Jesus, show me that from birth to my present age, I have been learning how to live as a human. But, make it clear to me that I am only going to be a human for a very short period of time. Much of what I am learning so I can live as a human will cease to be important in eternity. Teach me that things will be VERY different in the spirit realm in eternity. If I don’t use my human life to learn how to live as a child of God, I will fail to fulfill my purpose for getting ready for my eternal life. Teach me that eternity isn’t just a long time; it NEVER ends.

Jesus, empower me to study to show myself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). Help me see that in order for You to teach me how to live as a child of God, You need to take me through the Scriptures in the Bible. You need to help me break them down into small enough principles so I can understand and live them. Work with me on Hebrews 10:22 and teach me how to understand it. Then teach me how to apply principles to it that PUT it into my behavior.

Jesus, You said in John 8:32 (NIV): “Then you will KNOW the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Help me allow You to teach me the truth so I can KNOW what it is. Make it clear to me that if there is a truth in the Bible that I don’t know, You won’t use it to set me free. Help me STUDY the Bible so I can get to know more and more of Your truths. Teach me that first, I had to know that Hebrews 10:22 existed. Second, I had to know what it said. Third, I had to allow You, through the Holy Spirit, to teach me what it means. Fourth, I am now having to allow You, through the Holy Spirit, to help me get it into the fabric of my life.

Jesus, teach me that the five steps in Hebrews 10:22 are making me aware of what You want to do in me. Teach me that the Six Biblical Principles are the tools that You will use to take these Biblical truths and install them into my life. Show me that “Let us draw near to God” is just telling me what I need to do. It ISN’T telling me how to draw near to God. So, take me through these five steps in Hebrews 10:22 a little bit at a time, as You ALSO teach me how to yield to The Six Biblical Principles. During today’s study, emphasize the importance of the second Biblical principle, which is STUDY. But first, I now yield to You as You take me into a review of the five steps in Hebrews 10:22.

Step One: Jesus, empower me to draw near to God.

Step Two: Jesus, empower me to draw near to God with a sincere heart.

Step Three: Jesus, empower me to draw near to God...in full assurance of faith.

Step Four: Jesus, empower me to draw near to God...having my heart sprinkled to cleanse me from a guilty conscience.

Step Five: Jesus, empower me to draw near to God...having my body washed with pure water (in baptism).

Jesus, I have a problem with spirituality; teach me that the law of the Old Testament simply tells me that this issue is wrong, which is something I must know. It tells me that there are aspects of this problem that are causing me to sin, also very important for me to know. Then it tells me to quit committing those sins, which is what I must do. Now show me that after I have been properly warned, if I go ahead and sin anyway, I have broken God’s law.

Heb 10:22 (NIV) Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Jesus, show me that this verse and a lot of other Scriptures in the Bible can be like the Laws of the Old Testament to me. Just as they told me things like in Exodus 20:13-15 (NIV) “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal.” I was being told WHAT to do and not HOW. Now, show me that here in Hebrews 10:22, I am still being told WHAT to do and not HOW. So Jesus, teach me HOW to go about getting You and the Holy Spirit’s training and power to do what I couldn’t do through human effort and world training.

Jesus, teach me why I broke the law. Show me that it was because I didn’t have the power to fulfill the law. Teach me that the law didn’t give me power to obey its commands; it just made me aware of what is right and what is wrong; help me see that it was up to me to live it. Teach me that the law was based on human effort; it was the human’s responsiblity to try to carry it out. But, since humans weren’t able to carry it out, show me that, that is why You came with a better plan.

Romans 8:3 says: “For what the law was POWERLESS to do in that it was weakened by the SINFUL NATURE....” Jesus, help me see that the reason I have or had some kind of problem like the problem with spirituality, is because I have the spiritual disease of a SINFUL NATURE. Teach me that the SINFUL NATURE is in my body; and, it causes my body to fight anything that tries to take sinful pleasure away from it.

Jesus, teach me the meaning of this verse: Rom 8:3-4 (NIV) For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the SINFUL NATURE, GOD DID by sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so HE condemned sin IN SINFUL MAN, IN ORDER THAT the righteous requirements of the law MIGHT BE FULLY MET IN US, who do not live according to the SINFUL NATURE but according to the SPIRIT.

Jesus, make it clear to me that my battle with spirituality is a battle with the SINFUL NATURE. Show me that it is true that it sometimes looks like my battle is against other people or circumstances. However, let me see that my reaction to spirituality issues is my REAL battle; and, that battle is with the SINFUL NATURE located in my body. Jesus, if You see that deep down inside I STILL feel that my battle is with someone else or that they are playing a major role in my problem, then help me select the “MORE” word below and let it help me.

Jesus, empower me to allow the Holy Spirit to help me take the five steps from the Bible and help me draw near to God. Help me understand that from salvation on, I will NEVER have to do ANYTHING alone again. I can if you want to; but, I will never HAVE TO do anything alone from now on. Teach me that the Holy Spirit is going to make this battle I am having with spirituality to be a totally different type of battle. Show me that I now have the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and You to lead me into The Victorious Christian Life.

Jesus, help me take a look at the next part of Hebrews 10:22 and understand it. To cleanse us from a guilty conscience. Teach me that the heart is the place where my system of conscience is. It is the area of my heart where the Holy Spirit gives me guidance. Show me that my conscience either accuses or excuses everything I do, making me aware of what is helping me and those around me and what is hurting me and those around me. Teach me that He uses my conscience to cause me to feel good or bad, right or guilty about what I am doing or saying; BUT, make it clear to me that I didn’t get the power to obey my conscience until I got You in my life.

Jesus, help me understand that when I was in sin, the Holy Spirit spoke to my conscience to help me realize I needed You as my Savior to help me. Show me that You were the One Who helped me seek to be set free. You are setting me free from things that were providing me pleasure and sometimes extreme pleasure but were destroying my life.

Jesus, help me remember what the pleasure is called that HOOKS me and pulls me into destruction. Help me always remember that it is called BAIT! Show me that it is like the fish food I put on a hook so fish will eat the food and get caught by the hook. Make it clear to me that sin is spiritual BAIT, a spiritual LURE, or a spiritual TRAP. Teach me that those things God has labeled sin are ALL BAIT which are specifically designed to TRAP me! But, now that I have You to help me obey the Bible and my conscience, I have the power to avoid those things labeled sin and do those things labeled righteousness.