Mother's Day: Teaching Children the Lord's Prayer

Devotional

Day 1: Holy, Holy, Holy

The disciples heard Jesus begin prayer with “Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.” Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne, robe filling the temple. Seraphim cried “Holy, holy, holy” until smoke filled the room. Jesus taught that prayer starts not with requests, but with awe. [41:42]

God’s holiness separates Him from creation. He isn’t “the man upstairs” – He reigns unapproachable in splendor. Yet this holy God invites us to call Him Father through Christ’s blood. Our prayers should tremble with gratitude before rushing to ask.

When you pray today, pause first. Name three specific ways God’s holiness showed up this week – in scripture, nature, or a hard situation He carried you through. How might starting with awe change what you ask for?

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth.”
(Isaiah 6:3, CSB)

Prayer: Confess one way you’ve treated God casually this week. Ask Him to renew your awe.
Challenge: Sing or read “Holy, Holy, Holy” aloud before praying today.

Day 2: Not My Will, But Yours

Jesus knelt in Gethsemane, sweat like blood falling. “Take this cup,” He begged. Then surrendered: “Your will be done.” He taught disciples to pray “your kingdom come” before “give us bread.” The kingdom comes when we release our plans to His. [47:08]

God’s will often conflicts with ours. We want comfort; He wants character. We want relief; He wants redemption. Yet His will is perfect – tested in heaven’s courts. Submitting to it isn’t defeat, but entry into divine strategy.

Identify one area where you’re fighting God’s will – a strained relationship, unmet longing, or delayed answer. Pray “Your kingdom come” over it today. What would it cost you to mean those words?

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
(Luke 22:42, CSB)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal where you’ve valued your agenda over His kingdom.
Challenge: Text a family member: “How can I pray for God’s will in your life today?”

Day 3: Bread from Heaven

Israel woke to frost-like manna covering the desert. God provided daily bread, testing their trust. Jesus taught us to ask for “daily bread,” not stockpiles. The Israelites who hoarded manna found it rotted by morning. [54:50]

God’s provision meets needs, not greed. He gives stamina for today’s trials, grace for today’s failures. Like manna, His faithfulness can’t be stored – we must seek Him anew each dawn.

Open your pantry. Thank God for three specific provisions there – flour, canned beans, a favorite snack. Then consider: What “daily bread” do you need from Him today that money can’t buy?

“I will rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.”
(Exodus 16:4, CSB)

Prayer: Thank God for a provision He gave this week you didn’t earn.
Challenge: Eat a meal today without distractions, thanking God aloud for each bite.

Day 4: Debts Forgiven, Debts Released

Jesus linked God’s forgiveness to ours: “Forgive us as we forgive.” He didn’t negotiate percentages – 70x7 is the math of grace. The prayer assumes we’ll need both daily. Unforgiveness chains us to old wounds; forgiveness is the jailer’s key. [01:00:18]

God’s forgiveness isn’t earned – it’s received. But our forgiveness of others proves we’ve truly grasped His grace. Holding debts makes us hypocrites, not heroes.

Name someone whose “debt” you still tally. Write their name on paper, then write “PAID IN FULL” over it. What makes releasing this debt feel impossible without Christ’s help?

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9, CSB)

Prayer: Confess one unforgiven hurt you’ve harbored. Ask for grace to release it.
Challenge: Destroy the “PAID IN FULL” paper after praying.

Day 5: Through the Trial’s Fire

Paul promised God limits our trials and provides escape routes. Jesus taught us to pray “deliver us from evil,” not “spare us from difficulty.” Sanctification burns impurities, but the Refiner never leaves the furnace. [01:04:07]

Trials expose what we trust. A sick child tests if we believe God’s goodness. A broken promise probes if we’ll retaliate or entrust. Each fire, if endured with Christ, forges Christlikeness.

Identify one current trial. Instead of asking God to remove it, pray: “What holiness are You cultivating here?” How might this perspective alter your endurance?

“No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide a way out.”
(1 Corinthians 10:13, CSB)

Prayer: Ask God for courage to walk through – not around – your trial.
Challenge: Share one struggle with a believer today; ask them to pray for your perseverance.

Sermon Summary

We gather around the model prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 as a practical blueprint for a robust prayer life. We commit first to centering prayer on the holiness of God, calling him our Father while keeping awe and reverence at the forefront. We prioritize God’s will, aiming for his kingdom to advance among us now even as we long for its full consummation. We trust God’s daily provision, remembering the manna pattern that calls us to dependence and grateful stewardship. We insist on the centrality of forgiveness: we must both receive God’s mercy and extend it to others, because forgiveness reshapes relationships and our standing before God. We acknowledge trials and temptations as occasions for sanctification; God will not permit more than we can bear and provides a way through each testing.

We press parents, and especially mothers, to teach prayer and Scripture early and consistently. We affirm that spiritual formation begins in the home: reading Scripture to little ones, praying over them from infancy, and shaping habits of worship and obedience. We resist offering shallow religiosity; instead we call for clear, doctrinal instruction about sin, repentance, and the exclusivity of Christ as the way to salvation. We encourage practical disciplines—regular Bible reading, corporate worship, and simple acts of gratitude—that train children to live under God’s reign. We also call the church to support parents, come alongside new believers, and persistently intercede for prodigals until God moves.

We live with hopeful patience, confident that God’s kingdom is coming in fullness, and we serve now with the authority and responsibility he has entrusted to us. We practice prayer not as rote repetition but as a living conversation that reorients desire, cultivates holiness, and sustains mission. We keep pressing our children, our families, and ourselves toward the Savior who forgives, delivers, and reigns.

Key Takeaways

1. Begin prayer with God’s holiness We should start petitions by declaring who God is, not by listing needs first. Naming God’s holiness recalibrates our affections and aligns our requests with his character; it prevents intimacy from sliding into familiarity that forgets reverence. Teaching children to begin prayers this way forms worshipers who know awe before access. [40:12]
2. Submit to God’s will daily We must cultivate a posture that prefers God’s priorities to our plans. True discipleship trains desire away from autonomy toward participation in God’s kingdom work here and now; obedience becomes our safest and sweetest path. Encourage children to learn discernment through prayer, Scripture, and communal guidance. [46:27]
3. Trust God for daily provision Dependence on God for daily bread reshapes stewardship and gratitude. Recognizing provision as divine prevents hoarding, cultivates thankfulness, and humbles success as a gift rather than a right. Teach children the sources behind the meal—Creator, workers, and providence—so faith frames everyday needs. [54:09]
4. Teach children to pray early Spiritual formation begins at home and as early as infancy; rhythm matters more than perfection. Regularly reading Scripture, singing, and praying with children forms memory, language, and theological habits that surface in crisis and decision. Parents do not have to be flawless; consistent faithfulness shapes futures. [36:01]
5. Embrace trials as sanctification Trials do not indicate God’s absence but his refining hand; God limits testing and supplies escape. When we interpret suffering as discipline and growth rather than mere punishment, we help children develop perseverance and hope. Prayer sustains endurance and converts hardship into spiritual formation. [64:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:44] - Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:9–13
[32:15] - Prayer as Foundational Discipline
[34:18] - The Model Prayer: Overview
[36:01] - Teaching Children to Pray
[40:12] - God’s Holiness and Our Reverence
[46:27] - God’s Will and Kingdom Focus
[54:09] - Providence: Daily Bread Explained
[59:50] - Forgiveness and Confession
[64:07] - Trials, Temptation, and Deliverance
[74:32] - Invitation to Pray and Closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 6:9–13 (CSB)
“Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Observation Questions

According to the model prayer, what should come first when we pray, and why is this significant?
How does the phrase “give us today our daily bread” connect to the story of God providing manna in Exodus 16?
What does Jesus emphasize about forgiveness in this prayer, and how does it relate to our relationships with others?
What practical example was given about teaching children to pray “as early as infancy”? [36:01]

Interpretation Questions

Why might starting prayer with God’s holiness (“your name be honored as holy”) reshape our perspective on our needs and desires?
How does trusting God for “daily bread” challenge modern attitudes toward self-sufficiency and material security?
The prayer links receiving forgiveness to extending forgiveness. What does this imply about the connection between God’s mercy and our responsibility to others?
How does the idea that trials are “occasions for sanctification” (rather than punishment) change how we respond to hardship? [01:04:07]

Application Questions

How could you intentionally begin your prayers this week by focusing on God’s holiness (e.g., naming His attributes, reading a Psalm of praise)? What might this look like in your daily routine?
What is one practical way to model dependence on God’s provision (e.g., thanking Him for meals, discussing the source of blessings with family) to teach children gratitude? [54:09]
Is there a relationship where you’ve struggled to extend forgiveness? How might praying “forgive us as we forgive others” reshape your next interaction with that person?
When facing a current trial, how could you reframe it as an opportunity for spiritual growth rather than a setback? What specific truth about God’s faithfulness could you cling to?
For parents/grandparents: What small, consistent habit (e.g., bedtime prayer, Scripture songs) could you start this month to instill reverence for God in a child? [36:20]
How can you intentionally acknowledge God’s will over your plans this week (e.g., pausing to pray before decisions, surrendering a specific worry)?
If prayer feels routine, what step could you take to make it a “living conversation” (e.g., journaling, silent listening, praying Scripture)?

