As One - Praying Through Colossians

We are on special assignment by God as part of his master plan.

We believe that the Message is true among us—today, just as when we first heard it, that the message of the Kingdom does not diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world.

The message of the Kingdom is bearing fruit. It is getting larger and stronger, just as it has in us.

Today, God, we're asking you to give us wise minds and spirits attuned to your will, so that we might acquire a thorough understanding of the way in which you work.

We pray that we would live well for you, the Master, today, making you proud of us as we work hard in your orchard. As we learn more and more how God works, we will learn how to do your work.

We pray that we will have the strength to stick it out over the long haul, not the grim strength of gritting our teeth, but glory-strength that only comes from you, God. It's a strength that endures the unendurable, a strength that spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough today to take part in everything bright and beautiful that you have for us, God.

We choose to believe that everything got started in you, everything finds its purpose in you; that you, God, were there before any of this came into existence; that you hold it together, right up until this very moment.

We ask, God, that you would mature us today—and to mature is to become basic and simple. Jesus, no more or no less—that's what I choose, God, to work so hard at day after day and year after year; to do my best with the energy that you have so generously given to me.

We have received Jesus, we've received the Father, we've received the Holy Spirit; and now we ask that we would be deeply rooted in him, that we would live in him, that we would become well constructed upon him today, that we would do what we have been taught.

We choose not to tolerate people who try to run our lives, who are full of hot air, who are out of touch with the Source of Life, out of touch with Jesus, who puts us together into one piece. We choose instead to believe that the very breath of God and the very blood of God flow through us.

We choose to be serious about living this resurrection life, to receive this life and to breed our life from this life.

We choose not to shuffle along with our eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of us. But we choose to look up, to be alert to what is going on around you, God. That's where the action is. We choose to see from your perspective.

We say that you are our life, God. You are our life. You are true and good and beautiful.

We choose to be content with obscurity, as you, Jesus, were content with obscurity.

We choose to put on Love in all things as our basic, all-purpose garment, to never be without it.

We choose to receive the peace of God, through Jesus Christ, that keeps us in tune with each other, in step with each other—none of this going off and doing our own thing.

Instead, we cultivate thankfulness through God and his words.

We say that you have the run of the house. You have the run of our kingdom; we entrust our kingdom to you.

We choose to serve our earthly masters, to not just do the minimum that will get us by, but to do our best, to work from the heart—for the real Master. For we know that the work we do for our earthly masters is work from the heart for our real Master. And we are confident that we will be paid in full, with the coming of our inheritance in you. So we claim it and we receive it: the full measure of our inheritance in the Kingdom of God through our service to you, our Master.

We choose to pray diligently, to stay alert; we choose to have our hearts and eyes wide open to you.

We choose gratitude.

We receive you afresh today. We receive you, Jesus: your brotherhood, your life, death, resurrection, and ascension.

We choose to receive you, Father: your generosity, your abundance. You're everything that we need and more.

We choose to receive you, Holy Spirit: your guidance, your leadership, your love, and your joy.

God, you have our yes; we choose to respond to your way in our life. We stand in agreement with our brothers, as one, in Jesus' name.