Today, we are still working on the Lord’s prayer今天我们继续分享主祷文. A week before一周前我们分享了, we looked at “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven愿你的国降临，愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上.” God’s kingdom has come through the gospel神的国已经藉着福音来到, but it continues and will fulfil its reign on the earth physically in the second coming of Christ神国还在继续来到，并在基督第二次降临时真实地在全地掌管. We thank God for His salvation, healing, and deliverance我们感谢神的拯救、医治、释放, that makes His kingdom’s reign visible to us使我们可看见祂的国来掌权的实际! It continuously requires us to be obedient to His truth这还要我们持续顺服真理!

Last week上周, Ann, who is from our Mandarin group中文小组的安, gave us a testimony about the benefit she received from being obedient to the truth见证了她因顺服真理得到益处, that she has been completely cured from an allergy to chlorine which caused itchiness to her whole body引起全身痕痒的氯过敏病症全好了, after being led to declare the truth and say some prayers of repentance and forgiveness在跟着做了宣告真理和悔改饶恕的祷告后，安就被医治了. Praise the Lord赞美主! We pray that He would give us more wisdom and understanding to know His love and grace我们祷告神赐给我们更多智慧和悟性来认识祂的爱和恩典, so that we may fully trust in Him by giving up our own rights for Him好让我们交出自己的权力，完全信靠祂. Let read the Lord’s prayer我们来读主祷文, Matt 6:9-13（太6：9-13）.

1, What are Jesus’ priorities for us to pray主耶稣教的祷告的顺序是什么?

First of all, for our relationship with God 最首要的是为我们与神的关系祷告. He reminds us that we together are His children主提醒我们 都是 神的儿女. And He is the Holy God神是圣洁的, so that we should seek to live a holy life to glorify His name所以我们当活出圣洁生命来荣耀祂的名. Then, He teaches us to focus on His kingdom to come and reign接着，主教导我们为神国度的降临和掌权祷告! Today, we are looking at我们今天继续下一句, v.11 give us today our daily bread. 11节，我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们. This reminds us that Our Father in Heaven is the creator and the provider这句话告诉我们，天父是创造者和供应者. And He cares for us祂关心我们! Even in little things, God cares哪怕极小的事，神都看顾. So Lord Jesus encourages us to cast our needs on Him主耶稣因此鼓励我们将自己的需要交托给神, for He cares for us因祂顾念我们 (see 1 Peter，见《彼得前书》). And for our Lord knows that on our journey of seeking the reign of God’s kingdom in us主也知道，在我们寻求神国度在我们里面掌权的路上, the enemy will do his best to distract us仇敌会竭力使我们不能专心于目标. Through what仇敌有哪些手段呢?  

2, What can distract us from seeking the reign of Jesus in us 什么让我们不能专注于让主掌权? The worry and anxiety about the needs of the body是对身体需要的担心和焦虑.

That’s why immediately after the Lord teaches us to pray for the Kingdom to reign on earth这就是主在教导我们为神的国在地上掌权祷告后, He then wants us to pray for our needs就马上转到为我们日用所需的祷告上. It implies, “DO NOT WORRY!”意思是”不要忧虑！” Worry and anxiety can hinder us from putting our trust in God担心和焦虑让我们不能信靠神. Our Lord gives us plenty of reasons not to worry主告诉我们很多理由，叫我们不要忧虑. He says that life is more than food or clothing他说生命不是重于饮食和衣裳吗, and that if God our Father takes care of the birds既然天父连麻雀都看顾, He also will provide for us whatever we need也一定供应我们一切需用的, like food像食物, clothing衣裳, accommodation住所, job工作, and health健康, what else其他还有什么? They are all in Jesus’ hands这些都在主耶稣手里, and the King of All is in us而万王之王就在我们里面. Therefore, what we should do is to cast our cares onto God因此我们要做的就是将所担忧的交托神. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness先求神的国神的义, and all these things will be given to us其他一切都要白白赐给我们了! Trust in His words信靠神的话!

You know our brother Louie我们的Louie弟兄, who has cancer now现在患有癌症. I remember the first moment when he was diagnosed with cancer我还记得刚诊断出癌症时, he said to me with some concern他忧心忡忡地对我说, “If I go for treatment如果我去治疗, where does the money come from to pay my daily needs生活费从哪里来呢, like rent, food or power, or petrol, and so on怎么付租金、食物、电、汽油等等呢?” We prayed that God would provide all his needs and that his understanding of God’s love would be renewed我们就一起祷告，求神供应一切所需，并更新他对神的爱的认识. Because I believe that if a person who is of the darkness is under a curse因我相信属黑暗的人在咒诅之下. But for God’s people who are seeking His kingdom and His righteousness但对于先求神的国神的义的神子民, even though they may have cancer or leukemia or other deadly diseases就算得了癌症、白血病或别的重病, they are still in God’s loving and training hands他们仍然在神的爱中，神的手仍然在培植他们, through their hard times, their understanding of the knowledge of God will be renewed他们对神的认识会因苦难而得更新.

This week, Louie told me that God was so good to him that all the doctors and the nurses were so nice to him Louie这星期告诉我，神实在太好了，让所有医生和护士对他好极了. He didn’t need to pay anything for the treatments所有治疗都不用他花钱, including the special food, such as high protein liquid甚至包括专用的高蛋白流质食物. Louie told me that he didn’t need to worry about anything Louie说什么都无须他担心, even in his hardship就算在苦难中, the peace of God was strongly with him都有极坚定的平安同在. Also还有, the Cancer Society and other departments have offered enough money to him癌症协会和其他部门给了足够的资助, that covers all his needs什么都够. So far, he doesn’t want anybody to give him a ride to the hospital到现在他都不许别人开车送他去医院, and he still drives by himself from his home to the hospital serval times per week to receive the radiation therapy and chemotherapy treatment他坚持自己开车，每周几次，去医院接受放疗和化疗. God gives him enough strength to manage his daily routine by himself神并赐给他足够的力量，自己照顾自己的起居, that’s incredible实在令人惊奇! That’s God这就是神!

At that afternoon, he rang me again那天下午，他又打电话给我, and told me that his double vision which was very strong has gone说以前很严重的眼睛的重影消失了. Do you know what that mean你知道这意味着什么吗? It means that the tumour in his head that oppressed his nerves has been shrivelled意味着压迫大脑神经的瘤子萎缩了. Hallelujah哈利路亚! Praise the Lord赞美主! Do Not Worry about anything不要为任何事忧虑! But seek first the kingdom and His righteousness先求神的国神的义, even in your hard times就算在苦难中, God will renew your understanding of His grace and love and the hope of eternal life神仍要更新我们，更多认识恩典、爱和永生的盼望!

Jesus knows that the evil one can utilise the uncertainty of tomorrow to increase our worries主耶稣知道恶者会利用对未来的不确定性，加增我们的忧虑, and the worries of this life can hinder us from practicing faith and growing into maturity今生的忧虑让我们不能操练信心，生命不能成熟. For the parable of the sower teaches us撒种的比喻说, “Matthew 13:22（太13:22） The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word撒在荆棘里的，就是人听了道, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word后来有世上的思虑，钱财的迷惑，把道挤住了, making it unfruitful不能结实.”   “oh哎, I don’t have time to read the bible and pray我没时间读经祷告, I’m gonna work得去工作…I’m gonna earn money to feed my family得赚钱养家…” If we allow the worries of this life to control us如果任由今生的思虑来控制我们, and focus on the needs of the body like unbelievers像外邦人一样只思念身体所需, our life can’t be fruitful and mature as the parable of the sower explains撒中的比喻说，生命就不能成长结实. But remember但请记住, you are called to be rich in faith我们蒙召是在信上富足, not rich in this life不是在今生富足, so that you may inherit the Kingdom好承受神的国! God promises us that in this life we will not be in want神应许我们今生必不至缺乏! And He will provide what we NEED神会供应一切所需!

