Now What?
Congratulations on completing the exercises in this section! (Exercise: Make a list of five ways you want to become more like Jesus. Each day, over the next month, ask God to help you. Check on your spiritual growth and see if you accomplished your five goals.) You are well on your way to establishing a good habit of daily Bible study and prayer. As you continue to grow in your relationship with Jesus, there are a few things you can continue to do. Remember that the focus should be on cultivating a relationship with Jesus and not merely checking off a to-do list.
- Continue to develop the habit of daily Bible study and prayer. Hopefully, this study has given you a jumpstart into these two vital disciplines in a Christian’s life, but where do you go from here? Commit to reading a passage from the Bible each day and spend time in prayer. A great place to start is the Book of John. Read a chapter or two a day. Another option would be to pick up a devotional book from your local Christian Book store to guide you as you read through the Bible.
- Talk to God about what you have been reading and what you have learned. Ask Him to open your understanding of His Word and to help you to follow Him daily.
- If you have not already done so, find a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching Christian Church to join. If you need help with this, please reach out to us.
- Talk to the leadership of your church about being baptized. Baptism symbolizes your new life in Christ and proclaims that you are now committed to Jesus. Even Jesus was baptized (Luke 3:1-22), and He calls His followers to also be baptized. Baptism was practiced by the very first followers of Jesus in Acts 2:41.
- Build relationships with other Christians. The Christian life is designed to be enjoyed with others. Jesus invested much of His ministry with 12 disciples as His closest friends. He likewise calls us to live in a community with one another. The New Testament has over 50 “one another” verses that refer to loving, serving, encouraging, and praying for one another.
- Tell someone about your faith. Becoming a Christian is not a secret; it’s a celebration! Tell all who will listen about Christ’s work in your life. In some cases, other people will come to faith in Jesus from the example you share. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He commanded His disciples to make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:18-20). Today, Christians are still called to share with others (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Remember, this is not a list of requirements to become a Christian or to stay a Christian. You have been saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). God started the work in you, and He promises to finish it (Philippians 1:6).
God bless you as you continue to mature in your faith!
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BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS, THAT HE WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL CARRY IT ON TO COMPLETION UNTIL THE DAY OF CHRIST JESUS.
