“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13 NKJV)
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5)
“And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.” (Romans 8:11 BSB)
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” (John 10:10 AMP)
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)
“But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. This is why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death.” (Hebrews 9:14 CEV)
I have a challenge for each of us:
Let’s individually each take as much time as can be made available, with as few distractions as possible, and prayerfully invite the Holy Spirit to answer with us the following four questions…
…1) What would happen if I shifted my focus from dying and going to heaven some day to living and bringing heaven into my life today?
…2) What if my thought life (conscious and subconscious) was so consumed with renewed youth, life being added to my body (quickening), and abundant life (overflowing peace and provision) that I had no consciousness of future lack, aging, or death?
…3) What would be the impact on my life if I was so aware (conscious) of my righteousness in Christ that I had no awareness (consciousness) of sin?
…4) What would happen if my desire to love and please Christ completely overshadowed my desire to love and please myself?
I am fully persuaded that it is the Lord’s desire that I live a strong, long life of impact and influence in and for the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth (here and now). I am equally persuaded that how I answer these questions will go a long way in getting me there.
“My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.” (Proverbs 3:1-2 ESV)
I look forward to answering and putting into practice the answers that the Holy Spirit reveals to me as a result of taking the challenge given in…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 449: Four Prayerful Questions Leading To Life