First Steps - What to do after you have accepted Christ

[Tina]

study the Bible
You might say that the Bible is the "user's manual of life" we have all been searching for. Everything we need to know about God and living a life that pleases him is found in its pages. Tragically, some of us go through life without so much as picking up this amazing book, whose words were inspired by God. Yet success or failure in the Christian life is determined by how much of the Bible we get into our hearts and minds and how obedient we are to the principles and teachings found within it. Just as we need to continually breathe oxygen to survive, we need to regularly study the Bible to grow and flourish spiritually. Here is an important reason why we need to spend time in this life-changing book.
1. Studying the Bible is necessary for our spiritual growth.
The Bible performs three functions to help us mature spiritually (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
2. Studying the Bible keeps us spiritually strong.
The more we get into this book and apply its teachings, the more we will be able to stand our ground in the storms and trials of life (see Matthew 7:24-27).
3. Studying the Bible makes scripture a central part of our lives.
God desires that we make the Bible an integral part of our lives (see Colossians 3:16).
4. Studying the Bible helps us apply its truth to our lives.
We will notice positive changes in our lives as we apply what we read in Scripture (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

pray
The idea of talking to God can be intimidating. But it doesn't have to be. In fact, prayer can be a wonderful experience if we know how to do it God's way. Fortunately, we have God's Word to teach us how to pray. The Bible instructs us to pray at all times, in any posture, in any place, for any reason. In addition, it does not matter whether you pray in King James English or the most contemporary jargon. God only desires that you pray from a pure and sincere heart.
The disciples observed the profound effect prayer had in Jesus' life and ministry. They witnessed how Jesus would often go off by himself to spend time in prayer with his heavenly Father. They saw the power, peace, and tranquility that emanated from his life, giving him the ability to stay clam in troubled circumstances. Jesus' prayer life so impressed these men that they asked him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1-13). Certainly if the perfect Son of God often took time to pray during his life here on earth, how much more do we, mere men and women, need to pray? Because prayer is such an essential ingredient in walking with Jesus Christ, we need to examine its elements found in God's Word.
1. Prayer was modeled for us by Christ.
Jesus took the time to show his followers how to pray (see Matthew 6:5-15).
2. Prayer is not a solitary experience.
God has given us his Holy Spirit to aid us in prayer, even when we do not know what to pray (see Romans 8:26-27).
3. Payer allows us to voice our requests to God.
Prayer is God's appointed way for us to relate our concerns and present our needs to him (see James 4:2-3).
4. Prayer enables us to seek forgiveness.
When we pray sincerely for forgiveness, God will hear our prayers and restore us (see James 5:15-16).
5. Prayer helps us overcome worry.
In the midst of troubles, we can receive God's peace through prayer (see Philippians 4:6-7).
6. Prayer increases our spiritual knowledge and maturity.
God will give us greater spiritual understanding through prayer (see Colossians 1:9).

look for and attend the right church
One of the essential building blocks of spiritual growth is fellowship with other believers by becoming part of a local church. The church (meaning the entire body of Christians) is not really an organization so much as an organism. It thrives by keeping its members spiritually active and well fed. The church provides you with spiritual instruction from God's Word, allows you to worship God with other believers, enables you to use your God-given gifts and abilities as God intended, and makes you accountable to spiritual leadership.
Some people think they can get enough spiritual input from Christian television, radio programs, and books. While those things do have value, nothing can replace the need to become an active member of a church. Think about it - if joining in fellowship with other believers was not important, why did Jesus establish the church? (See Matthew 16:18). The Bible has plenty to say about the characteristics of a healthy, vibrant church and the necessity of Christian fellowship. There are four helpful insights from God's Word on looking for and attending the right church.
1. What to look for in a church.
You should look for a church that has the qualities and characteristics of the first-century church (see Acts 2:42, 44-47).
2. Why we need fellowship with other believers.
Fellowship with other Christians sharpens our spiritual discernment and prepares us for Christ's return (see Hebrews 10:25).
3. Why the church needs you.
Not only will you benefit from the church, but the church will benefit from you and your God-given abilities (see Ephesians 4:11-16).
4. You have a place in the church.
God has given each one of us a unique role to play in our place of fellowship (see 1 Corinthians 12:12-31).

