994. Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Welcome to The Daily Platform. Our program preacher sermons from travel services at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Every day students are blessed by the preaching and teaching of the Bible from the University Chapel platform in our study series for the next several days be in Matthew chapter 6 the Lord's prayer today will be studying.

Give us this day our daily bread with Dr. Drew Conley, senior pastor at Hampton Park Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. Great privilege to be with you today and I trust that our meditation only one that will be an encouragement to you, God continues to train us in his ways, well beyond our seminary days as challenging as the academic rigor is and all that goes with it. In these days God doesn't quit training his kids and so were still in that process. I remember not too long before my dad died, his stretching upstairs retarding upstairs togetherness. I just thought I would be more sanctified, less carnal at this point in my life that I am so we keep growing and we keep learning and it's often through actually the very arena were to talk about today that God grows us and so we want to focus on this phrase. Give us this day our daily bread. And if you're looking for an outlined today. There will be one so don't don't be frustrated that you're not finding the outline because is not going to be an outline were going to kinda follow what I hope will be a logical flow of thought to be a blessing to you on the model prayer that Jesus gives his followers. The sermon on the Mount is actually part of an overall contrast between the righteousness of the Pharisees were considered the best examples of righteousness of the day and the actual true righteousness of those that were really citizens of that everlasting kingdom of the Messiah.

In contrast to prayers that were offered to glorify self like we see with the Jews and often with any religious people that, in contrast to the prayers designed to manipulate God because you don't trust him enough to do good toward you, like the prayers of the pagans of the day Jesus taught his disciples to pray like this, our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Our Texas morning stands at the very center of this prayer. In fact, if you actually count the English words you have.

If I cannot write 24 words before and 23, after, and I think there's 25 Greek words after 24 and 23 or 25 if the first part could be summarized as worship, prayer is worship the second part would be prayers reliance in this request leads off the reliance section.

In other words, that the very first thing that Jesus says to pray for when you are lying on God, is this now, I don't know about you but I find that striking you would think that this request would would almost be an afterthought for really spiritually minded people rate but instead Jesus puts it between your will be done, and forgive us our debts. In other words, between God's sovereign rule and our need to be forgiven for violating this request right in the middle of those. So this request teaches us truth, both about God and about ourselves, teaches us that life is more integrated and sometimes we think it is in the God's love for us extends to our bodies, as well as to our souls and that our real needs that nurture healthy dependence on God. Our physical as well as spiritual. Jesus healed bodies, not just souls. He fed the hungry, as well as pointing people to the bread of eternal life, and so if we take our cue from Jesus. If we take our cue really from as we read the Scriptures, God's care for this part of us.

We we understand that God cares for all that makes us and supplies our needs was actually the ancient Greek philosophers that preached the false gospel of a dualistic universe where the soul is valuable in the body as a prison and then the Gnostics take up the theme and the divide between the evil material world and the good spiritual world that God created both in God says that both very good. When he created them.

We send in the garden. The curse of death fell, not just upon our souls, but upon our bodies and the redemption through Christ rescues our bodies as well as our souls solution surprises then that that Christ resurrects our bodies at the end of the age. Death is the enemy, and death separates body from soul, and Christ conquered death, reuniting body and soul in the resurrection. His resurrection guarantees ours is not content God is not the content to save just the immaterial part of you who's going to save all of you seem save all of us in our glorified state. Our bodies become immortal and we still eat 12 kinds of fruit grow along that river leading to the throne of God eating was part of man's unfallen state and eating will be part of our glorified state as well. God's rescue of our bodies and care for them is not just future it actually extends to our present existence asked why we would pray this way he heals us and keeps us alive in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit affects both our bodies and our soul. God move them together an integrated whole.

For instance, think about verses like this, we present our bodies as they are bodies as a living sacrifice to God is our spiritual are our rational service of worship our liturgy to God is not just what were thinking and what were doing on the inside wall. Obviously that's critically important. But it's how that translates into what we do on the outside with our bodies, how we use our fingers and how we use our meet in a blessing under the feet of those that carry the good news of the gospel your God reigns.

We praise God with physical tongues. We share the gospel with our mouths.

We serve God with physical strength. We use our bodies to do works of righteousness.

And when we use them for send we violate the very purpose for which God gave us physical being. Think about verses like first Thessalonians 4, three and four for this is the will of God. Even your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication that Odyssey starts in the mind, but it extends to the body that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor to how to how to use my body for God is something that God cares about in this request helps us understand that the connection between body and soul and God's care for both God's our creator or sustainer of the Lord of history, not just the macro history of the rise and fall of nations at the micro history of our daily lives. With all the tangle of needs with our desires with our labor and the reward from it. Think about what Ecclesiastes teaches us it teaches us about life under the sun, and how to how to deal with living in a fallen world and the frustration of being part of an earth. That's Kirsten yet trying to live for God and in part of what the writer Solomon teaches us is that it shows thanksgiving to God. It brings God honor to actually enjoy what he provides that that enjoying your food ought to be an act of worship to God.

His life force is what makes crops grow and what gives strength for us to work for what we eat there would be no seed of God, and created it.

