I pray that my love may abound yet more and more, and extend to its fullest development in knowledge, understanding, and discernment.  I pray that I will display this love in greater depth in my relationships with both God and man so that I may surely learn to sense what is vital, and to approve and prize what is excellent and of real value.  I long to recognize the highest and the best, and to distinguish the moral differences.

It is my earnest desire to be untainted and pure, unerring and blameless, so that with a sincere, certain, and unsullied heart, I may approach the day of Christ, not stumbling nor causing others to stumble.

I pray that I may abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness - the fruit of right standing with God and of right doing - which come through Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, to the honor and praise of God, that His glory may be both manifested and recognized. (1:9-11)

For I am well assured and indeed know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, all this will turn out for my preservation - for the spiritual health and welfare of my own soul, and toward the saving work of the Gospel. (1:19)

My own eager desire, persistent expectation, and hope is that I shall not disgrace myself nor be put to shame in anything; but that with the utmost freedom of speech and unfailing courage, now and always, Christ will be magnified and get glory and praise in this body of mine and be boldly exalted in my person - whether through my life or through my death.  For me, to live is to have Your life in me, Jesus, and to die is to gain the glory of eternity. (1:20-21)

Father, I pray for Your grace to fill me so that I will not, for a moment, be frightened or intimidated by anything which comes from my opponents and adversaries - for such constancy and fearlessness will be a clear sign, proof, and seal to them of their impending destruction, but a sure token and evidence that my deliverance and salvation are from You, Father! (1:28)

For I have been granted the privilege, for Christ's sake, not only to believe in, adhere to, rely on, and trust in You, but also to suffer on Your behalf. (1:29)

I choose to work out, cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete my own salvation - with reverence and awe and trembling (with self-distrust, with serious caution, with tenderness of conscience, being watchful against temptation, and timidly shrinking from whatever may offend You and discredit the name of Christ.) (2:12)

I know that this cannot be accomplished by my own strength - for it is Your Spirit Who, all the while, is effectually at work in me, energizing and creating in me the desire and power to obey You and to do what brings pleasure, satisfaction, and delight. (2:13)

I will delight myself in You, my Lord, and continue to rejoice that I am in You. (3:1)

I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege - the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage - of knowing You, Christ Jesus my Lord, and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with You.  Nothing is more important to me as perceiving and recognizing and understanding You more fully and clearly.  For Your sake, I have lost everything, but consider it all to be a ridiculous and counterfeit substitute compared to being found and known as in You - not having any self-achieved righteousness that can be called my own (based on my obedience to the Law's demands), but possessing that genuine righteousness which comes only through faith in You - Christ, the Anointed One.

My determined purpose is that I may know You [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of Your person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know and experience the power outflowing from Your resurrection which is available to all believers, and that I may so share Your sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into Your likeness even to Your death, in the hope that if possible I may attain to the spiritual and moral resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead, even while in the body. (3:8-11)

I have not yet attained this ideal, nor am I yet perfect.  But this is my one aspiration: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the supreme and heavenly prize to which You are calling me in Christ Jesus. (3:12-14)

I will hold true to what I have already attained, and walk and order my life by that - knowing that You, my Savior, are transforming and fashioning anew this weak, mortal body of my humiliation to conform to and be like Your body of glory and majesty.  You will accomplish this great task by using the same mighty power that You will use to conquer everything, everywhere. (3:16, 21)

I will rejoice always in You, Lord.  I will not fret or have anxiety about anything; but in every circumstance, by prayer and with definite requests, with thanksgiving, I will continue to make my needs and desires known -

confident that Your peace shall be mine.  I am assured of my salvation through Christ, and so I fear nothing from You and am content with my earthly conditions, whatever they may be.  This peace, which transcends all my understanding, shall garrison and mount guard over my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. (4:4, 6-7)

I fix my mind on whatever is true,     honorable,     just,     pure,     lovely,     kind,     gracious,     excellent,     and worthy of praise. (4:8)

No matter if I have plenty or little, I have strength for all things in Christ, Who empowers me.  I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me.  Thankfully, Father, I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency. (4:12-13)

 

Amy