Jesus, help me with another aspect of my HEART that also involves my mind. I was taught, with regard to my former way of life, to put off my old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of my mind; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:22-24).

Jesus, teach me that I should look not only to my own interests, but also to the interests of others. Teach me that my ATTITUDE should be the same as that of You, Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Yourself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (Phil 2:4-7). Teach me that my emotions exist in and flow out of my HEART and so do my attitudes and character. So, there are two aspects to opening my HEART to God. I need You to teach me how to submit my attitudes and character to God in addition to my emotions.

Jesus, help me see that the reason my heart is the first door God wants to help me open is because it controls me. God has named this mysterious part of me, that contains my feelings, attitudes, and character, as being my HEART; this is the area where all my emotions, my attitudes toward life, and my character reside. Teach me that this Biblical term, HEART, is in reference to this area that represents who I am now; make it clear to me that it doesn’t influence me from a logical perspective; it just gives me feelings and attitudes based on what my mind decided was best for me. You addressed this issue of my heart in the previous course; now take it forward in this course.

Jesus, since my heart is more powerful and influential over me than my mind is, show me that it can make me do things I really don’t want to do; and, it can keep me from doing things I do want to do. But, help me understand that my brain and my mind ORIGINALLY shaped my heart.

Help me see that I have been exposing myself to all kinds of training, information, and experiences. I have used my mind to analyze all this worldly training, information, and experiences to decide what I believe and what I don’t, what I want for myself and what I don’t, and what I would add to my life and what I wouldn’t. Help me see that once I made my mental decision, IF IT DIDN’T CONFLICT WITH THINGS ALREADY STORED in my heart, my heart accepted it as truth. Then once it was accepted as truth, my heart took over my life in that area.

Jesus, make it clear to me that once my heart accepts something as truth, it sends positive or negative emotions to me. These feelings can be so strong that I feel forced to yield to them. Show me that what You are doing with my heart, through the Submitting Your Emotions and the Submitting Your Attitudes And Character courses, is to heal areas of my heart that are embracing errors, misinformation, lies, sins, habits, lifestyles, and addictions.

Jesus, teach me that an attitude is an ESTABLISHED way of thinking mentally or feeling emotionally. It is an established personal view on something; it is my mindset or outlook that is lived out in my behavior, or characterizes me as a person. Show me that if my attitude is faulty, then You need to help me get it changed. BUT, I have to DESIRE it to be changed.

Jesus, help me be ready to spend a lot more time with the issue of attitudes; help me understand that I need this because attitudes produce the type of character I have. Teach me the list of God’s power-attitudes in Matthew 5:3-12 that I will need to have so as to be able to get my character changed. Teach me the list of God’s character in Galatians 5:22-23 that I will need to yield to so as to live a life of good character. So, since good attitudes give birth to good character, help me cooperate with You as You spend most of the time on attitudes.

Jesus, make it clear to me that the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing my soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges my thoughts and attitudes of my heart (Heb 4:12). Help me compare my attitudes with the Bible. Teach me that Biblical principles will help me see where my attitudes are different from what Your attitudes are. Teach me that my attitude should be the same as that of You, Christ Jesus (Phil 2:5).

Jesus, teach me that I should look not only to my own interests, but also to the interests of others. My attitude should be the same as that of You, Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Yourself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (Phil 2:4-7). Your attitude was to see my issues, my problems, and my needs. Then You allowed them to be more important to You than Your own status, benefits, comfort, and convience. Help me have this kind of attitude.

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, BUT ALSO to the interests of others. Jesus, help me be willing to look at the situations of other people. Empower me to allow myself to FEEL the problems, issues, and difficulties of others. Do a work in my attitudes where I allow myself to start thinking about what I might be able to do to help. I pray and I ask You to help me get involved in other people’s lives.

Jesus, show me that if I went into a store and everyone treated me like dirt, I would leave and go find a store that appreciated my business. Teach me through this illustration that good attitudes can help me win in life. Make it clear to me that my attitudes have been making or breaking all of my life. Help me understand that they are important in all my relationships; people respond to me based on them. Teach me that I may try to do better during certain situations; but, my attitudes will show through all my best efforts to treat people nice. Those closest to me can always tell when I am wanting something from them. If I am trying to get someone to do something for me, I will try to improve my attitudes FOR THE MOMENT. Heal me from that type of “kindness.”

Jesus, show me that You are noticing the way I treat people. If I am all about me and my physical needs, that will keep me from noticing the needs of others. Sometimes my physical life is so demanding that all I can see is what I need. It may be causing me to miss out on all the blessings of God. I may be missing them because it feels like I don’t have time to help anyone else. My physical needs may be keeping me from seeing how real-life works. Teach me that giving is more important than getting. Teach me that if I give to others, You will give much more back to me.

Jesus, make it clear to me that if I give, it will be given to me. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into my lap. For with the measure I use, it will be measured to me (Luke 6:38). Show me that it can seem like I am taking care of my own needs; but, I have the body You gave me; I have the health You gave me; I have the mental abilities You gave me; I have the circumstances You are giving me; and, I am talented and have aptitudes that You gave me. Help me see how much I need to cooperate with Your “give” principle.

Jesus, show me that if I went into a store and they treated me like royalty, and if I really got the impression that they weren’t just doing it to make a sale, and if they actually didn’t want to make a sale, if they didn’t have anything I needed, I would be looking at a very special attitude. If I and they found out there wasn’t anything in the store and never would be that I needed, if they still treated me like royalty, I would be experiencing the type of attitudes You are wanting in me.

Jesus, show me from this illustration that the financial problem is, if they don’t try to sell me something I don’t need, they won’t get any of the money THEY need. And, if they don’t get their financial needs met through me, they could feel like they “wasted their time” on me. They could feel like I am a person that can’t help them in any way; they could feel like they should have spent that time with someone that they could have made a sale with; plus, they didn’t SEEM to be much help to me either. BUT, teach me that I actually helped them in a tremendous way; I gave them an opportunity to be blessed by God. Teach me that the treatment they gave me will bring special blessings from God on a physical level and in eternity.

Jesus, make it clear to me that in everything, I am to do to others what I would have them do to me, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Mat 7:12). Empower my attitude to allow me to live out Matthew 7:12; show me that from it I will get special blessings from God. If I help people that I can’t get any physical benefits from, my attitudes are the kind God is looking for. Jesus, You said, “When I give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite my friends, my brothers or relatives, or my rich neighbors; if I do, they may invite me back and so I will be repaid. But when I give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and I will be blessed. Although they cannot repay me, I will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:12-14).”