God’s word says神的话说, “listen, my dear brothers我亲爱的弟兄们，请听, Has God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the Kingdom he promised those who love him神岂不是拣选了世上的贫穷人，叫他们在信上富足，并承受他所应许给那些爱他之人的国吗? James 2: 5（雅2:5）This verse tells us that some Christians can still remain at a low social status in the eyes of this world这节经文说，从世界的眼光看，有些基督徒就算社会地位不高, but there is hope for the future却有将来的指望, that is to inherit the Kingdom God promised those who love Him就是承受神应许给爱祂之人的国. To love Him is to do His will爱祂 就遵行祂的旨意! God promised the right of the kingdom succession to those who do His will神应许遵行祂旨意的人有权继承神的国! That’s the hope那就是盼望! “Many are called被召的人多, few are chosen选上的人少”! Satan also knows God’s promises to us撒旦也知道神的应许, so he will try his best to distract our focus from the inheritance of the promised kingdom and from seeking the reign of Christ Jesus in us因此就极尽所能扰乱我们，让我们不能专注于寻求神的国，及寻求耶稣基督掌权.

We can see this even from the beginning我们看到，从起初。In Exodus 5在《出埃及记五章》, when Moses and Aaron responded to the call of the Lord摩西、亚伦回应神的呼召, and boldly went to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt勇敢地来到埃及法老跟前, and said to him that God wanted His people - Israel to leave and go to serve Him对法老说，耶和华要祂的子民以色列离开埃及事奉祂. How did Pharaoh react法老的反应是什么? Exodus 5:6（出埃及记5:6） That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people当天，法老吩咐督工的和官长说: 7 “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks你们不可照常把草给百姓作砖; let them go and gather their own straw叫他们自己去捡草. 8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before他们素常作砖的数目，你们仍旧向他们要; don’t reduce the quota一点不可减少. They are lazy因为他们是懒惰的; that is why they are crying out所以呼求说, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God容我们去祭祀我们的神.’ 9 Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies你们要把更重的工夫加在这些人身上，叫他们劳碌，不听虚谎的言语.”

Do you see some of the devil’s schemes here有没有看到魔鬼的计谋?

1, Increase pressure and decrease faith施加压力，打压信心. Pharaoh is a metaphor for the voice of the king of this world法老喻表这世界的王的声音. He confuses God’s people about who God is他混乱神子民对神的认知. Do you see你看到了吗? he said what God had said was lies他诬蔑神说的话是谎言, he twisted the truth并扭曲真理. Think about ourselves想想我们自己, when we are spending time with God当我们花时间和神在一起, reading His words读神的话, praying祷告, and serving His church服事教会, the enemy starts to use unbelievers or even our family members to put pressure on us仇敌就开始利用不信主的人、甚至家人来施加压力, “It’s wasting time你在浪费时间…you’ve gotta do more work and earn more money你要多工作，多赚点钱…” Isn’t that true是不是这样? The enemy tries to distract us from listening to the creator God仇敌就想把我们从听神的话引向, but entices us to listen to the voice of this world听这世界的声音. “you are lazy你是懒惰的…” The enemy tries to make us feel guilty and make us surrender ourselves to him the king of this world仇敌让我们有负罪感，从而屈服于这世界的王, that’s his scheme这就是他的诡计.

2. Increase the burden of the bondage of work and keep us busy in the world增加工作量，使我们在世界中忙碌.  Can you see another scheme of the devil here你看出来 这里还有一个诡计吗? From Pharaoh’s reaction to God’s words in regarding to setting people free神说要释放神子民，法老的反应是什么, we can see that the king of this world will raise up more work for God’s people to do我们看到这世界的王要增加神子民的工作量, in order to fill up their time用工作填满他们的时间, and also increase their anxieties about the needs of their daily life同时提高他们对日用所需的焦虑感, so that they may have no heart and no time and no willingness to think about God’s promises神子民就无心、无力、无时间思想神的应许了. As a result, there will be no faith其结果就是失去信心. That’s the enemy’s scheme这就是仇敌的诡计! keep us busy in the world and decrease our faith让我们在世界中忙碌，打压我们的信心. In Exo 5《出埃及记》五章, we see that when the Israelites were overloaded with the burden of work that Pharaoh placed on their shoulders以色列人被法老加的工作累坏了, they had no faith to believe the promises of God就没有信心信神的应许了. because they were mentally distracted因他们心烦意乱. So they complained and misjudged Moses于是他们抱怨错怪摩西, believing that it was Moses and Aaron the ones sent by God who put a sward in Pharaoh’s hand to kill them觉得是神差来的摩西、亚伦把刀递在法老手中来杀他们 (see Exo 5:21，见《出5:21》).

