Rom 8:13 (NIV) For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if BY the Spirit YOU put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Jesus, help me understand that everything You are teaching me right now is so I can put to death the misdeeds of the body. Your objective is to teach and empower me to be able to use my mouth and my heart to confess and believe those things provided in the Bible. Show me how the heart and the mouth relate to each other and to me.

James 3:2 (NIV) We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he SAYS, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole BODY in check. Jesus, help me realize that if my heart gets filled with those things You are guiding me into, then my mouth will be SAYING things that guide the behavior of my body in the right direction. Teach me that the spiritual direction my body takes me is steered by my mouth. And the words of my mouth are governed by my heart. And the spiritual influence of my heart on my mouth is regulated by the input from my eyes and ears.

Luke 6:45 (NIV) The good man brings good things out of the good STORED up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil STORED up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Jesus, if I am going to confess the right things with my mouth and believe the right things with my heart, help me see that I am going to have to stop storing wrong, bad, and evil things in my heart. Help me see that, that is accomplished by me not looking at or listening to anything that is wrong, bad, or evil.

Jesus, help me keep in mind that in order for me to control what I listen to and watch, I am going to have to go against the drives of my body. But, help me understand that I can’t just make up my mind that I am going to regulate what my eyes and ears are exposed to. I can’t decide what is good for me to see and what isn’t. I won’t see anything wrong with many things You won’t approve of. My body will fight me when I start choosing only godly things to listen to and watch. Help me “do what it takes” to start controlling the input that flows into my heart and mind.

Rom 7:23 (NIV) But I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. Jesus, help me see that this verse seems to indicate that my body is always going to win over my spirit and my mind that is connected to it. But, make it clear to me that, that is not the case. It keeps looking impossible for me to make the right changes. But, this verse is just showing me that I am not my answer to this problem--You are!

Jesus, help me keep in mind that if I don’t get Your help, my body is going to insist on me looking at and listening to things that aren’t good for me. I will keep storing up more and more worldly and satanic things in my heart and mind. Also, my body will fight me listening to and looking at those things that You want me exposing myself to. My body will get bored, it will distract me and cause me to think about other things, it will entice me to go do something “fun,” and it will try to get me to disagree with those things You are having me see and hear.

Rom 7:24 (NIV) What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Jesus, teach me that it isn’t until I get to the place where I see my need of Your help that things start to improve. When I see how impossible the situation is and reach out to You, You will demonstrate how wise, powerful, and loving You are. Teach me that those who don’t see the impossibility of their situation will keep trying to solve this problem with human effort. They will keep hoping that they will be able to get good enough to do it on their own.

John 15:7 (NIV) If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. Jesus, help me see that what has been happening to me, as I yield more and more to You and the Bible is, I am remaining in You and Your words. That then opens up the opportunity for me to ask whatever Iwish, and it will be given me. Help me see that because I am remaining in You and Your words, my wishes and my prayers move into the will of God. I won’t be praying selfish, worldly prayers.

• STUDY: If you remain in Me and My words remain in you: Jesus, help me appreciate that in this system of growing spiritually, I have a study page first. You are taking me into those things that help me remain in You and Your words remain in me. Show me that this guides me into what to pray for. If I am the controller of what I pray for, then much of what I pray will go unanswered. I will be praying for the wrong things or asking for them for the wrong reasons. Guiding me into those things I desparately need.


• PRAY: Ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you: Jesus, help me appreciate that in this system of growing spiritually, after I have a study page I have a prayer page. Show me that once I have been guided by You into what things I need to pray for, You use the prayer page to help me pray for those things You are willing to give me. As I start wishing for Biblical, godly things, help me see that my prayers get answered positively because I am asking for the right things; and, I am asking for them for the right reasons.