The Things of Heaven

 

 

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

 

—Colossians 3:2-3 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Let me live, having died to this life—taking no pleasure in the world’s evil enticements—being confident that my contentment, peace and joy can only be found in the home Christ has made within my heart.

 

Help me to fix my thoughts on the things of heaven—those things that have eternal value and meaning—rather than on the quickly fading distractions of this world, which would try to steal my heart away from You.

 

Help me to take on life from Your eternal perspective, so that the things of this world—and the lie of their promises to make me happy—will fall away as nothing, when compared to the glory of all that I can experience with You through Christ.

 

Help me to believe and to live, knowing my life is concealed and kept safe with Christ—that my salvation is sure, that it has already been accomplished, and that my eternal life with You is not some future event, but is both now and forevermore. Help me live obediently submitted to Your will.

 

Let me live, having died to this life—taking no pleasure in the world’s evil enticements—being confident that my contentment, peace and joy can only be found in the home Christ has made within my heart.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Do Not Love This World

 

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

—1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) 

 

Almighty God,

 

Help me to set my love on You alone—so that, through my faith, I would please You with the things that I think, say and do.

 

Help me not to set my love on the world, or the lesser things that this world offers, but help me to find the true treasure of knowing and experiencing all that You are—to me, for me, and in me.

 

Help me to turn away from a self-focused pursuit of the physical pleasures of this world and a desire for everything I see.  Instead may I look for more opportunities to experience You working in me, through me, and all around me.

 

Help me to turn away from prideful attitudes over those things that I have accomplished—knowing that You alone bring me success, and that the success that You bring me is not as the world measures success.

 

Help me to turn away from finding my identity in the possessions I have accumulated—knowing every good thing I have been given has come through Your hands and is not mine at all, but only temporarily entrusted to me to meet my needs—as well as the needs of others—while I am here on earth.

 

Remind me that this world, and all that is in it, is quickly fading away—and that my hope for joy, peace, and everlasting life can only be found in You.

 

Help me to set my love on You alone—so that, through my faith, I would please You with the things that I think, say and do.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Your Real Life

 

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

 

—Colossians 3:2-3 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Let me live, having died to this life—taking no pleasure in the world’s evil enticements—being confident that my contentment, peace and joy can only be found in the home Christ has made within my heart.

 

Help me to fix my thoughts on the things of heaven—those things that have eternal value and meaning—rather than on the quickly fading distractions of this world, which would try to steal my heart away from You.

 

Help me to take on life from Your eternal perspective, so that the things of this world—and the lies of their promises to make me happy—will fall away as nothing, when compared to the glory of all that I can experience with You through Christ.

 

Help me to believe and to live, knowing my life is concealed and kept safe with Christ—that my salvation is sure, that it has already been accomplished, and that my eternal life with You is not some future event, but is both now and forevermore. Help me live obediently submitted to Your will.

 

Let me live, having died to this life—taking no pleasure in the world’s evil enticements—being confident that my contentment, peace and joy can only be found in the home Christ has made within my heart.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Love of the Father in Me

 

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love 

the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

 

—1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) 

 

Almighty God,

 

Help me to set my love on You alone—so that, through my faith, I would please You with the things that I think, say and do.

 

Help me not to set my love on the world, or the lesser things that this world offers, but help me to find the true treasure of knowing and experiencing all that You are—to me, for me, and in me.

 

Help me to turn away from a self-focused pursuit of the physical pleasures of this world and a desire for everything I see.  Instead may I look for more opportunities to experience You working in me, through me, and all around me.

 

Help me to turn away from prideful attitudes over those things that I have accomplished—knowing that You alone bring me success, and that the success that You bring me is not as the world measures success.

 

Help me to turn away from finding my identity in the possessions I have accumulated—knowing every good thing I have been given has come through Your hands and is not mine at all, but only temporarily entrusted to me to meet my needs—as well as the needs of others—while I am here on earth.

 

Remind me that this world, and all that is in it, is quickly fading away—and that my hope for joy, peace, and everlasting life can only be found in You.

 

Help me to set my love on You alone—so that, through my faith, I would please You with the things that I think, say and do.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Think About the Things of Heaven

 

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

—Colossians 3:2-3 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

Let me live like I have indeed died to this life—to take no pleasure in the world’s evil enticements—being confident that my real life of contentment, peace and joy can only be found within the home I have made for Christ within my heart.

Help me to fix my thoughts on the things of heaven—those things that have eternal value and meaning—rather than on the quickly fading distractions of this world, which would try to steal my heart away from You.

Help me to take on life from Your eternal perspective, so that the things of this world—and the lies of their promises to make me happy—will fall away as nothing, when compared to the glory of all that I can experience in You through Christ.

Help me to believe, and to live like, my life is concealed and kept safe with Christ—that my salvation is sure, that it has already been accomplished, and that my eternal life with You is not some future event, but is both now and forevermore—so that I can live my life obediently submitted to Your will.

Let me live like I have indeed died to this life—to take no pleasure in the world’s evil enticements—being confident that my real life of contentment, peace and joy can only be found within the home I have made for Christ within my heart.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

May the Love of the Father be Found in Me

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. —1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) 

Almighty God,

Help me to set my love on You alone—so that, through my faith, I would please You with the things that I think, say and do.

Help me not to set my love on the world, or the lesser things that this world offers, but help me to find the true treasure of knowing and experiencing all that You are—to me, for me, and in me.

Help me to turn away from a self-focused pursuit of the physical pleasures of this world and a desire for everything I see.  Instead may I look for more opportunities to experience You working in me, through me, and all around me.

Help me to turn away from prideful attitudes over those things that I have accomplished—knowing that You alone bring me success, and that the success that You bring me is not as the world measures success.

Help me to turn away from finding my identity in the possessions I have accumulated—knowing every good thing I have been given has come through Your hands and is not mine at all, but only temporarily entrusted to me to meet my needs—as well as the needs of others—while I am here on earth.

Remind me that this world, and all that is in it, is quickly fading away—and that my hope for joy, peace, and everlasting life can only be found in You.

Help me to set my love on You alone—so that, through my faith, I would please You with the things that I think, say and do.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The One and Only God of My Life

“You shall have no other gods before Me.”

—Exodus 20:3 (NKJV)

O LORD My God,

Be for me the One and Only God of my life.  For there is no other god—whether person or thing—worthy of my worship!

Help me never to put another person, place, or thing before my love and worship of You, as my God.  May that place in my heart and life be exclusively Yours!

Keep me from making gods of anything or anyone in this world that I might value or set my love upon, fear or submit to, delight in or depend on, other than You.  For without You I have nothing—and I am nothing.

Don’t allow my foolish pride to cause me to make a god of myself, a desire for wealth or possessions to make money a god in my eyes, a desire for position or authority to make power a god I would worship, or a desire to enjoy life to make pleasure a god that I would follow.

May my identity, purpose, source of security, and hope only be found in You—my God—as I submit myself completely to Your loving care, and fear no other.

Be for me the One and Only God of my life.  For there is no other god—whether person or thing—worthy of my worship!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.