100:00:00,560 –> 00:00:07,240If you have a job, and if you want a home,200:00:07,240 –> 00:00:09,420and if you’re in good health,300:00:09,420 –> 00:00:14,840and if your kitchen is stocked with enough food to last you for some time,400:00:14,840 –> 00:00:21,280and if you’re a wise steward of your money and you have a healthy 401k,500:00:21,280 –> 00:00:25,040why would you need to pray,600:00:25,040 –> 00:00:29,480Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread?700:00:29,520 –> 00:00:32,500Welcome to Open The Bible With Pastor Colin Smith.800:00:32,500 –> 00:00:33,799I’m David Pick.900:00:33,799 –> 00:00:35,279Glad you could be with us today.1000:00:35,279 –> 00:00:37,959Colin, there may be many listening who are thinking1100:00:37,959 –> 00:00:40,480that’s certainly not the case for me,1200:00:40,480 –> 00:00:43,020so I understand why I should pray for that.1300:00:43,020 –> 00:00:45,980But for those who can identify with what you just said,1400:00:45,980 –> 00:00:49,840why is Give Us Today Our Daily Bread so important?1500:00:49,840 –> 00:00:54,119Well, I think simply for the reason that everything that we have can easily be lost.1600:00:54,119 –> 00:00:56,020I mean think about the story of Job.1700:00:56,020 –> 00:00:59,380I mean, he had all of these things that we’ve just referred to.1800:00:59,380 –> 00:01:03,959And they all went, they were all gone in a single day.1900:01:03,959 –> 00:01:09,220Now that’s why however much or however little we have in this world,2000:01:09,220 –> 00:01:14,620we can never put our confidence or our security in the things that we have.2100:01:14,620 –> 00:01:18,440We are by nature dependent upon God,2200:01:18,440 –> 00:01:22,440and everything that we have is His blessing that’s put into our hands.2300:01:22,440 –> 00:01:24,959And yet we don’t hold it by right.2400:01:25,120 –> 00:01:30,120We hold it as long as He gives it to us and in as much as He gives it to us.2500:01:30,120 –> 00:01:34,339So this prayer is a wonderfully liberating prayer.2600:01:34,339 –> 00:01:39,919It focuses our minds and our hearts on where our dependence really is2700:01:39,919 –> 00:01:42,419and on where our provision really is.2800:01:42,419 –> 00:01:46,940That it is God who provides for me, and He provides for me day by day.2900:01:46,940 –> 00:01:49,739And I don’t have what I need apart from Him,3000:01:49,739 –> 00:01:52,760but with Him, I have all that I need.3100:01:52,760 –> 00:01:55,180I hope that today’s going to be a real encouragement.3200:01:55,180 –> 00:01:59,559How much or how little you have, if you have God,3300:01:59,559 –> 00:02:02,500if you are His in the Lord Jesus Christ,3400:02:02,500 –> 00:02:06,820then you can have great confidence that He’s going to provide all that you need.3500:02:06,820 –> 00:02:10,000So, join us if you can in Matthew chapter 63600:02:10,000 –> 00:02:13,139as we begin the new message God’s Provision.3700:02:13,139 –> 00:02:14,000Here’s Colin.3800:02:14,720 –> 00:02:18,580Today we come to the fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer.3900:02:18,580 –> 00:02:23,940Give us this day our daily bread.4000:02:23,940 –> 00:02:30,820Now, there are four things that praying this prayer will do for us.4100:02:30,820 –> 00:02:36,740I want us to see today how praying this prayer will help us to acknowledge our dependence,4200:02:36,740 –> 00:02:39,800how it will help us to grow in gratitude,4300:02:39,800 –> 00:02:42,800how it will deepen our compassion,4400:02:42,880 –> 00:02:46,479and how it will affirm God’s faithfulness.4500:02:46,479 –> 00:02:47,759Let’s begin here then.4600:02:47,759 –> 00:02:53,679This prayer as you pray it will acknowledge our dependence.4700:02:54,800 –> 00:02:59,759Give us this day our daily bread.4800:02:59,759 –> 00:03:03,839And I want to focus first on this very important word, give.4900:03:04,460 –> 00:03:04,960Give!5000:03:05,919 –> 00:03:09,600Give us this day our daily bread.5100:03:10,559 –> 00:03:15,759Now when we ask God to give us our bread,5200:03:16,479 –> 00:03:20,559we are very clearly acknowledging our dependence upon Him.5300:03:21,919 –> 00:03:24,960And that’s against our nature because by nature,5400:03:24,960 –> 00:03:28,240what we want to do is declare our independence.5500:03:28,880 –> 00:03:32,479But when we’ve come to know God as our loving Heavenly Father,5600:03:33,360 –> 00:03:37,759we gladly affirm that every good gift that we enjoy5700:03:37,759 –> 00:03:43,199comes from our loving father and comes down from His gracious hand.5800:03:44,080 –> 00:03:46,479In other words, this prayer acknowledges5900:03:46,479 –> 00:03:52,080that there are no self-made men or women anywhere.6000:03:53,360 –> 00:03:57,199What do you have that you did not receive?6100:03:58,399 –> 00:04:02,960It all comes from the good and the gracious hand of our loving God.6200:04:03,279 –> 00:04:09,199And then when we asked that God will give us our daily bread,6300:04:09,199 –> 00:04:13,600we’re also recognizing that God doesn’t owe us anything.6400:04:14,639 –> 00:04:16,399Now next time, God willing,6500:04:16,399 –> 00:04:21,760we’ll come to the Fifth Petition about forgiving us our debts,6600:04:21,760 –> 00:04:27,920and there we recognize that there is a debt that all of us owe to God.6700:04:28,239 –> 00:04:31,359But none of us can ever come to God and say,6800:04:32,239 –> 00:04:34,880Oh, there’s a debt that you owe to me.6900:04:34,880 –> 00:04:37,600No. God owes us nothing.7000:04:39,119 –> 00:04:48,720And all that we have is a free gift from his loving and his gracious hand.7100:04:48,720 –> 00:04:56,239Now, I guess that the sense of daily dependence upon God7200:04:56,239 –> 00:04:59,600for the provision of what we need7300:04:59,600 –> 00:05:03,399was something that was felt more deeply and more immediately7400:05:03,399 –> 00:05:08,440by people in earlier centuries than it often is today.7500:05:08,440 –> 00:05:15,320I mean, we have become used to brilliantly managed processes7600:05:15,320 –> 00:05:19,839by which our food comes from the farm to the fork.7700:05:19,839 –> 00:05:25,200But one thing surely, that we are learning from this Coronavirus7800:05:25,200 –> 00:05:29,399is that things we assume will always be there7900:05:29,399 –> 00:05:33,079can disappear very quickly indeed.8000:05:33,079 –> 00:05:39,799And we really do depend on God more than we may often think.8100:05:39,799 –> 00:05:44,399And Jesus teaches us to ask the Father8200:05:44,399 –> 00:05:48,880to provide what we need today.8300:05:48,880 –> 00:05:52,600Now, in Bible times, God’s people looked back8400:05:52,600 –> 00:05:55,799to when God brought them out of Egypt8500:05:55,799 –> 00:05:58,519where they had been slaves.8600:05:58,519 –> 00:06:02,239And God parted the Red Sea, brought them safely8700:06:02,239 –> 00:06:03,839to the other side.8800:06:03,839 –> 00:06:05,559But then, of course, God’s people8900:06:05,559 –> 00:06:09,119faced a long trek to the promised land.9000:06:09,119 –> 00:06:11,799They had to spend time in the wilderness.9100:06:11,799 –> 00:06:13,359How were they going to survive?9200:06:13,359 –> 00:06:17,600What in the world were they going to eat?9300:06:17,600 –> 00:06:20,179The Scripture tells us very wonderfully how God9400:06:20,179 –> 00:06:24,279gave them manna from heaven.9500:06:24,279 –> 00:06:26,600The Lord said to Moses,9600:06:26,720 –> 00:06:31,720Behold, I am about to rain bread down from heaven for you.9700:06:34,779 –> 00:06:36,679And the people shall go out9800:06:36,679 –> 00:06:41,679and gather a day’s portion every day.9900:06:42,559 –> 00:06:45,279Now this manna, that, don’t you love that phrase?10000:06:45,279 –> 00:06:47,959Rained down from heaven.10100:06:47,959 –> 00:06:50,480It was like a kind of