It is a wonderful thing to know that you are saved. Some people say you can't be sure you are saved. You just do the best you can and hope that everything is going to be alright. There are parents who tell their little boys and girls, “Be good and Jesus will love you, and you will go to heaven when you die.” To get your salvation, you've done all that you need to do …. You accepted Christ as your personal Savior.
Read the Word
If you are to grow, if you are to be strong, you must have food.
(1 Pet 2:2 NIV) Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
You eat every day, don't you? Then be sure that you feed on the Word with the same regularity. Begin by reading the simple story of Jesus' life on earth, beginning with the Gospel of John, followed by the Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Follow this with a reading of the Book of Acts, which follows the Gospels historically and gives an account of the activities of the Church immediately after His resurrection, beginning with the return of Christ to heaven and the coming of the Holy Ghost. Continue reading through the New Testament. You will find many things you may not understand because they refer back to the Old Testament. Don't try to understand all of it in your first reading. Plan to read and re-read your Bible many times. It is through regular study and reading that you will grow in wisdom and understanding and enter into an abiding relationship with God.
Seek God in Prayer
Set aside a definite time of prayer. God loves you and desires fellowship with you. You need not approach Him with memorized prayers. Talk to Him out of your heart. Express your love for Him. Tell Him about your problems. Ask Him questions. Tell Him what you need. Confide the desires of your heart to Him.
But don't do ALL the talking. As you pray, listen for His voice to speak to you. It may be still and small, or it may come to you as a voice of thunder. He may speak to you by illuminating a passage of Scripture. All through the day, when problems arise, turn to Him for an answer. Let Him know that you are glad He is there. Acknowledge his presence.
Live the Word
Jesus said,
(James 1:22 NIV) Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what the Word says. This is most important. If you start your Christian life with a deep determination to do the things God wants you to do, you will find that God very quickly reveals His will to you through His Word. And through the gentle leading of His Spirit. Failure to follow God's leading dims one's perception. The more frequently this occurs, the harder it becomes to hear God's voice. Aim to please God perfectly. God's desire and hope for you is perfection. YET, should you fail, don't be discouraged.
(1 John 2:1 NIV) My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
Should you commit sin, don't let yourself believe that God has turned His back on you forever. Confess you sin immediately to God. Ask God to cleanse you not only from the guilt of the sin already committed, but from any tendency to commit that sin again in the future.
Join A Good Church
God can and does meet with His children alone, but it is part of His plan for them to also find fellowship with one another. This is His command --
(Heb 10:25 NIV) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Find a good church where the Word of God is taught. Attend its services. Work with the Pastor. Support it financially. Work to win others to Christ. Love the members of the church and encourage them in every possible way. Let your love reach out to all Christians everywhere.
Finally, we may never see you face to face this side of heaven, but we look forward to talking with you there, and sitting down with you at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We are praying for you. If you need help, feel free to contact us. If you have questions, we'll be happy to help you with them. If you need special prayer, we await your request .
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