The Lord’s Prayer, continued…
DAY 1
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
1. I’m calling this petition for daily bread, “Petition #4.” Read the verses at the beginning of this prayer. Why do you suppose Petition #4 comes after Petitions #1-3? Is there a message here?
2. What does this say about what we are to value most?
3. What do you think Jesus means by “bread?” Check all you think applies:
___ Food
___ Clothing
___ Shelter
___ Work
___ Necessities
___ “Needs”
___ “Desires”
4. There is the “letter” of the verse and the “spirit” of the verse. Compare and contrast the following verses with Petition #4, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Record your thoughts under each verse, below:
Proverbs 30:8 Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or list I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
1 Timothy 6:6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce. Then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine.
5. What is your biggest thought from these verses?
DAY 2
1. For most of us you may wonder why we have to ask God for daily bread? If you have a job and a decent paycheck, chances are you already have “daily bread” in your home.
It that is the case, is Petition #4 still pertinent? Why or why not?
2. This is an important prayer whether you are poorest or wealthy. What do each of the verses below tell us about the daily need to ask God for our daily “bread?”
Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
Proverbs 11:28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Proverbs 23:5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Proverbs 15:16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
3. Which of the above verses strikes you the most? Is there something you need to do, as a result?
4. Read: 1 Timothy 6:17-19
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
5. These three verses are filled with great “nuggets!” Make two lists.
List #1: What is good about money?
List #2: What dangers are associated with money?
6. What’s your biggest takeaway from today’s study?
DAY 3
1. Why do we have to ask God for “bread” if we’ve already “earned” it? Any thoughts?
2. Is what we’ve “earned” really ours? Jot down your thoughts after each verse, below:
Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it; the world and all who dwell in it.
Haggai 2:8 The silver is Mine, the gold is Mine, says the Lord of Hosts.
Hosea 2:9 Therefore I will take back my grain in its time, and my wine in its season and I will take away my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness.
3. Check which of the following are true.
___ God give us possession of things.
___ God allows us to use His things.
___ The “title” to things is God’s.
4. If we are to ask God for our “daily” bread, what does that say about investing, saving, or financial planning? Jot down your thoughts as to this topic below each of the following verses:
Prov. 22:3 A prudent man sees danger ahead and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
Proverbs 31:16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
Proverbs 27:23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls.
5. Are savings, investing, and financial planning good things? Why?
6. If so, when do they become bad things?
7. What does it mean to ask God for “daily bread” and at the same time save and invest for your future?
DAY 4
“Bread” means food, as well as an umbrella term for our necessities. But “bread” was also used by Jesus to highlight a deeper human need.
Read Matthew 4:1-4
1. According to Jesus, on what else does man need to feed?
2. When we think of physical food we think of food quenching a physical hunger. But there is a deeper human hunger. Read this excerpt from the gospel of John:
John 6:32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
3. What do you think Jesus means by “true bread” in 6:32?
4. What (or Who) is the “bread of God” in 6:33?
5. Where did this “bread” come from? (6:33)
6. What does Jesus promise this “bread” can do for man? (6:33)
7. Jesus definitively identifies the “bread of life” in 6:35. Who is He?
8. What does He promise He can do for man? (6:35)
9. We are to “feed” on the “Bread of life.” This is an analogy. The idea combines the following things:
___ Relationship
___ Priority
___ Taking in His words (“feeding” on His Word)
10. Turn to Him in prayer now. Tell Him you value His word and relationship above everything else.
DAY 5
As we wrap up “Give us this day our daily bread,” let’s review the “physical” bread and “spiritual” bread.
1. Which of the following statements is more true to you after this week:
___ I am free to ask for physical necessities without feeling “unspiritual.”
___ I am reminded that my daily life is actually in God’s hands, not my own.
___ My deepest confidence in life is not my work ethic, brains, insurance, savings or investments (though they are all important). Those are important to God, but ultimately everything I have comes from Him.
___ I need to keep physical necessities in their proper perspective. The petitions before and after this one are preeminent.
___ I am to keep my eyes out, not just for my own needs but for the needs of others. “Give us this day…”
2. There are times when God will take us through times of deprivation. What reasons might He have for that?
3. People are generally obsessed with physical “bread” and then consider “spiritual” bread as fluff–“It’s good for some but not needed by me.”
a. Have you tried to fill a human hunger with physical food or “bread” (things, experiences, pleasures)?
b. How long is the hunger “sated?”
c. How long is it before you hunger for more or something else?
4. Our real, greatest and deepest hunger is for God. However, it sure doesn’t seem that way! Why is that?
5. What things are you more aware of for which you hunger?
6. How’s that “working for you”?
7. How do you think God awakens our real hunger for Him? How does God depriving you of necessities awaken a new hunger? Have you experienced this?
8. Ask God for daily “bread,” both of the physical and spiritual varieties!