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Religious or non-religious, atheist or agnostic, almost everyone finds themselves praying at one point or another in their lives. People pray in fear and distress, as part of some religious duty, when they want something badly, or when they simply need answers to life's questions. But what is prayer? Prayer, at its essence, is talking to God. The God who with His spoken Word brought the universe into being. The God who holds the vastness of creation together in His power. This God actually listens to us and He listens as an attentive Father, as the Shepherd of His sheep, despite how unworthy we may feel in approaching Him or feeble we may think our prayers may sound. God has done what we could never do, and made access to His throne possible for us. We need to reduce our distractions and increase our interaction with God because true prayer is the means by which we align ourselves to God's will. It's the means that we draw nearer to a holy God, and so may we pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done".

We as a church have been going through the book of Matthew and we come to this series called teach us to pray, it's really a series based on Matthew chapter 6 and verses 9 to 13 and this is what we would popularly called the Lord's prayer. It's a prayer Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples to pray.

It's a very simple and yet profound prayer at the same time, simple words but deep wonderful truths that allow us to learn more accurately what it means to pray to God who made the heavens and the earth.

We began by looking at the first line, our Father in heaven and then we began to, then we continued to do so on a line by line basis, we look secondly at hallowed be your name and then thirdly, we looked at Your kingdom come and last week, we looked at Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. If this is a first time you are joining us and you want to find out what they are, all these verses and what they mean, you can always catch up on the sermons online.

But today I'd like to focus on the fifth line and the fourth petition and that is, give us this day our daily bread, the fourth thing that we are to ask God for. So let's focus on give us this day our daily bread.

Immediately I can hear the ladies say, no, no, no, this is not what I want. I don't want to eat too much bread, I don't want too much carbohydrates, I want to lose weight, this is not a prayer I want to make. Well, obviously we know, that this bread is not literally just bread, it's not just about your chapati or your roti prata or your baguette or your loti, we call this in Hokkien, it's not about bread per se.

I'm sure you understand that this represents more than bread. It represents food, all that we need to, to live, it  represents shelter and clothing, I, I think it includes strength and health and vigor, basically all that we need for life, this is a prayer about asking God for provisions. So give us this day our daily bread, the fourth petition or the fifth "P" we are going to have is that this is a prayer for provisions.

Now, straightaway, some people may say, aah, this is a great verse to justify the health and wealth, prosperity gospel, it's a false teaching by the way, but it's a health and wealth, prosperity gospel that is so prevalent in Christiandom today. Is this a verse to say, I can pray for anything I want, bread and stuff and car and so on and God will give it to us, well, not really. I don't think this is a verse that says Christians can pray anything we want and God will give what we want, this is not a prayer for selfish indulgence. Now I see that because, this prayer is not the very first prayer in the Lord's prayer, it is the fourth petition as I've mentioned.

It begins, this whole prayer begins with saying Lord, let Your Name be hallowed, let Your Name be set apart be honored, it's about Your Name, not my name. Then number two it says, Your kingdom come, so, we have to pray my kingdom go. It's not about me, it's about God and His Kingdom and we pray Your will be done, not my will be done.

So really, to understand what this means, we have to see the context, its position. I think the Lord's prayer is teaching people, the disciples of Jesus, to pray first and foremost about God's kingdom, and then we say, in order for us to live out God's will, advance the kingdom, glorify His Name, we ask God for the necessities of life, so that we may glorify Him.

So this is not a prayer that feeds our selfish lusts, this is a prayer about the needs of our life in order to glorify God. So that's I think how you need to understand bread, not steak, not sashimi, not abalone, you like sashimi, abalone, not about these indulgences but the necessities of life.

Now another word that may help you understand the reason for this prayer is the word daily. Now, you may say what's so special about the word daily. It's special in the sense that in the Greek which is how this passage is written during the times of Jesus, it's written in the Greek, the Greek word doesn't actually mean daily, the Greek word looks like this (epiousios) and the Greek word here is a very difficult word to understand.  Why, because this word only occurs two times in the entire Bible, here and in Luke 11, which is also about what it means to pray the Lord's prayer.

So looking at the Bible itself, you may not really understand this word so easily. Moreover in the secular Greek, in other words, the Greek language that was popularly used in common or everyday speech, this word is rarely seen. So basically I'm saying, no wonder we, many people don't quite get it right and the translators will translate it as daily because it's a difficult word to translate.