obey God
The real evidence of a true Christian is a changed life. The great British preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said, "Of what value is the grace I profess to receive if it does not dramatically change the way that I live? If it doesn't change the way that I live, it will never change my eternal destiny." A changed life begins with obedience to God. This means that you will have to stop doing certain things and start doing others.While God begins to change your heart and desires once you have surrendered your life to him, he still gives you the freedom to decide just how much of your life you will let him control. But know this: Whatever you give up to follow Jesus Christ will pale in comparison to what he will give you in return. For example, when you give up sinful behaviors for God, he will replace your sin with forgiveness and a clear conscience. With this incentive for obedience, look at six specific ways the Bible instructs us to obey God.
1. Recognize that you are a new creation.
When you understand what God has done in your life, obedience becomes more of a desire than a mere duty (see 2 Corinthians 5:14-17).
2. Follow God wholeheartedly.
When you follow God completely, you will finish the race of life well (see Hebrews 12:1-3).
3. Offer God more than lip service.
God looks at your heart more than your religious actions (see Matthew 23:25-28).
4. Live in God's love.
Discover the secret to true and lasting joy (see John15:9-11).
5. Put on God's armor.
Obedience prepares you for the battles of life (see Romans 13:11-14).
6. Let God occupy your thoughts.
Your thoughts will affect your actions (see Colossians 3:2-4).

resist temptation
Now that you are a follower of Jesus Christ, Satan is going to try to draw you away by tempting you to disobey God's Word. It is not a sin to be tempted - even Jesus was tempted (see Luke 4:1-13). We sin when we give in to that temptation. The good news is that God will never let a temptation become so strong that we cannot handle it. In addition, he has given us specific ways to handle temptation. Here are some things to remember when dealing with temptation.
1. Realize who is tempting you.
Satan is the mastermind behind all of you temptations (see Ephesians 6:10-12).
2. Resist the devil.
The Bible says that if you resist Satan's enticements, he will flee from you (see James 4:7-8).
3. Rejoice because victory is yours in Christ Jesus.
God promises that he will always provide a way of escape (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).

live in God's power
Some people look at the Christian life and say, "I couldn't begin to live that way and hold to those standards. It is too hard!" This is true. It is not hard to be a Christian - it is impossible (that is, without the help of the Holy Spirit). You see, God has given you power to live the Christian life. The moment you asked Jesus Christ into your heart, he gave you the gift of his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit not only takes up residence in your heart, but he empowers you to live a holy life and to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit's power is much like an investment. You need to draw upon his power daily to live out your faith. To find out more about how the Holy Spirit can empower and strengthen your Christian walk, look up the following passages of Scripture.
1. God's Spirit will guide you.
The Holy Spirit will help you understand the truths of Scripture and the character of God (see John 16:13-15).
2. God's Spirit will empower your witness.
The Holy Spirit will give you greater courage and an increased ability to share your faith (see Acts 1:8).
3. God's Spirit will encourage you to be obedient.
You will have a Holy Spirit-inspired desire to obey God's commands (see Romans 8:13-14).
4. God's Spirit will help you overcome sin.
Sin will no longer have the power over you it had before you accepted Christ into your life (see Romans 8:9-14).

share your faith
Next to personally knowing Jesus and walking with him, one of the greatest blessings of the Christian life is to lead someone else to Jesus Christ. The good news is that God wants to use you - not just pastors, missionaries, and evangelists - as his instrument to speak to others.
Jesus gave us this very commission in Mark 16:15, where he says, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone." This wonderful charge is known as the "great commission." But the way some Christians follow it, you would think it was the "great suggestion." Sharing our faith, however, is something that Jesus wants - and commands - us to do! How do we do this? First Peter 3:15,16 tells us to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks us about the hope we have in Jesus. Here are four passages from God's Word that will help you share your faith.
1. You don't need any training to share.
A changed heart is all you need to begin sharing your faith with others (see John 9:1-41).
2. Be open to God's leading.
Effectively sharing your faith begins with a willing heart (see Acts 8:4-8).
3. Understand the simplicity of the Gospel.
The message of the Gospel is simple yet powerful (see 1 Corinthians 2:1-5).
4. Share your own story.
Never underestimate the strength of your personal testimony (see Acts 26:1-23).

seek God's will
Have you ever wondered about the future? Have you ever pondered the answers to such important life-changing decisions as whom you should marry or what career path you should pursue? More than likely, most of us have asked these questions and wondered if God has a definite plan or opinion on the matter.With that in mind, here is some good news: God is vitally interested in your life, and he does want to lead you in your decisions.
Jesus called his followers friends (see John 15:15). As God's friend, you already have an "inside track" in discovering God's will for your life. It is called the Bible. There you will find God's general will for your life (such as putting God first in all you do and following God's guidelines for marriage), as well as some principles to follow when seeking his specific direction for your life. In the end, finding God's will comes down to living out what you read in the Bible and then living by faith. Here are five steps you can take as you seek God's will.
1. Unconditionally surrender your life.
Certain conditions must be met if you want to know God's will for your life (see Romans 12:1-2).
2. Realize that God has a plan for your life.
Your life has purpose and meaning, and God wants to reveal it to you (see Ephesians 1:7-9).
3. Act upon what God has already revealed in Scripture.
God has already given us some specific guidelines to follow in his Word (see 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8).
4. Trust God completely.
There is nothing more reassuring than entrusting an unknown future to a known God (see Philippians 4:6-7).
5. Listen for God's voice.
Sometimes God speaks to us in a quiet voice (see John 10:27).

