“Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.”  (Matt. 22:37-38 NIV)

 Give God your heart

“My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways.” (Prov. 23:26)

God will change your heart so that you will love Him

“The LORD your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!” (Deut. 30:6 NLT)

Therefore…

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Col. 3:1-2)

“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21 ESV)

Quote:

“Loving God – really loving Him – means living out His commands no matter what the cost.” – Chuck Colson

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Col. 4:2 ESV)

Watch and pray so you won’t fall into temptation 

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41 NIV)

Watch and pray for Christ’s return

“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” (Mark 13:33 NKJV)

 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. (Matt. 25:13 NLT)

 Watch and pray that you be counted worthy

 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

 Therefore…

 “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:37-40)

 Quote:

“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” - Abraham Lincoln

 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7 NASB)

Our prayers are an offering brought before God’s throne

“Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne.” (Rev. 8:3 NLT)

God answers prayer

 ‘You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.” (Psalm 75:2 NIV)

Ask in Jesus’s Name 

“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24 NIV)

“If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)

If you will believe…

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)

The Holy Spirit will help you as you pray 

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Rom. 8:26 NLT)

Therefore…

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (Eph. 6:18-19)

Quote:

“We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.” - Oswald Chambers

“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” (Eph. 4:12-13)

Perfected: conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type. 

Be conformed to Jesus

 “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Rom 8:29 NIV)

We are perfected by Jesus’s sacrificial offering 

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Heb. 10:14 NASB)

Therefore…

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom. 12:1-2 NIV)

 “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (2 Cor 7:1 NIV)

Quote:

“Great and glorious God, and Thou Lord Jesus, I pray you shed abroad your light in the darkness of my mind. Be found of me, Lord, so that in all things I may act only in accordance with Thy holy will.” - Francis of Assisi

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”.” (Mark 10:45 ESV)

The greatest among you serve

“The greatest among you shall be your servant.” (Matt. 23:11 ESV)

 Be a servant of all

“And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35 ESV)

It is more blessed to give than receive

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35-36 ESV)

Therefore…

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Heb. 5:13 NIV)

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” (Heb. 6:10 NIV)

Quote:

“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.” – Booker T. Washington

“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” (Prov.16:20 NIV)

Trust: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something; to have confidence, faith. 

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jer. 17:7-8 NIV)

Therefore…

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” (Psalm 37:31 NIV)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5-6 NIV)

Quote:

“We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn't come naturally. It's a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith.” – Charles Swindoll 

“O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.” (Psalm 98:1)

For God is great!

“For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.” (Psalm 86:10 NIV)

“Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders.” (Psalm 72:18)

Therefore…

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” (Psalm 119:18 ESV)

“O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” (Isa. 25:1) 

“Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.” (1 Chron. 16:24)

Quote:

“I give infinite thanks to God, who has been pleased to make me the first observer of marvelous things.” - Galileo Galilei

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Phil. 2:5 ESV)

Be transformed by the renewal of your mind

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV)

Take every thought captive 

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…” (2 Cor. 10:5 ESV)

Set your minds on things that are above

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:2 ESV)

Therefore…

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV)

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Prov. 4:23 ESV)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8 ESV)

Quote:

“The Mind can think only one thought at a time. If your mind is occupied by a meaningless thought, you block a meaningful thought from entering it.” - Unknown

“…we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ…” (Eph. 4:15)

Grow: to spring up and develop to maturity; to become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain. 

If you don’t grow you will become weak and dull 

“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Heb. 5:11-14 ESV)

Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18 ESV)

Go on to maturity

“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” (Heb. 6:1-2 ESV)

Therefore…

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6 ESV)

“So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:10 ESV)

Quote:

“Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.” - Aiden Wilson Tozer