Jesus, I consider that my present sufferings are not worth comparing with THE GLORY that will be revealed in me (Rom 8:18). Teach me that the people You call “the world” will resist the fact that I openly confess with my mouth that You are Lord. But, help me live like a business person, an athlete, or a student and the way they face the pain and suffering they go through. Just like they consider that their present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in them, help me have a goal, a dream, a plan, and a future. Like them, help me not be willing to allow any person, group, circumstance, challenge, or requirement stand in my way; I pray for this attitude as a Christian.

Jesus, help me accept the fact that I am blessed as one who is persecuted because of righteousness, for mine is the kingdom of heaven (Mat 5:10). Help me realize that if a person is persecuting me because of righteousness, then they are a person who lies, steals, cheats, misleads, assonates people’s character, and tries to get to the top by walking over people. Why should I care what their opinion is? Help me not start lying, stealing, cheating, misleading, assonating people’s character, and trying to get to the top by walking over people. But, even though I don’t do any of those things, help me not be silent and let people think I am that kind of person. Help me not be willing to do this “just so I can be accepted by THE WORLD?”

Jesus, I am blessed when people insult me, persecute me and falsely say all kinds of evil against me because of You (Mat 5:11). The top students, the top athletes, the top business people, and the top sales people ALWAYS have their critics, so why should I think being a Christian should be any different? There will always people trying to pull me down to their level. You are raising me to the top of true success; You are teaching and empowering me to win without cheating or hurting anyone. That “should be” praised, appreciated, and supported by everyone on the planet; but, help me realize that “the world” hates honest, fair, loving, kind, and righteous people. Teach me why this is true of “the world.” Show me that it is because it proves to them that it doesn’t take lying, stealing, cheating, misleading, assonating people’s character, and trying to get to the top by walking over people.

Jesus, help me rejoice and be glad, BECAUSE great is my reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before me (Mat 5:12). I have people I admire, respect, and try to pattern my life after. But, now that I have come to You, even though I have had my heroes that I allowed to set the patterns for my life, help me give them up. Since I really want to succeed, win, and be the best, help me trade them for You, the heroes in the Bible, and the Christians around me who are following You.

Jesus, actors and actresses suffer for temporary fame; business people suffer for temporary wealth; leaders suffer for temporary power and influence; and, addicts suffer for temporary pleasure. Help me understand that I have temporary and eternal possessions, positions, power, prestige, popularity, pleasure, and accomplishments. Show me that I will have to do some suffering; but, it will pay off now and in eternity. Some suffer with temporary results; others suffer with no benefits whatsoever; I suffer like everyone else; but, for great success now and in eternity. Help me not let other people’s opinions and resistances cheat me out of them, empower me to rejoice and be glad.

Jesus, You said that I am the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. Help me not allow people’s opinions and social pressure cause me to lose my saltiness (influence on the people around me). You also said, I am the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden (Mat 5:13-14). Jesus, since I am the one who is heading in the right direction, since I am the one who is listening to You and Your Bible, help me be the one who is influencing the people around me. Help me not let “the world” drag me back into those things that are killing them.

Jesus, in the same way, the Spirit helps me in my weakness. I do not know what I ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for me with groans that words cannot express (Rom 8:26). For me to keep moving forward in power and success, help me invite God into everything I am going to need His help with. But, I don’t know what I am going to face and what I need to pray for. So, let the Holy Spirit bring ideas and feelings into my mind and heart. Let Him point out things in the Bible that need my prayers. Let Him empower me to pray with intense feelings about things I didn’t have feelings for prior to His help.

And He Who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will (Rom 8:27). Jesus, as You showed me in James 1:17, all good comes from God; if I get anything from any other source rather than through God, it may “look” good; but, it won’t END UP being good. Help me see that when the Holy Spirit prays in my behalf in accordance with God’s will, that means every prayer will be for those things that bring the very best GOOD into my life. Make it clear to me that God’s supernatural WILL brings supernatural GOOD into my relationships, finances, emotions, physical issues, spiritual needs, and circumstantial areas.

Jesus, I now know that in all things God works for my GOOD because I am one of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). Jesus, help me know that THIS IS what’s going on in my life RIGHT NOW! Help me be convinced that from the moment I prayed Matthew 6:9-13 and obeyed Romans 10:8-10, this started working for my good in my human life and in eternity. Show me that it isn’t that my luck, karma, or fate changed; it is because my relationship changed with my heavenly Father. It is because You made it possible for me to be born again into God’s family and into His Kingdom. Thank You for all You have done for me.

Jesus, God demonstrates His own love for me in this: While I was STILL a sinner, You died for me (Rom 5:8). Teach me that in my past, before I was born again, a path had to be cleared for me and everyone else. Too many obstructions could have got in my way KEEPING me from BEING ABLE to come to You for my new birth. So, God used a system called “predestination” to make sure I and everyone else didn’t get blocked off. He kept me being blocked from being able to accept You as my Lord, Savior, and King. Thank You for making a way for me to come to You.

Jesus, I am one of those God foreknew. So, He also predestined me to be conformed to the likeness of You, His Son, that You might be the firstborn among many brothers (Rom 8:29). Reveal it to me that God puts me and everyone else in the very best possible situations so that I and they can be saved, justified, sanctified, and glorified, if we want to. Help me understand that if He didn’t, then it wouldn’t be my or everyone’s fault if we didn’t get born again; but, it is. Show me that where I was born, when I was born, what kind of a body I got, what my gender was, what my opportunities were, and what I was exposed to were ALL controlled by God. This was so I and EVERYONE else would have the very best OPPORTUNITY to make the right decision.

And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified (Rom 8:30). Jesus, show me that God knows who is going to spend eternity with Him and who isn’t. But, He still made sure I and EVERYONE else got the very best opportunity to spend eternity with Him. When I stand before You as my Judge, I won’t be able to accuse You of any wrong doing, neglect, or a lack of provisions. I will see that You did a perfect job of making sure I had a clear path into the very best of God and His provisions. Teach me that from now on, it will all depend on whether or not I ask You to help me with my DESIRE, my STUDY, my PRAYER, my BELIEVING, my LOVE, and my FAITH-ACTION.