Jesus came to earth to save us. Jesus is God himself, who became a man, and came to forgive our sins, heal our broken hearts, and give us eternal life.
Maybe you are just now turning your head and heart towards Jesus, and asking 'Who is Jesus?', and 'How can I know him, and follow him?' Great questions!
1) KNOW JESUS:
Well, before actually 'following' Jesus, it is important to know him, to meet him. If you already have heard about Jesus and know his message, you can simply kneel and pray. You will need to believe in Jesus (and if you kneel to pray, you believe in him!), and you will need to repent of your sin and tell Jesus that you now commit your life to him. It is a simple prayer, but it is a true, soul commitment.
To repent of your sin is not simply to say sorry, but to make a heart decision to turn away from wrongdoing in your life. So after your prayer to Jesus, go through your home, your cell, and cast out all those things you know are sinful and wrong in your life. This is repentance and belief 'in action', and the kind that Jesus calls us to.
If, however, you do not yet know the story and message of Jesus (which is called the 'gospel message'), I would like to offer you a free booklet called, 'Who Is Jesus?'
I can offer it free to download and print, or you can order a hard copy from Amazon. Unfortunately I do not print/supply the hard copies, so I can only make the PDF available free. Here are the details of this booklet:
Maybe you are just now turning your head and heart towards Jesus, and asking 'Who is Jesus?', and 'How can I know him, and follow him?' Great questions!
1) KNOW JESUS:
Well, before actually 'following' Jesus, it is important to know him, to meet him. If you already have heard about Jesus and know his message, you can simply kneel and pray. You will need to believe in Jesus (and if you kneel to pray, you believe in him!), and you will need to repent of your sin and tell Jesus that you now commit your life to him. It is a simple prayer, but it is a true, soul commitment.
To repent of your sin is not simply to say sorry, but to make a heart decision to turn away from wrongdoing in your life. So after your prayer to Jesus, go through your home, your cell, and cast out all those things you know are sinful and wrong in your life. This is repentance and belief 'in action', and the kind that Jesus calls us to.
If, however, you do not yet know the story and message of Jesus (which is called the 'gospel message'), I would like to offer you a free booklet called, 'Who Is Jesus?'
I can offer it free to download and print, or you can order a hard copy from Amazon. Unfortunately I do not print/supply the hard copies, so I can only make the PDF available free. Here are the details of this booklet:
'Who is Jesus?' *25 Page Booklet |
The above PDF version is FREE! Please feel free to print, copy, and share!
If you would prefer a paperback, click title below: WHO IS JESUS? |
2) FOLLOW JESUS:
After you have come to know Jesus, and given your life to him, there is the 'call' and challenge to walk with him. Honestly, this is where the rubber hits the road! Think about it, how much easier is it to 'meet' someone, than it is to build a good relationship with them? It is the same with God. To 'know' Christ, to meet him, that is where it all begins. But to 'follow' him, day by day, year by year, that is what really honors God, and that is where the real treasures of knowing Christ are found. (John 8:31-32)
So how do we 'follow' Christ? I would like to suggest 2 steps - and disciplines - that I believe will set you on your course for life:
1) Daily Bible Read & Prayer:
I personally read one chapter of the bible daily, and only Monday to Friday. Saturday I don't typically read the bible, and Sunday I enjoy the teaching at church. Get yourself a good bible - such as an 'NIV' or 'ESV' translation - and maybe start with the book of 'Matthew'. After you have finished that, read 'Acts', and then just keep going forward from Acts...
When? I personally have this 'quiet time' with the Lord early in the morning, but the important thing is that you find a time and place that works for you. Try to make it a time/place that you can commit to daily.
How Long? This 'quiet time' takes about 10-15 minutes. You can make it shorter if you need to, and you can make it linger on for hours if you want to!:)
How? Well, I usually start by preparing a hot cup of coffee, and then just sitting in the Lord's presence quietly, and listening to him, being with him. After a few minutes of this, I open the bible to my next chapter, and read it through. There may be a verse or two that jumps out at you, and you may want to write them down and think about them (or memorize them) throughout the day. Then I close my time with another minute or two of prayer, committing my day to the Lord, and asking him to bless it, to go before me.
2) Find a good church, and commit to going weekly:
It really is important to meet with other believers. (Heb 10:25) I love going to church on Sunday! I love the worship music, the coffee, the friendship and personal growth. I love to give to others, through encouragement and volunteering. We need to go to church to 'get' and to 'give'. Pray and ask God to lead you to a good church. When you find one that 'fits' your spirit, and you trust that they preach and live the 'true gospel' of Jesus Christ, then commit! (2 Cor 11:4)
Jesus said, 'I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' (Matthew 28:20)
After you have come to know Jesus, and given your life to him, there is the 'call' and challenge to walk with him. Honestly, this is where the rubber hits the road! Think about it, how much easier is it to 'meet' someone, than it is to build a good relationship with them? It is the same with God. To 'know' Christ, to meet him, that is where it all begins. But to 'follow' him, day by day, year by year, that is what really honors God, and that is where the real treasures of knowing Christ are found. (John 8:31-32)
So how do we 'follow' Christ? I would like to suggest 2 steps - and disciplines - that I believe will set you on your course for life:
1) Daily Bible Read & Prayer:
I personally read one chapter of the bible daily, and only Monday to Friday. Saturday I don't typically read the bible, and Sunday I enjoy the teaching at church. Get yourself a good bible - such as an 'NIV' or 'ESV' translation - and maybe start with the book of 'Matthew'. After you have finished that, read 'Acts', and then just keep going forward from Acts...
When? I personally have this 'quiet time' with the Lord early in the morning, but the important thing is that you find a time and place that works for you. Try to make it a time/place that you can commit to daily.
How Long? This 'quiet time' takes about 10-15 minutes. You can make it shorter if you need to, and you can make it linger on for hours if you want to!:)
How? Well, I usually start by preparing a hot cup of coffee, and then just sitting in the Lord's presence quietly, and listening to him, being with him. After a few minutes of this, I open the bible to my next chapter, and read it through. There may be a verse or two that jumps out at you, and you may want to write them down and think about them (or memorize them) throughout the day. Then I close my time with another minute or two of prayer, committing my day to the Lord, and asking him to bless it, to go before me.
2) Find a good church, and commit to going weekly:
It really is important to meet with other believers. (Heb 10:25) I love going to church on Sunday! I love the worship music, the coffee, the friendship and personal growth. I love to give to others, through encouragement and volunteering. We need to go to church to 'get' and to 'give'. Pray and ask God to lead you to a good church. When you find one that 'fits' your spirit, and you trust that they preach and live the 'true gospel' of Jesus Christ, then commit! (2 Cor 11:4)
Jesus said, 'I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' (Matthew 28:20)
'First Steps With Jesus' *'First Steps' to help you make your walk with Jesus strong! |
The above PDF version is FREE! Please feel free to print, copy, and share!
If you would prefer a paperback, click here: https://tinyurl.com/ukx7xnu |