WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:03.399 Well, I've worked in some tricky churches before 00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:07.820 Never quite had These people are almost ready 00:00:07.820 --> 00:00:14.000 to stone me But there's still time so You could 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:18.820 be the first let's see here we go How about we 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:21.780 pray and then let's get into God's Word together 00:00:21.780 --> 00:00:23.399 and it'd be great if you've got a Bible there 00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:25.739 to keep it in front of you Let's pray. Let's 00:00:25.739 --> 00:00:30.070 ask God for help as we look at his Word now Heavenly 00:00:30.070 --> 00:00:32.289 Father, we thank you that you are a speaking 00:00:32.289 --> 00:00:36.090 God, that you are not silent, that you tell us 00:00:36.090 --> 00:00:38.189 that you're there, that you tell us what you're 00:00:38.189 --> 00:00:42.630 doing. And Father, help us to see what a great 00:00:42.630 --> 00:00:45.950 God you are today, what a good provider you are 00:00:45.950 --> 00:00:49.210 today, so that we'd be people who are thankful 00:00:49.210 --> 00:00:53.390 and who depend upon you. We ask this in Jesus' 00:00:53.630 --> 00:00:57.670 name. Amen. Well, I want to tell you today about 00:00:57.670 --> 00:01:00.310 two mindsets that are at the kind of opposite 00:01:00.310 --> 00:01:04.049 ends of the spectrum, but ultimately have a similar 00:01:04.049 --> 00:01:08.390 kind of root outlook. The first mindset is Bart 00:01:08.390 --> 00:01:11.930 Simpson. There's this great Simpsons episode 00:01:11.930 --> 00:01:14.409 where Bart Simpson, he's sitting at the dinner 00:01:14.409 --> 00:01:16.829 table and he says, Grace, and this is what he 00:01:16.829 --> 00:01:20.290 says, he says, Dear God, we paid for all this 00:01:20.290 --> 00:01:26.900 stuff, so thanks for nothing. Bart Simpson, that's 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:28.920 his outlook. And it's easy to dismiss it. You 00:01:28.920 --> 00:01:31.340 know, it's just him being kind of silly and a 00:01:31.340 --> 00:01:34.120 young kid. But I actually reckon he represents 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:35.879 how many people think and live. I mean, that's 00:01:35.879 --> 00:01:39.459 why the joke works, isn't it? Bart is symbolic 00:01:39.459 --> 00:01:45.680 of the self -made man. The man who lives his 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:48.819 life doing it themselves. Hey, you know, it's 00:01:48.819 --> 00:01:50.459 not like there's a God out there. It's all up 00:01:50.459 --> 00:01:54.280 to me to sort it out. And to be honest, I reckon 00:01:54.280 --> 00:01:56.719 his sister Lisa is a lot like that too. She's 00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:00.920 just much more successful. But they both stand 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:06.760 or fall on their own. The burden on them to provide 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:11.539 is theirs to bear. That's Bart. That's Lisa. 00:02:12.939 --> 00:02:15.139 And I reckon even Christians think a bit like 00:02:15.139 --> 00:02:17.900 that sometimes. We may not say it as explicitly 00:02:17.900 --> 00:02:21.120 as Bart Simpson does. But sometimes I think we 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:23.759 slip into that outlook. It's all on me. We feel 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:26.800 like Atlas with the world on our shoulders, like 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:31.139 we have to carry it all ourselves. So that's 00:02:31.139 --> 00:02:34.000 the first mindset. The second mindset is Piglet. 00:02:35.479 --> 00:02:38.259 You know Piglet from Winnie the Pooh? Piglet 00:02:38.259 --> 00:02:45.520 lives life anxious, frantic, hypervigilant. Piglet 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:47.900 represents the person with the outlook that's 00:02:47.900 --> 00:02:53.020 crippled by fear and worry. Piglet needs great 00:02:53.020 --> 00:02:57.520 reassurance and often help from others. He too 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:00.120 carries a heavy burden. He carries the burden 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:03.240 of being afraid all the time, always on high 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:08.280 alert. Now, both Bart and Lisa and Piglet, they're 00:03:08.280 --> 00:03:12.759 both very different, aren't they? Yet, I want 00:03:12.759 --> 00:03:16.000 to say to you, both struggle to see God as a 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.409 good provider. And I think that represents a 00:03:20.409 --> 00:03:24.069 lot of us, too. Now, you might be here and I 00:03:24.069 --> 00:03:25.770 don't know which one you are. You might think, 00:03:25.770 --> 00:03:28.550 yeah, I'm more like a Bart and a Lisa. And some 00:03:28.550 --> 00:03:30.229 of you might be thinking, no, I'm more of a piglet. 00:03:31.150 --> 00:03:33.449 And those are words I never thought I'd say in 00:03:33.449 --> 00:03:36.909 a sermon. But anyway, maybe you oscillate between 00:03:36.909 --> 00:03:39.830 the two. Sometimes you have that self -made outlook. 