Prayer for guidance

Abba...I know that our adversary loves to use fear to try and get to Your children. He will use all kinds of fear in an attempt to cripple us and interfere with our kingdom work. I thank You that none of these things change Your love for us...for Your love is not based upon our performance...or upon whether or not we are still afraid in any areas.

The adversary wants us to be afraid of many things:
that You will reject us (although You said You would never leave us or forsake us)
that we are somehow not good enough (which we actually aren't...but that does not matter)
that You will not meet our needs (although we have food, shelter and clothing and tend to mix our needs up with our wants)

It is easy to go along in life thinking that we're okay. I know that there are times in my life when I deceive myself, thinking that I'm okay and following when the Lord when, if I were to be truly honest, I would know that isn't true. But the deception is so comfortable. It's much easier to convince myself that everything is okay between me and God then to come into His presence and ask His opinion.

Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV

“Twenty-five years ago most churches just taught people how to handle 10 percent of their income-the area of giving-and left the other 90 percent un-addressed. As a consequence, many Christians suffer financially because, by default, they adopt our culture’s perspective of handling the rest of their money.” Larry Burkett

Developing Biblical Financial Skills

Skill # 1 EARN

“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we appeal to people, no, we command them; settle down and get to work. Earn your own living.” 2 Thess. 3:12 (NLT)

Some practical Principles of Acquisition:

1. Be diligent
2. Be ethical
3. Be wise
4. Be intentional
5. Be careful

The best book in the Bible for reading about God’s principles of wealth is the book of Proverbs.

All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind! Isaiah 64:6

Holy Father, Almighty God,
We feel our weakness, our ignorance, our deep corruptions. We meekly knock at mercy's gate. Regard us in tender love--for Jesus' sake. Bend down Your ear--and grant Your smile.

We are blind--be our light.

We are ignorant--be our wisdom.

The following provide guidance free of charge:

CIR Biblical Guidance

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Guidance Dept.
(Toll Free) 877-247-2426

Focus on the Family
(Toll Free) 800-232-6459)

Christian Broadcasting Network & 700 Club
24-hour Prayer 1-800-759-0700
CBN Main Switchboard (757) 226-7000

American Family Radio
662-844-8888

Intercession might be defined as love on its knees in prayer for others. It is pleading to Father God on behalf of the needs of someone else. Another way of looking at intercession is that you are standing in the gap for someone else. That is, you are identifying with the sins of those you are in prayer for, asking God's forgiveness and mercy on their behalf.

Intercession can be one of the most exciting, creative and rewarding experiences in your Christian life. In your prayer closet, you can pray
around the world. Although intercessors are not often publicly rewarded or recognized for their service, they are a vital part of any growing church or ministry. Their faithful dedication to intercession creates a foundation that allows the Lord to work in mighty ways.

It is not certain how old the Serenity Prayer is or who really wrote it. It may date as far back as Boethius (500 A.D.) who was a philosopher. Before he was martyred by the Christians, he was in prison for a long time during which he wrote "Consolation of Philosophy."

Reinhold Niebuhr is often credited with writing the Serenity Prayer but he credited Friedrich Oetinger who was an 18th century theologian.

Dear Lord, I humbly come before you this day
to ask that you give me one more day of wholeness.
Free me of all cravings, addictive and dysfunctional behavior.
Show me how I can serve you this day
instead of serving false idols and obsessions.

Fill me with your strength, that I may have hope.
Guide me, that I may walk in your path and not mine.
Cast out all darkness within me and replace it with light,
that I may shine before others who need a helping hand.

Dear Lord,
I admit that I am powerless over my addiction.

I admit that my life is unmanageable when I try to control it.
Help me this day to understand the true meaning of powerlessness.
Remove from me all denial of my addiction.

Heavenly Father,
I know in my heart that only you can restore me to sanity.

I humbly ask that you remove all twisted thought and
addictive behavior from me this day.
Heal my spirit and restore in me a clear mind.

(Page 63 - A. A. Big Book)

God, I offer myself to Thee
To build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt.