After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Matthew 6:9-10a, KJV.

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21, KJV.


For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  Deuteronomy 7:6-8.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. I Peter 2:9.

 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness...30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:17-23, 30.

But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: The Lord knows those who are his, and, Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. 20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. 22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. II Timothy 2:19-22.

Holy Father,

How often we pray those words, "Thy Kingdom come," but we forget that Your Kingdom has come to us and dwells within us, that Your Holy Spirit dwells within each of us who have received Jesus Christ by grace through faith. How often do we look out at the world and think about Your Kingdom coming there, but we disregard the Kingdom work You want to do in us: the work of making us holy as You are holy. It is Your desire that Christ present us to Himself and to You as a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, that we might be holy and without blemish.

Just as you have chosen and redeemed Israel out of bondage in Egypt to be a people holy to yourself, You have called us, Your Church, the ecclesia, out of bondage to self, sin and Satan to be a people holy to Yourself. You have called us to be a holy nation. You have chosen us in You before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blame without You in love all to the praise of Your glorious grace. You have set us free from sin so we might become slaves of righteousness and bear fruit to holiness.

How often we forget Your will for us is sanctification. How often we forget You have called us to be holy as You are holy. How often we continue to live in blatant disregard of Your call to be holy. You have bought us with the precious blood of Christ. We are no longer to live to self but to You, to our Redeemer, who purchased us. How often do we live as if we are not Your people. How often do we live lives that are anything but holiness to You.

How often we live as if Your Kingdom is not within us. How often we grieve Your Holy Spirit who dwells in us have given us to make us holy, to purify us, to cleanse us, to conform us to the image of Your Son, the perfect and spotless Lamb who was without blemish.

How often we receive Your grace in vain and continue to live in sin. How often we live as people who are not holiness to You. How often we bring reproach on Your holy name as we live no differently than the world.

We confess all these things to You, Holy Father.

Holy Father,

By Your Holy Spirit, show us how abominable and repulsive our sin is to You and how it grieves and hurts You. Help us to hate our sin and grieve over it.

By Your Holy Spirit, give us a hunger and thirst for righteousness and holiness and an increasing love for holiness.

By Your Holy Spirit, impart to us Your resurrection power to live lives of holiness to You.

We confess we are powerless to live a holy life apart from Your Holy Spirit. Left to our own devices, we would continue to love and lust after the world and the things of this world. Jesus Christ is our sanctification. He is our Sanctifier. We thank You that You who dwell in us are greater than he who is in the world.

We who have been united together in Christ's death have also been united in His resurrection so we might no longer be slaves to sin but be slaves to righteousness and holiness.

Fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Baptize us with Your Holy Spirit. Your Holy Spirit birthed us into Your Kingdom and only by Your indwelling Holy Spirit can live as the holy people you have called us to be.

By Your Holy Spirit's resurrection power working in us fuel in us a growing desire to will and to do of Your good pleasure, to be holy to You.

By Your Holy Spirit and by Your grace strengthen us that we might . . .

Amen.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Matthew 6:9-10a.

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21.

Our Lord Jesus gave us these words:

Pray then like this:

10 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come . . .

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money. 25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:9-10, 29-34.

Our Father, how often we lay up treasures for ourselves on earth. We have all seen lately how fleeting and temporary are the treasures of this earth. Teach each of us how you want us to lay up treasures in heaven, treasures that are permanent and eternal. May You and You alone be our true treasure. For until You are we will continue to be carried away and lust after all sorts of earthly treasures, treasures that cannot save us, treasures that provide no real security.

Make us single-eyed for You. Help us to serve only You and You alone. You are the LORD, the LORD God of Israel. We are to have no other gods besides You.

When we settle for other gods, lesser gods, lesser treasure – when we seek after other gods, when we serve other gods, when we treasure other gods we we are not treasuring You, we are not loving You, we are not serving You.

You, O LORD God, are the very source of our life and breath and every good gift and all goodness and everlasting life to us in Christ Jesus. How can we treasure any other god but You!

Forgive us that we do not treasure You as we ought!  Forgive us that we do not love you as we ought! Forgive us that we do not serve You as we ought!

Unite our hearts to be single-eyed, single-minded, whole-hearted, wholly enraptured and smitten by Your glorious love, mercy and grace shown us in Christ. When we see Your heavenly glory we will be blinded to the treasures of this world.

You are a jealous God. Loving bridegroom, draw Your Church, Your bride back to You when our minds, hearts and eyes begin to lust and crave the treasures of this world. We love You but our love is so faint at time. It flickers. We need Your Spirit to ignite it and fire up our passion for You alone. A pure and holy passion that makes us chase after You, a love that is willing to lay down our lives for You and Your Kingdom, a love that is willing to consider all things loss that we might take hold of that for which You have taken hold of us, a love that treasures You and Your Kingdom above all created things.

O, Father, Son and Spirit, give us hearts to love You and to love Your Kingdom! Circumcise our hearts to love You, love You only, love You wholly, love You, love You, love You, O Jesus. Reach into those places deep inside us that we cannot reach but Your Spirit can, to cleanse, purify, reform, revive, renew us...We need You to hold us, to guard us, to bring us back to You, to our first Love. To put a heart of love and worship and praise for You alone.

You have called us out and redeemed us and washed us and placed Your Spirit in us that we might be a people holy to You, a people that does not keep running after the things of the earth. Give us a heart and mind and will to seek first Your Kingdom and not any other kingdoms. Help us to treasure and seek You and Your Kingdom with a holy lust and pure passion that exceeds any of our earthly lusts for useless things. As we seek first You and Your Kingdom You have promised to give us all we need. You are our loving Father, You have given us the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation; will You not richly give us all things? How can we doubt Your Word to us? Forgive us when we doubt You. You cannot lie. Your Word and Your promises are faithful and true because You are faithful and true.

Give us hearts of faith to know and to trust You are with us always, even to the end of the age. For You are! You are the great I AM!

Give us hearts of faith to know and to trust You are the same yesterday, today and forever. For You are! You are the great I AM!

Almighty God, help us to trust that no matter how many or how few earthly riches we have, absolutely nothing can separate us from Your love for us in Christ Jesus. You are the God who never changes. You are the God who is and who was and who is to come. You are our Bridegroom. You have sealed us with Your Spirit. You are faithful to us. O, how unfaithful we are to you when we chase after so-called treasures of earth. Forgive us when we are unfaithful to You, O Bridegroom.

We need not fear or be anxious. You will be with us. You are the God who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. You are the Alpha and Omega. You are with us today, You were with us in the past and You will be with us in the future, to the very end of the age. Let us hear our Savior's voice today and each day, which sends us grace and peace.

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. 8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Revelation 1:4b-8.

Might we walk in the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus for when we do so we will not be anxious about earthly things. Help us to walk daily in Your grace and peace for You are the God who is, the God who was, and the God who is to come, the Almighty. You have been and You are and You will be with us all through all time. Help us to see ourselves as Your Kingdom people for that is who we are. Give us Kingdom hearts, Kingdom minds and Kingdom wills that seek You, O King, and Your Kingdom above all other things.

And the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 51 Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places. 53 And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. 54 You shall inherit the land by lot according to your clans. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. 55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. 56 And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.

Please read Colossians 3:1-17.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Our Father which art in heaven,

Holy Father, we confess that though we have been raised with Christ, we struggle to seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at Your right hand.

Holy Father, we confess that though we have been raised with Christ, we forget we are citizens of heaven.

Holy Father, we confess that we have not driven out, destroyed and demolish all idols and they continue to be barbs and thorns to us.

Holy Father, we confess that though we have been raised with Christ, we hold tightly to the things of this world.

Holy Father, we confess that though we have been raised with Christ, our flesh lusts after things of this world.

Holy Father, we confess that though we have been raised with Christ, we have made things of this world our first love.

Jesus Christ, You wholly sanctified Yourself for our sakes.

Jesus Christ, You were always and only about Your Father's business.

Jesus Christ, You were not of the world. We are not of the world.

Jesus Christ, we confess to You that too often we live as citizens of this world.

Jesus Christ, sanctify us by Your truth, so we might seek the things that are above.

Jesus Christ, fill us with Your Holy Spirit, so we our minds might be transformed and our hearts burn for You so we might seek the things that are above.

Holy Spirit, fill us with the Spirit of the Son, who always set His mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Holy Spirit, open our eyes to see the idols of our heart.

Holy Spirit, help us not to quench Your life in us.

Holy Spirit, help us to walk in the newness of life, the resurrection power of the risen Christ.

Holy Spirit, help us to hate, put off, forsake and put to death all that keeps us from seeking the things that are above.

Holy Spirit, empower us to drive out, destroy and demolish all our idols.

Our Father which art in heaven, You who have bought us with the precious blood of Christ, we come to You with no power of our own. We have been raised with Christ. By His power at work in us, help us to seek those things which are above. By Your Holy Spirit, work in us an increasing desire to be holy like Your Son, wholly devoted to You, wholly seeking the things that are above. Help us to continue to taste and see that You alone are good for as we do so our taste for our idols will diminish and we come to despise and disdain them more and more. Transform our minds so we might be heavenly minded and mortify all that is not of this earth, all that keeps us from walking in Your heavenly ways for us. May Your resurrection power free us so we would put off the sin that easily entangles us, so we might be free to render ourselves to You, free to wholly seek You and Your Kingdom for Your glory.

As God leads you, pray for His power to help you discern and overcome and defeat the things of this earth that entangle and ensnare you, so you might set your mind wholly on heavenly things, things that are above.