His name; make
His praise glorious!” (Psalm 66:1-2)

P lace throughout your home pictures and plaques with a spiritual emphasis.
• In your child’s bedroom and bathroom
• In the living room and hallway
• In the car and on the refrigerator
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your strength. . . . These commandments that I give you today are
to be upon your hearts. . . . Impress them on your children. . . . Write them
on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-9)
Provide a regular time to read and talk about Scripture—a daily family
devotional time.
• Character studies—David, Daniel, Ruth, Esther, Jesus, Peter, Abraham,
Moses
• Selected Proverbs, parables, the fruit of the Spirit
• Plan activities such as plays, skits, draw pictures about Bible stories.
“Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of,
because you know those from whom you learned it. . . . and how from
infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make
you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:14-15)
P repare Scripture memory verses on cutout forms or cards.
Pick simple verses for younger children:
• Place 1 John 4:16 on red paper in the shape of a heart—“God is love.”
• Place John 3:16 on blue paper in the shape of the world—“For God so
loved the world.”
• Place John 15:5 on brown paper in the shape of branches—“I am the vine,
you are the branches.”

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P ray out loud with and for your child.
• At mealtimes
• At bedtime
• At times of need and thankfulness
“We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the
knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And
we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please
Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowl-
edge of God.” (Colossians 1:9-10)
P rioritize regular spiritual programs for your child.
• Sunday school and church services
• Church choirs and Christian camps
• Vacation Bible school and any other programs offering spiritual training
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn
from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
P lay creative games that bring God into focus.
• The “I Spy” game
When riding in the car, challenge your children to “spy” something God
has made that begins with each letter of the alphabet. The one who sees an
item calls out “I spy an animal,” “I spy a branch,” “I spy a cow,” and so on.
• The “God Made” game
Let your children take turns mentioning as many things as they can which
God has created, starting with the letter “A.” After the time limit, (such as
two minutes), they must move to the letter “B” and so on.
• Visit the children’s section in a Christian bookstore for other ideas.
D. Learning The Language of Little Ones
You can become more and more adequate when you realize that children are
literalists. Be aware of terms that can be very confusing to a child . . . words that a
child could easily misinterpret.
(See attached graphic “Vocabulary for Kids.”)

LITERAL TERM CHILD’S INTERPRETATION USE INSTEAD


“Let Jesus come into A full grown man has to fit inside Jesus wants to come into
your heart.” my little heart. your life.
“Jesus shed His blood.” His blood is on the wood shed Jesus had bleeding wounds
behind the house. as He suffered on the cross.
“The Holy Ghost” God has ghosts that fly around The Holy Spirit; God’s
and scare people. Spirit
“Make a stand for Jesus.” Make a lemonade stand for Jesus. Do what is right because
you love Jesus—even if
everyone else does what is
wrong.
“Jesus arose from the dead.” Jesus is a flower. Jesus came back to life.

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”


(Proverbs 25:11)
 Copyright 1998 HOPE FOR THE HEART Child Evangelism - page 8
E. Doing What Comes Naturally
“We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way.”
(Isaiah 53:6)
Children are born with the desire to want life to go “their own way.” They don’t have
the ability to change their natural bent toward sin. This self-will is their “wanter” that
simply wants what is wrong. When Jesus comes into our lives He changes our desires
to want what is right.
Children will know if they have a problem because they will be reaping the
consequences from their negative behavior when their wanter is not changed.
ADULT: “Have you tried not to do wrong?”
CHILD: “Yes.”
ADULT: “Have you tried really, really hard? I mean the very best you
could?”
CHILD: “Well, maybe not all the time.”
ADULT: “Do you think the problem could be that on the inside you
have a wanter that wants to do wrong?”
CHILD: “Yes.”
ADULT: “Have you ever tried to change that wanter?”
CHILD: “I don’t know.”
ADULT: “Do you sometimes do what you know is wrong because your
heart wants you to do it?”
CHILD: “Yes.”
ADULT: “Doing what is wrong is what God calls sin. It sounds like
your wanter needs to change. Since your wanter is inside your
heart, Jesus can change your heart! If you let Him take control
of your life, He will actually change your wanter by changing
your heart.”
F. Presenting the Gospel to Children
Every Christian delights when another sheep comes into the fold, but we must never
pressure or manipulate a child to pray a salvation prayer. Salvation is of the Lord.
Likewise, we should never assume a child is a Christian. Don’t discourage a child
who wants to pray for salvation by saying, “You’ve already prayed that prayer.”
There may not have been a clear understanding of what it means to be saved and the
child prayed only:
—to please a Sunday school teacher
—to do what other friends were doing
—to be considerate and compliant
—to simply be a better person

