Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- Looking at Matt 6:11 – Give us this day our daily bread
- How often do you pray this prayer?
- How often have you prayed this without thinking?
- There is no point that God’s will is done, unless you want this done in your life too
- It is not a ‘superstitious’ prayer
- Jesus gave this as a model prayer
- To help us in our praying
- For guidance
- This prayer is about God
- The paternity of God – Father God
- The power of God – a Godly kingdom
- The plan of God
- The provision of God
- The first 3 matters are about God
- The next 3 matters are about us
- Thinking about God first
- Not to be selfish and pray about our own needs first
- Considering several things:
- Not taking God’s provisions for granted
- Growing in gratitude
- Asking for needs not our wants
- Not being a hypocrite
- Praying for those who do not have
- Remembering God is concerned for our bodies
- Doing everything for God’s glory
Not taking God’s provisions for granted
- It is easy to take God’s provisions for granted
- Sometimes we can pray without asking about our daily needs
- We can assume they will always be there
- We can act independently of God
- We can become self-sufficient
- Jesus wants us to remember that we are dependent upon God
- Example of Job, Naomi
- God can test us
- What we have – will not automatically always be there
- Think about today not tomorrow’s needs
- Jesus teaches on this later in the Sermon on the Mount
- Be dependent on God for today
- Have a right perspective
- Ask for your needs, not for your wants
- All good gifts come from God
- Quote from Thomas Boston
- Do we realise our dependence upon God?
- God can give and God can take away – examples
- Other things can happen to us
Growing in gratitude
- If we recognised God’s provision, then surely we thank Him?
- Do you say grace?
- Are you content with the basic necessities of life?
- Think of the discontentment of the Israelites
- Are we too fussy with food?
- Grow in gratitude
Asking for needs not our wants
- The Lord is gracious and gives us more than we need
- We are not called to ask for things that we do not need
- We are not told to pray for luxuries
- It involves the necessities, not luxuries
- Do not be covetousess and always asking more
- Be content with little and you will be thankful to God for more
- Ask for your needs and God will often give you beyond this
- Jesus enjoyed the gifts of God
- Jesus was also content with the basics
Not being a hypocrite
- Do not ask God for things you are unprepared to work for
- Being to lazy too work
- Not talking about those who are ill or unable to find work
- 1 Tim 5:8
- Do not be hypocritical
Praying for those who do not have
- Give "us" – a corporate, not just a personal prayer
- Examples
- Not a selfish prayer just for our needs but the needs of all of God’s people
Remembering God is concerned for our bodies
- God is concerned for our physical wellbeing
- It is not unspiritual to pray for a physical matter, those who are unwell
- We are not to divide the spiritual and physical – God is concerned with both
- Jesus came in a human body and was raised with a glorious body
- There will be a resurrection of the body
- Look after your body – examples
Doing everything for God’s glory
- Eat and drink to the glory of God
- 1 Cor 10:31
- Examples
- Prov 15:17
- All things in moderation
- "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God"
- We depend upon God
- We need His word
- We need to be made like the Lord Jesus Christ
- We need to thank God for our blessings
- We need to look to God
- How we ought to live for God’s glory
- He gave us every good gift – even His son
- Serve and love God
- Be dependent upon God