There would be no harvest if he didn't give growth to it, the rain, the sun, the minerals life itself. All belong to God and or gifts of a good God to us and God created us as those with physical needs replaced Adam and Eve, of all places in the garden ever thought about that you place them in the garden full of food and beauty with fulfilling physical work, along with the spiritual refreshment of walking with God in the cool of the day and was right from the beginning in God's perfect design. This is this is meant for these things to work together so praying for our daily bread is is more significant than what we might think it is often the training ground of faith and it's the battleground against sin. Remember, it was this very area of need that the serpent targeted the command. You shall not eat of this one tree display not just the authority of God, but the generosity of God because all the other trees. God freely gave out many to eat as a desired their food need was supplied.

Satan argued that God's was untrustworthy in his warning that God was stingy in his gifts, Satan charged the God was denying Adam and Eve. What they needed be filled and fulfilled. It was all a deadly lie.

They fell for it, and ever since then we their descendents have been falling for the same line. Instead of trusting God for daily food and recognizing that he meets our needs that he's not shortchanging us that that he's not cutting us off. These not keeping us from being fulfilled and in finding what we need. How many temptations are rooted in our feeling like God hasn't given us what we actually need you think it think about most of the physical temptations that the where Satan attacks us and draws us have to do with feeling like we have a need that God is not meeting and and so we try to meet the need in the way that God wouldn't approve how many give themselves to sin. The largely for the sake of eating better, or at least indulging the body and some perceived need.

Instead of trusting God to supply within the boundaries of his will. Satan use the human need for food and his temptation of the second Adam.

The Lord Jesus. If you are the son of God turn these stones into bread.

Jesus is very hungry is been fasting for days and Jesus replies it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded from the mouth of God, was he saying no read your Bible, and then you don't have to eat that's not what he saying is going from Deuteronomy 8 from a passage that talks about God supply of all the needs that Israel had their physical needs like that she's not wearing out and like having food to eat manna. Israel ate manna through their 40 years of wandering through the wilderness. They ate manna because God said I'm gonna give you manna God chose to meet that need.

The manna actually stopped after the cross the Jordan on the very day that they first ate the crops of Canaan and was promised land, God supplied their need in the wilderness, in an extraordinary way and God supplied their need and Canaan, and what we would call the normal way but either way God supplied their need for food. What Jesus is saying is that God supplies are need for food. I don't have to go outside the boundaries of God's will.

In order to achieve it. So how we get our food is under his jurisdiction in Jesus. James teaches us that we should be praying if the Lord wills will go into a city spending your will buy sell and get gain. We don't just make our plans for how were going to eat apart from subjecting them to the will of God. However, he wants us to be subjected work is often difficult, and ever since the curse we eat by the spirit sweat of our brow so sometimes people go hungry because they will work. In fact the Scripture says if you don't work, you shouldn't eat. But even if were working for it. As God wills it is ultimately God who feeds us.

We often think about who You live last night while you were sleeping when you weren't there. Monitoring your heartbeat now beat begin begin which your breathing right you were thinking about all it is interesting you know God compares death to sleep in and when were asleep. There's a sense in which we we might as well be dead in terms of the control that we have got kept us alive and in God does that through our lives.

Whatever shortage we may feel we do feel it at times God designs that sense of need to drive us to him as our ultimate provider so we look at this request to realize that bringing our physical needs to God does not express spiritual maturity, but rather it gratefully affirms that God cares about us both body and spirit.

It expresses trust in his ability, and in his willingness to supply what we need that confidence in the reliability of God that conviction that God is actually good is what carries us through the dark times in the difficult times know we saying that you're the Lord is my shepherd, some 23. How much of that imagery.

There is of the Lord.

Providing food for sheep and protection for them and physical care and isn't this exactly what Jesus teaches us later in Matthew six when he says, take no thought, don't. Don't be worried about it. We fretting don't be don't make it a burdensome care, saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed, says for after all these things to the Gentiles seek those that don't know God, for your heavenly father know that you have need of these things, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you ever thought about for you and I to actually serve God in whatever arena he's called us to serve and bring it down to perhaps the greatest mission of all of of sharing the gospel in making disciples, we really can't focus on that. The way that we ought to if her fretting about what we can eat that the world is pursuing a whim I can eat when we get aware you know how McGinley ends meet and that takes so much energy and focus and in time it distracts from the real mission of life.

If my mission in life is is just how much good food that I eat we think about it you know what to do with your life drew well know I had no at least half my life. I ate really well and I work hard to make sure that it happened is that it like no I might as will be a squirrel or a worm okay if if if it's all just about eating by trusting God about the evening. It lets me focus on the serving trusting God for daily food is one hallmark of those who belong to him versus those who don't, it doesn't matter whether living in an agricultural society or in urban one, or an ancient environment or a modern one. The trust has to be there to actually serve God and so close to slick is a very short phrase start statement… Look at the words themselves. The word give word give God provides for our material needs of every kind is much as I might feel that I'm learning my way. The reality is a God's actually giving so we express our gratitude to him. We express our dependence on him by praying this kind of prayer. That's why we can safely give generously to the Lord.