But if you check the concordances, the interlinears, the lexicons, whatever, most scholars would say this word is probably better translated as, necessary. Well, there's a, there's a kind of similarity, daily needs, I suppose, but a better translation would be, give us this day our necessary bread. So it's not about excessive asking, it's not about indulgent asking, it's about asking for necessary sustenance that we may serve God and glorify Him.

So if I may say, the fourth petition is a prayer for needs, not for greeds. It's a prayer for needs, not for greeds and the reason is, so that we made do God's will and glorify Him, I hope that is clear for you. So this is not a trump card that we throw out to God and say, God, you told me to pray this and I must have my Ferrari now, I must have my holidays now, I must have my promotion, no, no, no, it's about needs, not greeds and again, even if God gives you the needs, it's so that and you should pray for it, so that you may serve God and glorify His Name.

Now, when you understand this, then this prayer is a wonderful prayer of contentment, isn't it, this is a prayer of someone who is contented, he is not asking God for, for lavish stuff because he's contented. His goal in life is not to live it up, his goal in life is not to go to the most exotic places in the world for holiday. His goal in life, is not that he will eat the finest food and be happy there. Now, I'm not saying you can't go holiday, you can't have fine food, but that's not the goal of life. That's not what he looks for, that's not his ultimate satisfaction, his goal in life is to serve God and glorify Him and therein he finds contentment.

You see, I say to you, many people today are not contented because they have a wrong goal in life. If your goal is to enjoy life, you will never be contented, do you realize that, it's a paradox, I thought by enjoying life, I'll be happy. No. If your goal is to enjoy life, you will never be contented, because you will never have enough. There's always nicer steak, nicer scallops, nicer holidays, nicer clothings, nicer houses, nicer cars that you can have, never-ending, never satisfied, never contented.

But the man who says, my goal in life is to serve God, my food, my satisfaction like what Jesus would say, My meat is to do the will of My Father, then whether you have much or little, it doesn't matter as long as you have what you need to serve Him, that's why Paul could say in the prison, I know how to abase and I know how to abound, in whatever state I am, I know the secret to contentment. I've learned what it means to be contented, because his life is all about Jesus.

So let me put it this way, this prayer tells me that when you focus on your commitment to God, when you understand, give us this day our daily bread, it is so that we may honour His Name, advance His Kingdom, do His will, when you focus on your commitment to God, you will learn the secret of contentment in God. I can just pray for daily bread, necessary bread, I'm not, I don't need more.  Sure, if God wants to give me more, I'm thankful, but it's okay if I have less because He provides all I need to live for Him and to glorify Him.

So let me ask you, what drives you today? It's strange, this hamster race, it's a strange race, it looks so satisfying to run, you look like you're going somewhere but you actually end up nowhere, you get tired at the end of it all, but when we know it's about serving God, we find contentment and we say, Lord give us what is needed. So that's what I learned in daily bread, the reason for this prayer is to glorify Him, the reason I ask for daily sustenance is for His glory. Alright?

Number two, I want to emphasize on the second word here and the word is, the other obvious word is the word, give, that's right, give, and it's important because this tells us that God is the, is the one we rely on, our reliance is on God. God is the One who gives, God is the Giver of all that we need for life.  You say no, not true, I worked hard for it, I worked for it. I work every day in office, so that I can bring bread home, so that I can provide for my family. I'm the one who did all this, no, the Bible says it's God who gives.

Sure you work and that's God's ordained means by which He provides people generally, but it is God who gives, He's the One who gave you the strength to work, the opportunity to work, the wisdom to work and even if you work, you may not get anything, if not for the fact that God has ordained that He's given this earth plants and vegetables and fruit for food for those who work.

So right in the beginning of creation, God said, I've given you every plant, these plants that you see around, these things that you can eat, they are given by God, there are no chance occurrence, it's not as if man invented food, food is given by God and not only in Genesis, but in Acts 14 ,we read, He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.

You know something, Singaporeans can work very, very, very, very hard but if God decides not to give any rain, we all die, agree, we all die. Oh, I'm very good in my job, I've great skills, God gave you the skills and even if you have great skills, He doesn't give rain, all your skills means nothing, you're still going to die. So all that we have, this prayer reminds us is given by God. Think about the food you are going to eat, the bread you're going to enjoy, it's all given by God.

