PRAYER IS ABOUT REQUESTING Matthew 6:11 Message 5 Part 2 Introduction: Last time we started this part of the model prayer. When we say “Give us this day our daily bread”, we are saying “Lord, I need you for everything!” This is seen in my devotion by believing the Lord. It means I believe in the power of God. It was through His power that I was able to have my needs provided just like He did in the nation of Israel in the wilderness. It was through His power that He feed and provide the needs of the prophet Elijah. It means that I believe the promises of God. Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” 1st Kings 8:56 “Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.” Take the promises of God. Let a man feed for a month on the promises of God and he will not talk about how poor he is. You hear people say Oh my poverty; it is their laziness. If you would only read from Genesis to Revelation and see all the promises made by God to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to the Jews and to the Gentiles and to all His people everywhere- if you would spend one month feeding on the precious promises of God. You would not be going about complaining how poor you are. You would lift your head and proclaim the riches of His Grace because you could not help doing it. Dwight L. Moody This devotion shows my belief in my Lords personality. His personality shows His love and care for His children. Today we will see more on this part of the prayer. “Give us this day our daily bread.” II. THE DEPENDENCE OF THIS PRAYER This prayer does not only by honoring the Lord by worshiping Him as the great Giver. It also expresses the total dependence of the child of the Lord upon his heavenly Father. A. It Is A Prayer Of Confession. This simple statement says, “I can’t meet my own needs, but you can.” When I pray this prayer I am confessing my own weaknesses and limitation and I am confessing that I believe that the Lord is able where I am not. When I pray this prayer, I am not resting in my own ability to work and out food on my table. I am acknowledging the truth that I can only work because the Lord gives me the strength. I am expressing the truth that He is the Lord and I am totally dependent upon Him for all the things I need as I pass through this life day by day. Paul had this thought on this. 1st Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” It is because of the gracious working of the Lord in our lives. I must come to the place where I am honest about who is really in control. B. It Is A Prayer Of Confidence. The idea of this simple prayer is this: “Give us day by day the things that are necessary for life.” This is not a request for the Lord to meets needs that not yet arisen. It is an expression of faith in the Lord that says “I believe you will take care of me one day at a time.” There is no need to pray about yesterday’s needs for yesterday is forever gone. There is no need to prayer about tomorrow’s needs, for tomorrow may never come. I am told to pray about today and to walk in simple faith with the Lord day by day. Matthew 6:34 “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Many believers try to live on yesterday’s bread. It is stale bread and moldy. What you need is fresh bread day by day. We need a fresh work of the Lord in our hearts and lives everyday we live. We are to walk with Him on a day by day basis, trusting Him for all the needs of life. We need His righteousness for our sinfulness. W e need His supply for our weakness. We need His patience for our haste. We need the Bread of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ, to nourish us day by day. By the way, when you eat your daily bread remember that a kernel of wheat had to fall to the ground and die to give you that bread. As you pass through this life, never forget that Jesus Christ went to the cross and died in your place so that you might have Him as your Bread of Life day by day. You need Him, do not be afraid to call on Him in confidence, knowing that no one comes to the Heavenly Father’s table and goes away hungry! John Wesley was a preacher in the beginning of our country. He displayed this kind of contentment with the day by day provisions of His heavenly Father. Once Mr. Wesley was asked by a friend, “Supposing, Mr. Wesley, you knew that this was to be your last night on the earth, how would you spend it?” “Well, at four o’clock I would have some tea,” he replied “and at six o’clock I would visit Mrs. Brown in the hospital. Then at seven-thirty I would conduct mid- week service at the chapel. At nine-ten I would have my supper; at ten o’clock I would go to bed, and in the morning I would wake up in glory!” That is the kind of viewpoint concerning life we should want to be true in our lives. We should want the Lord’s best for today and we should want to be content to leave tomorrow in His capable hands. One of my favorite songs is called “Fear Not Tomorrow”. I want to give you just the chorus because it gives a great picture of what I just said. Fear not tomorrow, God is already there. Hes charting the course youll take; He sees each hidden snare. Hes waiting to guide you Through each burden and care. Fear not tomorrow, God is already there. C. It Is A Prayer Of Contentment. This simple prayer says, “I am willing to accept the things you will send into my life today.” I may not always like the bread the Lord sends my way, but I can trust Him to send me exactly what I need day by day. So, if I am called upon to eat the bread of sorrow and affliction, then He knows best. Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” My duty is to trust Him to do in my life exactly what needs to be done day by day. The practice of contentment is one of the greatest challenges any believer faces in life. Yet, it is what the Lord expects from each of us. Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Nothing says, “I trust you Lord,” like perfect contentment on the part of His children! May the Lord help us to get there and to walk with the Lord in total dependence day by day. Conclusion: This contentment is your choice. Most believers do not exercise contentment. They prefer complaining. So what is your choice? You was never really content until you was saved by the grace of God. Pastor Mike Walls Isaiah 41:10 Freedom Baptist Church Smithfield NC freedombaptistchurchnc.wordpress/
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 08:53:49 +0000
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