Matthew 6:9-13
Living Day by Day
These two Scripture verses prompted someone to write,
“One secret of a happy Christian life is living by the day. It’s the long stretches that tire us. But really, there are no long stretches. Life does not come to us all at once. Tomorrow is not ours; but when it does come, God will supply both daily bread and daily strength.”
Living Moment to Moment
As Pastor Philip Doddridge was walking along the street one day, he was feeling depressed and desolate, for something had happened to burden his heart. Passing a small cottage, he heard through the open door the voice of a child reading the words found in Deuteronomy 33:25, “.as your days, so shall your strength be.” The Holy Spirit used that truth to bolster his sinking morale. He was encouraged not to look too far ahead, but just to go on living for the Lord from moment to moment in the consciousness that God would care for him.
Apparently D. L. Moody also learned that secret, for he said,
“A man can no more take a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough today to last him for the next 6 months, nor can he inhale sufficient air into his lungs with one breath to sustain life for a week to come. We are permitted to draw upon God’s store of grace from day to day as we need it!”
God never gives His strength in advance, so let’s stop crossing bridges before we come to them. The Heavenly Father will graciously supply our every need—one day at a time!
Don’t try to bear tomorrow’s burdens with today’s grace.
I Cannot Say . . .
- I cannot say Our, if my religion has no room for others and their needs.
- I cannot say Father, if I do not demonstrate this relationship in my daily living.
- I cannot say Who art in heaven, if all my interests and pursuits are on earthly things.
- I cannot say Hallowed be thy name, if I, who is called by His name, am not holy.
- I cannot say Thy kingdom come, if I am unwilling to give up my own sovereignty and accept the righteous reign of God.
- I cannot say Thy will be done, if I am unwilling or resentful of having it in my life.
- I cannot say On earth as it is in heaven unless I am truly ready to give myself to His service here and now.
- I cannot say Give us this day our daily bread without expending honest effort for it or by ignoring the genuine needs of my fellowmen.
- I cannot say Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, if I continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.
- I cannot say Lead us not into temptation, if I deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.
- I cannot say Deliver us from evil, if I am not prepared to fight in the spiritual realm with the weapon of prayer.
- I cannot say Thine is the kingdom, if I do not give the King the disciplined obedience of a loyal subject.
- I cannot say Thine is the power, if I fear what my neighbors and friends may say or do.
- I cannot say Thine is the glory, if I am seeking my own glory first.
- I cannot say Forever, if I am too anxious about each day’s affairs.
- I cannot say Amen unless I honestly say, “Cost what it may, this is my prayer.”
Three Parts
1. Praise,
2. Priorities,
3. Provision.
Things for Which to Pray
1. That God’s name be honored and respected (9)
2. That God’s kingdom be completed (10)
3. That God’s will be implemented (10)
4. For physical needs—daily bread (11)
5. For social needs—forgiving and being forgiven (12)
6. For spiritual needs—temptation and deliverance (13)
The Disciple’s Prayer
In the Lord’s Prayer (or the Disciples’ Prayer) we have three essentials for effective praying.
1. First there is relationship: “Our Father, who art in heaven” (v. 9).
2. Then there is responsibility: “Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done” (vv. 9,10).
3. Finally, there are requests: “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (vv. 11-13).