There's a poem that goes, back of the bread, is the snowy flour and back of the flour, the mill, the mill that grinds and back of the mill, is a field of wheat, the rain and the Father's will. So when you look at a piece of bread, a loaf of bread, you can trace it back and say, it is God who gives me this bread. Sure you work for it, you labored for it and through that God provides you, but God ultimately is the Giver.

Now, it's very important I think therefore that Christians will understand this, so that we are thankful, we are not proud, we don't think to ourselves, I'm a self-made man, I am successful, I earned all these things, I don't need God. Now, that's exactly what God didn't want the Israelites to think, so He said in Deuteronomy, when you have everything, that's what He said. He knew their hearts. When you have everything, Deuteronomy 8, you have eaten, you're full, you have good houses, you have herds, flock, silver and gold, you have everything, I'm warning you because I know that is what is going happen, your heart will be lifted up and you'll forget the Lord your God. He is the One, God is the One, who gives you water out of the rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna, so this is given to you, so that you're aware, you're, you're conscious of the danger of saying my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.

I suppose that's why many Christians today and maybe even those were not yet Christians, they, before the meal will gather together in the family, they'll hold their hands and they say God, thank You for food, that's, that's, I think probably derived somewhere here, thankful to God for giving my needs.

Now, there's a story told of a preacher, his name is Harry Ironside, H A Ironside for those who are familiar, one day he got to be seated opposite a man and he bowed his head and was going to give thanks for his food and that's what he did. He subsequently raised his head, opened his eyes and the man seated opposite him then asked him: Sir, what are you doing? Is there something wrong with your food? No, the food is fine. Do you have a headache? No, I don't, I'm fine. Then what are you doing? Well, I'm giving thanks for the food. Hoh, you believe in that, do you? You mean you believe that and you give thanks for your food all the time? Yes I do. What about you? I don't. When I have my food, I just go right in. Harry Ironside then says, yah, my dog is also like that, when he got his food, he also don't give thanks and goes right in.

And so it is, I think man we, we, we fail to remember we, we don't realize that, all that we have, life, breath, sustenance are a gift from God, and this should cause us to be thankful, to be humble, to be grateful for all that He has given. So that's, I think the word give.

The third word I like to or phrase I like to focus on as someone has mentioned, is the word, us or the word, our. Now, this is just something to remind ourselves in. Very often, we pray for my daily bread, we pray for my job, my work, my business, my plot of land, my fish farm, my, but the Bible reminds us, no that's, that's too limiting, the child of God prays not just for himself, but for others. I think this reminds us of the need to care for others, to see that there are those around us who may not have enough and we are to pray for them and I think not just to pray for them, but through us, God can provide for them.

I think that's absolutely biblical, real faith is concern and will also contribute to the needs of others. There's no point Paul, er James say, if you say you are Christian, but you see your brother and sister struggling in life, not able to make ends meet and you say aiyah, go in peace, God will bless you and you don't do anything. What, what good is this kind of a faith and I think likewise, when we pray God provide our needs and there you have, lots of stuff and you won't share it with those around who need stuff, I think it doesn't make sense. So the word us, the word our, reminds us of our responsibility in prayer.

So we see the reason for this petition, is the glory of God. The reliance on our life is on God Himself. Yes, we work, but we really are recipients of God's gifts, all our provisions and we are to be reminded of our responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ, in need and I say that even right now in our church there are people who have difficulties making ends meet and I think it is our joy and privilege that God will give us the privilege to serve and meet those needs through your giving. Get to know people, have a heart that wants to serve and give and I, I think God will give you such opportunities to do so.

But the last phrase I want to focus on is, eh, by elimination, not much left already lah, this day, thank you alright, so give us this day our daily bread. Now, this is important to grasp too, why, because, in Luke 11, it is also said give us each day. So clearly, this is a prayer Jesus taught us to pray on a daily basis. I don't think this verse sits very well with Singaporeans actually. Singaporeans don't like to receive things every day, we like one lump sum, give me one lump sum.

