1st Thessalonians 5
Prayer Connect
TM
Always Pray
"Don't Cease"
-Author: Dr. S. Edwards
"Woah to our Finances"
Money, Money, Money, Money...Money.
Let's be completely honest, no matter how spiritual we are, when it comes to our finances we tend to get very "real" with God letting Him know what we need, why we need it, and at times even telling Him exactly how we want it.
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Our finances are one of the big things that we all struggle with from time to time as it concerns our Christian walk. We know that God will take care of us, but our "human" selves find it hard to hold on to that belief when the natural part of our lives "requires" money to eat, sleep, and survive. Yes, these are our thoughts.
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However, the bible in Matthew 6:33 says,
"Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and all these things shall be added unto you."
In other words, put God first, acknowledge Him, seek Him in all thy ways and trust that He will provide you with all that you need (Matthew 6:8).
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God reminds us that before we ask, He already knows our needs. Yet, we find it hard to apply that scripture when tuition, mortgage, car insurance, hospital bills, and credit card bills are due. We can ask God for all the finances we want but there are times in which God will not budge until we learn to truly depend on Him. We must try our best to realize that yes, our families, employers, and friends, are all important to us and they can be great resources for us financially, but God wants us to realize the difference between the source and the vessel. We must acknowledge God as the source that uses these vessels as resources in our lives.
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Yet, we shut God out and instead depend on these individuals not realizing that God is in control of the very "vessels" that we depend on. Look, it is not easy but start by taking a different approach to your finances. First, ask God what He wants you to have and how He wants you to use your finances. Ask Him for wisdom as to how to manage and allocate your finances.
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Ask Him to help you discern between what you need and what you can do without for the moment. Ask him to open up your eyes to see if there are career opportunities that may put you in a better financial state and to show you if there are gifts and talents that you can utilize to bring in extra income.
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I absolutely believe that God will give us the desires of our heart, but we first must show Him that we are grateful for what He has already given us and show Him that He means more than the material things.
Again, it's not an easy task but we can all start somewhere.
"LORD, HOW WILL I PAY MY BILLS?"
"LORD,
HOW WILL I
PAY FOR SCHOOL?"
FINANCES
Prayers for Finances
Although the following are not traditional prayers for finances, one thing that helps to set a good foundation when praying for anything is to acknowledge God as the "all" in "all", understanding that whatever it is that we need whether finances or protection all things are in His control. He is ruler over all things and can transform any and every situation that we face. These prayers have been taken from the bible
and highlight an acknowledgement of
God's infinite power and wisdom.
These scriptures are just a stepping-stone but the most earnest prayer is one straight from the heart. God is not looking for the right words as much as he is looking for sincerity.
Do not be afraid to tell Him exactly what you need
just remember that He already knows.
Paul's Prayer in
Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
34“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?”
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory
forever! Amen.
Hannah's Prayer in
1 Samuel 2:7-8 (ESV)​
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.
Habakkuk's Prayer in
Habakkuk 3 (vs. 2,6,17-19) (CEB)
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2. Lord, I have heard your reputation.
I have seen your work.
Over time, revive it.
Over time, make it known.
Though angry, remember compassion. [….]
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6. He stops and measures the earth.
He looks and sets out against the nations.
The everlasting mountains collapse;
the eternal hills bow down;
the eternal paths belong to him. [….]
17. Though the fig tree doesn’t bloom,
and there’s no produce on the vine;
though the olive crop withers,
and the fields don’t provide food;
though the sheep is cut off from the pen,
and there is no cattle in the stalls;
18. I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will rejoice in the God of my deliverance.
19. The Lord God is my strength.
He will set my feet like the deer.
He will let me walk upon the heights.
"Lord, can I afford to
help others?"
A Story to Remember:
May You Never Be in Lack
Elisha and the Widow's Oil
2 Kings 4:1-7 (KJV)
1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha,
saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the
Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house?
And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and
shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest
Scriptures on
Money & Finances
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Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
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1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant
nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,
and to be generous and willing to share.
19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
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Mark 12:41-44 (NIV)
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and
watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury.
Many rich people threw in large amounts.
42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,
worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you,
this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
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Deuteronomy 28:12 (NIV)
"The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty,
to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands.
You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none."​