"Daily Bread", Plenty Enough: Practicing Prayer (2)
Practicing
Prayer (2): “Daily Bread”, Plenty Enough
Prayer (2): “Daily Bread”, Plenty Enough
2014/09/14
Christ Church, Mountain Top
Christ Church, Mountain Top
Prayer,
Psalm 104 (selections)
Psalm 104 (selections)
Children,
Exodus 16
Exodus 16
Message, Matthew
6.5-13, 31-34; Matthew 14.14-21
6.5-13, 31-34; Matthew 14.14-21
Lord’s
Prayer – Our Father
Prayer – Our Father
Last week: Our Father … on earth, as it is
in heaven
in heaven
Practice: how we are transformed
Post the Lord’s Prayer, pray it daily (or
more)
more)
Pray with your body – hands raised –
praise, priority
praise, priority
Structure
of the prayer
of the prayer
3 petitions (name, kingdom, will)
3 petitions (food, forgiveness,
deliverance)
deliverance)
In the middle: “On earth as it is in
heaven”
heaven”
“On earth, as it is in heaven”: Spiritual
versus Spirtualizing
versus Spirtualizing
So heavenly minded as to be no earthly
good?
good?
I’m thirsty … for the Lord (Michael
Junior)
Junior)
It’s windy today … the wind blows …
so is everyone …
so is everyone …
But we believe in resurrection – not just immortality
of soul
of soul
And, believe in creation – “it is good”
Timothy Keller: the most material of faiths
Prayer
… spiritual, not spiritualizing
… spiritual, not spiritualizing
Translation of “epiousion” (daily) (Peterson,
147-150)
147-150)
A “Holy Ghost” word?
(500 of the 5000 words in the
NT were unique)
NT were unique)
“supersubstantial” (Origen)
Oxyrhynchus, 1897
Daily = today’s, fresh
Enough, “today’s bread”
Discernment: need vs want
Anxiety: we do not need tomorrow’s bread
today
today
Uncertain future AND confidence today
“Your Father knows what you need before
you ask him” (Mt 6.8)
you ask him” (Mt 6.8)
“Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Mt
6.34)
6.34)
George Muller, milk truck
Enough – Debt?
Plenty, “fresh bread”
Feeding 5000 …
Only 12 baskets of leftovers … not
much, actually (necessity)
much, actually (necessity)
What is enough for one is multiplied to be
enough for 5000+
enough for 5000+
“You give them something to eat”
Plenty – Prosperity? (more)
Work – God’s top way to provide our
daily bread (& bread for others)
daily bread (& bread for others)
Built into rhythm of creation – work/sabbath
“on earth as it is in heaven”
Forget that it is a gift
To be able to work
To have a job
To enjoy the people you work with
and the work you do
and the work you do
Forget that it is a gift, and become
dependent – on effort, boss
dependent – on effort, boss
This prayer re-orders our relationship
with work
with work
A
work blessing (Psalm 90:17)
work blessing (Psalm 90:17)
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of
our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.
our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.
A success prayer (1
Chronicles 4:10, of Jabez)
Chronicles 4:10, of Jabez)
Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be
with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.
with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.
Resources:
Eugene H. Peterson. 2006. Eat This Book: A conversation in the art of
spiritual reading. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
spiritual reading. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.