I want to know that it is all there, I, I want to be very secure when my bank account is very, a lot of, a lot of zeros at the back, but this prayer is saying we are to pray and trust God for provisions one day at a time, not one lump sum. Many Singaporeans today, we are living with the hope that we will acquire a good retirement nest egg, big sum, because you say if I don't prepare for that, I'm not going to live very long, I may die, I may have sickness and no one can take care of me. Now, please understand, I'm not against saving, the Bible doesn't forbid saying, saving. In fact there are verses that encourage saving, preparing for your next generation, for your children, laying up for your children, that's fine. But this is about worrying, that we are so caught up, obsessed, worried about the future that it is not healthy.

God says, Christ says, when you pray, pray for your daily needs, pray every day, pray this day. I suppose one of the best illustrations is that found in the Bible when Israel was in the wilderness for a good 40 years and God said, I will provide for you food. How does God provide, amazing miraculous way via manna. I do not know what manna is, never eaten it before, never seen it before, but the Bible describes it, sweet, beautiful, light wafer, like substance and this provision of God lasted for 40 years, every day, almost every day, except on one day a week, which day, Sabbath, on Sabbath day, it is not given, but on Friday, they have more of it, so that on that day, when they gather, it will be sufficient also for Sabbath, Saturday.

So every day it's provided, but as man is, people not satisfied, they want to have a one lump sum, so there are some who when told to gather just enough for the day, they went to gather more, kiasi, kiasu, in case God don't give tomorrow. And what happened to those who are kiasu, what happened to the manna they collected, they, it, it bred worms and it began to stink, it rotted. But every day, without fail the, the time they wake up in the morning and they step out of their tents, they will find manna all over.

You know, that's the way God loves to provide. He doesn't want to give you one lump sum, He wants you to be reminded and He wants you to depend on Him, day by day, by day, because once He gives you one lump sum, often times you become like the Israelites, who forget God and think that it is my might and my power that has gotten me this wealth. You can trust God for your daily needs.

Sometimes you're very overwhelmed, you are overwhelmed, you say I've lost my job, I have my bills to pay, my housing loan, my electricity bills, my water bills, how about my kids education, their university education, there's so much I need to cater for, there's so much I need to pay and you get stressed and worried and so on. Now, I'm not saying that you should not work hard, but I'm saying that you can trust God for the future a day at a time.

There's a story, I was wondering whether I should share because it might complicate but for those who can receive it, this, this is a little illustration. You might have, have you heard of the battle at Thermopylae, no. Have you heard of the Spartans 300 ya, ya, ya. The Spartans 300, it's, it's a famous battle, where Leonidas, led the Greek soldiers vastly outnumbered by the Medes, the Medes were huge but Leonidas led his 300 and some others to fight against a vast army. Now truth be told, he eventually lost, he's just too outnumbered but he was able to kill a very disproportionately large number of troops from the Medes.

How did he do that, what secret did he use. Well, they fought at this place called Thermopylae, where there is just a very narrow path. So it doesn't matter how many troops you have, only a few gets through at any one time and so one by one, a few at a time, that's how Leonidas and his armies were able to kill a disproportionately large number of Medes.

Now I suppose that is a little picture for me. When you look at life, they look like the Medes, so many Medes, so many requirements, so much to pay, but when it comes through one day at a time, that's where you can trust God that it can be managed.

There's a song we used to sing, it's called day by day. Now Christians, we like to see the whole big picture, make sure everything is provided for then, we trust God. But really Christian living is day by day, Hokkien, ji jit kuay ji jit, day by day. Later on Jesus will say, what, sufficient is the worries thereof, one day, don't worry about tomorrow, ji jit kuay ji jit, one day at a time. I know the transcribers will hate me for saying these things they have to transcribe, but that's what it is, it's one day at a time. You see, we are so conditioned to think that if I am not able to guarantee my future, I cannot trust God now.

I will not serve God now because I must make sure I have a good retirement fund, then I can trust God. Well the Scriptures tell me that I am first to serve God and then I will and I can trust God, a day at a time, every day. I think, I just want to focus on the last phrase, then help me Lord when toil and trouble meet, there's so many troubles, so many difficulties of life and I need to always take as from a father's hand, one by one, the days the moments fleeting, till I reached the promised land and that's how it is, Christian life, a day at a time, trusting God.

You know you have kids and your kids need money every day, going to school, they go recess, they need food, how, how do you give your kids money, son, daddy loves you, I give you one lump sum, $10,000 you go and manage yourself, do you do that ? Which, which parent would do that, no, you, you give your son, what, a day at a time, a day at a time. Now, I hope your son never say, mummy, I'm not sure you'll be around tomorrow, so can you give me one lump sum, I'm not sure whether you will still love me tomorrow, so can you give me more money now, no, no.

