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Step Five: Give us today our daily bread.
Life Isn’t Just About Being Human
Daily Bread: Jesus, in the process of trying to get my daily needs met, I have done things I am not proud of. Instead of being able to help people around me with their problems and needs, I have spent every waking moment trying to make sure all my needs were fulfilled for that day. My life became a rat race, as I labored to make enough money to pay my “daily” bills.
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No God-Given Daily Bread
Give us today: Jesus, all during those times when I wasn’t allowing God to be my heavenly Father, I was totally responsible for all my needs every day of my life. If I was going to get anything for that day, it is going to have to come through my own efforts. There usually wasn’t enough hours in a day for me to reach my goals. Even if I had been rich, I would have still been driven by deep desires for more. I wouldn’t be able to hoard enough money to make me happy; and I wouldn’t be able to spend enough money to satisfy the craving in my heart.
Help me see that I need my heavenly Father to start putting me in a place where He is my source. Guide me into Your plan where my daily needs are met while me having plenty of time to care for the needs of others. Help me not spend all my time with financial and monetary issues; help me have time to work on relationships and the needs of others. |
Everyone Is Hunting For
Joy And Happiness
Praying For A Change Of Daily Source
Jesus, at different times, I have pursued joy and happiness in different ways. I thought it was money, possessions, positions, popularity, power, prestige, or accomplishments. Help me see that none of these things are ever going to give me the happiness and joy I am seeking. I choose to pray this portion of this prayer so I can ask God to start directing me into HIS SYSTEM for getting my daily needs met.
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Starting Your Day The Right Way
Jesus, I am ready to give God permission to place joy and happiness in me before my day begins. I am ready to give up my belief that money, possessions, positions, popularity, power, prestige, or accomplishments will make me happy. I choose Your way for me to be happy all day long no matter what is going on in my life and the world around me. Let my day have what everyone is seeking without me having to pursue it.
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Getting Your Daily Goals Changed
Jesus, show me that once I allow God to fill my heart, mind, and life with joy and happiness, from that moment on, I will be getting my needs met. And, it won’t be because I am trying to get them met so I can be happy. God will help me get my needs met and will bless and prosper me. However, I will already be filled with joy and happiness independent of all those blessings. Let this joy and happiness get me on the right path for being able to address my difficulties with drugs in a very positive way.
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Allowing God To Be Your Daily Source
If you are willing to start letting God influence you as to which job you will take, what positions you will accept, and how much time you will spend working, then pray these words: “Give us today our daily bread.”
Then pray: “Give me today my daily bread.”
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Step Six: Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors
It’s A Two-Way Street
Forgive us our debts: Jesus, teach me that with Your principle of forgiveness, I am facing two issues:
- Forgive us our debts: First, I am asking God to forgive me for all the wrong, bad, and evil things I have EVER done to myself and others whether I did them on purpose or accidently.
- As we also have forgiven our debtors: Second, I am asking You for the power to forgive ALL those who have hurt me by doing wrong, bad, or evil things to me. Help me use Your power-forgiveness so it WILL NOT be based on whether or not they did it to me on purpose or accidently.
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Making A List
As we also have forgiven our debtors: Jesus, bring into my mind people that have done hurtful things to me. Help me be willing to forgive ALL those who have hurt me; help me spend time asking You to help me use Your power-forgiveness to forgive each and every one of them. Then as I go about my life, if another issue comes into my mind, help me to ask You to give me Your power-forgiveness to forgive them as well. Empower me to use this forgiveness method for the rest of my life.
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A Lack Of Forgiveness Hurts Us
Jesus, as this study takes me into additional Scriptures that follow this prayer, help me understand how important it is to forgive all who have hurt me or cheated me. Even though it may not make any sense to me right now, help me see that some of my difficulties with drugs may be coming from a problem with forgiveness.
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Debts
A Debt Is Any Sin
Jesus, teach me that the word “debt” is being used in the Bible to describe all the things that I have done to hurt and cheat people and all the things people have done to hurt and cheat me. Help me understand that it is also talking about all the money and things people owe me that they aren’t able to repay.
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Forgiveness Sets You Free
Show me that if I pray the words “Forgive us our debts,” and then pray “Forgive me my debts,” God will forgive me of all my past, present, and future sins, shortcomings, failures, mistakes, misdeeds, and debts. Every wrong, bad, or evil thing I have ever done, are doing, and will do against myself and those around me WILL be forgiven by God. But, it will only be done, if I ask Jesus to forgive me by using these words. And, it will only be done, if I do the same for those who have, are, or will sin against me.
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A Life Of Forgiving Debts
Jesus, some people have said, are saying, or will say things to me that they should apologize for. In other words, they OWE me an apology. Others OWE me money or things they have taken or borrowed from me. Teach me the principle that if they can pay me back, I am to let them. But, if they can’t, I am to forgive the debt. If they can apologize for all the bad things they have done to me, I am to let them. If they can’t or won’t, I am to use Your power-forgiveness to forgive them. Help me understand why I am to use this system. Reveal to me that, if I can’t or won’t forgive others, God won’t forgive me.
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We Owed A Big Debt
Think Of It This Way
Jesus, You had to give Your life in order for me to be able to be forgiven of all my debts (sins). If there had been any other way, God would have done it and protected You, His Son; but, there was no other way. With my little brain I may think I could have found some other way. I might think that I didn’t need Your sacrificial death. But, if God, Who knows everything, decided there was no other way for my spiritual disease to be cured, then there was no other way; help me to totally accept that fact.
Jesus, since You paid such a heavy price for me to be forgiven, it is only fair that You are asking me to forgive others of the debts and sins they have created and done against me. If I need more time to pray for the strength and desire to forgive others, help me take the time I need to get Your power-forgiveness as I can truly forgive everyone. |
You Being Totally Set Free From
All Your Past, Present, And Future Sins
If you are ready, then go ahead and pray this portion of the prayer. Say: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” And then say: “Forgive me my debts, as I also have forgiven my debtors.”
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