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
IF YOU REMEMBER THIS PARABLE, YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE SURPRISED BY THE KING, FOR THEY WERE SO BUSY DOING, THAT THEY DIDN’T CONSIDER WHY THEY WERE DOING IT. IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THEY HAD TO DO.
WHEN WE PRAY FOR OTHERS WE ARE RECOGNIZING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AS DOES “OUR FATHER HALLOWED BY THY NAME, THY KINGDOM COME.” THE SELFLESS ACT OF PRAYING FOR OTHERS IS A NATURAL OUTCOME.
POINT THREE: THIS DAY
“THIS DAY” REMINDS US NOT TO GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES. IT REMINDS US THAT OUR CHRISTIAN WALK IS A DAILY WALK, AND WE NEED A DAILY RENEWAL OF HIS STRENGTH AND PATIENCE.
WHEN WE LIVE IN THE PAST WE USUALLY ARE THINKING, “OH IF IT COULD ONLY BE THAT WAY AGAIN”, AND LIVE IN SADNESS. WHEN WE LIVE IN THE FUTURE, A GREAT DEAL OF THE TIME WE ARE LIVING IN WORRY. WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW. JESUS TEACHES US TO LIVE IN THE PRESENT. HE SAID IN MATTHEW
MATTHEW 6:31-34:
SO DO NOT WORRY, SAYING, ‘WHAT SHALL WE EAT?’ OR ‘WHAT SHALL WE DRINK?’ OR ‘WHAT SHALL WE WEAR?’ 32 FOR THE PAGANS RUN AFTER ALL THESE THINGS, AND YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU NEED THEM. 33 BUT SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL. 34 THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITSELF. EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN.
THIS PORTION OF THE PRAYER IS NOT A COMMAND BUT A PROMISE THAT THE NEED THAT WE HAVE THIS DAY WILL BE MET THIS DAY.
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
POINT FOUR: OUR DAILY BREAD
THE INVITATION TO PRAY “GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD” IS NOT AN OPEN INVITATION TO PRAY FOR ANYTHING THAT WE WANT. IF IT WERE JESUS WOULD NOT HAVE SIMPLIFIED HIS PRAYER TO THE NECESSITY OF BREAD.
BREAD WAS A STAPLE OF JESUS TIME. IT WAS A MAIN FOOD SOURCE IN HOUSEHOLDS AND AFFORDABLE TO ALL FAMILIES.
THIS PART OF THE PRAYER IS A PETITION ASKING GOD AND HAVING CONFIDENCE THAT GOD WILL MEET THE DAILY TRUE NEEDS OF OUR LIVES.
CONSIDER GOD’S PROVISION FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WHEN THEY WERE FREED FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE EGYPTIANS. THEY BROUGHT MANY THINGS WITH THEM, BUT THE ISSUE OF SUSTAINING THEMSELVES FOR THAT 40 YEAR PERIOD UNTIL GOD WOULD ALLOW THEM TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND.
THEY WERE IN THE DESERT AND BY THIS TIME THEIR NUMBERS WERE IN THE MILLIONS. HOW WOULD THEY LIVE?
EXODUS 16:4-5:
THEN THE LORD SAID TO MOSES, “I WILL RAIN DOWN BREAD FROM HEAVEN FOR YOU. THE PEOPLE ARE TO GO OUT EACH DAY AND GATHER ENOUGH FOR THAT DAY. IN THIS WAY I WILL TEST THEM AND SEE WHETHER THEY WILL FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS. 5 ON THE SIXTH DAY THEY ARE TO PREPARE WHAT THEY BRING IN, AND THAT IS TO BE TWICE AS MUCH AS THEY GATHER ON THE OTHER DAYS.”
EACH DAY GOD PROVIDED THEM WITH MANNA, MEAT, AND WATER. HE MET THEIR DAILY NEEDS. THEY COULD ONLY GATHER ENOUGH MANNA TO MEET THEIR DAILY NEEDS. SOME TRIED TO GET HUGE AMOUNTS OF IT ONLY TO FIND THAT IT WOULD GO BAD, EXCEPT FOR GATHERING FOR THE SABBOATH. THEN THEY WERE ALLOWED TO GATHER FOR TWO DAYS.
AT MARAH HE PROVIDED WATER FROM A ROCK.
EXODUS 16:35: THE ISRAELITES ATE MANNA FORTY YEARS, UNTIL THEY CAME TO A LAND THAT WAS SETTLED; THEY ATE MANNA UNTIL THEY REACHED THE BORDER OF CANAAN.
MOSES WAS COMMANDED BY GOD TO INCLUDE MANNA IN THE ARK OF THE COVENANT AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW GOD PROVIDED FOR HIS PEOPLE.
EXODUS 16:33-34:
SO MOSES SAID TO AARON, “TAKE A JAR AND PUT AN OMER OF MANNA IN IT. THEN PLACE IT BEFORE THE LORD TO BE KEPT FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME.” 34 AS THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES, AARON PUT THE MANNA WITH THE TABLETS OF THE COVENANT LAW, SO THAT IT MIGHT BE PRESERVED.
FOOD WAS NOT THE ONLY THING GOD PROVIDED FOR HIS PEOPLE. HE PROVIDED FOR THEIR CLOTHING AS WELL.
DEUTERONOMY 29:5: YET THE LORD SAYS, “DURING THE FORTY YEARS THAT I LED YOU THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, YOUR CLOTHES DID NOT WEAR OUT, NOR DID THE SANDALS ON YOUR FEET.
I’M TELLING YOU IT WAS A NIGHTMARE FOR THE WOMEN. CAN YOU IMAGINE GOING FOR 40 YEARS, WITH THE SAME CLOTHES AND SHOES. 40 YEARS OF NO SHOPPING, WE DO SERVE AN AWESOME AND ALLPOWERFUL GOD.
DAVID SAID IN THE PSALMS:
PSALM 37:25: I WAS YOUNG AND NOW I AM OLD, YET I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN OR THEIR CHILDREN BEGGING BREAD.
GOD PROVIDED FOR ELIJAH THROUGH THE WIDOW AF ZAREPHATH. SHE ACTED ON FAITH TO PROVIDE FOR ELIJAH EVEN THOUGH IT MOST LIKELY MEANT DEATH FOR HER AND HER CHILD. WHAT DID ELIJAH TELL HER?
1 KINGS 17:13-16:
ELIJAH SAID TO HER, “DON’T BE AFRAID. GO HOME AND DO AS YOU HAVE SAID. BUT FIRST MAKE A SMALL LOAF OF BREAD FOR ME FROM WHAT YOU HAVE AND BRING IT TO ME, AND THEN MAKE SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR SON. 14 FOR THIS IS WHAT THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, SAYS: ‘THE JAR OF FLOUR WILL NOT BE USED UP AND THE JUG OF OIL WILL NOT RUN DRY UNTIL THE DAY THE LORD SENDS RAIN ON THE LAND.’ ” 15 SHE WENT AWAY AND DID AS ELIJAH HAD TOLD HER. SO THERE WAS FOOD EVERY DAY FOR ELIJAH AND FOR THE WOMAN AND HER FAMILY. 16 FOR THE JAR OF FLOUR WAS NOT USED UP AND THE JUG OF OIL DID NOT RUN DRY, IN KEEPING WITH THE WORD OF THE LORD SPOKEN BY ELIJAH.
JESUS RECOGNIZED THE DAILY NEEDS OF THOSE FOLLOWING HIM. AFTER TEACHING ALL DAY HE FED OVER 5000 PEOPLE WITH FIVE LOAVES OF BREAD AND 2 FISH.
WHEN WE PRAY OUR DAILY BREAD WE REALIZE TWO THINGS:
1. GOD PROVIDES WHAT WE REALLY NEED.
2. GOD PROVIDES IT WHEN WE NEED IT MOST.
POINT FIVE: PRINCIPLES FOR RECEIVING GOD’S PROVISION
THERE ARE PRINCIPLES WE MUST FOLLOW IF WE ARE TO RECEIVE GOD’S PROVISION.