I don't think any child thinks that, a child trusts his father or his mother and yet the Christian today cannot trust our Father and say God, You want me to do something you give me one lump sum first, You want me to serve You as full-time, You want me to, You want me to quit my job and give my life to the cause of Jesus, give me one lump sum first, no lump sum, seek first, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

The Asian culture of saving, saving, saving, sometimes can get obsessive and that can influence adversely the Christian life. I think the Bible reminds me it is on the day by day basis. So the reason for this prayer is not selfish indulgence, but for the glory of God. The reliance of the Christian is not in his own hands, but in the benevolence and the love of his Father. The responsibility of the Christian is to those around who has needs and the reassurance of the Christian is that I can trust God, day by day. I don't have to know all His plans, I don't have to see the lump sum, I just need to know my Father.

0:30:58.2

My time is almost up, but I have something more to share, it is PSLE results time, right, just a few days ago and I know in, in, in our nation, including myself, we are all very concerned about our children's exam grades and so what, was I, when I was in secondary school, going to JC we, we took of course the exams O Levels and I was in the class that took English literature and it was very difficult to score in English literature, at least according to my class. Er, we can do well in the science, the math and all this but English lit is quite subjective in a way and it's hard to score.

So we all studied hard, wanted to get A and so on, but we often failed. So my teacher, his name is Harpal Singh, I still remember him, Harpal Singh. He, he makes us work very hard, I mean, wah, tricked us into doing some stupid play, writing plays with every time we spend a lot, but we still can't get the grades. And I think it was near the exams, near the end, that he revealed a secret formula for us.

He answered a an exam essay question as a modeling exercise for us. So he, he proceeded to explain how he's going answer it and when we heard the explanations, hey, there's nothing special, it's like what you and I could answer, but his secret comes in right at the end.

After answering a very typical answer, giving a very typical response, he then said this is how I want to answer it. This story is so interesting and fascinating that I went back to read this book a second time and I, when I wrote, when I read it the second time there are now deeper levels of understanding and so he went on to write out the more elaborate or chim stuff from the story itself and we were all blown away, wah ! So that is the methodology to answer. So I thought it will be interesting if the O Levels examiners were to, were to mark my whole class papers and everyone writes like that, on first reading this is, this is and on deeper reading we discussed, this is, this is crazy, but apparently it worked, a lot of our classmates did very well for English literature.

Why I say all that because I think when you read this and the way I preached it, you will probably say yah, thank God I can trust God for all my needs, my food, my job, my health, my strength, it will be provided by the Lord as I serve Him. But I think that is just level one, because there's a deeper level to that. You say what's the deeper level. Actually it's very straightforward, very simple and it is this. Jesus said, man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

I would have done you a great injustice if I've ended my sermon five minutes earlier, because you would have thought that all there is to life are physical needs, but the reality, no, give us this day our daily bread, I think first and foremost really is my spiritual needs.

So looking at this from a different lens, it should be a prayer for spiritual food and strength, I think that's what it is. Sure, it involves your job, sure this prayer covers health, sure I think this prayer covers vigor and everything that is needed for life, but I think this prayer is about spiritual food and strength, not so that you can show off, not so that you say, I'm such a godly man, I know so much of the Bible, but so that you can serve Him and I think, I learned from this prayer that in order for us to glorify God, think about it, in order for you to glorify God, do His will, advance His Kingdom, you need to grow spiritually.

Serving God is not just about a man's charisma or talent or intelligence or resourcefulness in the physical realm. No, I think the real way you can serve God effectively is when you're growing spiritually, when you are mature and equipped in Christ. You know that's my heart's desire for Gospel Light Christian Church more than anything else.

Sure, I love it when God's people are out there serving and cooking and doing a lot of stuff and sharing the Gospel, I think that's wonderful. But I know that if you do that out of sheer enthusiasm, charisma, peer pressure, whatever you call it and not because you really are growing in Jesus, you are not going to last very long and you are not going to be very effective. I think the desire of the Lord Jesus Christ, is that His church will mature, will be Christlike, will grow with spiritual food and so I ask you today, are you praying this in your life, give me, give us this day, O God, my daily bread.