You can see the devil’s schemes is working everywhere魔鬼的诡计无处不在. When a person tries to follow Jesus Christ每当有人想跟随耶稣基督, suddenly, he gets a lot of work to do他就突然多了很多工作, and stops coming to Sunday church and bible study就不来主日聚会了、也不查经了. In the 1990’s在九十年代, a big revival took place in HeNan China中国河南省有一场大复兴, the power of the Holy Spirit poured out圣灵的能力倾倒下来, people repented of their sins with tears before God人们流泪向神悔改. Numerous Christians were kindled by the fire of the Holy Spirit数不清的基督徒被圣灵火热起来. They responded to the call of God obediently甘心响应神的呼召, and were sent out to plant at least 400 to 500 churches in other places并被差派出去，在外地建立了最少4、5百家教会. But ten years later可是十年后, most of those churches were dried up and closed大部分的教会枯干了、关门了. You know why为什么? Because those pastors were given money to run businesses or factories or charities因为有些人给牧师传道人钱去做生意、开工厂、办慈善, to support their ministries and the poor people来支持事工、帮助穷人, and they were too busy to spend time with God以至于没有时间给神了. Ten years later十年后, they failed他们失败了, that’s the devil’s scheme这就是魔鬼的诡计! “Martha, Martha马大，马大,” the Lord answered耶稣回答说, “you are worried and upset about many things你为许多的事思虑烦扰. But only one thing is needed但是不可少的只有一件  Luke 10:41（路10:41）” (Jesus highlights here that only one thing is needed for us主耶稣在这里强调，我们必须的只有一件事! That is to listen to Him就是听祂! And seek Him寻求祂! Jesus is the Creator God耶稣就是造物主! Don’t listen to your own worries不要听从自己里面忧虑的声音! But listen to Jesus our Lord听主耶稣, who is the provider and the Lord of tomorrow 祂才是供应者和明天的主!

Although the Israelites didn’t listen to Moses虽然以色列人不听摩西的, God had compassion on them神向他们仍然满怀怜悯, and still kept declaring to them who He was仍然不停止地向他们宣告祂是谁, and tried to raise up their faith in Him要提升他们对神的信心! Now He also shows this compassion to us现在祂向我们也显明这极大的怜悯! God said神说, “I am the Lord我是耶和华, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians我要救你们脱离埃及人之重担. I will free you from being slaves to them我要救赎你们脱离他们的重担，不做他们的苦工, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment我要用伸出来的膀臂重重刑罚埃及人. I will take you as my own people我要以你们为我的百姓, and I will be your God我也要作你们的神. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God你们要知道我是耶和华你们的神, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians是救你们脱离埃及人之重担的. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob我起誓应许给亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的那地，我要把你们领进去. I will give it to you as a possession将那地赐给你们为业. I am the Lord我是耶和华.’”（出6:6-8）  

God emphasized who He is神在强调祂是谁! He is the Lord of all祂是万有的主宰! He is saying祂不停在说, “Look to ME仰望 我, look to ME仰望 我, I WILL bring you out from your trouble我 要把你从困难中救出来…not worry不要忧虑…I WILL set you free我 要让你得自由… I AM the source of all provision 我 是一切供应的源头...” There are seven times in this passage God said “I will”这段话里，神七次说”我要”, which revealed His heart for us神的心在此显明了! It’s saying这话在说, Do NOT Worry不—要—忧虑! But trust in God但信靠祂! We need to work hard in the Lord! 我们当在主里的勤奋工作。