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HOW TO PRESENT THE
GOOD NEWS
G od
“God created everything in this world, including you. He loves you
and will always love you.”
• Establish His authority (Creator)
“He made everything you can see or even think about.”
Point out the natural wonders of the world around you
(trees and birds, rain and oceans, stars and the sun).
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
(Genesis 1:1)
• Establish His character (Love)
“He has love for everyone, no matter what they do, and He
loves you in a very personal way.”
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with
loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

O riginal S in
“There is a problem between you and God, and it is called sin.
Sin is anything you think or do that does not please God. Sin
is going your own way, not God’s way.”
• Explain inherited sin.
“We are born with a natural desire to please ourselves instead
of a desire to please God by doing what is right. Babies cry
for attention even when they aren’t hurt. They just want their
own way.”
“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother
conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5)
• Explain enacted sin.
“As we grow older, we all choose to sin. We choose to disobey
our parents. Anything we think, say or do that doesn’t please
God is sin.”
“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do
it, sins.” (James 4:17)

O ffering
“Jesus came from heaven to earth, lived in a body and grew . . . just like you
and I grow.”
• “God the Son came to help us because He loves us.”
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16)
• Jesus is holy . . . which means different from us. We don’t always
have good thoughts but Jesus does. He is always perfect. Jesus has
never sinned because He is God.
“But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins.
And in Him is no sin.” (1 John 3:5)
 Copyright 1998 HOPE FOR THE HEART Child Evangelism - page 10
D eath and Resurrection
“The Lord Jesus Christ died for your sin, but He also did something
no one else has ever done—He came back to life!”
• “Jesus knew our sin would separate us from Him—that is the
punishment for our sin.”
“Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have
hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)
• “Jesus didn’t want us separated from Him so Jesus died for our
sins. They put the Lord Jesus in a tomb (cave) and He came back to
life. He lived His life on earth where people saw Him and talked to
Him. Then He went to heaven.”
“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, . . . He was buried,
. . . He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and . . .
He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared
to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of
whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He ap-
peared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to
me also, as to one abnormally born.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

N eed
“We all need a Savior because our sin is a problem.”
• “We need to trust and rely on the Lord Jesus Christ for what He
has done for us.”
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
(Romans 10:13)
• “Your part is to believe that He has done this.”
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to
save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but
whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not
believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:17-18)

QUESTION: WHAT DOES IT MEAN ”TO BELIEVE?”


ANSWER: In the Bible, the word believe means “to
rely upon, to trust in.”

E ternal L ife
“God’s part is found in three promises to us.”
• “We will not be condemned to hell for our sin.”
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
(Romans 8:1)
• “We will live forever in heaven.”
“Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.” (John 11:26)
• “Meanwhile, God will cause us to live a different kind of life now
while we live on earth.”
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
(Philippians 1:6)

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W ord of G od
“The Bible was supernaturally written by God.”
• “Some people say the Bible is no different from other books, but
the Bible is holy—it is from God—it is without one mistake!”
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
• “The Bible, which tells us how to live, also tells us that we need a
personal relationship with the Savior.”
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
(Psalm 119:105)

S alvation P rayer
“God invites us all to come to Him.”
Give an invitation for the child to receive Christ.
• Remind them again of their need of a Savior.
“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own
way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
(Isaiah 53:6)
• Review what Christ has done.
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous,
to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by
the Spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18)
• “Would you like Jesus to be your personal Lord and Savior?”
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in
your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
(Romans 10:9)
Dear God,
I know I do things You tell me not to do, and You call that sin.
I realize that my sin has separated me from You.
Please forgive me for my sin. Lord Jesus, thank You for taking
the punishment that I should have had—
You paid the price for my sin by dying on the cross for me.
Right now I ask You to come into my life to be my Lord
and my Savior. I want to be what You want me to be.
And I want to do what You want me to do.
Amen.

“Salvation is a supernatural work of God.


