9 Scriptural Truths You Need to Know for Your Homeschool

Are you homeschooling with all that you can muster within you? Except that maybe you either can't afford or manage the time for the extra art classes, the gymnastics, the fun drama classes, the ballet lessons, the volleyball teams, the football teams, the basketball teams, the piano/violin lessons, the debate club... and oh how that list can grow. Especially if you have multiple children! 

Do you feel as though you are failing at providing your children a well-rounded, whole-person education? Are you feeling tired, worn or rushed from all the extra running around? Oh the pressure we put on ourselves! It's just not a happy situation when we allow ourselves to think like this.

But do we really need all those *extras* to be happy with our homeschool? Do we really need them to have our children be educated with excellence or to be happy? Scripture tells us in Psalm 144:15 that, "Happy is that people that is in such a case; yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord." When God is our Lord, it's imperative that our families are in the Word daily to grow.

 

Here are 9 Scriptural Truths You Need to Know For Your Homeschool:

While all of the *extras* may be nice additions, they are not the primary, necessary things your children need. You will see this as you go through the following passages about the youth in Scripture. 

I know, because I have gone through them with my son, Scientist, and my daughter, Artsy Girl. I feel more confident in the education our children are receiving from learning these Bible Principles alone. The rest... it just follows. And in seasons when the Lord blesses us with the ability to add the *extras,* it's in His timing. Likewise, in seasons when we are unable to, it's for reasons He has purposed. I'm okay with that. As long as I keep my focus on teaching my children the truths of Scripture, I know it will all work out according to His Will for His Glory.

A little something I learned along the way in this study... these truths are for me, too.

Truth #1 The Biblical View and Education of Childhood

Read: Matthew 18:1-4; Luke 2:39-52 and learn about the Biblical view of childhood. Are your children preparing for God's calling on their lives? How does this preparation look in Scripture? How and what did Jesus learn and how did He spend His time?

We watched Divided the Movie together to help compare and contrast youth today with what Scripture teaches {as it pertains to churches}.

Matthew 18:1-4 recently ministered to me in a way it never had before. I was discussing this passage with Scientist. My other son, Super Busy, was sitting on the sofa between the two of us. Scientist and I were dialoging about what it means to, "...become as little children..." I asked him, "What do you think this means?" He looked at his younger brother and said, "It's like how he trusts you and Dad to take care of him, love him, and protect him." Well, something about this moment made me weep. I trust Him with my Salvation and I trust Him to take care of me in many areas. However, I knew then that I had been missing this aspect in myself when it came to the current situation I was facing. I knew that I allowed myself to stress over some of these personal matters. Why did I not see before that I was not having faith like that in Him to pull me through? How can I move forward in the calling God has on my life if I'm in the way? What a journey it is to move forward with such trust. And what a joy and comfort it is to not just believe... but to know that He will see things through.

Truth #2 Prepare for God's Calling; Submit to Authority

Read: 2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Timothy 3:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:24 and learn the instructions God gives children for preparing for His calling on their lives. I remind myself that all of the sports and other extra activities aren't really profiting my children if I am not placing their spiritual growth first. When they are prepared spiritually, the Lord will provide the time, the resources, and the ability for my children to have what they need to serve Him. All of the others would be distractions for myself and my children.
 
Read: Ephesians 6:1-4; Galatians 4:1-2; 1 Timothy 3:6; 2 Timothy 1:13-14. Our children need to learn to submit to those in authority, and dear parent, that begins at home with you. Honoring and obeying parents in the Lord is right. The end goal is to teach our children to submit to God's commands, His calling and His Will for their lives.

Truth #3 Learn Obedience and Grow Strong in Spirit and in Favor With God and Man

Read: Hebrews 5:8. Obedience is another area where children need to grow... and they first learn it from their parents, thereby learning to be obedient to God in the Lord.

"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;" Hebrews 5:8

I'm still learning about obedience to the Father. Are you? I'm developing the habit of becoming acquainted with what the Will of the Father is as He tells us the in Scriptures and practicing them. Obedience truly is a learned thing. I accepted Yeshua the Messiah as a child {though I didn't know His name in Hebrew then} and I am still learning. With many things I look back and wonder, "Why? Why has it taken so long for me to see and learn this?" But now I can begin to rejoice in these things because truly:

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
⁸ The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
¹¹ Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward." Psalm 19:7-11

I am learning from my Father. I am learning from Yeshuah the Messiah... through the example He set for us as recorded in the Scriptures.


