Jesus, help me understand that from the beginnings of my relationship with You, I was supposed to be telling those around me that You are Lord and that You are my Lord. This hasn’t been totally true; so, help me take a look at Your approach to developing various types of relationships and friendships. You were perfect in the way You approached people and how You tried to offer them help. Take me through the way to help people by allowing them to decide whether or not they want my help through Your power.

Jesus, help me accept this assignment from You; I don’t want to go about my day and not help anyone spiritually. Take me through the five types of relationships again and help me understand them.

1. I have business relationships where I just think about buying and selling products to the person. Help me change and start looking for opportunities to take that relationship to another level.


2. I have casual friendships where I talk about things we have in common like the weather, sports, and other people we both know. Help me start finding out whether or not they are open to talking about their personal issues.


3. I have personal friendships where they are willing to start opening up and sharing a few of their problems, struggles, or difficulties with me. Help me see if they are willing to let me share some of the victories I have experienced from You.


4. Help me have sincere friendships where the person wants help with their issues and problems and are willing to consider getting help from You. Help me be ready and trained so I can provide them with help from You.


5. And, help me have mentoring friendships who are people who are willing to join me in getting involved in the programs, books, and studies on this website.

Jesus, teach me that the best way to get to know more about a person is to ask them questions about themselves. Help me not be trying to GET them into salvation, GET them to attend my church, or GET them into my small group. Let me simply be trying to GET to know them better. Deliver me from ANY hidden agenda or future goal planned for them. Help me realize that I don’t know where each conversation I have with a person is going to go. By asking them questions, I am just TRYING TO SEE whether or not You have prepared my business relationships, casual friendships, personal friendships, or sincere friendships to move to the next level of friendship.

Jesus, help me see that the way to find out whether or not each of these relationships are ready to move to the next level, I simply ask them questions I do not know the answers to. With business relationships, if I don’t know where they live, I ask that question; if I don’t know what hobbies they have or special interests, then I find out about that. I just need to help them open up and start talking about themselves.

Jesus, when I ask a question, help me to listen to their answers and memorize these things about them. Help me keep in mind that if You want them to, my non-threatening questions will take a business relationship to a casual friendship; or, they will take a casual friendship to a personal friendship. As far as I know, it may all stop there and never be able to be taken to the next level. Show me that I will never know what each person is open to help me be OKAY WITH THAT.

Jesus, make it clear to me that in building friendships, I must avoid trying to talk people into something.

Jesus, help me get started establishing business relationships where I am NOT simply trying to find out what a person has to offer. Help me NOT just check out their products and services so I can decide whether or not they have something I want or need. I have had certain criteria as to where I buy these things. It had to do with things like price, brand, convenient location, a place where I have always shopped, the way they display their products, or the personnel. Help me reevaluate my criteria for where I do my shopping. As often as possible, help me try to do business with certain people so I can see if You want a casual friendship to be established with them.

Keep me aware of the fact that only You know who will be people You want me working with. Help me trust You to open certain people’s hearts to the questions I ask. Help me also trust You to block off all relationships You don’t want me developing.