Step One: Follow Jesus
Following Jesus is when you stop (or surrender) doing life your way and start doing life God’s way. It is placing your faith and trust in Christ. It’s when you retire from being the boss of your life and let Jesus be the new CEO. God made us and gave us a “user’s guide” (or “instruction manual”) called the Bible so we’d know how to best live. We often live however we want doing “whatever feels good” but God wants us to live according to his will revealed in his Word. Removing restraint from your life (living however YOU want) may seem like an exciting adventure, but it inevitably leads to tragedy. It’s a lot like removing the brakes from your car. That may be daring and filled with thrills for a while, but injury is certain. Take away the brakes and your life, like your car, is transformed into an unguided missile-destined for disaster.
Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” It may seem natural at times to do whatever we please, but that leads to death in this life and in the life to come. Living God’s way leads to a fulfilled life now, and eternal life later. Since God made you he has every right to instruct you how to live. Only He knows what’s truly best for you. Following Jesus is all about coming to that realization – that God knows best since he made you. From that realization comes a changed life. How? You start living by God’s standards and God’s guidelines for your life instead of your own. This pleases God and benefits you. You will always have an internal void, an emptiness in your soul, when you live life for your own pleasure, rather than for God’s.
Here is a simple prayer if you have not yet given your life to Jesus and invited him into yours:
Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross to rescue me from sin and death and to restore me to the Father. I choose now to turn from my sins, my self-centeredness, and every part of my life that does not please you. I choose you. I give myself to you. I receive your forgiveness and ask you to take your rightful place in my life as my Savior and Lord. Come reign in my heart, fill me with your love and your life, and help me to become a person who is truly loving—a person like you. Restore me, Jesus. Live in me. Love through me. Thank you, God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Let us know if you decided to follow Jesus!
What’s next?
The Bible shows us that when people made a decision to follow Jesus, they got baptized as adults. We want to encourage you to consider water baptism as your next step in becoming a follower of Jesus. Click HERE to for more information and to sign up for water baptism.
Free Resources
One of the most important steps to take as a follower of Jesus is to start reading his story and teachings in the Bible. We encourage you to start reading the Book of John. We have two options available for getting a free Bible.
Free Bible
1. Free Mobile Bible
You can get to a Bible right now through your web browser or mobile device. Bible.com is a free online and mobile Bible that has many different language and english translations, reading plans, and more. To get started click below to go to either the web site or get the mobile Bible for your phone. Download a Free Mobile Bible
2. Free Bible on Sunday
On Sunday mornings we have free Bibles available for anyone that desires one. They are located at the rear of the Main Auditorium. Just ask a Host Team member and they would be happy to give you one.
Free eBook by email
Fill out the information on our online form and we will email you a copy of “The Next Step in Your Journey” for FREE! This ebook will give you everything you need to know to begin your spiritual journey. CLICK HERE to get the ebook.
Free Online Starting Point Class
Starting Point is an 8-session video class about faith and introduces you to the basics of Christianity. You can access Starting Point Course online FREE by signing up HERE!
Free Bible Study Library
We are so excited to share that we have purchased unlimited access to RightNow Media—the world’s largest streaming library of video Bible study resources (it’s been called the “Netflix of video Bible studies”) and we are offering it to you for FREE! CLICK HERE for more info and to sign up.