Read: 1 Samuel 2:26; Luke 2:52. Children are instructed to grow in favor with God and man.

We watched Obedience Always Brings Blessings with InTouch ministries and discussed it. 

Truth #4 Be an Example of Righteousness and Teach Others

Read: Ephesians 5:1-18; 1 Timothy 4:12; Daniel 1:8. Children are to learn to be an example of righteousness. 

To be righteous means to be: "Just; accordant to the divine law. Applied to persons, it denotes one who is holy in heart, and observant of the divine commands in practice; as a righteous man. Applied to things, it denotes consonant to the divine will or to justice; as a righteous act. It is used chiefly in theology, and applied to God, to his testimonies and to his saints." ~Webster's 1828 Dictionary

Are our children learning what it means to be righteous? To be holy in heart, and observant of the divine command in practice of God's laws? 

Read: Luke 2:49; 2 Timothy 2:2. Are our children given the time and opportunity to teach others? This can be done in a number of ways: helping to teach ESL in your church, volunteering to teach a subject they love to siblings or friends, etc.

Truth #5 Preach the Word and Become Offensive Weapons for the Kingdom of God

Read: 2 Timothy 4:2; Jeremiah 1:5-7. See that they are to preach the Word. A tool we like to use in our family to help our children learn how to share the Gospel effectively the way Yeshua did is The Way of the Master.

Read: Psalm 127:4, Psalm 8:1-2; 1 John 2:13-14. They need to learn to become offensive weapons for the kingdom of God. These passages show us what this means and looks like.

Truth #6 Stir Up the Spiritual Gift Within

Read: 1 Timothy 4:14-16; 2 Timothy 1:6-7. God instructs youth to stir up the spiritual gift within. As individuals, God has given each and every person spiritual gifts to use for His glory. 

I sat down with my older two children to help them learn where they are currently at with their spiritual gifts through Spiritualgiftstest.com. This helps them to have focus with their education and life goals.

Scientist

Scientist is a quiet introvert. Believe it or not, this personality type is a people person but not a crowd person. The Lord uses these personality types to reach out with more personal settings and relationships. He will be able to reach people for the Lord in ways an outgoing introvert or extroverts may not. And yes, he can do these things even in his youth.

With his love for God and for science, he can teach Bible Principles in the field of science. He has had practice doing this with a homeschool nature club that our family has coordinated in the past. He does this when he shares with family and friends about something he has learned in astronomy or nature. We nurture this by attending meetings and tours held by scientists which teach God's design and teaching him how to look for Biblical truths.

Artsy Girl

Artsy Girl is an outgoing introvert {takes after her mama}. She recharges around people with real conversations with depth and meaning. She loves people. She has practice at using these gifts within our home, sometimes within the homeschool co-op our family runs, and we are expanding in other areas, too.

Truth #7 Learn About the Childhood Training of Samuel and Josiah- What Can Be Modeled

Read: 1 Samuel 1-3; 2 Kings 22 and learn about the model of childhood training with Samuel and Josiah.

Truth #8 Learn About the Childhood Training of Jeremiah and 12-Year-Old Yeshua

Read: Jeremiah 1:1-10; Luke 2:42-52. Continue to learn about the model of childhood training with Jeremiah and Twelve-year-old Yeshua. Our Lord and Savior is the Word made flesh: he came to show us how to live according to the Father's ways. What are the examples He set for us?

Truth #9 Learn and Emulate the Character Qualities of Christian Youth as Found in Scripture

Read: 1 Timothy 4:12; Philippians 2:22, Daniel 1. These are instructions for the character qualities of Christian youth.


Be encouraged! Embrace the season you are in. The Lord knows best. Just keep your focus on teaching your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and trust Him to provide the rest according to His perfect Will for you and your children.


Did you go through this study? Please share in the comments below what you learned. It just may encourage others!

Blessings!