1. OBEDIENCE:
WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO OUR WALK WITH CHRIST
JOHN 15:7-8:
IF YOU REMAIN IN ME AND MY WORDS REMAIN IN YOU, ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH, AND IT WILL BE DONE FOR YOU. 8 THIS IS TO MY FATHER’S GLORY, THAT YOU BEAR MUCH FRUIT, SHOWING YOURSELVES TO BE MY DISCIPLES.
WE MUST ALSO BE THINKING ABOUT OTHERS.
HEBREWS 10:24-25:
AND LET US CONSIDER HOW WE MAY SPUR ONE ANOTHER ON TOWARD LOVE AND GOOD DEEDS, 25 NOT GIVING UP MEETING TOGETHER, AS SOME ARE IN THE HABIT OF DOING, BUT ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER—AND ALL THE MORE AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING.
HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES AND EXPRESS OUR RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS CHRIST AND TO OTHERS, CAN BE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THE PROVISION OF THE LORD.
2. FAITH:
HEBREWS 11:6: AND WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD, BECAUSE ANYONE WHO COMES TO HIM MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS AND THAT HE REWARDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM.
WE MUST BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL PROVIDE. WE MAY NOT KNOW HOW, WE NEED NOT KNOW HOW, BUT THAT HE WILL.
CONCLUSION:
WHEN WE PRAY THIS PRAYER IN SERIOUSNESS, WONDERFUL THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO US AND WE WILL BE TRANSFORMED.
FROM FEAR TO CONFIDENCE: WE WILL LEARN THAT GOD WILL MEET OUR DAILY NEEDS.
GRUMBLING TO GRATITUDE: WE WILL STOP FOCUSING ON OUR NEED AND BE GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR MEETING THAT NEED.
TROUBLED TO TRUSTING: WE WILL LIVE IN THE REALIZATION THAT GOD WILL MEET OUR DAILY NEEDS AND TRUST HIM TO DO SO.
LISTEN TO A STORY ABOUT GEORGE MUELLER’S ORPHANAGE:
THINGS LOOKED BLEAK FOR THE CHILDREN IN GEORGE MUELLER’S ORPHANAGE AT ASHLEY DOWNS IN ENGLAND. IT WAS TIME FOR BREAKFAST AND THERE WAS NO FOOD. A SMALL GIRL WHOSE FATHER WAS A CLOSE FRIEND OF MUELLER WAS VISITING IN THE HOME. MUELLER TOOK HER HAND AND SAID, “COME AND SEE WHAT OUR FATHER WILL DO.”
IN THE DINING ROOM, LONG TABLES WERE SET WITH EMPTY PLATES AND EMPTY MUGS. NOT ONLY WAS THERE NO FOOD IN THE KITCHEN, BUT THERE WAS NO MONEY IN THE HOME’S ACCOUNT. THE CHILDREN WERE ALL STANDING AROUND WAITING FOR THEIR BRASKFASTS, AND MR, MUELLER SAID TO THEM, “CHILDREN, YOU KNOW WE MUST BE IN TIME FOR SCHOOL.” THEN HE LIFTED HIS HEAD AND PRAYED, “DEAR FATHER, WE THANK THEE FOR WHAT THOU ART GOING TO GIVE US TO EAT.”
IMMEDIATELY THEY HEARS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR. WHEN THEY OPENED IT, THERE STOOD THE LOCAL BAKER. “MR. MUELLER, I COULD NOT SLEEP LAST NIGHT. SOMEHOW I FELT YOU DIDN’T HAVE BREAD FOR BREAKFAST, AND THE LORD WANTED ME TO SEND YOU SOME. SO I GOT UP AT 2:00 A.M. AND BAKED SOME FRESH BREAD AND HERE IT IS.” MUELLER THANKED HIM AND GAVE PRAISE TO GOD.
MOMENTS LATER THERE WAS A SECOND KNOCK ON THE DOOR. IT WAS THE LOCAL MILKMAN WHOSE WAGON HAD JUST BROKEN DOWN IN FRONT OF MUELLER’S ORPHANAGE. HE OFFERED THE MILK TO MUELLER AND THE ORPHANS SO HE COULD HAVE HIS WAGON HAULED TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. AND TO GOD BE THE PRAISE AND GLORY FOR IT.