gum10200:06:50,480 –> 00:06:52,480or a resin.10300:06:52,480 –> 00:06:55,119And it was on the ground, it fell, as it were,10400:06:55,119 –> 00:06:57,260with the Jew, they found it in the morning10500:06:57,260 –> 00:07:00,100and they gathered it, they ground it, they boiled it,10600:07:00,100 –> 00:07:02,679they made cakes with it.10700:07:02,679 –> 00:07:05,779And the scripture tells us that the taste of it10800:07:05,779 –> 00:07:09,279was like the taste of cakes baked with oil,10900:07:09,279 –> 00:07:12,140when the Jew fell upon the camp at night,11000:07:12,140 –> 00:07:14,880the manna fell with it.11100:07:15,839 –> 00:07:18,040Now this manna was a11200:07:18,040 –> 00:07:21,880miraculous gift of God.11300:07:21,880 –> 00:07:24,799God provided it.11400:07:24,799 –> 00:07:28,100And when Jesus tells us to pray,11500:07:28,100 –> 00:07:32,100give us this day our daily bread,11600:07:32,100 –> 00:07:36,079he is reminding us that we depend on God11700:07:36,079 –> 00:07:39,859for our food as much11800:07:39,859 –> 00:07:43,559as the Israelites depended on manna11900:07:43,559 –> 00:07:46,040in the desert.12000:07:46,040 –> 00:07:48,839Now, here’s the question.12100:07:48,839 –> 00:07:52,779I wonder if you really believe that?12200:07:53,540 –> 00:07:57,519That we depend on God12300:07:57,519 –> 00:08:02,579as much as the Israelites in the desert?12400:08:02,579 –> 00:08:09,279See, if you have a job and if you own a home12500:08:09,279 –> 00:08:12,739and if you’re in good health12600:08:12,739 –> 00:08:16,480and if your kitchen is stocked with enough food12700:08:16,480 –> 00:08:18,760to last you for some time12800:08:18,760 –> 00:08:21,959and if you’re a wise steward of your money12900:08:21,980 –> 00:08:26,399and you have a healthy 401k,13000:08:26,399 –> 00:08:29,619why would you need to pray,13100:08:29,619 –> 00:08:33,179give us this day our daily bread?13200:08:33,179 –> 00:08:34,640You have all you need for today.13300:08:34,640 –> 00:08:38,679It’s right there.13400:08:38,679 –> 00:08:42,340Well, you need to pray this prayer13500:08:42,340 –> 00:08:45,900because everything you have can easily be lost.13600:08:47,400 –> 00:08:50,919And the Bible makes this very clear.13700:08:51,159 –> 00:08:53,059Remember the story of Job.13800:08:53,059 –> 00:08:56,599Here was a good man, and God blessed him, prospered him.13900:08:56,599 –> 00:08:58,000He had a large family.14000:08:58,000 –> 00:09:01,099He had substantial assets,14100:09:01,099 –> 00:09:03,020and they were in sheep, and in camels,14200:09:03,020 –> 00:09:04,460and oxen, and donkeys.14300:09:04,460 –> 00:09:06,520Here was a man who had all14400:09:06,520 –> 00:09:10,280that you could ever want or imagine.14500:09:10,280 –> 00:09:12,840And yet, everything he had was lost14600:09:12,840 –> 00:09:14,599in a single day.14700:09:15,559 –> 00:09:19,599Enemies attacked Job’s servants,14800:09:19,640 –> 00:09:23,260lightning struck his sheep.14900:09:23,260 –> 00:09:25,159Thieves stole his camels.15000:09:25,159 –> 00:09:27,599And then the house in which his children15100:09:27,599 –> 00:09:29,400were gathered collapsed on them15200:09:29,400 –> 00:09:32,280under a hurricane force wind.15300:09:33,859 –> 00:09:37,840When disaster struck, Job said,15400:09:37,840 –> 00:09:41,020the Lord gave, the Lord15500:09:41,020 –> 00:09:43,460has taken away.15600:09:43,460 –> 00:09:46,919Blessed be the name of the Lord.15700:09:47,919 –> 00:09:51,979You see a godly person knows that everything15800:09:51,979 –> 00:09:54,859he or she has is a gift15900:09:54,859 –> 00:09:56,739from the hand of God,16000:09:56,739 –> 00:09:58,760and we only have it16100:09:58,760 –> 00:10:01,700as long as God wants us to keep it.16200:10:04,919 –> 00:10:07,020And then the Bible tells us another story16300:10:07,020 –> 00:10:08,960in the book of Ruth.16400:10:08,960 –> 00:10:11,440We read about a