LivePrayerDaily Devotional for Friday September 17, 2010
For Many People Today There is Much Pressure Just to Pay Your Daily Living Expenses
(Matthew 6:25-33)
For many people today, there is much pressure just to pay your daily living expenses. Many struggling with financial commitments they can't meet are dealing with much stress today. In two weeks, it will be the start of another month and more obligations become due. Giving up seems like the easiest thing to do, but my friend, that is a thought straight from the pits of hell itself. Praying doesn't seem to work. It doesn't look like any miracles are on the horizon. What now? What is the next move?
First of all, praying is NOT in vain and is the first step. The Bible tells us to ask God for wisdom and He will give it to us. Secondly, God has promised in His Word to supply our need so we have to trust that promise and use it as the ope to move forward. Third is the very real, practical situation of unmet obligations. Every situation is different, and the dynamics are unique to where you are at. But here is my suggestion.
Get a legal pad and write down what is essential to day-to-day living. Than write down the other nonessential day-to-day living obligations. Lastly, write down all of the obligations you are delinquent on. On the other side of the legal pad, write down the income you have to work with and any income you will have during the month.
The first goal is to make sure the day-to-day essentials are met; then the other obligations for the month. Lastly, you need a plan for the delinquent obligations. Contact your debtors and explain your situation. Most creditors are only interested in getting paid, and as long as you are working towards that, will usually work with you. You need to structure based on your income...or possibly even additional income if you need to take that route...a plan to work down the past due obligations.
I love you and care about you so much. The bottom line is it will take three things: 1. Wisdom from God, 2) Discipline, 3) Hard work. You didn't get into the problem overnight and won't get out overnight. I pray that this has helped some of you focus on a problem we get many prayer requests about. God is able...and He will walk with you through this problem to victory!!!
***(an email I got the other day) "Bill -You & your team have really been on my mind & in my thoughts. I strongly believe you're doing things the right way, & it breaks my heart that because you give the gospel for free - because you're out doing things God's way - you don't have financial support from the American church to get out in the secular marketplace & to go toe-to-toe with false prophets @ Ground Zero. My wife & I gave a gift today which isn't close to meeting your needs or requests, but I pray God blesses it with multiplication.
I want to encourage you - your blunt honesty & the fact you do things the right way (no professional fund raising companies, no buildings or extravagant salaries) are why we're giving today. It's time for me & other Christians to put our money where our mouths are & quit paying mortgages & utilities for big buildings. Please keep telling the truth, God's truth. If the finances don't come in, God forbid, and you are forced to close down any part of your ministry, you have done your part by being obedient before God. It would be the rest of us who failed.
Thank you for being on the front lines! Thank you for leading & feeding me spiritually, both in word & deed! I pray today that God move hearts in a powerful way and deliver far more money than you've asked for. May He raise up more faithful partners, freeing us from fear & making us better able to hear His commands and then, more importantly, obey them. I realized about a month ago that you are my preacher. Thank you for the daily word. I promise I will lift you up in prayer & give financially to LivePrayer. I pray our Lord bless you & keep you. In God's love."
***As we wind down the last 13 days of the month, we still have $35,000 to cover the balance of our September budget, plus it is critical we pay off the last $20,000 of our 2009 shortfall. In addition, we still need to cover the $7,000 for last weeks 9-11 Christian Center operations and the $7,000 for this week and next. So that is $76,000 we need to raise over these last 13 days. I am praying for 4 specific people to step up TODAY to help me cover $34,000 that is critical, and will count on a collection of everyone else giving as they are able to make up the last $42,000. Eveyone can pray, and most everyone can sacrifce something to help me insure these needs are met!
SPECIFICALLY, I AM ASKING GOD TO SEND ME 4 SPECIAL PEOPLE TODAY. FIRST, I NEED ONE PERSON WHO IS ABLE TO WIRE TRANSFER OF FEDEX $15,000 TODAY. THIS COVERS $15,000 OF THAT $20,000 WE STILL OWE FROM 2009 AND NEEDED TO BE PAID LAST FRIDAY. SECOND, I NEED ONE PERSON WHO IS ABLE TO WIRE TRANSFER OR FED EX THE $7,000 FOR THE 9-11 CHRISTIAN CENTER OPERATIONS LAST WEEKEND. THIRD, I NEED ONE PERSON WHO CAN COVER THE LAST $5,000 OF THE $20,000 FROM 2009. FOURTH, I NEED ONE PERSON WHO CAN COVER THE $7,000 FOR THIS WEEKENDS 9-11 CHRISTIAN CENTER OPERATIONS. I HAVE BEEN ON MY KNEES PRAYING TONIGHT FOR THE LORD TO SPEAK TO 4 HEARTS, AND FOR THOSE 4 PEOPLE TO BE OBEDIENT. IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE FOUR, CONTACT ME AT: bkeller@liveprayer.com AND I WILL GET YOU THE BANK WIRE OR FEDEX INFO YOU NEED. THANK YOU!
--->You can make a gift to Liveprayer on your major credit card at our website www.liveprayer.com under the "Donation" button, or you can give from your PayPal account by using my email address, bkeller@liveprayer.com , or you can mail a gift to: Liveprayer 6660 46th Avenue North St. Petersburg, Florida 33709 *For a gift to the 9-11 Christian Center, please mark 9-11 on your check, or put (9-11) next to your name on the credit card or PayPal form. All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible.
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller