Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

MATTHEW 6:11

WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER I USED TO LOVE THE WEEKENDS. WE COULD PLAY ALL DAY SATURDAY, BUT WHAT I LOOKED FORWARD TO THE MOST ABOUT SATURDAY, WAS THAT WAS THE DAY MOM MADE BREAD AND ROLLS.

I REMEMBER A BIG IRON WASH BASIN THAT SHE USED FOR COOKING. THE BREAD WOULD RISE AND OVERFLOW THE SIDES. WHEN SHE CAME OUT TO KNEAD IT DOWN AGAIN, NO DOUBT SHE NOTICED A FEW HOLES IN WHAT WAS A VERY ROUND MOUND OF DOUGH. MY IT WAS GOOD.

IN THE SUMMER, IT WAS ALWAYS SERVED WITH POTATO SALAD, AND IN THE WINTER MOST OFTEN WITH BEANS, BUT IN MY MIND YOU COULDN’T TOP IT. FRESH HOMEMADE BREAD, ESPECIALLY THE INSIDE SLICES OF A DOUBLE LOAF, SLATHERED IN BUTTER AND FRESH STRAWBERRY OR RASPBERRY JAM, OR IF YOU WERE LIKE MY DAD MOLASSES, AND MY DAY WAS RIGHT.

IT DIDN’T STAY THAT WAY LONG, USUALLY JUST THREE OR FOUR DAYS, DRYING OUT MORE EACH DAY, BUT THE GOOD THING IS THAT THERE WASN’T MUCH LEFT TO DRY OUT. THE WEEKENDS WERE BUSY AND USUALLY WE HAD RELATIVES VISIT AND THE BREAD WAS IN HIGH DEMAND.

THE PETITION WE ARE LOOKING AT TODAY, SWITCHES OUR FOCUS FROM THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD TO THAT OF THE LORD MEETING OUR DAILY NEEDS. WHEN WE PRAY “GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD” WE ARE CONFESSING OUR DEPENDANCE ON GOD, TO MEET OUR NEEDS IN THIS WORLD.

WHEN JESUS SPOKE OF “OUR DAILY BREAD”, THE BREAD WAS SYMBOLIC OF OUR DAILY NEEDS. IN BIBLICAL TIMES BREAD WAS A STAPLE OF LIFE AND BAKED FRESH EVERY DAY. GOD GIVES DAILY BREAD TO ALL MEN, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD. WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE GOD AS OUR MASTER PROVIDER WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING HIM AS JEHOVAH-JIRAH.

WE HAVE THREE BASIC NEEDS THAT WE NEED GOD TO PROVIDE FOR:

PHYSICAL NEEDS: SHELTER, FOOD AND CLOTHING.

EMOTIONAL NEEDS: STABILITY, CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM

SPIRITUAL NEEDS: THESE CAN ONLY BE SATISFIED BY JESUS CHRIST.

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE WORDS OF THIS PETITION AND GLEAN FROM IT A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW GOD PROVIDES FOR US.

POINT ONE: GIVE

OUR FIRST POINT IS ONLY ONE WORD, BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT WORD.

THE WORD “GIVE” INDICATES OUR COMPLETE DEPENDANCE ON GOD FOR EVERYTHING. AS JOHN HAMBY SO ELEQUATELY STATES:

“GOD MADE US WITH NEEDS SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK TO HIM TO SUPPLY THEM.”

WHEN WE PRAY “GIVE” WE ARE ASKING FOR GOD’S HELP, WE ARE PUTTING OUR TRUST IN GOD THAT HE CAN AND WILL SUPPLY OUR NEEDS.

WE ARE IN FACT ASKING FOR THE FREEDOM FROM WORRY. HOW OFTEN HAVE WE LOOKED AT AN UPCOMING WEEK AND JUST SAID “HOW AM I GOING TO GET THROUGH IT?” YOU ARE ADMITTING THAT YOU ARE WORKING IN YOUR OWN POWER AND NOT LOOKING TO GOD.

ESSENTIALLY WORRY IS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE UNCONTROLLABLE. THIS IS WHERE SATAN WANTS YOU TO BE. WHEN YOU ARE FOCUSED ON WORRY THEN YOU FAIL TO REALIZE THAT NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE LORD.

JAMES 4:2: YOU DESIRE BUT DO NOT HAVE, SO YOU KILL. YOU COVET BUT YOU CANNOT GET WHAT YOU WANT, SO YOU QUARREL AND FIGHT. YOU DO NOT HAVE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT ASK GOD.

GOD WANTS US TO LOOK TO HIM IN ALL THINGS:

WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO, HE IS A SOURCE OF WISDOM.

WHEN WE FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING IS CAVING IN ON US, HE IS OUR SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

WHEN WE RUN OUT OF ENERGY, HE IS OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH

WHEN THINGS LOOK HOPELESS, HE IS OUR SOURCE OF HOPE.

WHEN WE ARE STRESSED, HE IS OUR SOURCE OF PEACE

WHEN WE ARE IRRITATED, GOD IS OUR SOURCE OF PATIENCE

WHEN WE ARE OVERWEALMED WITH GUILT, GOD IS OUR SOURCE OF SALVATION

GOD HAS GIVEN US HIS WONDERFUL PROMISE:

PHILIPPIANS 4:19-20:

AND MY GOD WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY IN CHRIST JESUS. 20 TO OUR GOD AND FATHER BE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN

TO PRAY “GIVE” IS NOT A DEMANDING OR COMMANDING PRAYER. IT IS THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THERE IS NOTHING THE SOVEREIGN GOD CAN’T DO FOR US, IF WE BUT ASK.

POINT TWO: “US”

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS NOT A SELFISH PRAYER. JESUS DID NOT COMMAND US TO PRAY “GIVE ME THIS DAY”

JESUS IS TELLING US THAT WE SHOULD PRAY ABOUT THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.

MATTHEW 25:34-36:

“THEN THE KING WILL SAY TO THOSE ON HIS RIGHT, ‘COME, YOU WHO ARE BLESSED BY MY FATHER; TAKE YOUR INHERITANCE, THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. 35 FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING TO EAT, I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING TO DRINK, I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU INVITED ME IN, 36 I NEEDED CLOTHES AND YOU CLOTHED ME, I WAS SICK AND YOU LOOKED AFTER ME, I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU CAME TO VISIT ME