couple,16500:10:11,440 –> 00:10:13,859and they had two sons,16600:10:13,900 –> 00:10:17,260and they were a family of some means.16700:10:17,260 –> 00:10:20,260And so when a time of famine came,16800:10:20,260 –> 00:10:23,059they were in a position where they were able16900:10:23,059 –> 00:10:25,340simply to move to another country.17000:10:26,380 –> 00:10:27,960But while they were there,17100:10:27,960 –> 00:10:29,239the man died.17200:10:30,340 –> 00:10:31,580And then sometime later,17300:10:31,580 –> 00:10:34,359the two adult sons died.17400:10:35,340 –> 00:10:39,500And the woman whose name was Naomi17500:10:39,500 –> 00:10:41,219was left.17600:10:41,219 –> 00:10:44,919She came back to her home and she said this,17700:10:44,919 –> 00:10:47,080I went away full,17800:10:48,580 –> 00:10:50,700but the Lord has brought me back empty.17900:10:52,140 –> 00:10:54,479See, we depend on God,18000:10:54,479 –> 00:10:58,820not only to provide what we need,18100:10:58,820 –> 00:11:02,099but also to keep what we have.18200:11:03,739 –> 00:11:06,500And then Jesus tells us another story18300:11:06,500 –> 00:11:07,979in the new testament,18400:11:07,979 –> 00:11:12,099a story about a rich man who lost everything.18500:11:12,099 –> 00:11:14,460God had blessed this man with a great harvest.18600:11:14,460 –> 00:11:17,419In fact, it was so great that he didn’t have room18700:11:17,419 –> 00:11:19,840to store the grain that was harvested.18800:11:19,840 –> 00:11:23,219So he made a decision to expand his operation.18900:11:23,219 –> 00:11:24,500I’m gonna pull down my barns.19000:11:24,500 –> 00:11:26,619I’m going to build bigger ones.19100:11:26,619 –> 00:11:28,280And when it was done, he said,19200:11:28,280 –> 00:11:33,280well, now I have enough laid up for many years19300:11:34,940 –> 00:11:37,619and I can eat and I can drink and be merry19400:11:37,619 –> 00:11:40,119and God said to him, you fool,19500:11:42,159 –> 00:11:45,580don’t you realise that this very night19600:11:45,580 –> 00:11:48,419your soul will be required of you?19700:11:51,239 –> 00:11:55,820So friends, we depend on God to provide what we have,19800:11:56,979 –> 00:12:01,659to keep what we have and to sustain our life19900:12:01,659 –> 00:12:04,000so that we can enjoy what we have.20000:12:05,440 –> 00:12:06,739You’re listening to Open the Bible20100:12:06,820 –> 00:12:07,979with pastor Colin Smith20200:12:07,979 –> 00:12:10,200and we have to pause the message there briefly20300:12:10,200 –> 00:12:12,219but we’ll be back in a moment.20400:12:12,219 –> 00:12:14,479The message is called God’s Provision20500:12:14,479 –> 00:12:17,840and it’s part of our series Six Things to Ask of God20600:12:17,840 –> 00:12:20,140based on the Lord’s Prayer.20700:12:20,140 –> 00:12:21,619If you have a missed one of the series,20800:12:21,619 –> 00:12:23,219don’t forget you can always catch up20900:12:23,219 –> 00:12:26,099or go back and listen again online at our website21000:12:26,099 –> 00:12:29,059openthebible.org.uk21100:12:29,059 –> 00:12:32,460or find us as a podcast on all the main podcast sites21200:12:32,460 –> 00:12:34,760search for open the Bible UK21300:12:35,239 –> 00:12:37,859or follow the link from our website.21400:12:37,859 –> 00:12:41,159Back to the message now where in Matthew chapter six,21500:12:41,159 –> 00:12:42,440here’s Colin.21600:12:42,440 –> 00:12:46,440We depend on God to provide what we have,21700:12:46,440 –> 00:12:51,440to keep what we have and to sustain our life21800:12:52,039 –> 00:12:54,539so that we can enjoy what we have.21900:12:55,419 –> 00:12:57,700At every point we are completely22000:12:57,700 –> 00:13:00,059and utterly dependent upon the Lord.22100:13:01,539 –> 00:13:04,440Now surely one thing that God is teaching us22200:13:04,440 –> 00:13:08,099through this crisis is that our lives22300:13:08,099 –> 00:13:13,099are much less certain than we often