Jesus, help me keep realizing that in Romans 10:9-10 I followed some instructions that made me a child of God, a member of His family, and a citizen of His eternal Kingdom. Help me keep understanding that in two simple steps, I obeyed Your requirements from the Bible and miraculous, supernatural, and God-sized things happened to me. But, when I obeyed these two verses, I didn’t understand fully what I was doing. Show me the important aspects of Romans 10:9-10.

Rom 10:9-10 (NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Jesus, help me see that when I confessed with my mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” I was making YOU my Lord. I was saying that I was going to allow You to be MY Boss. BUT, teach me that this type of relationship with You isn’t like any earthly king, boss, employer, leader, or authority relationship I have ever seen or experienced. Show me that since I have a God-given free will, I have to allow You to be my Lord on a moment-by-moment, issue-by-issue basis.

1 John 1:9 (NIV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from ALL unrighteousness. Jesus, now that I have obeyed Romans 10:9-10, teach me that when I make a mistake, accidently sin, or do wrong on purpose, all I have to do is, confess my sins and my record with God will remain pure and perfect. 2 Cor 5:21 (NIV) God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Teach me that moment by moment and issue by issue I can continue to be the righteousness of God. As long as I don’t try to justify my sin, explain it away, forgive MYSELF, or try to get my friends to convince me that it wasn’t my fault, I can confess it and remain the righteousness of God.

Rom 7:15 (NIV) I do not understand what I DO. For what I WANT to do I do not do, but what I HATE I do. Jesus, teach me that this is how the new and untrained CHRISTIAN treats themselves and those around them. Help me see that as long as I WANT to do good and HATE doing wrong, bad, and evil, my record WITH GOD stays clean. AND, if I REALLY do WANT and HATE those things the Bible and the Holy Spirit are speaking to my conscience, then I will remain pure WITH GOD. Show me that all those things in my life that are wrong, bad, and evil relationships with myself and others can be cured through sanctification (spiritual growth). Help me cry out: What a wretched person I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death (Rom 7:24)?

Rom 7:22-23 (NIV) For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 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, teach me that this is the way the new Christian starts out; and, this is the way the untrained Christian remains. Show me that this means that as long as I have my God-given wants and hates, my record remains clean WITH GOD. AND, that means my record with myself and others remains messed up. Make it clear to me that I will continue having guilt problems that I can’t get rid of. But, help me understand that it is Your plan and provision for You and I to work together to empower me to live out those things on my perfect record WITH GOD.

Rom 7:20 (NIV) Now if I DO what I do not WANT to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Jesus, teach me that as long as my God-given WANT stays intact, it is no longer me who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Help me see that God has separated ME from the deeds of my body; that is how I and MY record remain clean and pure. Make it clear to me that as long as this is me: Rom 7:24 (NIV) What a wretched person I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?, my record remains clean and pure WITH GOD.