00:03:39.930 --> 00:03:43.370 Sometimes you have that more anxious, hypervigilant 00:03:43.370 --> 00:03:46.289 outlook. I know I sometimes oscillate between 00:03:46.289 --> 00:03:50.360 the two. But there's a better and a happier way 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:55.300 to live that frees us from the burden that both 00:03:55.300 --> 00:03:58.919 outlooks carry. Now, I don't have some other 00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:02.879 cartoon character I can show you, but the person 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:05.259 who doesn't carry that burden is someone who 00:04:05.259 --> 00:04:09.219 prayerfully trusts God to provide for them. Someone 00:04:09.219 --> 00:04:11.740 who thankfully and prayerfully trusts God to 00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:15.139 provide for them. I want to show you today that 00:04:15.139 --> 00:04:18.389 you can do that. And that you can do that because 00:04:18.389 --> 00:04:22.970 God is a good provider. And that's what we see 00:04:22.970 --> 00:04:26.110 in that little phrase, give us this day our daily 00:04:26.110 --> 00:04:30.750 bread. Here's our big idea for the day. God is 00:04:30.750 --> 00:04:36.110 a good provider, so pray for all our needs. Because 00:04:36.110 --> 00:04:38.230 it's not just your needs, it's pray for all our 00:04:38.230 --> 00:04:42.329 needs. And when we take this to heart, it shakes 00:04:42.329 --> 00:04:45.850 our prayer life in one of three ways. Firstly, 00:04:46.250 --> 00:04:49.410 We pray for life's necessities. That's the first 00:04:49.410 --> 00:04:52.290 way. Secondly, we pray for other Christians. 00:04:53.430 --> 00:04:56.670 And thirdly, we pray for this each day. We need 00:04:56.670 --> 00:04:59.329 to do all three. We pray for life's necessities. 00:04:59.350 --> 00:05:02.069 That's the idea of daily bread. We pray for other 00:05:02.069 --> 00:05:04.990 Christians. That's the hour. And we pray for 00:05:04.990 --> 00:05:09.790 this each day. Give us this day. So let's have 00:05:09.790 --> 00:05:12.639 a look at these. Here's the first one, pray for 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:15.000 life's necessities. That's what we're talking 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:19.240 about with bread. It's worth noting that the 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:21.540 structure and logic of the Lord's Prayer shows 00:05:21.540 --> 00:05:25.639 why this is important. The first three petitions, 00:05:25.779 --> 00:05:28.379 which we've already looked at, are all about 00:05:28.379 --> 00:05:31.920 praying for God's agenda. So we've done, hallowed 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:33.759 be your name, your kingdom come, your will be 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:36.939 done. We've talked about praying for God's reputation, 00:05:37.180 --> 00:05:40.319 his rescue, his rule. They're all God's agenda 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:42.519 things. They're things that are meant to realign 00:05:42.519 --> 00:05:45.620 our hearts with what God is doing in the world. 00:05:47.180 --> 00:05:49.579 But the amazing thing about God is that he's 00:05:49.579 --> 00:05:53.759 not a God who has no idea about what the real 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:58.019 world is like, is he? God's realistic. He knows 00:05:58.019 --> 00:06:02.199 that we can't pray for and do his agenda if our 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:06.240 needs are not met. Christianity is not some bodiless 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:10.480 spiritual asceticism. It's grounded in the real 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:15.579 world, where people have real needs. We pray 00:06:15.579 --> 00:06:20.199 for life's necessities. So what are those needs? 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:23.879 Well, we have needs that are physical and spiritual. 00:06:25.060 --> 00:06:27.540 We need clothes, we need money, we need shelter, 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:30.000 we need food, we need water, we need medicine. 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:33.000 These are all good things that we should pray 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:35.420 for. These are all things that God recognises 00:06:35.420 --> 00:06:39.430 that we need. But there is a priority within 00:06:39.430 --> 00:06:43.790 those needs even. Jesus said, picking up on Deuteronomy 00:06:43.790 --> 00:06:47.290 8, man does not live on bread alone, but on every 00:06:47.290 --> 00:06:51.310 word that comes from the mouth of God. So there 00:06:51.310 --> 00:06:53.870 are spiritual needs that are far more important 00:06:53.870 --> 00:06:56.889 than our physical needs. But it's not like God 00:06:56.889 --> 00:07:02.259 ignores our physical needs either. Life includes 00:07:02.259 --> 00:07:04.920 both. We have spiritual needs of churches and 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:06.839 growth groups and Bible study and encouragement 00:07:06.839 --> 00:07:09.339 and all of these things, but we have physical 00:07:09.339 --> 00:07:13.339 needs as well. And we need to be people who are 00:07:13.339 --> 00:07:16.420 responsible for those things. Yeah, we need to 00:07:16.420 --> 00:07:19.220 be people who go, I need to take care of my needs. 