by Dennis Gladden, By Green Pastures, ©2026
(Feb. 11, 2026) — Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
This day.
Today.
The day that the Lord has made.
Hear what He promises.
God provides for what He makes.
He made this day. He will provide for it.
He made us. He will provide.
Gone is the burden of being the chief breadwinner for my family.
He is.
Our Father who is in heaven, whose name is hallowed, whose name is Jehovah-Jireh—the Lord will provide.1
Jesus taught us to pray for His provision and also to expect it.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow...2
But He doesn’t give to make us gluttons. God provides our daily bread to make us
bread, clothing, comfort, companions for others.
I was hungry and you gave Me food I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was a stranger and you took Me in.
This is the point: God provides for you so that He can provide through you.3
God makes us the answer to the Lord’s prayer.
Jesus condensed this to six words, “Freely you have received, freely give.”4
Before He said them, He lived them.
Jesus began His public ministry in the wilderness with a 40-day fast, not a festival.
He was alone until Satan approached and coaxed, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.”
His words hid a lie.
God deprives.
Here was the Son of God, famished, alone, far from the rabble He came to save. It seemed God had brought Him to this God-forsaken place to die.
Heaven was silent. Satan served up survival.
Break the fast. Come now, Son of God, give the command. Feed yourself. Surely, you will not die.
Satan lived by the lie. Jesus had bread of another kind.
Truth.
“Man does not live by bread alone,” He said.
Read the rest here.
This timely article arrives as I ‘struggle’ to get my step-daughters to allow me to share the blessings God has bestowed with them. At the turn of the century, this “results-oriented” (A title conferred upon this civil servant by the Collective of Los Angeles; apparent double-speak for “Conservative”) individual was compelled to turn whistleblower. A few years later, I accepted Christ as my Savior. A few after that, the petition for divorce was filed by my ex. A few after that came the personal ‘trial’ – an accident that broke an arm and a leg. From the moment I regained consciousness, I focused on God’s love for me and the knowledge it was all part of His good plan for me. A few after that, because of the trials I had encountered at the hands of the Collective’s coterie, the legal lessons learned, I was able to verbalize my damages and gain a settlement ‘on the way to court.’ Ever since, I have continued to count and share my blessings, focus on my needs and not the excesses typically embraced in Commiefornia. Perhaps a pertinent proverbial phrase is in order – Man proposes, God disposes.
Mike, thank you for reading and commenting. It sounds like you have had more than your share of hardship but also have received freely of the Lord’s grace. Hopefully you’ll make progress with your stepdaughters.