Rom 1:21 (NIV) For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Jesus, keep me from admiring people who have money, possessions, positions, popularity, prestige, pleasure, and accomplishments by using people to get them. Teach me how to resist their “appearance” of success. Keep me from believing these people have something to teach me. Help me close that door rather than open it. Teach me that this verse is giving me my reason to reject their appearance of success.

Although they knew God: Jesus, help me understand that these people may have so hardened their conscience that they can no longer hear God; but, help me understand that they knew God. Keep me from letting all their bold talk, hard selling, and condescending tones cause me to forget that what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

Jesus, I need money in order to buy the things I NEED. But, teach me that my relationship with God is very dependent on how I go about getting it. Mat 6:24 (NIV) No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot SERVE both God and Money. Help me keep my focus on what is important; I want to serve You and not the wealth and success of this world.

Rom 1:20 (NIV) For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Jesus, make it clear to me that Your creation is available for everyone to observe and allow it to provide them proof of God’s existence. But, the more I spend my time listening to these people’s arguments, sales presentations, reasoning, and “proofs,” I will have my vision narrowed and I will forget what I saw. Help me always keep in mind that these people started out where I am; they knew! But, as they stopped allowing God’s creation to show them His wonderful works, they turned inward.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him: Jesus, help me see that God’s creation isn’t just beautiful, it is very functional. All the foods, light, air, warmth, supplies, and resources came from God. God invented water, air, animals, trees, vegetables, birds, electricity, metals, soil, fish, physics, and humans. Show me that none of these things existed until God thought them up, designed them, and created them. These wicked people can take advantage of them, take them for granted, and attribute them to random circumstances. But, they should be giving God the glory for it all. Help me so appreciate these things that I give God the glory.

But their thinking became futile: Jesus, teach me that all I have to do to resist heading in this direction is to obey Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things (NIV). Let God’s creation give me plenty of Philippians 4:8 types of thoughts to think. Let that empower me to resist failing to give glory and thanks to God. Help my mind to be filled with true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy thoughts.

And their foolish hearts were darkened: Jesus, whether it was caused by wanting to be rich, popular, powerful, or they were seeking pleasure, they directed their attention to evil things; protect me from this motivation. If God gets in the way of what I want, show me that it is vital that I take it to Him immediately. If I focus my eyes on the wrong things, I will bring darkness into my mind, my heart, and my life. Mat 6:22-23 (NIV) The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! As I resist looking at, focusing on, and imagining things the Bible speaks against, let that keep darkness out of my life.

Rom 1:22 (NIV) Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools: Jesus, show me that it all started back at the beginning where they decided to prove to themselves that God didn’t exist. They narrowed their view of God’s creation and picked a few animals and fish to look at. Instead of constantly looking at the whole creation, they boiled it down to some things they could manipulate. They pulled themselves and as many people as possible away from the mighty work of God and started writing books. They provided themselves with credentials, positions, prestige, influence, and notoriety. But, they became fools because they convinced themselves and many other people of a lie. Thank You for keeping me from going down this path.

Rom 1:20 (NIV) For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Jesus, God’s creation is still available for people to look at, examine, interpret, and establish the truth. There are more than enough evidences that they can look at and know it had to come from God. They can still repent and God will heal their mind and heart; but, show me that it is all up to them. John 12:43 (NIV) For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.