Here's Sunday's message if you missed our broadcast on Sunday (For the foreseeable future, we be running our Sunday morning services digitally. Please go to our website on Sundays at 10:30 to join in)
“Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11).
Most modern-day shoppers have fridges and freezers so can shop weekly or even less often. Recently, home delivery means that many don’t need to go shopping at all! Our relationship with God is to be like old-style shopping where one acquired what was needed each day.
Too many of us pray intermittently. We don’t go to the Father each day in worship and praying for our daily needs. This is a prayer for each day - to be prayed ‘today’ and ‘daily’.
Jesus promises “your heavenly Father knows what you need” but we are still taught to pray this every day.
The Father wants us to come to Him every each day and not just in a crisis!
We are to be like the Israelites in their desert wanderings who were told to go out and collect the Manna (Miraculous ‘bread’) each day, and only collect enough for the day.
Today…Daily
In the same chapter that we find this prayer, Jesus also taught us to focus on each day. He said,
‘…Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’ (Matthew. 6:33-34).
Many of us can try to juggle too many things and concerns. I can juggle really well… with one ball! Some of us have today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year… filling our thinking, and are overwhelmed with fear. Jesus teaches us to focus on, and pray for the needs of this day. Of course we can plan and pray about the future, but the emphasis is on this day. God promises to deal with all of our needs for this day as we come to Him in prayer. Worry is kept in check through following the pattern of this prayer: Begin with worship, and pray for this day’s needs.
RESPONSE
Praying for our daily needs beats anxiety! Therefore, everyday in everything, pray and give thanks!
During this current crisis are you worshipping the Father and praying for each day’s problems and provisions?
During this series, let's aim to memorise and meditate on The Lord's Prayer.
COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY – EVERY DAY IN EVERY THING PRAY AND GIVE THANKS.
Opener
Have you ever had a need that God has met?
Introduction - please read in your group
This week we have come to the phrase, ‘Give us today our daily bread’. The title of the message on Sunday was, ‘Every day in every thing pray and give thanks’.
We can often pray and give thanks for the big things in life whilst neglecting to pray and give thanks for ‘daily bread’. We are to come to the Father daily with particular focus on the day that's in front of us. Today, this day, God promises to meet our needs.
It’s also very important to notice that Jesus uses the term ‘give us…’. We are to be in close community so as to know and pray for one another’s needs.
Read The Lord’s Prayer
“This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today 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 the evil one.” (“…For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”) (Matthew 6:9-13)
Discuss/share together
i) Give us…
To make this a reality, we all need to be close enough to people so as to know and pray for one another. No Christian should be isolated from God or their brothers and sister.
Discuss: How can you deepen relationships through this current crisis?
ii) Today…Daily
Our relationship with God is to be like old-style shopping where one acquired what was needed each day. Jesus promises “your heavenly Father knows what you need” but we are still taught to pray this every day. The Father wants us to come to Him every each day and not just in a crisis!
Discuss: Do you ask and give thanks about all your needs? How could you make prayer and thanksgiving a natural part of your lifestyle?
Pray together
Go around your group, each one sharing what they would like prayer for at the moment. Pray for each person in turn. In particular, what are your 'daily bread' needs at the moment?
Notices
Please share from this week’s Church News.
In addition:
Please use the devotional every day for daily encouragement and important messages.
If you can, please share and promote our on-line Sunday service on whatever social media platform that you use.
Comments