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Pray for daily bread
TEXT: Matt. 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Jesus gave us the “daily bread” prayer. It is obvious this prayer should be prayed every day.
A few days ago, God spoke to me about my failure in praying the “daily bread” prayer. He let me know that He meant for all Christians to pray this prayer every day and then He began to teach me why this prayer is so important.
First, “daily bread” is more than food. The word “bread” is often used for money. So “daily bread” is referring to all our needs regarding food, clothing, shelter, transportation, etc.
Second, we need the “daily bread” prayer to keep us dependent upon God. One of the problems we all face is an independent spirit. We want to “make it on our own.” We don’t want anyone to help us. We want to be free from obligation to anyone, including God. In fact we do not want “daily bread.” We want “monthly bread,” or “yearly bread,” or better yet, “life time bread.”
We are never happy when we only have enough for today. We are fearful that God will not come through tomorrow and we will be in want. We would not be comfortable with a provision like Elijah had when he was hiding from the king. Remember, the ravens brought Elijah food every day. We would be tempted to fear the food would not be there tomorrow rather than rejoicing in God’s constant and unfailing provision that expressed His love daily.
Third, when God graces us with “monthly bread,” or more, we quit praying the “daily bread” prayer. When our needs are met in advance, we lose our dependence upon God rather quickly. We quit seeing the need for the “daily bread” prayer and many times fail to even be grateful for the bountiful provision God has provided. For most people, it is not good for them to have much more than a daily provision.
Fourth, “daily bread” is more than “daily” bread. Our prayer for today affects not only our provision for today but also some of the provision God has planned for the future. We see this in the natural very easily. Business decisions that are made on one day affect income in the future. In the spiritual, God’s plan to bring a “windfall provision” into our life in the future may be dependent on something happening today. A rich uncle may leave us a huge inheritance in the future but the decision whether to put us in his will is being made today. The “daily bread” prayer needs to be prayed today!
Finally, “daily bread” is more than “personal bread.” God wants to provide extra funds to supply other needs that He brings to our attention. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
Over
God wants us become mature enough that he can give us abundant provisions. He wants us to be in a financial position to channel funds to every good work. The only way we can become that channel is to learn to trust God for “daily bread” and to learn to be satisfied with “daily bread.” When we get to that place, we become free from the lordship of money in our lives and are free to fully do the will of God.
Have you been guilty of not praying the “daily bread” prayer? If so, you need to repent before God as I did.
· First, we must acknowledge we have an independent spirit that wants more than “daily bread.”
· Second, we must acknowledge our disobedience has cost us the extra provision God has desired to bring into our lives. We truly have “fallen short of the Glory of God,” as Romans 3:23 states.
· Third, we need to commit ourselves to becoming “daily bread” people.
1. Pray the “daily bread” prayer every day.
2. Develop the intimate relationship that comes with trusting God daily for our needs.
3. Become grateful for our “daily bread.”
4. Become content with our “daily bread.”
5. Lose our fear of giving even our “last dollar” because of faith our “daily bread” will come again tomorrow.
As for myself, I have repented and have been praying the “daily bread” prayer every day since God taught me last week. I am asking God to make me a “daily bread” person. I hope that you too will repent and become a “daily bread” person.