like to think.22400:13:13,479 –> 00:13:17,940We really do depend on God daily.22500:13:17,940 –> 00:13:20,260And the scriptures remind us of this22600:13:20,260 –> 00:13:23,039especially in regards to our food22700:13:23,039 –> 00:13:26,859that at every stage of the process22800:13:26,859 –> 00:13:28,380from the growing of our food22900:13:28,380 –> 00:13:30,599to the eating and the digesting of it23000:13:30,599 –> 00:13:33,840we are completely and utterly dependent upon God.23100:13:33,859 –> 00:13:35,580We depend on God for our food23200:13:35,580 –> 00:13:37,500when it’s in the field, in the barn,23300:13:37,500 –> 00:13:39,659on the plate, and in the stomach.23400:13:41,140 –> 00:13:43,979Thomas Boston points out some scriptures23500:13:43,979 –> 00:13:45,020that speak to this.23600:13:45,020 –> 00:13:46,020Think about it.23700:13:46,020 –> 00:13:49,880God says in Hosea 2, verse nine,23800:13:49,880 –> 00:13:53,840I will take back my grain.23900:13:54,780 –> 00:13:58,000See, when the grain is in the field24000:13:58,840 –> 00:14:02,479it is at risk of being destroyed24100:14:02,479 –> 00:14:07,479by wind, or rain, or drought, or disease.24200:14:10,099 –> 00:14:13,700God can take back the grain before it ever gets to us.24300:14:15,140 –> 00:14:17,739Ah, but then we think, but once it’s harvested,24400:14:17,739 –> 00:14:20,539once it’s in the barn, then it’s safe.24500:14:20,539 –> 00:14:22,820No, Hosea, chapter nine, in verse two,24600:14:22,820 –> 00:14:25,559God says this, threshing floor.24700:14:25,559 –> 00:14:28,960That’s where the gathered grain is sorted out.24800:14:28,960 –> 00:14:32,080The threshing floor shall not feed them.24900:14:32,919 –> 00:14:34,380Now, once the grain is in the barn,25000:14:34,380 –> 00:14:36,880it can easily be destroyed by a fire,25100:14:36,880 –> 00:14:39,280one blaze and the whole lot is gone.25200:14:41,140 –> 00:14:42,679But what about when it’s on our plate?25300:14:42,679 –> 00:14:43,940Once we’ve got it in the kitchen,25400:14:43,940 –> 00:14:44,960once we’ve got it cooked,25500:14:44,960 –> 00:14:47,900once we’ve got it in front of us,25600:14:47,900 –> 00:14:50,599surely then all is safe and all is well.25700:14:50,599 –> 00:14:52,239Well, not so fast.25800:14:53,239 –> 00:14:55,900Psalm 107 in verse 18,25900:14:57,219 –> 00:15:00,539they loathed any kind of food26000:15:01,679 –> 00:15:04,799and drew near to the gates of death.26100:15:06,179 –> 00:15:09,820You see, what good is food piled high on your plate26200:15:09,820 –> 00:15:13,940if you don’t have the health or the appetite to eat it?26300:15:15,659 –> 00:15:17,380And you say, well, once we’ve eaten it,26400:15:17,380 –> 00:15:18,859surely then it’s all okay.26500:15:18,859 –> 00:15:20,479Surely then everything is fine.26600:15:20,479 –> 00:15:22,119Well, not so fast.26700:15:22,119 –> 00:15:25,340Listen to this from Job 20 in verse 1426800:15:25,340 –> 00:15:27,700regarding food in your stomach.26900:15:27,700 –> 00:15:32,559His food is turned in his stomach and then this,27000:15:32,559 –> 00:15:37,239it is the venom of cobras within him.27100:15:38,479 –> 00:15:42,559Even when food is in your stomach.27200:15:42,559 –> 00:15:45,520It’ll be of no use to you if it makes you sick.27300:15:46,979 –> 00:15:49,880So from the growing of our food27400:15:49,880 –> 00:15:51,979to the nourishing of our bodies,27500:15:51,979 –> 00:15:56,979we depend every day on God and on his abundant goodness27600:15:57,039 –> 00:16:00,859to supply all of our needs.27700:16:00,859 –> 00:16:05,140Thomas Boston says that the universe27800:16:05,140 –> 00:16:07,940and all of its creatures27900:16:07,940 –> 00:16:12,380are upheld by God like a ball in the air.28000:16:13,739 –> 00:16:15,940And that if God were to remove his hand,28100:16:15,940 –> 00:16:18,260it would fall and collapse completely,28200:16:18,260 –> 00:16:19,080the