00:07:19.259 --> 00:07:21.759 I need to look after myself. That's a good and 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:28.759 right thing. But like wings on a plane, we're 00:07:28.759 --> 00:07:33.019 both responsible dependent. We need to be both. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:38.759 We need God's help. Now I know you Cairns locals, 00:07:38.939 --> 00:07:43.660 you're all cyclone experts here. Our first one 00:07:43.660 --> 00:07:46.980 we experienced was in Geraldton. We went through 00:07:46.980 --> 00:07:50.939 cyclone Seroja. It barely hit Geraldton thankfully, 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:55.319 but sadly it wiped out Kalbarri. It was very 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:59.079 bad. But we did get affected. It knocked out 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:03.699 our power for five days. And it was eye opening 00:08:03.699 --> 00:08:08.699 in those five days to see how fragile and vulnerable 00:08:08.699 --> 00:08:13.100 we really are. Things we took for granted so 00:08:13.100 --> 00:08:18.779 quickly gone. I reckon big disasters like that 00:08:18.779 --> 00:08:20.959 are actually really good for the heart, aren't 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:27.540 they? They remind me of how small I am. How fragile 00:08:27.540 --> 00:08:33.480 I am. How short life really is. I mean, one day 00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:38.840 I am gonna die. As self -made as I can be, there's 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:45.179 only so much I can do. I need God's help. I need 00:08:45.179 --> 00:08:49.539 big help. And thankfully, there really is a God 00:08:49.539 --> 00:08:54.539 who meets my needs if I trust him. All through 00:08:54.539 --> 00:08:58.200 scripture, we see examples of God answering prayers, 00:08:58.460 --> 00:09:01.179 whether there's drought or rain, whether it's 00:09:01.179 --> 00:09:04.519 opening people in prison cells, you know, getting 00:09:04.519 --> 00:09:06.519 them out, whether it's appointing leaders in 00:09:06.519 --> 00:09:09.279 churches, all sorts of things. God provides for 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:12.240 his people. And Christian history is full of 00:09:12.240 --> 00:09:15.759 it as well. If you've ever read about George 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:18.779 Mueller, who was in Bristol, who cared for something 00:09:18.779 --> 00:09:22.980 like 10 ,000 orphans. He was a funny one. I'm 00:09:22.980 --> 00:09:24.980 not suggesting you go do this, but it's quite 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:27.320 Interesting what he did. He didn't tell people 00:09:27.320 --> 00:09:29.820 his needs. He didn't say, oh, you know, we've 00:09:29.820 --> 00:09:32.480 just got an influx of more orphans. We're going 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:35.279 to need another $5 ,000 or anything like that. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:39.879 He just prayed. He just prayed. That's what he 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:44.940 did. And over half a billion dollars of our money 00:09:44.940 --> 00:09:50.340 came in to provide for those orphans. That was 00:09:50.340 --> 00:09:53.139 an answer to prayer. And I reckon there'd be 00:09:53.139 --> 00:09:55.500 people here in our church who would testify that 00:09:55.500 --> 00:09:58.919 they've prayed about things and these just remarkable 00:09:58.919 --> 00:10:03.299 coincidences or amazing things happen that they 00:10:03.299 --> 00:10:08.179 were never expecting. God is a good provider. 00:10:10.220 --> 00:10:11.620 But you might be going, well hang on, hang on 00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:13.320 Brendan, you know, that's all well and good, 00:10:13.500 --> 00:10:16.100 but how do you really know God's a good provider? 00:10:18.139 --> 00:10:21.139 Well... Even when there's times where God doesn't 00:10:21.139 --> 00:10:24.360 answer my prayers the way I think I would like, 00:10:25.059 --> 00:10:27.659 I know God's a good provider because he provided 00:10:27.659 --> 00:10:32.519 his son. When I look to the cross, I see that 00:10:32.519 --> 00:10:36.500 God is a good provider. He provided for my needs 00:10:36.500 --> 00:10:40.259 before I even knew that I had them. And if he 00:10:40.259 --> 00:10:42.799 gave up his own son for me, how can I not trust 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:47.720 that he will graciously give me all things? Now, 00:10:47.720 --> 00:10:51.419 we need to ask God to provide for our needs and 00:10:51.419 --> 00:10:53.559 we do that with faith and confidence that he 00:10:53.559 --> 00:10:58.779 can, that he will. Now, God is so gracious and 00:10:58.779 --> 00:11:02.360 kind, he still provides a lot if we don't pray. 00:11:03.980 --> 00:11:07.340 You know, God's common grace, the rain falls 00:11:07.340 --> 00:11:09.299 on the righteous and the unrighteous today, it's 00:11:09.299 --> 00:11:12.279 a bit more than normal but, you know, his rain 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:17.190 still falls on everybody. He provides, but He 00:11:17.190 --> 00:11:22.750 provides so much more if you do pray. And it's 00:11:22.750 --> 00:11:26.710 not just that He answers your prayers. He gives 00:11:26.710 --> 00:11:34.169 you extra, like humility and appreciation. It 00:11:34.169 --> 00:11:37.370 makes your life so much richer when you have 00:11:37.370 --> 00:11:41.009 that outlook, don't you? See, here's the truth 00:11:41.009 --> 00:11:44.779 about self -made people. Self -made people often 00:11:44.779 --> 00:11:49.620 become judgmental and proud if things go well. 00:11:50.139 --> 00:11:54.440 Just look at Lisa Simpson. Or they get crushed 00:11:54.440 --> 00:12:00.240 and bitter if things go poorly. Deep down, such 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:03.799 people often find life lonely and stressful. 