You are not responsible for the salvation
of any person, adult or child. Your responsibility
is tilling the soil and sharing the seeds of truth
about the Savior. As you plant seeds, pray that
your child’s soil becomes fertile to receive the
seed, take root and bear fruit.”
—June Hunt

To order tapes, resource books and Counseling Keys on Salvation, Assurance of Salvation,
God: Who Is He?, Atheism & Agnosticism, Jewish Evangelism, Unbelieving Mate and other
related topics, and to request a copy of our Product Catalog,
write HOPE FOR THE HEART • Box 7 • Dallas, TX • 75221 • FAX 1-972-239-0122
or outside Dallas, call toll-free 1-800-488-HOPE, in Dallas call 972-239-9999. www.hopefortheheart.org
 Copyright 1998 HOPE FOR THE HEART NCHIL/09/28/98 Child Evangelism - page 12
Child Evangelism

G OD’S LOVE
FOR YOU
Visual Aid Projects
Children learn by doing! The following simple activities will help you communicate
God’s love and His plan for receiving the gift of eternal life. These five different
colors are used to represent the gospel message to a child.

Gold represents heaven (eternal life).


Black represents sin (living life our own way).
Red represents blood (the blood of Jesus).
White represents forgiveness (a clean new life).
Green represents growing (learning more and more about Jesus).

PROJECT #1
Help your child make a small book out of construction paper. Get a pattern for a
heart (about four inches tall) and cut out five different heart-shaped pages in the
five different colors listed above. Cut one extra red heart to be the cover of the
book. Title the cover page “God’s Love for You!” and bind the book by stapling
the top in two places.

PROJECT #2
Purchase beads in the same five colors as above. Cut a heavy cord or a leather strap
long enough to make a bracelet or a necklace. String the beads on the leather strap
in the order mentioned above, then tie to fit. Extra bracelets could be made to give
as gifts to friends.
Explain the pages in the book (or each bead) to your child in the following way:

Gold represents HEAVEN.


“Heaven is God’s home where we can live with Him one day. Since He
made you and loves you very much, God wants you to become a member
of His family and live with Him forever. Heaven is a beautiful place with
streets of gold. The Bible also says that in heaven, ‘He will wipe every
tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or
crying or pain.’” (Revelation 22:4)

Black represents SIN.


“Our hearts are black because of sin. Sin is what we do when we think
and do bad things. Sin is also wanting to do things our own way instead
of doing what we know is right. All of us are sinners, but God doesn’t
like sin and our goal should be to please Him. Do you know of anything
that you have done that God, might call a sin because of the blackness of
our hearts? The Bible says, ‘The heart is deceitful above all things and
beyond cure. Who can understand it?’” (Jeremiah 17:9)
Red represents the BLOOD OF JESUS.
“When we sin and fail to do what God wants us to do, we deserve to be
punished just as when we fail to mind Mommy or Daddy. But guess
what? God loves us so much He sent His Son Jesus to take our
punishment for us. The Lord Jesus came to earth as a tiny baby. (Do you
know when we celebrate His birthday?) Jesus is perfect and never did
anything wrong, but some men with black evil hearts nailed Him to a
cross. Jesus’ heart was so loving that He was willing to let His blood
pour out for the wrong we have already done and for any sins we will do
in the future. The Bible says, ‘The law requires that nearly everything
be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness.’” (Hebrews 9:22)

White represents FORGIVENESS.


“When we sin, it’s not enough to say with our mouths that we are
wrong, we also have to be truly sorry in our hearts. We can receive
God’s forgiveness if we believe that Jesus took our punishment and
died for us, He will come to live inside us and give us a brand new
heart. When God forgives your heart, the Bible says, ‘Cleanse me . . .
and I will be whiter than snow.’” (Psalm 51:7)
“Jesus wants to live inside you and help you be strong so that you can
say no to sin. Would you like to tell God right now that you have a
black sinful heart and that you believe Jesus died for you? (If you
discern that the child is sincere, ask the little one to repeat this prayer
after you.)”
Dear Father,
I know I have done wrong.
I’ve wanted my own way.
Please forgive me.
Thank You for sending Jesus to save me,
to be with me and to give me a new heart.
I want to be a member of Your family and
live with You forever in heaven.

Green represents GROWTH.


“When you have a new heart, you will be growing. You will learn
more and more about Jesus as you read the Bible and learn about Him.
Talk to Him each day and ask Him to help you know what is good and
what is not good. When you realize you have done something wrong,
tell Him you are sorry. As you continue to grow, your heart will
become more and more like the heart of the Lord Jesus. The Bible
says, ‘I will give you a new heart . . . I will put My Spirit in you and
move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.’”
(Ezekiel 36:26-27)

(Adapted from material of Child Evangelism Fellowship Inc.)


 Copyright 1998 HOPE FOR THE HEART

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