When we pray for our own needs and ask for our daily bread, it's not just for our own sake but so that we may hallow God's name and do his will. Few of us are strong enough to handle extreme poverty or extreme wealth in a way that glorifies God. If we have too little, we turn to crime, grabbing what isn't ours. If we have too much, we become complacent and figure God is just a crutch for losers; we can do fine without him.

A wise man in the Old Testament prayed: "Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God" (Proverbs 30:8-9). Jesus tells us to echo that prayer, asking our Father to give us enough for today, that we may honor him.

There's a story about a man who bowed his head and prayed, "Lord, bless me and my wife, our son John and his wife: us four and no more." I don't think anyone would actually say such words, but isn't that what many of our prayers amount to? We tend to pray only for ourselves and our immediate circle of family and friends. We focus our requests on food, finances, and health.

It is right to pray for the daily needs of ourselves and our dear ones, but before we pray for our daily bread, we should pray for the worldwide establishment of God's kingdom and plead that earth may reflect heaven in doing God's will.

My grandmother lived to be more than 91 years old. In her long life, she went through many hardships: she immigrated to a new land; a number of her children died; her husband died and left her a widow for many years. But she also enjoyed many blessings. She lived in her own house in good health, right up to the night she put herself to bed and woke up in heaven.

Of all the things I remember about Grandma, here's what I remember best:  Almost every time I heard her pray aloud, at some point she would say, in her strong immigrant accent, "Great art thou, Lord, and greatly to be praised." I also remember that just two days before Grandma died, she told me: "Live to praise the Lord." Just five simple words--but all the sermons I've ever heard (or preached) can't really improve on those words from the lips of a woman who spent nine decades living to praise the Lord.

Some people treat God as their pal and talk as though they are on a "first-name basis" with him. They pray without any sense that God is "in heaven," splendid and supreme over all. Their phony familiarity often means they don't know God at all; otherwise, they would speak with more respect.

Others, eager to avoid such disrespect, start their prayers with a lofty list of God's titles and attributes: "O thou almighty, all-wise King of the universe, sublime in holiness, adored by angels, we beseech thee..." Such words are true enough, but is that the first thing God wants to hear when his children come to him? No, he wants to hear us say, "Father."

If you are new to faith in Jesus, or even if you've been a Christian for a long time, you may find it hard to pray; you're not sure you know the right words. But take heart. According to Jesus, prayer doesn't have to be fancy. When you pray, you are not performing to impress the judge of a speech contest; you are pouring out your heart to your Father. He understands you and knows what you need even before you ask him.

Think of words you learned as a child: "Daddy." "Wow!" "I'm sorry." "Please." "Thank you." "Ouch!" "Why?" "I love you." If you know these words, you can pray. Like a child saying "Daddy," talk to God as your dear Father (Matthew 6:9). Like a child exclaiming "Wow!" or "Awesome!", marvel at God and praise his wonders (Psalm 104). Like a child sobbing "I'm sorry," admit your sins to God and ask his forgiveness (Psalm 51). Like a child begging "Please," bring your requests to God urgently but respectfully, trusting him to give you what is best for you (Matthew 6:7). Like a child saying "Thank you," count your blessings and thank God for his answers to prayer (Psalm 107). Like a child screaming "Ouch!", tell God your pain and problems (Psalm 6). Like a child asking "Why?", bring your confusion to God and seek his wisdom (James 1:5). Like a child saying, "I love you," pour out your love to God, and rest in his love (Psalm 18:1).

Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven... This bread is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world... Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life... For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him" (John 6:51-56).

How do Christians feast on Jesus? Not just by swallowing, but by faith. How is Jesus present in the Lord's Supper? Not by bringing his body and blood back down to earth or being sacrificed repeatedly in transformed bread and wine, but by drawing us back to his sacrifice on the cross and by lifting our hearts to him in heaven as we eat and drink. "Yet we do not go wrong when we say that what is eaten is Christ's own natural body and what is drunk is his own natural blood--but the manner in which we eat it is not by the mouth but by the Spirit, through faith" (Belgic Confession). "As surely as I taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, ... so surely he nourishes and refreshes my soul for eternal life with his crucified body and poured-out blood" (Heidelberg Catechism).

Baptism is a sign, God's way of picturing invisible, spiritual facts through a visible, physical act. Like water washing away dirt, Jesus' blood washes away sin. Like water renewing and restoring life in plants and people, the Holy Spirit renews and restores life to sinners. Going under water and coming up again is a vivid picture of the old self dying and being buried with Christ and the new self rising to life in him.

Baptism is also a seal. A seal or signature on a legal document doesn't change any promises or obligations in the document, but it does confirm them and make them official. So, too, baptism doesn't change anything in the gospel message of God's Word, but it does confirm God's Word in an official way. Baptism is the seal and personal signature of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, guaranteeing God's promises and officially marking each member of his family.

The man was angry at his church, so he stayed home Sundays. He said, "I get what I need by watching a preacher on TV." Then, one awful night, his son was killed. The TV didn't weep with the grieving father. The TV didn't embrace him and pray with him and comfort him. Who did help him? The people and pastor of the church he had been avoiding.

Does this mean media ministry is bad? No. I preach on radio, and I know the Lord can use media ministry in marvelous ways. But nothing replaces the local church. After all, Jesus doesn't just offer words to individuals; he forms a community of love.

As God's people, we don't just go to church; we are the church. We don't just worship God in a building; we are "God's building" (1 Corinthians 3:9), "a holy temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2:21). As God's building, we need a foundation; we also need other bricks.

We must be "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets [of the Bible], with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20). If a group calls itself a church but ignores the Bible and doesn't proclaim Jesus as God and as the only Way to be saved, it is not God's building. Don't join it. However, don't be so paranoid of false churches that you keep to yourself and don't join any church. You need the church to show you things about Jesus you can't see on your own and to steer you away from errors you'd make on your own. You need the authority and supervision of "the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).

When you believe in Jesus and follow him, it shows that God is working in you (Philippians 1:13) and that already long ago he loved you and chose you (1 Thessalonians 1:4) and appointed you to eternal life (Acts 13:49). Your decision about the Lord flows out of a decision he made about you even before he created the world (Ephesians 1:4). This is humbling and encouraging.

Knowing God chose you is humbling, for his choice did not depend on anything he saw in you. "God chose the foolish things... the weak things... and the despised things... so that no one may boast before him" (1 Corinthians 1:27-30). God's choice was based not on our worth but on his love: "In love he predestined us" (Ephesians 1:4-5).