00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:09.740 They carry a heavy burden. But I want to show 00:12:09.740 --> 00:12:12.240 you what it looks like not to be self -made. 00:12:12.620 --> 00:12:17.720 to be someone who trusts God. In his book on 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:20.519 the Lord's Prayer, Richard Cokin shares a story 00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:24.259 of a Christian businessman. He supported gospel 00:12:24.259 --> 00:12:28.340 work for a long, long time, but he worked for 00:12:28.340 --> 00:12:32.440 Enron. Do you remember the infamous Enron? They 00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:35.899 collapsed over in America and this guy lost a 00:12:35.899 --> 00:12:40.419 fortune when it collapsed. This businessman took 00:12:40.419 --> 00:12:44.690 Richard Cokin on a tour of the empty Enron offices. 00:12:45.809 --> 00:12:51.029 It was just eerie and ghostly. But Koken says 00:12:51.029 --> 00:12:54.830 this, he says, this businessman was surprisingly 00:12:54.830 --> 00:12:58.850 calm about his financial losses. The businessman 00:12:58.850 --> 00:13:01.549 said, I've repeatedly acknowledged to God that 00:13:01.549 --> 00:13:05.009 my wealth comes from him. I've asked that if 00:13:05.009 --> 00:13:07.210 at any point he thought it would be spiritually 00:13:07.210 --> 00:13:10.309 better for me not to have it, he would please 00:13:10.309 --> 00:13:14.009 take it away. I trust that this is what he has 00:13:14.009 --> 00:13:19.289 done and I am content with that. What an outlook, 00:13:19.409 --> 00:13:23.389 isn't it? That's how you pray, give us this day 00:13:23.389 --> 00:13:27.970 our daily bread. It's acknowledging that all 00:13:27.970 --> 00:13:32.669 you have comes from God. It's asking him to provide 00:13:32.669 --> 00:13:35.250 and trusting that he knows best with whatever 00:13:35.250 --> 00:13:40.509 the answer may be. It's what makes you humble 00:13:40.509 --> 00:13:46.009 and content. Are you praying about your needs? 00:13:47.370 --> 00:13:53.409 Are you praying about your needs like that? But 00:13:53.409 --> 00:13:56.090 praying for our daily bread doesn't just make 00:13:56.090 --> 00:13:59.409 us humble and content. It actually makes us more 00:13:59.409 --> 00:14:02.070 loving. So yeah, we pray for life's necessities, 00:14:02.090 --> 00:14:05.570 but here's our second thing. We pray for other 00:14:05.570 --> 00:14:10.159 Christians. We pray for other Christians. That 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:13.200 little hour pops up again in the Lord's Prayer 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:15.879 to break us free from our individualistic self 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:22.259 -absorption. It's not all about me. This little 00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:26.899 hour expands our horizons. We're part of a family. 00:14:26.980 --> 00:14:28.720 If you're a Christian, you're part of a family. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:31.440 You've got brothers and sisters in Christ, both 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:36.700 here in our church, but also near and far. And 00:14:36.700 --> 00:14:39.980 because we're a family, we love each other. We 00:14:39.980 --> 00:14:44.000 love each other in practical ways, but also by 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:46.679 praying for each other's physical and spiritual 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:52.639 needs. It's a great thing to do. And it changes 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:56.019 you. Pray for the persecuted church. You know, 00:14:56.019 --> 00:14:59.600 go onto Open Doors or Barnabas Fund and pray 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:03.179 for Christians in really horrible and difficult 00:15:03.179 --> 00:15:06.960 places facing death, many of them. Pray for them. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:10.429 It changes you. Pray for the members of your 00:15:10.429 --> 00:15:13.269 growth group. It's amazing how when you do that 00:15:13.269 --> 00:15:16.190 it changes who you are. Pray for Christians in 00:15:16.190 --> 00:15:18.570 the bush with Bush Church Aid. There's so many 00:15:18.570 --> 00:15:22.669 good things and God will often answer those prayers 00:15:22.669 --> 00:15:25.529 because he's a good provider. He's able to but 00:15:25.529 --> 00:15:31.129 often he will change you too. Sadly today when 00:15:31.129 --> 00:15:34.470 there's a tragedy somewhere in the world, especially 00:15:34.470 --> 00:15:36.750 when there's a shooting in places like America, 00:15:37.580 --> 00:15:41.019 A lot of politicians will say things like, our 00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:45.799 thoughts and our prayers are with you. And for 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:49.399 many people that generates a lot of anger. Because 00:15:49.399 --> 00:15:54.100 it just becomes this empty platitude. You know, 00:15:54.100 --> 00:15:56.340 they're sick of it. They're going, I want action 00:15:56.340 --> 00:15:59.759 instead of thoughts and prayers. And you know 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:02.419 what? There's some truth to that. I think fair 00:16:02.419 --> 00:16:09.019 enough. Yet sadly, Such outrage and such politicians 00:16:09.019 --> 00:16:13.740 using it as an empty platitude distorts to us 00:16:13.740 --> 00:16:19.820 how powerful prayer truly is. Praying for others 00:16:19.820 --> 00:16:24.000 does change what happens. We've got a God in 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.940 heaven who is all loving and all powerful. He 00:16:26.940 --> 00:16:31.120 can do anything and he will do what's best. Prayer 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:35.929 changes what happens. Praying to God for someone 00:16:35.929 --> 00:16:39.429 else is an awesome thing to do. Don't underestimate 00:16:39.429 --> 00:16:45.090 it. But prayer also changes us. It makes us more 00:16:45.090 --> 00:16:47.730 like Jesus. It makes us more loving. I wonder 00:16:47.730 --> 00:16:50.470 if those politicians were truly praying about 00:16:50.470 --> 00:16:53.789 these things. I reckon they probably would take 00:16:53.789 --> 00:16:59.330 action. And it's the same for us. Say you're 00:16:59.330 --> 00:17:01.970 sitting there in growth group and you're praying 00:17:01.970 --> 00:17:04.349 for different people, you're doing that thing 00:17:04.349 --> 00:17:06.869 of sharing prayer points and then you pray for 00:17:06.869 --> 00:17:09.750 one another and then you go home and you're praying 00:17:09.750 --> 00:17:13.390 throughout the week for that person. Yeah, Fred, 00:17:13.549 --> 00:17:15.089 okay, what was it I was praying for Fred? Yeah, 00:17:15.089 --> 00:17:19.950 he needs a new job, okay, and Jane, she's sick 00:17:19.950 --> 00:17:22.549 at the moment, I'll pray for her and you're just 00:17:22.549 --> 00:17:23.990 going through different people, you're praying 00:17:23.990 --> 00:17:27.849 for them. Now God often honours that, but... 00:17:27.710 --> 00:17:31.369 He'll change you as you do that. You might even 00:17:31.369 --> 00:17:34.930 go, hey, how can I become the answer to that 00:17:34.930 --> 00:17:39.809 prayer? Do I need to, you know, go over and give 00:17:39.809 --> 00:17:43.009 Jane a meal or Fred does, is there someone I 00:17:43.009 --> 00:17:45.190 know at work who could maybe give him a job? 00:17:47.490 --> 00:17:50.430 Prayer for one another, praying for Christians 00:17:50.430 --> 00:17:53.230 all over the world, it changes us and makes us 00:17:53.230 --> 00:17:58.259 more like Jesus. That's why we pray the hour. 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:06.099 Because as we do it changes who we are. But praying 00:18:06.099 --> 00:18:08.440 for God's provision doesn't just make us more 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:12.920 humble and content and loving. It also calms 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:17.099 us down. And that's why we pray for this each 00:18:17.099 --> 00:18:24.299 day. Give us this day our daily bread. Why not 00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:29.589 pray weekly, monthly, or annually. You know, 00:18:29.829 --> 00:18:31.970 like tax time. I'll just get it all loaded up 00:18:31.970 --> 00:18:36.309 at once, you know? Well, can't I just outsource 00:18:36.309 --> 00:18:38.089 my prayers? Maybe there's someone who'll just 00:18:38.089 --> 00:18:41.690 do that for me? No, it's because we constantly 00:18:41.690 --> 00:18:44.730 need reminding that we're dependent upon God. 00:18:46.089 --> 00:18:48.930 That we have a Father who is there, who is in 00:18:48.930 --> 00:18:51.609 control, and that He is good and loving, and 00:18:51.609 --> 00:18:53.769 He's working out His good plans and purposes. 00:18:55.400 --> 00:19:00.099 And when I do that, it helps me not worry. It 00:19:00.099 --> 00:19:04.200 helps me not try to control everything, but to 00:19:04.200 --> 00:19:09.259 just be calm. I remember seeing a psychologist 00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:12.980 once say that anxiety is an over -concern about 00:19:12.980 --> 00:19:18.160 the future. That's what it is, isn't it? Can 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:21.700 I make sure everything's okay? Can I just have 00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:28.039 control? Praying daily, helps us stay calm and 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:31.579 grounded and focused on God's provision. And 00:19:31.579 --> 00:19:34.819 it gives us a perspective as to what's important. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:38.039 Here's what Jesus says later in the Sermon on 00:19:38.039 --> 00:19:40.920 the Mount. Often you find many things in the 00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:42.599 Sermon on the Mount linked back to the Lord's 00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:44.519 Prayer, because you're meant to be praying about 00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:46.740 those things and then having a new outlook living 00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:48.799 them out. Well, here's what Jesus says. He says, 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:52.099 therefore do not be anxious saying, what shall 00:19:52.099 --> 00:19:54.319 we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:57.410 wear? For the Gentiles, the nations who don't 00:19:57.410 --> 00:20:01.089 know God, they seek after all these things. And 00:20:01.089 --> 00:20:03.210 your Heavenly Father knows that you need them 00:20:03.210 --> 00:20:05.309 all. He's a good provider. He knew what you needed 00:20:05.309 --> 00:20:10.390 before you even asked. But seek first the Kingdom 00:20:10.390 --> 00:20:14.369 of God and His righteousness, and all these things 00:20:14.369 --> 00:20:17.950 will be added to you. You know, when we pray, 00:20:18.109 --> 00:20:20.869 it changes our outlook. We're seeking the right 00:20:20.869 --> 00:20:23.970 things. We're on about the kingdom, and we go, 00:20:24.210 --> 00:20:26.430 I trust the other stuff to God. He'll provide 00:20:26.430 --> 00:20:29.950 for me. And so therefore, do not be anxious about 00:20:29.950 --> 00:20:31.849 tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious about 00:20:31.849 --> 00:20:35.309 itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 00:20:35.630 --> 00:20:38.470 When we're praying like this, it allows us to 00:20:38.470 --> 00:20:45.210 be present, calm, grounded. Now, I must admit, 00:20:45.269 --> 00:20:48.150 sometimes my kids get really worried and stressed. 00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:52.420 Some of my kids are autistic and often when they're 00:20:52.420 --> 00:20:54.480 having an autistic meltdown, it's not just that 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:56.920 they're grumpy or angry, it's that they're really, 00:20:56.920 --> 00:21:01.779 really anxious. But it is amazing how often, 00:21:02.759 --> 00:21:05.220 if I can just get them a little calm and then 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:09.359 come and give them a big hug, how often that 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:13.819 soothes them, doesn't it? That warm, loving squeeze 00:21:13.819 --> 00:21:17.509 calms them right down. Their hearts stop racing, 00:21:17.890 --> 00:21:20.809 their breathing slows, and they're just in such 00:21:20.809 --> 00:21:26.650 a better place. Well, prayer is like that for 00:21:26.650 --> 00:21:32.829 us. It's a hug for your heart, for the everyday 00:21:32.829 --> 00:21:37.690 chaos that we go through. It gives the piglet 00:21:37.690 --> 00:21:40.069 in me, and I'm not talking about my belly, it 00:21:40.069 --> 00:21:43.849 gives the piglet in me great calm and peace. 00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:49.519 See, God often uses our prayers to meet our physical 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:52.960 and spiritual needs. He answers them. But He 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:56.480 also helps to meet our psychological needs through 00:21:56.480 --> 00:22:01.220 prayer. When life spirals out of control, I don't 00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:04.599 have to face it alone. I have a Father in heaven 00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:07.079 who's looking out for me better than I can look 00:22:07.079 --> 00:22:12.740 out for myself. And the cross is proof of that. 00:22:14.410 --> 00:22:18.309 When I look at the cross, I see the Son of God 00:22:18.309 --> 00:22:22.450 murdered by people, rejected by His own people. 00:22:24.150 --> 00:22:27.470 It looks like total chaos. It looks more chaotic 00:22:27.470 --> 00:22:32.309 than anything I've seen in my life. And yet God 00:22:32.309 --> 00:22:36.490 was in complete control of all of it. It reminds 00:22:36.490 --> 00:22:39.130 me His plans and purposes can be trusted. That 00:22:39.130 --> 00:22:42.210 He's not asleep at the wheel, He's driving the 00:22:42.210 --> 00:22:52.960 bus. Praying daily calms me down. But that's 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:55.799 not all it does for my internal world or yours. 00:22:57.559 --> 00:23:00.200 There's a lot of debate among Greek boffins. 00:23:01.660 --> 00:23:05.059 Is it give us today our daily bread or give us 00:23:05.059 --> 00:23:10.299 today our tomorrow's bread? There's a good case 00:23:10.299 --> 00:23:14.410 to be made, it's tomorrow's bread. because it's 00:23:14.410 --> 00:23:17.170 a call back to Exodus 16, the passage that we 00:23:17.170 --> 00:23:21.069 read earlier, to the Sabbath provision there, 00:23:21.950 --> 00:23:24.529 to the way God provided for his people there. 