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Knowing God
 
You were created to know God in a personal way—to have a relationship with Him, through His Son, Jesus Christ.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29
HOW DO YOU START A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?

Realize that you are a sinner.

No matter how good a life we try to live, we still fall miserably short of being a good person. That is because we are all sinners. The Bible says, “No one is good—not even one.” We cannot become who we are supposed to be without Jesus Christ.

Recognize that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you.

The Bible tells us that “God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” This is the Good News, that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die in our place when we least deserved it.

Repent of your sin.

The Bible tells us, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” The word repent means to change our direction in life. Instead of running from God, we can run toward Him.

Receive Jesus Christ into your life.

Becoming a Christian is not merely believing some creed or going to church. It is having Christ Himself take residence in your life and heart. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in . . .” If you would like to have a relationship with Christ, simply pray a prayer like this and mean it in your heart.

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen.”

Welcome to God’s family!

You have made the most important decision of your life, choosing to follow Jesus. As a new believer, you can expect to have new attitudes and desires. You may need to replace some old habits and patterns with new activities that will help you to grow your new life in Christ. Growth takes time, but it begins—right now—where you are.

If you haven’t already, please take a moment to let us know about your decision. We’d like to give you a free Bible and help you grow in your relationship with Christ.

WHAT NOW?(First Steps for New Believers)

Read the Bible

The Bible will tell you everything you need to know in order to grow in your spiritual life. Because God speaks through His Word, you will get to know Him better and learn what pleases Him. As you obey His Word, you will grow strong and begin to see positive changes in your life.

Pray

Prayer is one of the greatest privileges we have as a child of God. Just think, the God of all creation wants to hear from you! You can call on the Lord any hour of the day or night and He will listen. It doesn’t matter to God if your prayers are eloquent or flowery—it matters only that you pray with a pure and sincere heart.

Find a Church to Attend

Church plays a vital role in your spiritual growth. Fellowship with other Christians will keep you spiritually active and give you much needed encouragement and support. Church provides you with instruction from God’s Word and gives you the training and opportunity to use your God-given gifts and abilities. 

Start Living for God

A sure sign of a changed heart is the desire to live for God. What does this mean? It means that you want to please God and to obey Him as best you know how. You will begin to filter your thoughts and actions through God’s Word in order to become a reflection of Jesus Christ.

Share Your Faith

Good news is hard to keep to yourself! God wants you to share your newfound faith with others. You don’t have to wait until you’re an expert in the Bible to witness to others. You can share what you know—your own story of what Jesus has done for you. 

Don’t Get Sidetracked

Being a Christian is not always easy. There will be times when you’ll feel pressured to back down or give in. When you became a child of God, you also became an enemy of the devil; and he will try to tempt you into disobeying God. It isn’t a sin to be tempted—even Jesus experienced temptation (see Luke 4:1–3)—but giving in to the temptation is sin. Christians will experience times of testing and trials, but God promises to be with us and give us the strength we need to get through hard times.

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