Many of us are not praying that because probably many of us are not even opening the Bible, we are not looking at the Bible and say, give us this day our daily bread. It's almost like you, who says I need food, but I'm not going to work, you are not going to have bread and if you're not going to read, you are not going to have bread.

A story is told of a couple who invited their pastor for dinner once and after dinner the wife was very upset. The pastor went home and the wife said to the husband, dear, I think, our pastor stole our silver fork. The husband says no lah, pastor wouldn't steal a silver fork right? No, no, no, I'm positive, he took it and I have not seen it anywhere else, he must have stolen our fork. A week later she still can't find the fork, a month later still can't find the fork, several months later still can't find the fork, she's very upset for one whole year to the pastor because he took the silver fork, stole the silver fork.

Nevertheless, the husband invited pastor back for dinner a year later and the wife cannot take it anymore. Pastor, did you take my silver fork, did you steal my silver fork, the pastor says yes, I took it and I placed it in your Bible. So next time I go to your house, hah, huh, huh. Well, that's a little joke on how Christians really don't feed on spiritual food.

It's sad, do you know that, it's very sad that many of us, are malnourished and anemic and weak and limping along because we are not feasting, we are not eating. Maybe for you, many of us, the only time you eat is Sunday morning. But even then you are quite tired, not eating very well, the only time you come is, only time you are listening and hearing and studying God's Word is Sunday morning. You are not going to be strong that way right, you are not going to be thriving that way.

So when we say, Lord give us this day our daily bread, daily ah, everyday, give us this day, it's everyday thing, it's not just Sunday, Sunday you may eat more, but everyday you need to eat and I want to encourage you today to go to your Bibles, to be a people of the Word.

In this church I have seen, I have been in Gospel Light for 20 over years, I've seen many friends come, I've seen many friends go. I see many people who are like shooting stars, blazing across the sky, but like shooting stars, disappearing after a while. I see many people come with great enthusiasm wanting to serve God, but I've seen many say that they are burned out.

You know why, but I, I understand people do get burnout not because the work is hard, but because they are malnourished, then no matter what you do, it's hard. When you're hungry and starving, what can you do. And so over and over again I did, I see this cycle of relying on our passion and enthusiasm, talent and capability, intelligence to do God's work, but it doesn't last very long.

I say please as a church, grow in the privilege of God's Word, you are, we are so privileged in our day and age to have the Bible, many people in time past don't have the Bible, do you know that, you have the Bible and not only do you have the Bible, you have a lot of I think there's a lot of junk in, on Internet that's for sure, but you also have access to a lot of really good solid teaching.

You don't need me to go to your house to teach you the Bible every day, sure you need to be trained, you need to be discipled, but you can also have great access to great teaching if you really wanted.

I think the issue today, it's right here, we don't desire, desire it, because we don't see, we don't believe that we need it, we think we are quite okay, we don't see our spiritual malnourishment.

So when we pray, give us this day our daily bread, together with it is a passion and a hunger and a commitment to say dear God grow me, that I may serve you, give me that hunger, give me that understanding, give me good, solid teaching, give me the heart to obey, make me more like Jesus. If you really pray that and you apply yourself to God's Word, you will be a different man, guaranteed.

I think this prayer, reminds us that God is the One who makes us grow. Now we have to apply ourselves to study the Bible, it's just like I have to work so that God can provide for my family through my work, but it is God who gives me the increase, it is God who makes me grow. So if you today are a man growing in the faith, you are mature and equipped, don't pat yourself on the back, don't congratulate yourself too fast, it is God's grace and be thankful to Him, be reminded today about the responsibility that this is not just about me, but it's about people around me, pray for their growth, pray for their understanding of God's Word, obedience to God's Word, help them grow as best as you can.

And let me say lastly, the reassurance in this text is that, we are not to become apostle Paul overnight, God's is not going to give you one lump sum, but you can trust Him for growth everyday, a little at a time, little by little, day by day, Jesus is changing me. Be patient in the process and trust that He will grow you to the degree, He will use you to serve Him.

Maybe one of the best statements made to summarize this sermon will be what Hudson Taylor had said, God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. He believes that, I believe that and it takes a whole lifetime to continue to believe that. So give us this day our daily bread, is not self-serving, it's to serve God. It's a prayer, not just for the physical needs of life, but for the spiritual needs of life.

