So Long Insecurity Page 27
Romans 10:8-13 gives every seeker the uncomplicated steps to becoming a Christian.
“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 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. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
With confidence in what the Scripture has just said to you and with a willing heart, say these words to God. If you’re in a position to do so, consider saying them from your knees to help sanctify this moment so you’ll remember it forever.
Father of heaven and earth,
Thank You for sending Your Son
to die for all my sins—
past, present, and future.
Today on _____________________
I receive Your gift of grace,
turn from my own destructive ways,
and accept Your Son as my personal Savior.
I believe with my heart
and confess with my mouth
that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Lead me daily to fulfill my destiny.
Flood me with Your Spirit.
Empower me to do the impossible.
Today the matter is settled.
I am Yours, and You are mine.
In Jesus’ delivering name,
Amen.
Beloved, if you prayed that prayer with a willing, sincere heart, you have just become a child of God. Your eternity is secured, and your salvation is complete and absolute. Every time you’re tempted to doubt it, thank God for it instead. You will honor Him by believing Him to have accomplished exactly what He promised. Welcome to the family of God! Words fail me to express how happy I am to point you to the Savior, who has been my joy, my strength, and my entire life purpose. May He show Himself mighty and merciful to you.
Please don’t do anything that makes you feel awkward, but if you’re willing, I would dearly love to know that you made this decision. I will not broadcast or post your name or embarrass you in any way. I’d just love to celebrate your salvation with you. Here’s how you could let me know: visit www.solonginsecurity.com.
Notes
1 Interviews of 953 respondents done by Adrienne Hudson, statistician, November 2008, Living Proof blog site.
2 Joseph Nowinski, The Tender Heart: Conquering Your Insecurity (New York: Fireside Publishers, 2001), 23.
3 Ibid., 23–24.
4 Taken from “Mostly Late at Night” by Kate Crash; quoted in “Poet Turned Songwriter: An Interview with Kate Crash,” Carpe Articulum Literary Review (March–April 2009).
5 Nowinski, The Tender Heart, 57.
6 Michael Levine and Hara Estroff Marano, “Why I Hate Beauty,” Psychology Today (July/August 2001): 41.
7 Sermon at Houston First Baptist Church, April 26, 2009.
8 Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11 edition (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).
9 Richard Winter, Perfecting Ourselves to Death (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 125–126.
10 Original source: Terry D. Cooper, Sin, Pride and Self-Acceptance (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 166.
11 Word Biblical Commentary, volume 22 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998), 243.
12 Lexical hadar (pronounced huh-DAR), Key Word Study Bible (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1996), OT Lexical Aids, #2077, 1511.
13 Joseph Nowinski, The Tender Heart, 138.
14 Ibid., 139.
15 Rob Jackson, “Confronting Your Spouse’s Secret Sin,” http://www.pureintimacy.org/piArticles/A000000483.cfm (last accessed September 4, 2009).
16 This Scripture quotation is taken from God’s Word.® GOD’S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God’s Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.
17 Jennifer Rothschild, Me, Myself, and Lies (Nashville: LifeWay Press, 2008), 119.
18 Cooper Lawrence, The Cult of Celebrity (Guilford, CT: Skirt Publishers, 2009), 233.