Our Daily Bread Series

A Study of the Lord’s Prayer

Lesson # 5

“Our Daily Bread”

Matthew 6:11

“In this manner, therefore, pray. Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. (10) Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:10-11(NKJV)

When the Lord responded to the disciples request that He teach them how to pray, He gave them the most perfect and comprehensive outline for prayer ever conceived. As we have noted so far, the prayer consists of seven petitions or requests. The first three have to do with God and are distinguished by the word “thy.” “Thy name,” “Thy kingdom,” and “Thy will.” The second four petitions, which we begin to examine now, have to do with human well-being and are distinguished by the word “us:” “give us,” “forgive us,” “keep us” and “lead us.” In these last petitions we turn from praying for God’s glory to praying for our needs.

Introduction Our Father

The Thy Section

“In Heaven” Thy name be hallowed – worship

Thy kingdom come – guidance

Thy will be done – yieldedness

On Earth as it is in Heaven

The Us Section

“On Earth” Give us bread – provision

Give us forgiveness – pardon

Keep us from temptation – victory

Deliver us from evil - protection

It is interesting that the first real petition in this model prayer only comes after we have begun in praise and have affirmed the priority of the kingdom of God and his rule in our lives. We can only truly pray effectively for ourselves after gaining the perspective that worship and a focus on the kingdom of God will provide. Only then are we ready to ask for the things that we need.

I. THE PRAYER FOR GOD’S PROVISION

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

In this prayer for daily “bread,” bread stands for more than just food. It stands for all the results we get from eating food. It stands for all the physical things we need for life.

You have three kinds of needs:

Physical needs, shelter, food and clothing.

When you awoke this morning, none of you had even the slightest doubt that you would be able to eat today. Most of the major concerns for the average American is what will we eat, not whether we will eat.

Emotional needs, stability, confidence and self esteem

Spiritual needs, Which can only be satisfied in Jesus Christ.

What this request means! First, to pray “give us this day our daily bread,” to ask God to “give” us suggests our absolute dependence on God for everything. God made us with needs so that we would have to look to Him to supply them. To pray this prayer for “our daily bread,” expresses our conviction and belief that God is able to answer our prayer and to meet our needs. It is not that we are praying to overcome God’s unwillingness or overcome his reluctance, seeking to bend His will to ours, but it is rather the taking hold of God’s willingness to give.

God desires daily dependence on Himself. When God provided manna in the wilderness for the Israelites, they were commanded to gather only enough food for each day (Exodus 16:16). If they gathered more than they needed it would spoil over night (Exodus 16:20). God wanted them to realize that they must trust Him to provide for their needs every day.

In the spiritual realm it is just as true that yesterday’s strength is absolutely useless to fight today’s battles. Sometimes we as Christians rely on our experiences with God in the past. Of course they were good, but we need a fresh touch of God in our lives everyday. God never gives us a reservoir of grace in our lives, but expects to turn to Him everyday for the grace sufficient to meet the challenges of that day. “He is not going to give you the grace to do something tremendous tomorrow. He is going to give you grace to be extraordinary in the ordinary circumstances of today.” [Alan Redpath. Victorious Praying: Studies in the Lord’s Prayer. (Grand Rapids; Fleming Revell, 1993). p.73]. The phrase, “this day” reminds us as believers that we need daily renewal of our patience. We often get stressed out with anxiety because we try to face the problems of tomorrow today. Jesus addressed the problem of worry later in the Sermon on the Mount were he said, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (32) For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matt 6:31-34 NKJV). When we worry about tomorrow we are telling the heavenly father that we are not sure that He can provide for tomorrow’s bread.