The Old Testament would be called the firstfruits of the first part of the harvest. Why, because you expected more to come.

We we don't farm. Most of us, but as we get our paychecks as God supplies God intends for us to use firstfruits first of the week give to the Lord a portion of what we received what we saying we do that were saying that the God you gave this to me and God, you will continue to supply a trustee to do that. And God part of the reason that you gave me what I have is so that I could do your work on earth I could I could actually pass this along and use it in a way that would glorify you so this kind of praying actually causes us to question in my in my getting my income and my providing my means of eating and by doing that in a way that honors the God who is actually my provider, and once he's provided him I honoring him in what I do with that amazing to me how many is much as the Bible talks about generosity toward the poor and in tort, sustaining, worship, and toward advancing missions and all these kinds of things as much as the Bible talks about that. How many believers basically think they have a pass on using the resources for anyone but themselves. It's a pagan way of thinking. It's it's a lack of trust in the God that supplies give us give us as we pray this prayer we we are praying for more than just ourselves individually were also praying for other believers with whom we have connection with praying as the people of God were praying with the consciousness of how our life touches the lives of others and it reflects it a generous heart for others rather than a self obsession with only my own needs. Give us this day. Tomorrow will take care of itself. We have to plan the fool as one who doesn't plan but I can only live one day at a time. Think back of your life out how much time and energy. How much sleep.

Have you lost wasting today worrying about tomorrow. Most of what you're worried about never comes, let alone worrying about what's gonna happen 10 years from now when you get there, God will be there with you and God will still be supplying this day our daily bread. Bread was the staff of life. The basic diet of working men and women were translated daily is used actually only want sincere, it may mean necessary or sufficient obviously determine the meaning. The word bias usage. If you only have one used in its like what exactly is this getting at. It may mean besides necessary to sufficient it may mean immediately following, which would then refer to the next day and so I like the way way one man put it, the bread that we need. Give us today.

Day after day lowers not only trusting God for today but were also trusting God for tomorrow that that day by day and with each passing moment, God will supply my need prayer for reliance on God this way can actually free us from the anxiety even over our basic necessities and often we worry about things that are necessities, but if were not even supposed to worry about necessities.

Why would we worry about anything else. Someone 27 two. It is vain is empty. It really makes no sense for you to rise up early to set up late to eat the bread of sorrows for so he giveth his beloved sleep. I can I can sleep at night and rest, because of the confidence that God will supply my need to go back to the end of Matthew six and we talked about those that that are materialistic and they show that by the way they treat others the they love Mammon rather than God. And I many of the. The religious higher-ups who are well-to-do and well respected were written very materialistically minded and yet the masses of people didn't know what life was like and I'm I'm sure I doubt there's anyone here that would would think of yourself as wealthy, if you compared yourself to Third World country should be wealthy but you're not living in a Third World country so you you you know are more wealthy people and so our temptation is to worry. If not to be obsessed with the things that we have and so Jesus says therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, what should put on. Is not the life more than me is it not more than food and the body than raiment.

Behold the fowls of the air they so not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father fetid them.

Are ye not much better than they miss not just myself analysis.

This is God himself in the flesh saying you matter more to God than birds do and it got texture birds which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature, or one cubit to his lifespan and why taking thought for raiment consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Think about all the God supplies you every day and you've got the window here.

How many of us could afford to create beauty like the beauty of a of a spring on a warm day and looking forward to the summer into the beauty of a sunrise or a sunset that just all the this symphony of blessings that God brings into our life. We can camp behind that, and yet God gives it to us every day.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is tomorrow's cost of the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, oh ye of little faith, take no thought, saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall be closed after these things to the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of these things, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. 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, so what problems are causing you to worry today what difficulties are robbing you of your joy and your strength to serve Jesus. What what has you up late at night, calculating or fretting and wondering how you to make ends meet. Take all those concerns and lay them before the Lord, who himself experienced hunger, who himself was tempted by Satan, but remain faithful reliance on his heavenly father asked him give us this day our daily bread. He has told you to come and ask us pray father, thank you for the God that you are you your infinite greatness. Your your mighty wisdom and power is is beyond our comprehension.

Your ways are often inscrutable, and yet Lord, you you enter in to the smallest detail of our lives, and you put your finger on the very kinds of things that cause us the most anxiety and you basically tell us that you know and that you will take care of us and that we need to rest in you for this things but help us do that Lord is way easier for me to talk about it here this morning and for me to practice it and you keep testing us in these areas over our lives as we deal with different kinds of difficulties and unexpected expenses and physical ailments and the kinds of things that happen to us that sometimes reduce what we have in terms of resources and that help us to remember our greatest resources you help us to walk with you day by day.

Help us to rely on you, even for most basic of needs. Even our daily bread puts in Christ we pray.

Amen. You been listening to Dr. Drew Conley, senior pastor at Hampton Park Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina.

I'm Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University. Thank you for listening to The Daily Platform, please visit our beautiful campus in Greenville, South Carolina to see how God is working in the lives of our students both spiritually and academically. For more information about Bob Jones University's more than 100 accredited academic programs visit BJ you.ED you call 800-252-6363.

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