whole thing.28300:16:19,080 –> 00:16:23,479And he says this, if God should withdraw his hand,28400:16:24,919 –> 00:16:27,880our food would all vanish,28500:16:27,880 –> 00:16:30,000the beasts would disappear28600:16:30,960 –> 00:16:33,599and the sun would go out28700:16:34,919 –> 00:16:35,840like a candle28800:16:37,500 –> 00:16:39,440if God were to withdraw his hand.28900:16:41,359 –> 00:16:44,799Your food and all that goes into it,29000:16:44,799 –> 00:16:45,960nourishing your body,29100:16:45,960 –> 00:16:48,159getting to you and then nourishing you,29200:16:49,559 –> 00:16:52,619you depend on God for it as much29300:16:53,619 –> 00:16:55,260as God’s people in the desert29400:16:55,260 –> 00:16:58,919when God rained down manna to provide for them.29500:17:00,580 –> 00:17:02,299So let us be grateful to God.29600:17:02,299 –> 00:17:05,079Many Christians of course recognize this29700:17:05,079 –> 00:17:08,939in a very simple way by saying grace at meals.29800:17:08,939 –> 00:17:10,979I think that’s a very good tradition.29900:17:10,979 –> 00:17:15,180It helps me to remember three times a day30000:17:16,380 –> 00:17:18,400that God is providing for me.30100:17:19,420 –> 00:17:22,680And what I have and what I’m able to enjoy30200:17:22,680 –> 00:17:27,680is a gift that comes directly from his loving hand.30300:17:29,119 –> 00:17:31,979So in this prayer and in making it your own,30400:17:31,979 –> 00:17:36,979we learn to acknowledge our dependence upon God.30500:17:38,199 –> 00:17:39,699And then there’s a second thing30600:17:39,699 –> 00:17:42,180that I think is especially important30700:17:42,180 –> 00:17:43,780for all of us today.30800:17:45,300 –> 00:17:48,239And that is that we grow in gratitude.30900:17:48,280 –> 00:17:52,319Give us this day our daily bread.31000:17:52,319 –> 00:17:54,719Now let’s focus in on that word bread.31100:17:55,479 –> 00:17:59,839Bread is used in the Bible as a general term31200:17:59,839 –> 00:18:03,800for the basic necessities of life.31300:18:03,800 –> 00:18:06,739So for example, in Genesis chapter three and verse 19,31400:18:06,739 –> 00:18:08,079God says to Adam,31500:18:08,079 –> 00:18:13,079by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.31600:18:14,280 –> 00:18:16,239And that very simply means,31700:18:16,280 –> 00:18:20,719Adam, you are going to have to work for your living.31800:18:20,719 –> 00:18:25,140So bread includes food, health,31900:18:25,140 –> 00:18:28,339as we’ve seen, appetite, it includes shelter,32000:18:28,339 –> 00:18:32,260it includes clothing, it includes our work.32100:18:32,260 –> 00:18:34,180It includes our safety.32200:18:34,180 –> 00:18:39,099It includes the stability of our country and of our economy.32300:18:39,099 –> 00:18:43,579All of these are gifts that come from the loving hand32400:18:43,579 –> 00:18:45,579of our Father in heaven.32500:18:46,699 –> 00:18:49,920So in this prayer for daily bread,32600:18:49,920 –> 00:18:53,859we are asking God for all that we need.32700:18:54,900 –> 00:18:57,160For a life that will honour his name,32800:18:57,160 –> 00:19:00,599advance his kingdom and do his will.32900:19:01,599 –> 00:19:04,520Now notice that it’s bread that we’re asking for.33000:19:04,520 –> 00:19:06,260It is not filet mignon.33100:19:07,900 –> 00:19:10,939God gave them manna.33200:19:12,040 –> 00:19:14,839God gives us what we need.33300:19:15,839 –> 00:19:19,160He does not give to us all that we want.33400:19:19,160 –> 00:19:23,180And Jesus invites us to ask for what we need.33500:19:24,880 –> 00:19:27,400Now, Numbers and Chapter 11,33600:19:27,400 –> 00:19:29,640and this has come to me with great force33700:19:29,640 –> 00:19:31,560again this week.33800:19:31,560 –> 00:19:35,359Numbers chapter 11, tells us the story33900:19:35,359 –> 00:19:39,359of how God’s people complained34000:19:39,359 –> 00:19:42,920about the food that he provided