live as a disciple
When you hear the word disciple, do you immediately think of the Twelve who followed Jesus during his ministry on earth? Many people do not realize that Jesus still has disciples in this day and age. While every disciple is a believer, not every believer is a disciple. A disciple is someone who has made a wholehearted commitment to follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. In one sense, you might call discipleship "radical Christian living." When you truly make a commitment to be Christ's disciple, you will be living the Christian life as it was meant to be lived. Anything short of discipleship is settling for less than what God desires. Here are four passages from the Bible that explains what it means to truly be a disciple of Jesus.
1. A disciple takes up his or her cross and follows Christ.
Being a disciple takes work and commitment (see Luke 9:23-25).
2. A disciple counts the cost.
Jesus' disciples were willing to give up everything to follow him (see Luke 14:25-33).
3. A disciple abides in Christ.
The source of a disciple's strength comes from his or her closeness to Christ (see John 15:1-17).
4. A disciple walks as Jesus walked.
Disciples pattern their lives after Jesus, the ultimate example of how to live (see 1 John 2:3-6).

give to God
Money is such an important topic in the Bible that it is the main subject of nearly half the parables Jesus told. In addition, one out of every seven verses in the New Testament deals with the topic. To give you an idea of how this compares with other topics, Scripture offers about five hundred verses on prayer and fewer than five hundred on faith, while there are more than two thousand verses on money!
You may be wondering what money has to do with your faith. Now that Jesus Christ has come into your life, he wants to be Lord (be in command) of every aspect of it. That includes your finances. Martin Luther astutely observed, "There are three conversions necessary: the conversion of the heart, the mind, and the purse(or wallet)." When we experience this "conversion of the purse" and give freely of our finances to the Lord's work (to our church, a missionary, or a ministry), we will make the best investment possible - an investment with eternal dividends. With that in mind, here are five questions to consider about wealth and giving.
Why should you give a portion of your financial resources to God?
God wants to prove his faithfulness through your regular giving, or tithes (see 2 Corinthians 9:6-11).
2. How much should you give?
God encourages us to give sacrificially (see Mark 12:41-44).
3. What happens when you give?
When you give with the right motives, you will experience joy and God's generous blessings (see 2 Corinthians 9:6-14).
4. How should you view material wealth?
Accumulating wealth should never be a priority because it is eternally worthless (see Matthew 6:19-34).
5. Can you enjoy wealth?
God may bless you materially, but you are responsible for using your material blessings wisely (see 1 Timothy 6:17-19).

have courage in trials
Many Christians have the mistaken idea that once they make a commitment to Jesus Christ, life will be smooth sailing from that day forward. While it is true that walking with Christ will help us avoid many of the problems we used to face, we are still going to experience what the Bible calls "trials."
Trials may come in the form of a crisis, a sudden illness, the loss of a loved one, or some drastic change in your life. You may go through a difficult time when you don't feel God's presence, when church may not be as exciting as it once was for you, or your prayers seem to go no higher than the ceiling. This may cause you to wonder if you have angered God or if he has left you. But God does not allow us to experience trials because he want to see us suffer. Rather, he allows these difficulties in our lives to help us grow spiritually - to learn to live by faith, not by feelings. Look up the following passages to see the role trials play in our lives. Notice also God's promise to be with us during these times of trouble.
1. Trials sharpen our faith.
Hardships develop our character and purify our faith (see 1 Peter 1:3-7).
2. Trials help us comfort others.
Experiencing suffering deepens our compassion for others who suffer (see 2 Corinthians 1:3-7).
3. Trials are survivable.
We must keep our eternal perspective through the tough times (see 2 Corinthians 4:7-18).
4. Trials test our foundation.
When we ground our lives in Christ, we can weather any storm (see Luke 6:47-49).
5. Jesus is with us in life's storms.
We are never outside of God's watchful eye and his abiding presence (see Mark 4:35-41).
6. God gives hope to our troubled hearts.
We can have peace of mind in the middle of our greatest trials (see John 14:1-7).

these notes are taken from the new believer's bile, new living translation