00:23:25.349 --> 00:23:28.369 There's even little hints at the Messianic banquet 00:23:28.369 --> 00:23:32.690 that comes up throughout the Old Testament. I 00:23:32.690 --> 00:23:34.349 think when we're praying this, it's not just 00:23:34.349 --> 00:23:36.369 that we're praying that God will provide for 00:23:36.369 --> 00:23:41.700 my needs. I think we're praying that God will 00:23:41.700 --> 00:23:46.279 sustain us all the way home to the promised land, 00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:50.240 all the way home to that eternal Sabbath rest, 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:56.039 all the way home to his forever kingdom. We're 00:23:56.039 --> 00:24:01.000 praying that God will make sure I get home. And 00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:05.059 when we have that eternal perspective, it reorients 00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:09.140 to me what I need to be worried about and what 00:24:09.140 --> 00:24:13.329 really matters. I had a friend who used to say 00:24:13.329 --> 00:24:17.470 to me, don't sweat the small stuff. And here's 00:24:17.470 --> 00:24:21.869 the thing, when you're a Christian, all of it's 00:24:21.869 --> 00:24:25.569 small stuff. Once you know Jesus, you can see 00:24:25.569 --> 00:24:28.990 that all these things in life, it's small stuff. 00:24:29.630 --> 00:24:34.990 Because I've got eternity sorted. It's so freeing 00:24:34.990 --> 00:24:42.029 when you can trust God every day. So let's draw 00:24:42.029 --> 00:24:45.970 some threads together. Are you more of a bard 00:24:45.970 --> 00:24:48.829 or a Lisa? Well, are you like bard and Lisa, 00:24:49.049 --> 00:24:53.049 or are you more of a piglet? Whichever it is, 00:24:53.049 --> 00:24:56.970 I hope you've seen a better way today. A better 00:24:56.970 --> 00:25:00.490 way that's to prayerfully trust God and thank 00:25:00.490 --> 00:25:06.390 him. God is a good provider. So pray for all 00:25:06.390 --> 00:25:09.849 our needs. The big thing we see as we look at 00:25:09.849 --> 00:25:12.210 give us this day our daily bread and there were 00:25:12.210 --> 00:25:14.890 three things we need to do in response to it. 00:25:15.049 --> 00:25:18.849 Pray for life's necessities, pray for other Christians 00:25:18.849 --> 00:25:25.109 and pray for this each day. Now what's this mean 00:25:25.109 --> 00:25:27.890 practically for us? Well you know if you're here 00:25:27.890 --> 00:25:30.529 today and you're a Bart, Lisa, self -made kind 00:25:30.529 --> 00:25:37.500 of person I get that this is hard to do. It feels 00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:42.180 good being self -made, doesn't it? Not being 00:25:42.180 --> 00:25:45.839 dependent on anyone makes you feel safe and accomplished. 00:25:48.779 --> 00:25:51.599 Yet did you see today that the reality is you're 00:25:51.599 --> 00:25:57.819 robbing yourself of so much more? Did you really 00:25:57.819 --> 00:26:01.640 provide for yourself that great work ethic that 00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:06.259 you may have? Was that you? Did you just... born 00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:10.940 that way, or is that a gift from God? The education 00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:13.640 you have, being born here where you are, having 00:26:13.640 --> 00:26:17.299 the prosperity that you enjoy, is that you, or 00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:21.900 is that a gift from God? It's a good thing to 00:26:21.900 --> 00:26:25.420 recognise how much stuff actually comes, not 00:26:25.420 --> 00:26:31.119 from you, but from the maker of everything. And 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:32.940 you know what, where will you turn when things 00:26:32.940 --> 00:26:37.900 do go wrong? It's a miserable place to be, to 00:26:37.900 --> 00:26:41.839 be self -made when everything is going chaotic 00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:45.779 and things are just too big for you. I think 00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:48.140 life is so much better when you're prayerful 00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:53.000 and thankful to God. So if you're someone here 00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:54.960 today and you've got that self -made kind of 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:57.960 heart, let me give you a tip of what I think 00:26:57.960 --> 00:27:02.460 you should try doing. For a couple of months 00:27:02.750 --> 00:27:06.289 Can I suggest you just get a piece of paper and 00:27:06.289 --> 00:27:08.890 every week you replace it but just draw a big 00:27:08.890 --> 00:27:11.309 line down the middle and a little line across 00:27:11.309 --> 00:27:14.130 the top and you've got two columns, one that 00:27:14.130 --> 00:27:18.569 says ask and one that says thanks. And you write 00:27:18.569 --> 00:27:20.890 on that piece of paper, keep it by your bedside 00:27:20.890 --> 00:27:23.549 table, write the things that you're asking God 00:27:23.549 --> 00:27:26.049 for, write the things that you're thanking God 00:27:26.049 --> 00:27:29.950 for and then just each morning or night or both 00:27:30.380 --> 00:27:32.859 Pray about those things. Talk to God about those 00:27:32.859 --> 00:27:35.680 things. Throughout the week, add to the list. 00:27:38.039 --> 00:27:40.079 But I reckon if you try that for a couple of 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:44.880 months, do it daily, I think it will change your 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:50.000 outlook in a massive way. Especially if you're 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:54.119 there thanking God for the Lord Jesus and how 00:27:54.119 --> 00:27:59.480 he graciously gives his people salvation. It 00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:04.650 will bring joy, peace, calm, gladness to your 00:28:04.650 --> 00:28:10.769 heart. It is a wonderful thing to do. But if 00:28:10.769 --> 00:28:15.069 you're a piglet person, I know, too, your struggles. 