- Helps For A New Believer
- by Dr. Ken Matto
- HAVE A STEADY PRAYER LIFE
- Prayer is the communication between you and your heavenly Father.
Prayer need not be fancy nor repetitive. God wants prayer from the heart, not a
dictionary. Always pray in Jesus' name to the heavenly Father. Pray for family, friends,
etc. (Luke 18:1; Acts 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
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- SHARE YOUR NEW LIFE WITH OTHERS
- You will want to share your new life with family, friends and
neighbors. This is called witnessing for the Lord. (Psalm 107:2; Matthew 28:18-20)
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- PURCHASE A BIBLE
- We urge you to purchase a King James Version. We recommend a
Thompson Chain Reference Bible. Attempt to purchase a black letter edition. The King James
Version is the best translation in existence as it has stood the test of time being
translated in 1611.
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- FIND A TRUE BIBLE BELIEVING CHURCH
- In these last days there are many churches which do not teach truth.
Choosing a church requires much prayer and counsel from the Lord. There are many good
Bible believing churches which are non-denominational. When seeking a church, attend the
services, speak with the members, and listen very intently to the sermon with an open
Bible with pen and paper to check the accuracy of the pastor.
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- Do not be afraid to question the pastor on a point he made or his
reason for holding to a doctrine (teaching). If he is teaching truth, you will feel
comfortable in your spirit, if not you will feel restlessness in your spirit. Please keep
in mind, there are God loving pastors in every church who may occasionally interpret the
Bible incorrectly which does not mean they are false. Be sure the church emphasizes
Christ. If a church has Jesus Christ in its name, it does not guarantee it is a Bible
believing church. (i.e., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the missionary
arm of the Mormon Church.) Try not to attend a church which is affiliated with the
National or World Council of Churches. Neither are Christian organizations.
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- SEEK THE LORD EVERY MORNING
- Ask the Lord to guide you, protect you, and give you wisdom through
the day. (1 Chronicles 4:10; Psalm 32:8)
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- LISTEN TO CHRISTIAN RADIO
- Avoid Christian Rock and Roll Stations plus secular ones also. By
listening to Christian radio which is God glorifying, God will be growing you up in the
faith.
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- MAKE TIME FOR PERSONAL BIBLE STUDY
- To grow in the faith, it is imperative you read and study the Bible.
The Holy Spirit will teach you as it is written in 1 John 2:27. You may desire to take
courses but if you are unable to leave home you may take correspondence courses from a
number of colleges.
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- RECOMMENDED REFERENCE BOOKS TO AID YOUR BIBLE STUDY
- Bible Dictionary - Suggest Unger's Bible Dictionary
- Topical Bible - Suggest New Nave's Topical Bible
- Concordance - Suggest both Strong's and/or Young's
- These are available at any Christian bookstore.
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- BIBLE STUDY GROUPS
- Find a local home Bible study group or start one and find someone
else to teach. It is these groups where Christians grow closer to one another. (Acts 2:46)
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- BIBLE CONFERENCES
- One of the most enjoyable channels for Christian growth are Bible
conferences. It is here where you meet Christians from all walks of life and you will make
many life-long friendships. There are conferences for Singles, Married, Senior Saints,
Teenagers, etc. Try to go once a year. Some churches sponsor Bible conferences during the
year so listen to the Christian stations and find out when they have their "Bulletin
Board" programs.
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- BAPTISM
- Since you are now saved the Bible commands you to be baptized in
water. There are three acceptable modes: Immersion; Sprinkling; Pouring. Since it is a
symbol, the mode is not important but obedience is. (Acts 8:37)
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