A Pastrami Sandwich

So, I was sitting and praying about what the Lord would like me to pen; when my wife burst through the door, nearly giving me a coronary telling me about some unexpected money she just received. Then in her next breath and excitedly short sentence she asked, “Would you like a ‘pastrami sandwich‘ from the store?”

 

My mind was quickened to the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:11) Give us this day our daily bread.

 

She was very excited to receive God’s provisional blessing through unexpected money. She proceeded to immediately turn this blessing into her daily bread, which she ‘literally’ manifested into a store bought pastrami sandwich.

 

Without hesitation she shared her blessing. I got me some pastrami too!!!!

 

While she was gone to the store my spirit began to languish over God’s people who do not, or can not recognize His provisions, or understand how to receive their daily bread from our Lord. Some Christians do not even know what this daily bread really is.

 

The phrase, ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ comes from the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus teaches how to pray in the book of Matthew (Matthew 6:9-13) this is why we call it the Lord’s Prayer. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. (G740) And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

 

This daily bread is the same Manna Bread explained by Moses in (Exodus 16:15) And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread (H3899) which the Lord hath given you to eat.

 

In (Matthew 6:11) the word bread translates from Strong’s # (G740) ἄρτος ártos From (G142); bread (as raised) or a loaf: – (shew-) bread, loaf.

 

In (Exodus 16:15) the word bread translates from Strong’s # (H3899) לֶחֶם lechem From (H3898); food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it): – (shew-) bread, loaf.

 

The Old and New Testaments are in perfect harmony. The Hebrew and Greek words translate the word bread in agreement as (shew-) bread, loaf.

 

Most Christians, Churches, and Pastors get hung up on the word Manna in (Exodus 16:15). The people did not know what the stuff laying on the ground was and the word Manna literally means whatness. So in essence the people were saying What is it? Moses explains that it is “simply bread” given as a provision by the Lord to eat.

 

In (Exodus 16:15) the word Manna translates from Strong’s #(H4478) מָן mân From (H4100); literally a whatness (so to speak), that is, manna (so called from the question about it): – manna.

 

The perversion from Satan is to shift the focus from the bread to the word Manna to make it lofty and special. This way the church is concentrating on the Heavenly Bread of Angels making it into more than what it is. Which is “simply bread”.

 

The real focus is Jesus’ New Testament teaching of the daily provision He taught us through the Lord’s Prayer. (Matthew 6:11) Give us this day our daily Bread. Just like in the Old Testament provision to the Jews in the wilderness. These people were given bread daily for sustenance and physical survival.

 

Give us this day our daily Bread. The bible does not say our weekly, monthly, or annual provision. This teaching from Jesus is to seek the Lord for our daily needs. We are to rely on Him for our very survival both physically and spiritually.

 

Jesus even takes it to a new level of understanding by comparing Himself to the Manna of the Old Testament. This Old Testament bread called manna is a spiritual reflection of the physical image in Jesus Christ.

 

God creates things in the physical, as an image or reflection representing the spiritual. (Genesis 1:27) (John 3:8) (John 1:1-3) (2 Corinthians 4:4) (Genesis 9:6)

 

Jesus teaches us that He has become that physical incarnated reflection, which is the image of the true bread from Heaven. Jesus tells us this in ‘His’ own words in the following verses.

 

(John 6:50-51) “This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

 

(John 6:32-35) Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

 

Jesus performs the same Old Testament “wilderness” miracle of Manna (Bread) in the New Testament twice. He feeds 5,000 and 4,000 not to mention women and children. A crowd follows him in the “wilderness” and he multiplies a few loaves of bread and fish until everyone had eaten their fill. First time, (Matthew 14:20-21), (Mark 6:42-44), (Luke 9:13-17), (John 6:9-15). Second time, (Matthew  15:37-38)(Mark 8:7-9)

 

Jesus teaches His disciples and us to celebrate a communion service or Lord’s Supper, in which we eat some form of bread (Manna), just as Jesus commanded his followers to do at the Last Supper. This imagery shows us that the true manna to save our very souls from hell is through Him unto Salvation. (Matthew 26:26). And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

 

Jesus goes even further and teaches us in the reverse imagery. This time going from the physical to the future spiritual. This is the promise for the redeemed for those who overcome and are ‘saved’. (Revelation 12:10-11)

 

In the book of Revelation Jesus Reveals to Christians ‘the redeemed’ a special gift from Jesus. (Revelation 2:17) “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

 

In this reverse imagery from the physical to the spiritual. Jesus shares everything with us in Heaven, even His own ‘Pastrami Sandwich.’