00:28:15.190 --> 00:28:17.529 I know you're just trying to protect yourself. 00:28:19.289 --> 00:28:22.029 For you, you feel like if you can spot life's 00:28:22.029 --> 00:28:25.849 dangers and get people to help you, you're going 00:28:25.849 --> 00:28:30.829 to be safe. But surprisingly, what you're actually 00:28:30.829 --> 00:28:35.069 doing is sabotaging yourself. I've struggled 00:28:35.069 --> 00:28:40.509 with GAD, generalised anxiety disorder. And I 00:28:40.509 --> 00:28:42.750 remember a few years ago when I started managing 00:28:42.750 --> 00:28:46.930 it a lot better. And it was amazing how much 00:28:46.930 --> 00:28:50.710 more joy and energy and how good life became 00:28:50.710 --> 00:28:55.829 when I started getting on top of it. Now, how 00:28:55.829 --> 00:29:00.660 do you manage it? Well, self -care. Sleep, get 00:29:00.660 --> 00:29:04.259 enough sleep, hydrate, have a good diet, exercise, 00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:06.359 belonging, all these things. They're good things 00:29:06.359 --> 00:29:11.339 to do. But I want to add in there, also have 00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:16.099 a new outlook. The verse of the week that we 00:29:16.099 --> 00:29:18.440 had on our bulletin today, it meant a lot to 00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:22.500 me. This is what it says. Look at the birds of 00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:24.440 the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather 00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:26.640 into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:32.500 them. Are you not of more value than they? God 00:29:32.500 --> 00:29:35.839 provides food for the birds. They don't farm 00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:38.339 the land and store it, yet they have full tummies. 00:29:40.099 --> 00:29:42.720 I mean, God's so good, so powerful, so all -knowing. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:49.279 He cares about the birds. And then, well, God 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:53.480 cares more about me and you, then he does the 00:29:53.480 --> 00:29:56.359 birds, doesn't he? Well, how do you know, Brendan? 00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:59.599 Well, I'm made in his image. That's what the 00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:03.740 Bible tells me. But there's an even greater reason. 00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:10.299 I look at the cross. At the cross, I see I'm 00:30:10.299 --> 00:30:13.779 of more value than birds or any other creature 00:30:13.779 --> 00:30:17.359 in the world. Because Jesus died for humans. 00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:23.099 He died for me. I am so precious to God that 00:30:23.099 --> 00:30:27.400 Jesus would endure the full force of God's anger, 00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:30.400 judgment and wrath in my place so that I wouldn't 00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:35.299 have to do it for eternity. There's no doubt 00:30:35.299 --> 00:30:38.859 in my mind when I look at the cross that I am 00:30:38.859 --> 00:30:42.180 precious and valuable. There's no doubt in my 00:30:42.180 --> 00:30:44.920 mind when I look at the cross that God's in control 00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:47.119 and he's working out his good plans and purposes. 00:30:50.009 --> 00:30:53.410 If God provides you with eternal salvation through 00:30:53.410 --> 00:30:57.529 the death of his own precious son, why do you 00:30:57.529 --> 00:30:59.670 doubt that he'll provide you with lesser things? 00:31:02.450 --> 00:31:05.309 If you're a piglet type, you don't need to be 00:31:05.309 --> 00:31:10.890 on high alert. Remember what God is like. Look 00:31:10.890 --> 00:31:16.289 to the cross and pray to him daily. Do the other 00:31:16.289 --> 00:31:20.009 self -care things as well, like do it all. but 00:31:20.009 --> 00:31:27.410 pray to Him daily and let it calm you down. See, 00:31:27.410 --> 00:31:31.829 whether you like Bart or Lisa or Piglet, life 00:31:31.829 --> 00:31:36.049 is so much better when we commit our needs to 00:31:36.049 --> 00:31:42.869 God. Will you commit yourself to doing that today? 00:31:44.289 --> 00:31:49.809 Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for 00:31:49.809 --> 00:31:54.369 your wonderful generosity. You provide for us 00:31:54.369 --> 00:31:57.730 in the most rich, wonderful and abundant ways. 00:31:59.950 --> 00:32:01.809 Father, we are sorry for all the times we've 00:32:01.809 --> 00:32:06.049 taken those things for granted. Help us to be 00:32:06.049 --> 00:32:11.769 thankful. Help us to be content. Help us to be 00:32:11.769 --> 00:32:17.210 humble. And as we pray, Father, help us to become 00:32:17.210 --> 00:32:21.849 more loving, more like Jesus. And as we pray, 00:32:22.069 --> 00:32:26.950 Father, please help us to have our anxieties 00:32:26.950 --> 00:32:31.710 soothed and calmed. Please, Father, we need your 00:32:31.710 --> 00:32:37.190 help. Help us to depend upon you. And we ask 00:32:37.190 --> 00:32:39.529 this in Jesus' name. Amen.