Sermon Clips

And there's no greater truth, moms, that you can pass on to your kids than the truth. Not a truth, but the truth. Make sure you understand not a, but the is very exclusive. And I I get it in our society today, we gotta include everybody. We gotta be really inclusive because people get upset if you don't include them in things. Well, Christianity is exclusive. Now Jesus wants to include everyone. Please understand that. But it is exclusive because when he says, I'm not a way, a truth, a life, but the way, the truth, the life. Very exclusive. Only one way. That's Jesus. [00:45:24] (38 seconds) #JesusIsTheWay

So the trial that you're experiencing right now, the test that's going on in your life, the only way to get through it is to actually go through it. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. Moms, you cannot shelter your kids from these trials. I I know the term at least a little while ago, I don't know if it's still the term today, helicopter parents, helicopter moms, can't do it. You to protect them, yes. Keep them as secure as possible. But God is trying to sanctify them if they're followers of Jesus. God is trying to mold them into his image, and you can't step in the way of that. [01:04:16] (46 seconds) #GrowThroughTrials

Now I'm guessing all of us in this room and everyone watching online, we've got at least a refrigerator in our home. Some of us have more than one, maybe even two or three. And we've got at least a freezer there at the top of that refrigerator or the bottom of that refrigerator. Some of the rest of us have multiple freezers so we don't have to pray for God to provide daily bread for us because we can walk in the pantry and we got more food. We can feed every person in this room for about a week with all the stuff we got in our pantries. Right? Yes. Let's be honest. Come on now. We're all friends here. [00:55:17] (38 seconds) #BlessedWithPlenty

But you've gotta believe in him because right now when you're in rebellion against him, how unbelievably blessed we are that God would forgive us. Why do I say that? We don't deserve forgiveness of our sins. There's not a one of us good enough for that. We can't work hard enough to gain forgiveness for our sins. We can't spend enough money to purchase forgiveness of our sins. You know who purchased it for us? Jesus. By giving his precious blood, his perfect blood. Moms, teach your kids that they need to be forgiven of their sins. Because without forgiveness of our sins, the Bible tells us we are destined for hell. [01:00:31] (50 seconds) #ForgivenessThroughJesus

But since it is Mother's Day, moms, the greatest spiritual discipline you should and can teach to your kids is how to pray. What age? As early as possible. I would even argue as soon as you bring them home from the hospital, begin to pray over them. Read scripture to them. Sing songs to them. You say, well, I can't sing very well. It's it's your kid. No one else is listening to you. You love your child. [00:35:53] (43 seconds) #PrayFromDayOne

Moms, you're the very first ones that teach your kids about god and faith in Jesus. I mean, if you really are, as you're bringing them home from the hospital, teaching them about Jesus, you're the very first one to do that. And I would even hope and pray that as they are in your body, you're praying over them. You are singing hymns and choruses and spiritual songs over them. You're the very first person to do that long before any preacher ever gets his hands on your child and teaching them or long before any Sunday school teacher or children's music teacher, or anybody else in this church. [00:38:24] (41 seconds) #MomIsFirstTeacher

Moms, this is a great lesson you can teach your children. We're not living rebellion against God's will, but be in submission to it. And I argue there is no sweeter safer space to be than in the will of the holy God. I mean, when you're in the will of God, it is sweet and it is safe. You say, well, there's lots of persecution going on in the world today. You're right. It is. But if you believe that God is sovereign, which means that means God knows exactly how many days each one of us have left, God is not going to let us die before it is time for us to die. Just rest in his will. Do what he tells us to do. [00:53:29] (40 seconds) #SafeInGodsWill

Moms, teach your kids to submit to the reign of Jesus. Then we see here, it says, your will be done on earth as is in heaven. We know that God's will is perfect because it's perfectly being implemented right now in heaven. God's will is being perfectly implemented right now. Eventually, God's will is gonna be perfectly implemented here. It just isn't happening right now. But eventually, it will. His followers though, those of us who are bought by the blood of Jesus, we should be about the will of God. [00:50:50] (31 seconds) #LiveGodsWill

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