New Believers
Welcome into the brother and sisterhood of believers joined together through Christ Jesus!
What an exciting step you have taken and we celebrate this moment with you! We would like to walk with you in these early days of becoming a Christian Believer and guide you on a path to helping you grow mature in your faith.
Jesus stated in John 10:10 NASB -
"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
We want to help you discover this life of abundance in Christ. This means abundant peace, joy, hope and faith to stand in.
If you have come upon this page and haven’t yet accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and desire to do so, let’s begin there now. Say the prayer below in your heart and mean it. Believe by faith in who Jesus is and ask Him to come and live in you. This is the beautiful mystery of the Gospel message-Christ in us!
Romans 10: 9-10 NLT If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Verse 13 “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”
The "Sinner's Prayer" is a term that describes the words spoken by a person when he or she has recognized their sin and their need for a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It goes something like this:
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”
If you just decided to repent of your sins and receive Christ today, welcome to God's family! Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.
You made a life-changing decision when you asked Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your life. You may have "felt" an instant change -- or you may have felt nothing.
And Yet.... You are a new creation in Christ!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV teaches us, 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Little by little, as you travel through life with Jesus, you will see the world more and more as God sees it. When you give Jesus your entire life, your priorities will change. So will your relationships with friends and family; How you perform your job; What you do with your resources and what you focus your thoughts on. As you learn about Him through prayer, Bible reading and being with other Christians, He will begin to show you practical answers to problems you face.
1. Prayer - Talk to God - just like you would talk with a friend.
That's what prayer is -- simply talking to your heavenly Father.
Most citizens of a country do not have access to its leader. But God's sons and daughters do have access to Him. Through Jesus Christ you have access to the throne of the King of kings any time you need it. You actually have the right to come before the Ruler of the Universe and visit with Him; to share with him your intimate thoughts, desires and fears. After all, you're His child. Isn’t this amazing?
- 1 John 3:1 NIV See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
- Hebrews 4:16 NIV Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
- James 4:8 NKJV Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
You can talk to God in the midst of your daily activities, but you also need to set aside a quiet time free of distractions to be alone with Him every day. Use this time to read His Word, the Bible, and to talk to Him. As you do this, you will begin to grow in your new life with God.
Psalm 46:10 NLT “Be still, and know that I am God!”
When you come before God remember He is your father who loves you and knows your every need before you even ask. He desires for you to come before Him and acknowledge Him as your God, to see Him as sovereign and holy, and to bring all your cares before Him with a trusting heart believing He will provide best what you truly need.
Teach yourself to begin with thanksgiving for who God is, this new faith He has given you, new eyes to see your world differently, a new heart to love others as He does, talents He has blessed you with that you can use to bless others and the many other gifts He showers upon you daily. Be mindful of your blessings and thank God for them.
Then share your cares and needs with Him. Trust He hears you and will respond according to what you need. Surrender your will to His and know He will answer in His timing and according to His purposes.
When we pray, it’s not about what we want, it’s about seeking His will and aligning our heart, to His heart. God responds to prayers that align with His heart and His will.
John 14:13 NLT You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.
When you finish praying in that moment, leave your cares you gave to Him, with Him. Don’t take them back again. Trust they are in His loving hands and that He is for you. Thank Him for helping you and watching over you and those you love. Ask Him to fill you with His peace as you continue on in your day that you may serve Him well. End all prayers you lift up “In Jesus’ name”. When we ask, we ask in Jesus’ name for that is where the power is, in His name that is above all names. We don’t ask in our power, but in that of Jesus’ power.
John 14:27 NASB Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
2. Bible Reading - Find out what God says
The Bible is the main way God has chosen to tell us about Himself.
It's also the main way God has chosen to tell us about ourselves -- who we are, His promises to us for now and for the future, as well as how we are to live successfully.
More than 30 men wrote the Bible over a period of time from about 1400 B.C. up to approximately A.D.90. These men wrote chronicles of history, poetry, letters to other people, and more. But each one wrote as he was inspired in a special way by the Holy Spirit.
Learning what God says in the Bible is a very important part of your new life.
- Find a Bible that is easy for you to read.
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek. Today you can choose from a number of different English translations. You may find the everyday language in the New Living Translation (The Book), the New King James Version, and New American Standard Version of the Bible comfortable to read. Our church also uses the New International Version or (NIV).
- The book of John is a good place to start reading. - You may want to follow it with the book of Luke, the book of Acts, and then the rest of the New Testament.