Worry and anxiety can cause both our minds and bodies become sick and tired担心和焦虑会使我们的身心疲累生病, even emotionally ill甚至生情绪病, when you are worried about something你担心的时候, you can be easily riled up就会很容易发火 Like J testified last week J上周做见证说, when her mum urged her to study more当她妈妈催她学习, when she was already so worried about it其实为此她已经很忧心忡忡, she was riled up immediately于是马上就发火了. Worry and anxiety work against our faith in God忧虑和焦虑使我们不信, and can also cause us lose faith也会让我们失去信心, hope and even fall asleep失去盼望，甚至只想睡觉, like the twelve fell asleep when the Lord was praying earnestly in the garden of Gethsemane就象十二门徒，主在客西马尼园竭力祷告，他们却睡着了, the bible says because they were exhausted from sorrow经上说是因为极其忧愁. Do you feel tired both in your mind and in your body你有没有感到心和身体都很疲倦? Do you sleep too much你是不是睡得过多? Check with the Holy Spirit当求问圣灵, to see if there is any worry and anxiety hidden in your heart有没有隐藏的担心和焦虑? Don’t let it stay in your heart for long不要让它在心里留太久, because it consumes your energy因它会消耗精力.

3, Faith in God TODAY 信神，就在 今天.

Back to the prayer our Lord teaches us to pray回到主祷文, “give us today our daily bread我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们”. Jesus’ emphasis is on “today”主耶稣强调”今日”. Pray for today’s needs为今天所需祷告! Pray for today’s guidance, today’s wisdom, today’s strength为今天的引导、今天的智慧、今天的力量祷告…Pray for your dependence on God for today为今天倚靠神祷告! Yesterday has gone昨日已过! Tomorrow is in God’s hands而明天在神手中! We need to live in the present我们要活在现在! And God is waiting for us to offer today’s faith to Him神也在等我们献上今天的信心! So that we may see God’s provision好让我们今天看到神的供应, God’s words今天看到神的话, God’s guidance and His strength today神的引导、神的力量!

In the dessert在旷野里, our God instructed the Israelites to gather manna every morning神指示以色列人每天早上拾取吗哪, and they had to go out and get a fresh supply every morning于是他们不得不每天早晨出去拾取新鲜供应. We are like some of them我们就像他们中的一些人, we don’t like receiving only one day’s income to support our needs just for today我们也不喜欢只有一天的钱 只能供应一天的需用, do we对不对?  We want our bank account to have enough money to support us for at least a year or more我们希望银行账户上有足够的钱，够一年花的，或者更久, that’s why worry comes所以忧虑就来了. Similarly同样, some of the Israelites were worried about their tomorrow有的以色列人担心明天会怎样, so they didn’t have faith to listen to God’s words就没有信心听神的话, they went out and gathered enough manna for tomorrow他们出去拾取第二天的吗哪, but all that manna spoiled但吗哪生虫了.

Jesus teaches us to pray for “today’s provision.”主耶稣教导我们为”今日所需”祷告。 “give us today our daily bread我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们”, He didn’t say weekly祂不是说，这周的饮食, nor monthly这个月的饮食, but today而是说，今日的. Have you gathered today’s manna 你有没有拾取今日的吗哪– His words就是神的话, and His direction 神的方向and wisdom 神的智慧for today为今日所用? Your faith for today pleases God你今日的信心，是讨神喜悦的! Heb 11:6（来11:6） And without faith it is impossible to please God人非有信，就不能得神的喜悦, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists 因为到神面前来的人，必须信有神and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him且信祂赏赐那寻求祂的人. This verse tells us four things这节经文告诉我们四件事, 1, Only faith pleases God只有信心讨神喜悦. 2, Faith is to believe that God exists信心，是相信有神. 3, The action of faith is to seek Him for His rewards earnestly信心的行为是恳切寻求神的赏赐. 4, they are all simple present tense都是现在时, which is this day就是在今天! this very hour在此时! To seek God’s provision to sustain us寻求神对我们的供应!

