Backseat Bible Nuggets

Do you think God laughs? Someone asked me this yesterday and it made me think...what do you think? Do YOU think that God laughs? Do you think that Jesus laughed when He lived on Earth?

I do! I think that God laughs a LOT actually and I bet Jesus laughed a ton as He lived His life. How could He not?! There’s too many funny things in life to NOT laugh! And think of how much you love to laugh. Everyone loves a good laugh. It just makes you feel good! And sometimes we say laughing is contagious, meaning that we can just hear someone else laughing and then we start laughing too. I think God loves to laugh just like we love to laugh.

When God was creating Adam and Eve, the Bible tells us that God created them in His own image. That means God looked at Himself and made humans very similar to Himself. And as good as it feels to laugh, I think God loves to laugh too.

Is it kinda strange to think about God doing someone as simple and fun as laughing?

This isn’t always how we think about God. Some people think God is a mean dictator that sits on His throne telling people what to do and not do. Most people don’t think of God as laughing right along with us when we laugh. But I think it’s important for us to know that while God is indeed a king who has laid out the best way for us to live in the Bible, He’s also our best friend who wants to be right there in the middle of the good laugh.

Psalms 126:2 says “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then is was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them."

Here are some questions to talk about. You can pause after each question and discuss or just generally review together when it’s over. Oh, and this is important! There’s no wrong answer to these! The point is to get conversation flowing. So don’t overthink it!

1. If God laughs, what does He laugh about?

2. How do you usually think of God? Is He like that mean guy telling everyone what to do OR is He the loving, laughing best friend?

One last time, let’s practice our verse together. You can repeat after me. “Our mouths were filled with laughter, - our tongues with songs of joy. - Then is was said among the nations, - “The Lord has done great things for them.” Psalms 126:2

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Q: What is heaven?

A: Heaven is thought of as the place where people go after they die. But, it’s not just any ole place. It’s a place beyond what we can imagine, better than anything we’ve ever known. A place of perfect happiness and bliss – also known as paradise. Many people think of heaven like a fairy-tale land, and maybe it will feel like that, but in heaven it won’t be make-believe, it’ll all be very real perfection.

Q: Who made heaven?

A: God made heaven! The first few words of the Bible tell us that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 And we know from the world around us just how creative God can be with His creations. I can’t wait to see what He’s made in heaven!

Q: What do we know about heaven?

A: While there are lots of things we DON’T exactly know about heaven – we do know a few things...The book of Revelation tells us a few things that John noticed about his sneak peek in to heaven. Revelation 22:1-5 talks about a river with living water flowing down from the throne of God. He tells us heaven is like a great city with this crystal clear river in the middle. On both sides of that river are trees. They are the trees of life, which give out crops every month and also have leaves that can heal. How cool is that?? It goes on to tell us that everyone will see God’s face and His name will be on their foreheads. Oh! And good news for those of you who don’t like the dark...there will be no more night! We won’t need nightlights or any light for that matter because there will be no darkness and it says that the Lord will be the light.

Oh, also, Revelation chapter 21 tells us that nothing bad can enter heaven. That God will wipe every tear from their eyes. And there will be no more death or sadness or crying or pain.

And then...we also know that there’s great worshipping in heaven. Where everyone, from all different countries and since the beginning of time, will come together and praise the Lord who will be on His throne. They will say “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.”

His throne will have a rainbow around it (Rev. 4:3) and flashes of lightening will come from it (Rev. 4:5). There are 7 blazing lamps around it along with 24 other thrones (Rev. 4:4-5). There are also these crazy cool creatures that are like a lion, ox, a man, and an eagle. They have eyes covering them along with 6 wings. (Rev. 4:6-8) Revelation 4:8 tells us that “day and night they never stop saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Like I said, creative, right!?

Q: How does someone get to heaven?

