For Thine Is The Kingdom, The Power, And The Glory, Forever And Ever, Amen - Part 1863

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers ... and they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart!" (Acts 2:42-46)

The one accord expressed above is a perfect description of what should happen between believers when they repent, and are baptized in the precious Name of their Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ, and consequently, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:36-38) New believers to the faith should display a desire in their/our hearts to obey His Word, and to study His Word, and to learn from Him what His purpose for our lives should be. 

Because in their hearts, those who believe in the Lord Jesus by faith have come to understand that He is their all in all -- the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending -- King of kings and Lord of lords. Like the disciples, these have chosen to follow Him, doing everything they do in both word or deed in the Name of JESUS.

The only name whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) The name above every other name God used up until this current dispensation of grace. (Philippians 2:9) Indeed, the angel said to call His Name JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins ... Emmanuel, being interpreted, God with us. (Matthew 1:21-23)

Note that Jesus also referred to Himself as the Bread of life, wherein if we eat, we will never hunger again. And Jesus tells us to ask in prayer -- "Give us day by day our daily bread." (Matthew 6:11) Moreover, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4) 

Jesus said, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believes on Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

In the scriptures, the analogy of bread is used quite often. For example, when the enemy tempter came to Jesus in the wilderness, he said to Jesus,  "If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." (Matthew 4:3) 

In one of His greatest miracles, Jesus' disciples said unto Him, "Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?" (Matthew 15:33)

In a parable, Jesus said, "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" (Matthew 7:9)

"And in another place, when His disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread." Which when Jesus perceived, He said unto them, "O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? ... How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?" Then understood they how that He bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." (Matthew 16:5-12)

Other examples?

From the apostles: "Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." (II Thessalonians 3:8, 12)

From the Pharisees and scribes: "Why walk not Thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?" (Mark 7:5)

From Jesus who said unto the woman: "Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs." (Mark 7:27)

And there is yet another teaching moment from the disciples who asked Jesus, "From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? ... Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf, and they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread." But when Jesus knew it, He saith unto them, "Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?" (Mark 8:4, 14-16)

And one more to meditate upon: "Now he that ministers seed to the Sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness ... " (II Corinthians 9:10)

Finally, to come full circle, Jesus was praying in a certain place and ceased, when one of His disciples said unto Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." And Jesus said unto them, "When ye pray, say, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil." (Luke 11:1-4)

Although this same model prayer is cited twice in the gospels, this one does not add the last part which states, "For Thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever, amen." Nevertheless, the heart desire to get to know our Lord God and Saviour better is evident in both examples. He is our victory. He is the key to wisdom and knowledge, and His love for you and I is more than sufficient to know that we can be alive and sustained in Him.

If you haven't asked Jesus to be both Lord and Christ in your life, today is the day of salvation. Today is the day that if you hear His voice, hearken unto Him, because He is the bread of life, wherein if you taste thereof, you will never hunger again. Stand in the offering plate.