First, read each passage or book like you would anything else. You may want to begin by first reading a book of the Bible straight through from beginning to end.
Then go back and read it again more closely. What does each passage say about God? What do you learn about His character and His heart? What does it say about you and who He’s calling you to be? What promises is He speaking to you?
- Ask God to show you how various passages apply to your life.
Don’t be in a hurry about reading large sections at a time. Really allow His Word to sink into your heart and meditate on what He is speaking to you and what He is showing you.
Sample prayer: Dear Lord thank You for loving me and making me Your child. Help me to know You more each day. Help me to understand Your Word and apply it in my life. Help me to love like You love. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Connecting with others in a small group setting or even one on one can really help you learn to understand the Bible and encourage you to keep seeking God.
3. Fellowship - Join with other Christians.
God has just plugged you into the most spiritually-powerful entity on earth -- the Church.
When you gave your life to Jesus Christ you became a vital part of God's family. You were supernaturally grafted into the Body of Christ and you are forever part of God’s royal family. There's more to God's family than most people ever imagine!
One of the images the Bible uses to describe God's family -- the Church -- is a body. The Bible says Jesus is the head and each person who has truly given his or her life to Jesus makes up a part of the body. Everyone is dependent on others -- and everyone has something to contribute to the entire body. You matter and you have an important contribution to the strength of the body.
You receive strength and encouragement from others in the Church. But you also give something vital to the whole. That's one reason why local church involvement is so important -- and why the Bible says not to neglect meeting together. But the church does more than help the individual members. Together, as members of one body, the Church has tremendous spiritual power against the evil in this world.
It is imperative for you to plug into a local church near you. If you are in our area we invite you to please be our guest and join us for Sunday worship.
Click here to learn more about services at Living Gospel Church.
As you do, the next step in your faith walk is to be baptized as a believer! Baptism is an important sign of your new relationship with God. Following Jesus by being baptized (full water immersion) identifies you with a child of God. You relate to Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection. Read Acts 8: 26-39 and Acts 16: 16-34 to learn more about baptism in the early church. Ask your pastor to talk through water baptism with you and make sure you are understanding why it is good to take this step. It is a wonderful experience to strengthen your faith and proclaim your faith in Jesus to others who witness your baptism.
How to Find a Good Church:
First, ask the Lord to guide you.
Look for a church where the people love Jesus Christ and serve Him as Lord, and where the doctrine, teaching, and practice of that church are in accordance with the Word of God.
Beware of churches that:
* Place Jesus Christ as less than or not equal to God the Father
* Revere a book other than or in addition to the Bible
* Place an undue emphasis on one person, leader, or founder
* Emphasize salvation by works rather than as a free gift through faith
* Control members and require service to the organization or leader rather than voluntary service to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Your Responsibilities as Part of God's Family
God intends for you to contribute to the family of God in a unique way. Along with fulfilling your unique role, you -- and every other member of God's family -- have a responsibility to:
1. Draw close to God through prayer, Bible study and fellowship. Only then will you recognize and use the gifts God has given you in the ways God intended -- to make an eternal difference in the lives of others.
2. Pray for your church, your pastor, other believers, and people who need to give their lives to Jesus -- both locally and worldwide.
3. Give of your time and talents. Participate in at least one ministry activity through your church or a ministry. It may be stuffing envelopes, or sharing Jesus on the street. As you give of yourself, you will be blessed and will continue to grow in your relationship with God.
4. Give of yourself materially. The Bible teaches that we should give at least a tenth of all we receive to him. Giving him the first 10 percent is our recognition that all we have comes from God.
We pray this information gives you a good starting point to build on. We can’t stress enough how important it is for you as a Believer to connect with a local church body to continue to strengthen you and keep you growing in your faith.
Joining in with a church body will offer you blessings you can never attain on your own. This is God’s gift to each of us, His Church.
If you have any questions about stepping into your faith or visiting our church please feel free to contact Pastor Karrie.
Please receive this blessing and promise from God as you seek Him and walk by faith according to His Word.
Psalm 1: 1-3 NLT 1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
May God create a hunger deep within your spirit to know and follow Him. May He grant you understanding to His Word and guide you in how you apply it in your daily life. May He open your eyes to see His wonders and grace all around you and fill your heart overflowing with His love. In Jesus’ name we pray a protection and great awakening over you and within you. Amen.
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