A: That’s probably the MOST important question of all. The only way to go to heaven is to believe that Jesus is God’s son who came to die for your sins. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only son that whoever believes in Him will not die, but have eternal life.” And that eternal life is in heaven! But only if you believe and follow Jesus. That means it’s more than just knowing about who God is in your head. Even Satan knows that there is a God. But the difference is believing in Him in your heart.

Alright, are YOU ready for some questions? You can pause after each and discuss. Oh, and there’s not wrong answer to these. So, don’t overthink it!

1. From what we talked about today, what is the most interesting thing to you about heaven?

2. What questions do you still have about heaven?

One last time before we sign off, let’s practice our verse together. You can repeat after me. “For God so loved the world - that He gave His only son - that whoever believes in Him - will not die, but have eternal life.” - John 3:16
*Music: "Forest" by Vlad Gulschenko

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/backseat-bible-nu

Hey......you....yeah, you.....what cha doing right now? Riding in the car? Listening to something while waiting on dinner? Laying on the floor with nothing to do? Playing legos?

Did you know that all of these activities and NOT activities are opportunities to talk about God?

Yep!

The Bible tells us in Deuteronomy chapter 6 to talk about God no matter what’s happening... any circumstance. Any time of the day. Any place. Whenever and wherever!

In fact, listen in Deuteronomy 6 verses 5-7. It says this: 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. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

The people in Bible times walked everywhere they went. They didn’t have bikes or roller blades or scooters. Just walking! But, how do you get to places most of the time? If you live in a town like we do, we drive everywhere we go! And this Bible verse that tells us to talk about God when we are “walking along the road” can now be applied to “when we are riding in the car.”

Some of my best thinking and talking happens on car rides!

And so that’s why we’ve named this podcast BACKSEAT Bible nuggets. It was created for parents that have someone in the backseat that they want to talk about God with as they are going as the Bible has commanded us in Deuteronomy 6:7. These are short devotional podcasts to get you talking about God and His word as you go!

So, back to our verses...Let’s hear it again. Deuteronomy 6:5-7. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Whew! That means everything that we have in us! My heart, my brain, the things I do in my own strength with my arms and legs and hands and so on) These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. (In other words, parents are called to have God’s commandments in their hearts and minds so that they can then TEACH them to YOU, their kiddos!) Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (All. The. Time!)

Here are some questions to talk about. You can pause after each question and discuss or just generally review together when it’s over. Oh, and this is important! Listen. There’s no wrong answer to these! The point is to get conversation flowing. So don’t overthink it!

1. Okay, so first. What does it mean to love God with ALL of our heart, soul and strength?

2. Why is it important that we talk about God and His words in the Bible?

3. And lastly, how can you make sure that you talk about the Lord all the time, like it said in scripture. Remember it said talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up? How will YOU help your parents do that?

I’m sure they would love to talk about Him with you! And even if they don’t know all the answers, you can learn together! God loves when we come to Him. Whether we know it all or not!

One last time before we sign off, let’s practice Deuteronomy 6:5 together. You can repeat after me: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

You’ve been listening to Backseat Bible Nuggets. A podcast for kids about God’s great love for them and His written word. Parents you can check out more resources at BackseatBibleNuggets.com. We’re honored you listened and pray deep roots grow in the lives of your backseaters as you go along the way.

Music: Forest by Vlad Gluschenko

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/backseat-bible-nuggets/donations

Raise your hand if you want to be tall when you grow up? I think every kid I know cares a lot about their height. I know we do at our house! I bet you can tell me who is the tallest in your class or group of friends and I bet you can tell me who is the shortest. And have you noticed how adults so often make comments about how they just can’t believe how much you’ve grown?

As a kid it’s important to get the right amount of sleep and eat the right healthy foods in order to grow. Have your parents ever told you that? It’s true!

Well, just as you will get bigger and taller as you grow up, you can also GROW as a Christian as you get to know and follow Jesus. There’s a fancy word for this called sanctification. Can you say that? Sanctification. PAUSE. Good!

