Jesus Taught How to Pray
Matthew 6:9-13; 14:23
Our Bible story comes from the Bible. It is found in the book, or part, of the Bible called Matthew. Matthew was one of the special helpers of Jesus.
The Bible tells us that Jesus liked to pray. When He prayed, He talked to God, His Father in heaven. Jesus spent time talking to God.
Sometimes Jesus would go away from His friends and helpers to talk to God in a quiet place.
One day, Jesus was talking to His helpers on the side of a mountain. Other people came to listen to what Jesus was telling them.
Jesus loved His friends and the people that were listening. He wanted them to pray as He did. So, Jesus showed them how to talk to God.
First, Jesus said that people could call God their "Father in heaven," just as He did. That is why we begin prayers with Dear God or Our Father. What are some ways you begin prayers?
Next, Jesus told the people to praise God by telling Him that even His name is special! God is pleased when people tell Him they know how wonderful He is. Jesus said, "Pray that everything will be done the way God wants it to be done."
Jesus knew how much God cares about everything in our lives. He told the people to pray for the things we need each day. "Give us the food we need each day." That means we can pray for other things besides bread. We can pray for what we really need each day.
Jesus also told the people to ask God to forgive them for the wrong things they had done and to help them forgive others. And Jesus said the people should pray for God's help to keep from doing bad things. He said God could help them do what is good.
Jesus' helpers and the people learned a lot about talking to God from Jesus. They learned that they could pray anytime–when they were happy or sad or even when they were afraid.
Jesus' helpers and the people were glad that He showed them how to talk to God. Jesus shows us how to talk to God, too.
Text Truth: Jesus shows us how to talk to God.
Teach your child these words to the tune "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
Use blocks to help your child pray. Use one block for each thing you praise God for and for each thing you ask God for. As you thank God or talk with Him about needs, you are building something together.
Make a family prayer chain. Cut two colors of construction paper into long strips. One color is for your requests and another for your thanksgivings. Form each strip into a circle and tape or staple the ends together after slipping it through the last link.
Bedtime is a special time to pray with your children. Pray for protection and good sleep. Teach your child to pray when she wakes up at night. You can pray to God anytime, even in the middle of the night!
Read Bible stories about prayer to your child all week. Talk about how the Bible stories teach us to talk to God.
Help your child learn to pray when opportunities arise. Let your child repeat a prayer before a meal, at bedtime, or while riding in the car. Vary the postures used while praying—sitting at the table with head bowed, kneeling next to the bed, lying in bed with eyes closed, etc. This will help your child understand praying is talking to God regardless of his posture. Make the prayers simple.
Our Bible story comes from the Bible. It is found in the book, or part, of the Bible called Matthew. Matthew was one of the special helpers of Jesus.
The Bible tells us that Jesus liked to pray. When He prayed, He talked to God, His Father in heaven. Jesus spent time talking to God.
Sometimes Jesus would go away from His friends and helpers to talk to God in a quiet place.
One day, Jesus was talking to His helpers on the side of a mountain. Other people came to listen to what Jesus was telling them.
Jesus loved His friends and the people that were listening. He wanted them to pray as He did. So, Jesus showed them how to talk to God.
First, Jesus said that people could call God their "Father in heaven," just as He did. That is why we begin prayers with Dear God or Our Father. What are some ways you begin prayers?
Next, Jesus told the people to praise God by telling Him that even His name is special! God is pleased when people tell Him they know how wonderful He is. Jesus said, "Pray that everything will be done the way God wants it to be done."
Jesus knew how much God cares about everything in our lives. He told the people to pray for the things we need each day. "Give us the food we need each day." That means we can pray for other things besides bread. We can pray for what we really need each day.
Jesus also told the people to ask God to forgive them for the wrong things they had done and to help them forgive others. And Jesus said the people should pray for God's help to keep from doing bad things. He said God could help them do what is good.
Jesus' helpers and the people learned a lot about talking to God from Jesus. They learned that they could pray anytime–when they were happy or sad or even when they were afraid.
Jesus' helpers and the people were glad that He showed them how to talk to God. Jesus shows us how to talk to God, too.
Bible Paraphrase: [Jesus] went around doing good. (...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. Acts 10:38 NIV)
Text Truth: Jesus shows us how to talk to God.
Family Devotional
God, who created and maintains all things, is not too busy to listen to our prayers. Not only does He invite us to talk to Him—He longs for us to do so.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – Hebrews 4: 14-16
Jesus is our great High Priest. He represents us before God. We are welcome, on a regular basis, to come before the throne of our merciful God. He will treat us with undeserved kindness and give us help, not reject us.
A regular prayer time grows your relationship with God. He delights in having conversations with you.
Activities You Can Do at Home
Jesus Told His Friends to Pray
Teach your child these words to the tune "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
Jesus told His friends to pray,
To be kind and help each day.
I can learn from Jesus, too,
I can find good things to do.
Bible Rhyme
Teach your child this Bible rhyme and motions to help them remember the Bible phrase.
Jesus went around doing good.
(March in place.)
He taught His friends how to pray.
(Fold hands.)
Jesus made people feel well again.
(Reach overhead and stretch.)
He forgave them and helped them obey.
(Hold hands out in front of you, palms up.)
Build and Pray
Use blocks to help your child pray. Use one block for each thing you praise God for and for each thing you ask God for. As you thank God or talk with Him about needs, you are building something together.
Family Prayer Chain
Make a family prayer chain. Cut two colors of construction paper into long strips. One color is for your requests and another for your thanksgivings. Form each strip into a circle and tape or staple the ends together after slipping it through the last link.
Pray at Bedtime
Bedtime is a special time to pray with your children. Pray for protection and good sleep. Teach your child to pray when she wakes up at night. You can pray to God anytime, even in the middle of the night!
Bible Stories on Prayer
Read Bible stories about prayer to your child all week. Talk about how the Bible stories teach us to talk to God.
Pray Anytime
Help your child learn to pray when opportunities arise. Let your child repeat a prayer before a meal, at bedtime, or while riding in the car. Vary the postures used while praying—sitting at the table with head bowed, kneeling next to the bed, lying in bed with eyes closed, etc. This will help your child understand praying is talking to God regardless of his posture. Make the prayers simple.
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The above images are made possible by a joint venture of Good News Productions, International and College Press Publishing Co. Artist. Paula Nash Giltner (http://www.theglobalgospel.org). Free Bibleimages (http://freebibleimages.org) have been granted permission to make these images freely available for personal, teaching and ministry use under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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