 When Jesus was standing in front of Lazarus tomb当主耶稣来到拉撒路的坟墓前, Martha’s future faith didn’t help her face today’s challenges马大将来的信心没能帮她应对今天的挑战, although she declared尽管她宣告, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day我知道在末日复活的时候，他必复活…I believed that you are the Christ我信你是基督, the Son of God是神的儿子…John 11:24,26（约11:24,26）” Her future faith of knowing about the resurrection at the last day didn’t support her to obey God’s commands马大相信末日复活，可这将来的信心，没有让她得到遵行神命令的力量! When Jesus commanded当耶稣吩咐说, “take away the stone你们把石头挪开”, she didn’t do it马大没有动手, nor even did she believe that the dead would be raised up at that very hour甚至也不信死人这时候就要复活, rather, she tried to stop Jesus’ work相反她还想阻止耶稣的工作, and said说, “no, no, no, 不不不， Lord主啊, don’t move the stone不要挪开石头, the man has been dead for four days人已经死了四天, his body is already rotten现在一定臭了.” You see你看到吗? Her faith for the future knowing about the resurrection at the last day 马大相信末日复活，可这将来的信心didn’t support her to obey God’s commands并没有让她得到遵行神命令的力量! We need “now faith”我们需要”现在的信心”, “today’s faith今日的信心” that supports us to obey God’s commands right now让我们得力遵行神的命令，就在现在, this hour就在此时, this day就在今天! Our today’s faith can help us move the stone我们今天的信心可以让我们挪开石头! And to see the glory of God并看见神的荣耀!

That’s why Jesus encourages us to pray for today’s needs因此，主耶稣鼓励我们为今日的饮食祷告. Bring today’s concerns to the Lord把今日的担心交给神! Ask for today’s manna and instructions祈求今日的吗哪、今日的指引! Encounter God’s help today得着今日的帮助! speak of His wonderful actions today谈论祂在今日的奇妙作为! Our response to God’s love is to live victoriously today今日过得胜的生活，这是我们对神的爱的回应! so that our faith may be established every single day因此每一天，我们的信心都被建立! we can’t rely on yesterday’s manna and expect to have victory today我们不能寄望 靠昨日的吗哪 使今日得胜. Yesterday’s information may not work today昨日的信息，今日可以失效. Don’t live in the past不要活在过去! And don’t live in a fantasy of the future也不要活在对未来的幻想中! God is present神是现在时, who is the是 “I am who I am”. Jesus teaches us to live in the present主耶稣教导我们活在当下! “give us today our daily bread我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们’. Let’s live in today’s faith and rely on God’s help for today让我们活出今日的信心，倚靠神今日的帮助! So that we may be victorious over today得着 今日的得胜!

Can we live in God’s love and show God’s forgiveness and mercy to people for a minute如果要 持续一分钟活在神的爱中，坚持一分钟的饶恕和怜悯，我们做不做得到? Sure! Easy当然可以，很容易!  How about an hour坚持一小时呢? Can we live abiding in Jesus’ words for one day坚持一整天活在主的话中呢? Let’s practice being victorious over today让我们操练今日的得胜! And live out our faith today活出今日的信心, and not worry about tomorrow today今日就操练不担心明日的事!

Let’s come to the Lord让我们来到主前, say a prayer in faith以信心祷告, “Lord主啊, thank you for teaching us to pray感谢你教导我们祷告, “give us today our daily bread我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们”, you know what’s best for us只有你知道什么对我们是最好的. For every uncomfortable situation and difficulty为每个不舒服的环境和困难, I give you thanks我献上感谢, for they remind me that today I need you因它们提醒我，我今天需要你! and they also remind me that You are God提醒我 你是神! the source of all一切的源头. I need Your provision我需要你的供应, I need Your instruction你的指引, Your wisdom你的智慧, Your today’s manna to help me to live victoriously over today你今日的吗哪，帮助我，得着今日的得胜…”