Let me close with this, thousands of years ago, probably 6,000+ years ago, in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve decided that they will go for the bread, they will go for that food that is prohibited, they will go for that bread above God's will. They say, I want my will, I want to be king, I want my name to be magnified and that's why they took of that fruit.

Four thousand years later, in the worst of situations, in the wilderness, after temptation by the devil for 40 days and after Jesus was starving, Jesus chose to do God's will above bread. He will not bow down to the temptation of doing anything outside of the will of God and He trusted His Father for bread. He could turn the stones into bread but He didn't, He said, Your will God, Your Name and it is in that context that I think we need to understand this prayer. Jesus is teaching us, give us this day our daily bread, not that this becomes superior or this becomes, it takes precedence over the will of God. But this is what we can trust, that when we do God's will, He will adequately supply all our needs, give us this day our daily bread, I think that's what it means.

Let's bow for a word of prayer, maybe this morning, for many years in your life, you've always sensed a deep call of God for you, a deep call you tried to brush off but couldn't, it has remained, a call for you to give your life to the cause of the Gospel, but you've always said, it cannot be because I need to provide for my family. I certainly am not encouraging you to be irresponsible and not provide for your home, but I'm asking you today, in the light of what Jesus is saying, could it be that give us this day our daily bread has slowly crept up to be the first petition in your life and not the fourth, that somehow, it has become the major driving force for your life, that it is all about my career, my job because I got to have that future prepared, because I got to have that retirement fund, because I got to have that sum set apart for my son's university education and therefore I can't serve God any more, not in the way I believe He wants me to.

If that is you, why won't you this morning, cry out to God and say, Lord, show me. I'm not sure, but show me, I want to trust you and obey you when you said, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and to believe that you said, all these things shall be added unto you.

Now, let's be honest, if your idea of provision is that every year, you must have a nice holiday, eat good food, go great places, perhaps this prayer does not provide you any of those things, doesn't guarantee it at all. But if you could say my joy, my satisfaction is to do the will of my Father and whether I have much or whether I have little, it really doesn't matter because I know my God will meet all my needs, not my greeds. And today, you can step out and say I want to serve You O God. Maybe there's something you need to turn away, some opportunities to give up, but you know it's worth it, because that's what God wants you to do.

I fear that in Singapore, in our culture, we are so locked in that everybody seems to have to go through this career route, finish up my career, end up on a high note, then I can serve God, you will never serve God, I tell you because there's always something more for you to chase, the devil will make sure you've something else to chase. Today is the day you can start living for God the way He wants you to.

Perhaps this morning, you're someone who is simply, not even thinking about these things, you are just struggling in life and you're overcome with stress and anxiety and fear and worries because I couldn't get this job, I have lost that thing, I couldn't get that promotion and you are so fearful, for your family, for your kids, trust God one day at a time. Do your best, do your best in your work, but let your heart go to rest, the Father promises a day, at a time, a day at a time. Just like the manna that fell from heaven a day at a time. Every morning, the Jews will get out of the tent and see that manna, a day at a time, they have all that they need for that day and tomorrow, is still the same, a day at a time, learn to trust Him, your Father knows how to give.

Church, would you pray that you have a hunger for God and His Word, a voracious appetite to devour Scripture, to feast on that bread, the Bread of God's Word and see yourself grow and serve Him with such strength and vigor and joy and passion and effectiveness because you are more like Jesus. What a beautiful thing it will be if Gospel Light Christian Church is not a church led by the trends and fashions of this world, not by the philosophies of this world, but a distinct counter cultural people.

Everybody is going down this stream, but we are swimming upwards towards heaven, because we are led by the Word of God. I pray you will be, we will be a people growing up in the Scriptures, no more children, no more tossed to and fro, by every wind of doctrine but mature in Christ.

Last thing I want to say, if you're here with us and you are searching for life, the meaning of life. I say to you, Jesus said He is the Bread of Life. Nothing else, no one else will satisfy your heart, but Jesus Christ. This morning, I urge you to repent of your sin and to believe in Christ, that He is the Son of God who died on the cross to pay for your sins, He's the One who is risen, demonstrating that He is victorious over sin and you can trust Him today. May God bless you with salvation in your heart. So Father this morning, we are thankful for Your Word. Bless Your people, may we seek first Your kingdom. We ask this in Jesus Name, amen.

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