This complicated word just means that as we get to know Jesus better through reading about Him in the Bible or singing songs to Him or talking about Him with other people then we grow to become more and more like Him. Have you ever hung out with someone for a while and then you realize that you start saying some of the same things they say? Or maybe you start acting the way they act?

Same things happens when we hang out with the Lord. We start to think the way He thinks and we start to say the things He said. This is sanctification.

And it doesn’t happen over night! It takes years and years, just like it takes years for us to grow as a kid. It’s a process. And just as healthy food and good exercise and sleep can help you grow taller, in the same way, lots of time reading the Bible, praying and talking with other people about Jesus helps us become more like Him. It helps sanctify us!

So, that’s sanctification. The growing over your lifetime to become more like Jesus. Hard to say word – but pretty basic thing to understand, right?

The Bible has a lot to say about sanctification and we see that growing process played out in the lives of all people in the Bible. But, for today, I chose just one verse. 1 Thessalonians 5:23a says, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely.”

Here are some questions to talk about. You can pause after each question and discuss. Oh, and there’s no wrong answer to these. So don’t overthink it!

1. What was that word that we talked about today that is a fancy word for growing to become more and more like Jesus over time?
2. How do we know if we are growing to be more like Jesus? It’s not someone that we can measure on a growth chart, like our height, so how do we know if we’re growing more like Jesus?
3. What are some things that you can do today to help you grow to be more like Jesus?

One last time before we sign off, let’s practice our verse together. You can repeat after me. “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely” 1 Thessalonians 5:23a.

*Music: "Forest" by Vlad Gulschenko

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/backseat-bible-nuggets/donations

This is the 100^th episode of Backseat Bible Nuggets podcast! Woohoo!

This fun project that started 2.5 years ago aimed to help parents have Christ centered conversations with their kids in the middle of the busy and hectic schedules of life. And the Lord has been faithful to the idea that He gave me. HE has made this podcast grow. HE has planted seeds in the hearts of our children through it. HE has grown our confidence as parents to remind us that WE are equipped by His Spirit living in us to lead our kids to Jesus in daily conversations.

Surely, He has done great things! To God be the Glory!

It’s also equally true that this podcast has never taken a break. Lots of podcasts break for certain seasons, but this one kept right on trucking. At one point we slowed the pace, but never a pause.

Well my friends, that day has come. It’s time for Backseat Bible Nuggets to take a break and pause. Why? Well, because I’m learning the importance of rest and Sabbath. I’ve been a bit confused about resting in the past and while I knew it was Biblical, I guess I saw it as optional and something we COULD do on an as needed basis. This is in fact, not the case though!

Isaiah 40:28 says God doesn’t grow tired or weary. If this is the case, which it is, they why does God, from the beginning of time, show us what it means to have a rhythm of rest built in to our life? If sabbath rest is optional they why is it such a main point of Genesis 2:1-3 where it says that God rested from all of His work? Because He was tired? Well, no....not possible. And if God doesn’t grow tired or weary as Isaiah tells us, then why do we see Jesus set a rhythm of retreat back to His Father? Why does Jesus often slip away from the crowd for a few moments? I think these examples point to the importance, the essential fact of needed rest. Not the option of it.

So, friends, that’s what Backseat Bible Nuggets is going to do for now. Rest. It doesn’t mean I’ll take a nap every day, although I wouldn’t complain! But it does mean there won’t be new episodes for a while. Good news is that you now have 100 episodes to listen to, along with other great resources.

Even better news is that by this point, I hope and pray you’re seeing how the simplest most mundane daily occurrence is an opportunity to talk to your kids about Jesus. YOU can do it! YOU are the parent to your specific kids for a reason. YOU can speak to them best. YOU can minister to their hearts most successfully. Will you commit to do it? Will you daily ground yourself in God’s word so that you naturally overflow the gospel to your kids? It starts with you!

You’ve got this Mama! It’s gonna be great, Dad. And to the grandparents listening, we need your wisdom more than ever! I love yall and can’t wait to catch up soon. But for now, I’m going to take a rest.

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/backseat-bible-nuggets/donations