for them.34100:19:43,760 –> 00:19:45,099God gave them manna,34200:19:46,479 –> 00:19:49,959but they were not satisfied with what God had given,34300:19:49,959 –> 00:19:51,859they wanted more.34400:19:53,239 –> 00:19:56,680And we read in Numbers chapter 11 in verse 4.34500:19:56,680 –> 00:20:01,680Now, the rabble that was among them34600:20:01,859 –> 00:20:04,119had a strong craving.34700:20:05,160 –> 00:20:07,760And the people of Israel also wept again34800:20:07,760 –> 00:20:10,599and said, oh that we had meet!34900:20:10,640 –> 00:20:12,359They had bread, they had the manna,35000:20:13,400 –> 00:20:17,420but they said, oh, that we had meet to eat.35100:20:18,619 –> 00:20:19,780Now, I want you to notice this,35200:20:19,780 –> 00:20:22,699that there was a rabble among God’s people.35300:20:23,920 –> 00:20:25,319A group, in other words,35400:20:25,319 –> 00:20:27,979among God’s people who were never satisfied.35500:20:29,040 –> 00:20:32,760And these people had a strong craving.35600:20:32,760 –> 00:20:34,119Instead of being thankful35700:20:34,119 –> 00:20:35,920for what God gave them, the manna,35800:20:35,920 –> 00:20:39,099instead of being grateful for what they did have,35900:20:39,099 –> 00:20:41,160they got angry, they got frustrated36000:20:41,160 –> 00:20:43,280because of what they didn’t have.36100:20:44,380 –> 00:20:46,359And the great difference, you see,36200:20:46,359 –> 00:20:50,380between the rabble and the redeemed36300:20:50,380 –> 00:20:53,060is that the rabble blamed God for everything36400:20:53,060 –> 00:20:55,219and thanked Him for nothing,36500:20:55,219 –> 00:20:57,300whereas the redeemed thanked God for everything36600:20:57,300 –> 00:20:59,500and blame Him for nothing.36700:20:59,500 –> 00:21:02,979Well, this rabble, they stirred up others36800:21:02,979 –> 00:21:05,140among God’s people,36900:21:05,140 –> 00:21:08,000and their complaints began to spread37000:21:08,040 –> 00:21:10,800throughout the whole camp.37100:21:10,800 –> 00:21:14,479The people of Israel wept again and said,37200:21:14,479 –> 00:21:18,680oh, that we had meat to eat.37300:21:18,680 –> 00:21:21,439God gave them bread.37400:21:21,439 –> 00:21:23,699They wanted meat.37500:21:25,800 –> 00:21:26,859Then they said,37600:21:27,859 –> 00:21:32,680now our strength is dried up37700:21:32,680 –> 00:21:37,719and there is nothing at all but this manna37800:21:37,719 –> 00:21:38,560to look at.37900:21:40,660 –> 00:21:45,660They despised what God had give them,38000:21:48,060 –> 00:21:49,439the bread from heaven.38100:21:50,760 –> 00:21:52,079Not good enough.38200:21:53,199 –> 00:21:56,319We want more.38300:21:56,319 –> 00:21:57,800You’ve been listening to Open the Bible38400:21:57,800 –> 00:21:59,199with Pastor Colin Smith38500:21:59,199 –> 00:22:01,479and a Message called God’s Provision.38600:22:01,479 –> 00:22:04,439Part of our series Six Things to Ask of God38700:22:04,439 –> 00:22:06,160based on the Lord’s Prayer.38800:22:06,160 –> 00:22:07,520Looking today at how prayer38900:22:07,520 –> 00:22:09,760increases our dependence on God39000:22:09,760 –> 00:22:12,920and will also help grow our gratitude.39100:22:12,920 –> 00:22:15,000Next time, we’ll hear how prayer deepens39200:22:15,000 –> 00:22:18,300our passion and affirms God’s faithfulness.39300:22:18,300 –> 00:22:20,380So I hope you’ll join us for that.39400:22:20,380 –> 00:22:22,479Don’t forget if you ever miss one of our programs,39500:22:22,479 –> 00:22:24,579you can always catch up online39600:22:24,579 –> 00:22:28,699at our website, openthebible.org.uk39700:22:28,699 –> 00:22:30,880or finding us as a podcast39800:22:30,880 –> 00:22:33,040and those are on all the main podcast sites,39900:22:33,040 –> 00:22:35,040search for Open the Bible UK40000:22:35,060 –> 00:22:38,040or follow the link from our website.40100:22:38,040 –> 00:22:41,640Open the Bible is supported by