This is an excerpt from my book Purpose of Prayer.

Here is the first of three petitions that describe our own personal needs.  The first three petitions are for God’s desires.  The next three are for our needs.  And we must always remember to pray for His requirements first; then He will show us what our real needs are, and He will lead us to pray for those things.  Moreover, when we concentrate on His priorities first, He gives us a true and right perspective on things; hence, He shows us what our priorities should be, and He puts us in a better mind to pray for ourselves and for our friends. 

This first of these personal petitions is for our daily bread, and is normally thought of as a petition for all our daily, physical needs—for our food and shelter, etc.  For the most part, I think this…