THE PRAYER OF DEPENDENCE
‘Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread.’ Matthew 6:11
1) BREAD REPRESENTS THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE
‘The ocean teams with life of every kind both great and small. Every one of these depend on you to give them daily food. You supply it and they gather it.’ Psalm 104
‘Hard work pays off, mere talk puts no bread on the table.’ Proverbs 14:23 (Message)
2) BREAD REPRESENTS GOD’S WORD
‘God humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna.’ Deuteronomy 8:3 (NLT)
3) BREAD REPRESENTS GOD’S FAMILY AND FELLOWSHIP…
‘The bread which we break does it not mean that in eating it together we participate in and share in the fellowship of the body of Christ.’ (Amplified)
‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship and the breaking of bread, and to prayer.’ Acts 2:42..
4) BREAD REPRESENTS SALVATION
‘Jesus took a piece of bread and he gave thanks to God and he broke it and he gave it to them and he said “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.”’ Luke 22:19 (TEV)
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DEPEND ON GOD?
1. DEPENDING ON GOD MEANS SEEING GOD AS MY SOURCE…
‘GIVE us today our daily bread’
First, Everything Is A Gift From God…
‘Every good and perfect gift is from above.’ James 1:17
Second, There’s Nothing I Need That God Can’t Provide
‘God will supply all that you ever need from his glorious resources in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:19 (Ph)
Third, God Wants To Give It…
‘If you were asked by your son for bread, would you give him a stone? How much more likely is it that your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him?’ Matthew 7:11 (NIV)
Fourth, God is Waiting On You…
‘…You do not have because you do not askGod!’ James 4:2 (NIV)
‘Ask and it shall be given. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be open.’
‘Whatsoever you ask in my name I will do..’
‘Ask that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’
2. DEPENDING ON GOD MEANS TRUSTING HIM FOR TODAY
‘Give us TODAY our DAILY bread.’
‘Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, thanking him for all he has done… And fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable and excellent and worthy of praise.’ Philippians 4:6, 8 (NLT)
1. Worry About Nothing
‘Don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.’ Matthew 6:34 (LB)
2. Pray About Everything
‘Since God didn’t spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us all, won’t he also surely give us everything else?’ Romans 8:32 (LB)
3. Thank God In All Things…
‘In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in ChristJesus for you.’
I Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)
‘I can’t count the times you have faithfully rescued me… I will tell everyone how good you are, and of your constant, daily care.’ Psalm 71:15 (LB)
4. Think About The Right Things…
‘And fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable, and excellent and worthy of praise.’ Philippians 4:8
‘Your words were found, and I ate them, and your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart..’ Jeremiah 15:16 (NKJV)
‘He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord.’ Isaiah 26:3 (LB)
3. I SHARE WHATEVER HE SUPPLIES….
Give us today OUR daily bread.’
1. WHAT GOD GIVES TO ME HE WANTS TO GIVE THROUGH ME
‘God, who supplies seed for the sower and bread to eat, will also supply you with all the seed you need and will make it grow and produce a rich harvest from your generosity. He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times so that many will thank God for your gifts ….This service you perform will not only meet the needs of God’s people, but also produce an outpouring of gratitude to God.’ 2 Corinthians 9:10-12 (TEV)
2. WHEN I MEET OTHERS NEEDS GOD TAKES CARE OF MINE
‘Share your bread with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives. Then my favor will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. I will always be with you to save you; my presence will protect you on every side. And when you pray, I will answer you.’ Isaiah 58:7-9 (TEV)
3. WHATEVER I GIVE TO GOD, HE MULTIPLIES
‘Cast your bread upon the waters and after many days you will get it back.’ Ecclesiastes 11:1 (RSV)
‘It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything.’ Proverbs 11:24 (NLT)
GOD’S MODEL FOR TRINITY
‘DAILY they continued to meet together and worshipped together in the temple courts. They also fellowshipped together in their homes with communion and eating together, sharing whatever they had with joyful and generous hearts. They praised God together and [as a result] the whole city liked them so every day more and more people were being saved, and DAILY the Lord added to the number of believers in the church.’ Acts 2:46-47 (NIV/NLT/CEV)