What do you do now?

As you draw close to God, He will teach you His ways and give you His strength.  Below, we list some practical steps you can take to come closer to God and to allow Him to guide you.

1. Know that you are forgiven

Once you have given your life to Jesus Christ, the Bible, God’s word, says:

You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve.  This is God’s gift to you, and you have done nothing on your own.  (Ephesians 2:8)

For those who put their faith in Jesus:  He gave them the right to be the children of God… God Himself was the One who made them His children.  (John 1:12-13)

2. Pray

It is important to spend time in prayer every day.  Just as you cannot grow without eating food each day, so your spirit must be fed in order for growth to occur in your walk with God.  The good news is that as children of God we have access to His presence any time we need it.  You actually have the right to come before God and to share with Him your intimate thoughts, desires and fears.  Prayer is simply taking to your heavenly Father.

3. Read the Bible

The Bible is the main way God has chosen to tell us about Himself.  Learning what God says in the Bible is a very important part of your new life.  As you read His Word, ask God to show you how various passages apply to your life.

There are many Bible formats available:  print, online, audio and mobile apps.  Choose one that you can access and use daily to help you grow in the knowledge of God.

To read the Bible online go to www.bible.is

4. Meet with other believers

When you gave your life to Jesus Christ, you became a vital part of God’s family, the Church.  Pray that God will lead you to other believers in your area.  If you can do so safely, get involved in a local church.  You will receive strength and encouragement from other believers.  But you will also give something vital of yourself back to others.  This is one reason why being involved in a local church is so important—and why the Bible says not to neglect meeting together with other believers.  (Hebrews 10:25)

5. Grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ

Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and begin regularly praying, reading the Bible and meeting with believers in a local church, it is important to develop a deeper, personal relationship with Him.

“Make every effort to add to your faith goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”  (II Peter 1:5-7)

The Bible says that we are “to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”  (Ephesians 4:1-3)

God wants us to grow in our “knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  (Ephesians 4:13)

The Apostle Paul wrote this about his spiritual growth:  “When I was a child, I thought like a child.  When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”  (I Corinthians 13:11)

As you learn about Jesus Christ through prayer, Bible reading and spending time with other Christians, God will guide you and give you the wisdom you need for every challenge in life.

May God richly bless you as you continue to follow Him.