Jesus, the world taught me that the first person across the finish line is the winner. You teach us that the last person across the finish line wins. Mat 20:16 (NIV) So the last will be first, and the first will be last. Rather than me being trained on how to beat the competition, You will be teaching me how to produce win/win situations for all who are involved. Help me understand that if I am going to win in Your race, I will be spending my time helping everyone else across the finish line. Then once I have made sure everyone else is across the finish line, I will cross the line last and win.

Jesus, I was taught to save my resources, invest them, use them on and for myself, and make sure no one was able to steal them from me. Teach me how to have money, possessions, positions, power, popularity, prestige, pleasure, and accomplishments so I can invest them in people. Luke 6:38 (NIV) GIVE, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure YOU use, it will be measured to you.” In the world, I have been my own resource; if I did all the right things, I would get rich or possess all kinds of special resources. But, help me make God my supply so that things will work very differently in this world and in eternity.

Phil 4:19 (NIV) And my God will meet ALL your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Jesus, teach me how to tap into all the resources and provisions of God. In the world, if I don’t have what other people want, they won’t do business with me, be my friend, or associate with me. I have been responsible for making sure I could provide the products and services others desired. Teach me that in God’s world, if I grow spiritually, He will meet ALL my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. I won’t be rich by hording, keeping, protecting, and saving; but, I will be wealthy by creating win/win relationships with myself and those around me.

Jesus, in the world, no one wants to be a sheep; they want to be a lion, a bear, or a tiger. If they can’t be one of those, they want to at least be a porcupine, a turtle, a skunk, or a gazelle. However, teach me that in God’s world, the best thing I can be is a sheep; because, The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Show me that in Your world, if I will give up all my own defense mechanisms, You will provide me all YOUR protection. Make it clear to me that a shepherd ONLY protects and provides for sheep.

Jesus, in the world, I had better be pretty smart, clever, and alert. I had better know what I am doing, who my friends are, where to invest my time, effort, and money, and how to make good decisions. But, help me understand that in Your world, I can connect with the One Who HAS ALL knowledge, all foreknowledge of the future, all understanding of everything, and all wisdom on how to apply all knowledge and understanding. Isa 55:8-9 (NIV) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Teach me that this puts me in a VERY advantageous place for winning here on earth and in eternity.

Jesus, in the world, I learned that I can’t go around trusting people. I have had to be very cautious; everyone had to be guilty until PROVEN innocent. If I was gullible, naïve, and trusting, I would get cheated, fooled, taken advantage of, and hurt. Teach me how to use God’s love to give people a chance to prove themselves. Show me how to give people small assignments that reveal their character and integrity. Give me Your insights into their heart that will help me know who to trust and who to avoid.

1 John 4:1-3 (NIV) Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus, is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. Teach me that one of the main issues for trusting people has to do with their spiritual condition. Teach me how to diagnose the people around me.

Jesus, I can see, I have a lot of unlearning and learning so I can succeed in Christianity and Your world. Teach me that to be a child of God, principles, procedures, systems, and methods are quite different from what I have been taught and learned. The physical world around me has worked a certain way. Now show me that, if I apply spiritual systems and principles to it, it will function based on those things You and the Bible teach me. However, I am currently trust those things the world has taught me. I believe in myself; I am applying competitive systems; I think I am my own best friend; I am doing my best to run my own life; and I am protecting myself. Make it clear to me that it is impossible to win a this life and in my eternal life by applying the rules of my body, the world, and the devil.