our listeners financially40200:22:41,640 –> 00:22:44,040and if that’s something you’ve been considering doing,40300:22:44,040 –> 00:22:45,880this month, if you were able to begin40400:22:45,880 –> 00:22:48,520a new direct debit to the work of open the Bible40500:22:48,520 –> 00:22:51,040in the amount of five pounds per month or more40600:22:51,040 –> 00:22:53,640or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more,40700:22:53,640 –> 00:22:55,359we’d love to say thank you40800:22:55,359 –> 00:22:57,420by sending you a copy of Colin’s book40900:22:57,420 –> 00:22:59,579For All Who Grieve.41000:22:59,579 –> 00:23:02,619I’m with Sue MacLeish, who many of you will know41100:23:02,640 –> 00:23:05,859and who is the voice of Open the Bible Daily.41200:23:05,859 –> 00:23:08,780Sue’s husband Ian died a few years ago.41300:23:08,780 –> 00:23:12,780Sue, how did grief affect you after Ian died?41400:23:12,780 –> 00:23:15,160Well, when Ian died,41500:23:15,160 –> 00:23:19,180after a long period of battling with prostate cancer,41600:23:19,180 –> 00:23:22,160I was in a pretty poor shape altogether.41700:23:22,160 –> 00:23:25,719Ian’s actual death was not a peaceful one41800:23:25,719 –> 00:23:29,400and it left me with a degree of post-traumatic stress41900:23:29,459 –> 00:23:31,660and a recurrence of depression42000:23:31,660 –> 00:23:33,500that I’d previously experienced42100:23:33,500 –> 00:23:35,280more than once in my life, actually.42200:23:36,280 –> 00:23:37,859Mentally and spiritually,42300:23:37,859 –> 00:23:42,400I was in a very dark and very fearful place.42400:23:42,400 –> 00:23:45,479And very soon I find I was incapable42500:23:45,479 –> 00:23:49,420of fulfilling any of my previous church duties.42600:23:49,420 –> 00:23:51,739My brain just seemed to have shut down.42700:23:51,739 –> 00:23:56,060It was a struggle to keep going, to get through every day.42800:23:56,060 –> 00:23:58,280Now nothing really touched me.42900:23:58,280 –> 00:24:02,079I had no hope, I was just existing,43000:24:02,079 –> 00:24:04,719not living in any real way at all.43100:24:04,719 –> 00:24:07,400And when you were at your lowest ebb really43200:24:07,400 –> 00:24:10,420that’s when you discovered Open The Bible.43300:24:10,420 –> 00:24:14,439The moment I discovered the videos of Pastor Colin43400:24:14,439 –> 00:24:17,640delivering his Open The Bible sermons,43500:24:17,640 –> 00:24:20,479it was like a light had been switched on.43600:24:20,479 –> 00:24:21,800The darkness lifted43700:24:21,800 –> 00:24:25,660and I found I was beginning to understand43800:24:25,699 –> 00:24:28,140in ways I’d never had before43900:24:28,140 –> 00:24:30,900the fullness of the Gospel44000:24:30,900 –> 00:24:32,900and the whole Bible story.44100:24:33,760 –> 00:24:35,660It was a really exciting time44200:24:35,660 –> 00:24:38,239and I had so much to learn.44300:24:38,239 –> 00:24:42,000Well Colin’s written a book called For All Who Grieve44400:24:42,000 –> 00:24:43,900and it’s our gift to you this month44500:24:43,900 –> 00:24:46,479if you’re able to set up a new direct debit44600:24:46,479 –> 00:24:48,099to the work of Open The Bible44700:24:48,099 –> 00:24:51,040in the amount of £5 per month or more44800:24:51,040 –> 00:24:54,119or a one-off gift of £50 or more.44900:24:54,119 –> 00:24:56,920Full terms and conditions can be found on our website45000:24:56,920 –> 00:25:00,400that’s at openthebible.org.uk45100:25:00,719 –> 00:25:03,640For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin Smith45200:25:03,640 –> 00:25:08,119I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again next time.45300:25:12,520 –> 00:25:14,619Jesus taught us to pray,45400:25:14,619 –> 00:25:16,619give us our daily bread45500:25:16,619 –> 00:25:20,119but this prayer is about much more than our daily needs.45600:25:20,119 –> 00:25:23,520Discover why, next time on Open The Bible.