Jesus, teach me that daily bread represents all those things I will need each day in order to be able to live the human life. Also, teach me that there is the world’s way of getting my daily needs met and there is the system of God for getting these daily needs met. Help me understand that the world system USES people to get money, possessions, positions, popularity, prestige, power, pleasure, and accomplishments. You are taking me into God’s system for getting all my human needs met. Show me that God’s system USES money, possessions, positions, popularity, prestige, power, pleasure, and accomplishments to help people.

Jesus, we have discussed the principle of praying and ASKING God for things; now let me learn a SEEKING principle: You told me in Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV) to not worry, saying, ‘What shall I eat?’ or ‘What shall I drink?’ or ‘What shall I wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and my heavenly Father knows that I need them. Help me SEEK first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these THINGS will be given to me as well. Let this get my eyes off of THINGS onto how I treat myself, others, and God’s plan BEFORE I get these THINGS.

Jesus, convince me that my God will meet all my needs according to His glorious riches in You, Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). Teach me that if I do what it takes to meet my own needs, then it will be according to the riches that are available through the world system. But, if I get God involved, then my supply will be based on what God can do. Make it clear to me that He knows what is the best career, the best job opportunity, and the best business procedures for me. Plus, show me that He will prosper me, if I trust Him to guide me.

But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness: Jesus, teach me that God’s way deals with me concentrating on His Kingdom and His righteousness; that means I get worked on first. Rather than me just working on my career, my retirement plan, my money making skills, and my own personal interests, You and I FIRST work on only doing good to myself, other people, and God’s plan; teach me that, that is righteousness. It makes ME into a wonderful and dynamic person. A person that is able to get large quantities of friends, finances, blessings, healings, and help; that’s what I want.

Jesus, when someone asks me WHO I am, help me not think about what career I have developed and are using to accomplish my goals and get my needs met. Help me not say, I AM a doctor, a lawyer, a nurse, a pilot, a truck driver, a contractor, or some other professional. Help me not allow my job or career define who I am. Empower me to not allow it to decide where I have to put my time, effort, and money. Help me not MOSTLY work on BECOMING a skilled, trained, and experienced person in a field of labor. Help me not allow it to control me; let me join You in controlling it.

Rom 12:4-8 (NIV) Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Jesus, help me understand what it is going to take for me to melt into the other members of Your body. I want to be a part of Your work in this world. And, I want to unify with all the other members that make up Your body of believers.

Jesus, teach me that each member in Your body has different gifts, according to the grace given us. If my gift is prophesying, let me use it in proportion to my faith. If it is serving, let me serve; if it is teaching, let me teach; if it is encouraging, let me encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let me give generously; if it is leadership, let me govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let me do it cheerfully (Rom 12:6).

Jesus, help me think of my career as being defined and set by God. Help me see that You give it to me so I can have a career and be a professional in Your body. However, John 15:1-17 sets my goal to be a person who bears fruit; if my goal is to be a person who earns a living, then my goals are different from God’s goals for me.

Teach me that earning money, getting ahead, working my way to the top, setting up a retirement plan, and being financially successful are all secondary. Empower me to work out in the world so I can help people “make a living.” But train and empower me to do that by using and teaching Your system for getting their daily needs met. Show me that if I “bear fruit,” I will lead people into joining You in shaping people’s lives. They will be righteous doctors, lawyers, nurses, pilots, truck drivers, contractors, or some other professional.

Jesus, let it be possible for me to put God and His plans for me first in my life; and, let me still be able to have all my needs met. Make it clear to me that God’s system really works by “SEEKING first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these THINGS will be given to me as well. Help me feel filled with faith about it; help me feel comfortable with putting God’s Kingdom and righteousness as a priority over everything else I do. Let this be an area where I spend a lot of time praying, being taught, and being empowered.

Jesus, I am willing to start letting God influence me as to which job I will take, what positions I will accept, how much time I will spend working, and how I treat myself and others when “earning a living.” I now pray these words: “Give us today our daily bread.” I now ask God to show me how to use this God-career to help me lead people into “earning a living” by involving themselves in win/win situations.