New Believer

We Are So Excited That You Decided To Dedicate Your Life To Following Jesus.

But what does that mean, really? It is important to understand your decision so that you can experience the fullest life that God has in store for you. The prayer you prayed brought about a huge change on the inside of you, but it was only the first step in a lifetime journey of following Christ.

Ultimately, God’s Word Teaches Us Several Important Things:

1. Our Sin
We are all born with a sinful nature. Because of our sins, we cannot have a relationship with God without forgiveness. See: Romans 3:23

2. God’s Gift
We can’t earn God’s forgiveness – it must be given. Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice so that we could be forgiven. See: Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:8-9

3. Our Response
We must accept this free gift from God by believing that we are sinful, that Jesus is our Savior, and by committing our lives to Him. See: Romans 10:9

4. The Result
When we put our faith in Jesus to forgive our sins, we are immediately forgiven. We are considered God’s child, and our relationship with God begins. See: 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 1:12

So, Think Of It This Way:
"You’re A Brand-New Person Today."
This Isn’t Something That Will Happen,
But Has Already Happened!
But Remember, Faith In Christ
Is A Lifetime Journey.

Part of that journey is becoming on the outside who we are on the inside, allowing the change we’ve experienced in our hearts to be experienced in our lifestyle. As children of God, we commit to becoming more like Christ daily in our actions, words, and obedience.

As We Walk Out Our Faith, Several Things Happen:

1. We Bring Honor To God
Jesus died to save us, and the greatest way that we honor Him is by living for Him. We never earn God’s love or forgiveness by our obedience, but it is the best way to thank Him for it. See: Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 5:15

2. We Bring Light To This World
This world is a dark place that is in desperate need of grace, love, mercy, and righteousness. When we live our lives for Christ, we influence those around us with the light and life that we found in Christ. See: Matthew 5:14

It's Time To Go Public!

Because Jesus died for us on the cross, not only do we find forgiveness for our sins, but we begin a lifetime journey of following Christ.

So, What Is A Great Next Step For You?

When you read the Book of Acts, which is the history book of the first few years of the gospel (the good news of what Jesus had done spreading following the resurrection of Jesus), you’ll find that a very clear NEXT STEP for new Christians to take is water baptism.

1. Why Should I Be Baptized?

A. To Follow Jesus’ Example:

To understand the reason for being water baptized, it is important to consider what the Bible says about it carefully... Jesus himself was baptized. He was not a sinner, yet he humbled himself in obedience to identify with us and gave us a clear example to follow. See: Mark 1:9

B. An Act Of Obedience:

Water baptism is an act of faith and obedience to the commands of Christ. See: Matthew 28:19-20

C. A Public Declaration:

Baptism declares that you are a follower of Jesus Christ. It is a public confession of your faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism does not make you a believer; it shows that you already are one! Baptism does not "save" you; only your faith in Christ does that.

2. What Is The Significance Of Baptism?

A. A Move From Death To Life:

Baptism is a symbol of Christ’s burial and resurrection. Our entrance into the water during baptism identifies us with Christ’s death on the cross, His burial in the tomb, and His resurrection from the dead. See: Colossians 2:12-14

B. A New Life:

It is a symbol of your new life as a Christian. We bury the "old life" and rise to walk in a "new life." Baptism is like a wedding ring. The ring doesn’t make a couple married; the ring is a symbol to others of the promise and covenant that they made in their heart to each other. Baptism is a demonstration, before God and man, of the commitment and covenant a person has made with Christ. See: Romans 6:4

3. How Should I Be Baptized?

The model we see in the New Testament is by being immersed in water. The word “baptize” comes from the Greek word “baptize” which means “to immerse or dip under water." See: Matthew 3:16; Acts 8:38,39

4. Who Should Be Baptized?

Every person who has made the decision to believe in Christ. We believe in baptizing children when they are old enough to understand what it means and make a personal declaration of belief. See: Mark 1:9 ; Acts 8:12

5. When Are We To Be Baptized?

Believers in the New Testament were baptized the same day. As soon as a person decides to believe in Christ, he can be, and is encouraged to be baptized. See: Acts 2:41 ; Acts 8:35-39

You can register for our next baptism service. All the information you need to keep moving forward in your spiritual journey will be provided in the link. We are excited to celebrate your baptism with you!

Register for Baptism

Welcome Back!

It’s day three, and I couldn’t be more excited that you are continuing to follow these text links to help you as you follow Jesus.

Here’s Something To Think About As We Get Into Today’s Short Devotional To Help You Grow:

How many meals did you eat yesterday?
What about last week?
What about last month?

If you’re like the rest of us, you probably have eaten 2 to 3 times a day. Why? Because your body needs to be fed to remain strong and healthy.

Did You Know That Your Spirit Needs To Be Fed In Order To Be Strong And Healthy, Too? The Only Place To Turn To Find What You Need To Feed Your Spirit Is The Bible.

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God'". - Matthew 4:4

That’s Right! God’s Word Is Where We Find What We Need, Not Only To Be Fed Spiritually, But There Are Several Other Great Reasons To Begin Reading Your Bible Today.

God’s Word teaches us what to believe about who God is and who we are (doctrine), and it teaches us right from wrong so that we can please God with our lives. 

See: 2 Timothy 3:16

God’s Word helps our faith in Jesus remain strong.

See: John 20:31

God’s Word is a great place to find wisdom for every issue we face in life, including relationships, marriage, raising kids, managing money, dealing with troubled times, and more.

See: Psalm 119:105

Reading The Bible Is The Place For Every New Believer To Begin Their Journey And Continue In It For The Rest Of Their Lives.

Here are a few more quick thoughts to help you as you read God’s Word:

1. Pick A Translation That You Can Understand.
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek. One of the earliest translations to English was the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, but today we have a variety of versions to choose from. Some translations focus on being more precise and are best for Bible study, while others focus on readability and are great for devotions. Pastor CJ primarily uses the English Standard Version for his personal study and the New International Version for the screens during weekend services, and we would recommend one of these translations for you.

2. You Don’t Have To Start In The Beginning.
The Bible contains 66 separate books compiled into one book. The 39 books of the Old Testament are the story of God and His people before the coming of the Messiah—Jesus. The 27 books of the New Testament pick up the story beginning with the birth of Jesus and are written to the Church. If you’re new to the Bible, the best place to start is one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John), which are biographies of the life of Jesus. The Gospel of John is his eyewitness account of the life of Jesus. As one of Jesus’ closest disciples, John’s account is both riveting and informative.

3. Pick A Book Of The Bible And Work Your Way Through It.
If you’re anything like me, you need a Bible reading plan, or you’ll waste precious minutes thumbing through the Bible, never quite landing. So pick one book of the Bible and read a little each day – one chapter, perhaps. If you read one chapter of John a day (which will take no more than 5-10 minutes), you’ll read John in its entirety in 21 days. After reading John, move on to the other gospels – Matthew, Mark, or Luke. Next, read Philippians, Ephesians, and Colossians, which provide practical encouragement and instruction for living the Christian life. Romans is jam-packed with essential doctrine. Genesis explains how everything began. The Book of Psalms is filled with heartfelt prayers that offer encouragement for every season of life.

4. Pray Before You Begin.
Pause before you open your Bible and ask God to speak to you. Remember, the Bible is God’s Word; it is God’s love letter written to His people, which includes you. Ask God to help you understand His Word. Ask God to use His Word to teach you, to direct you, and even to redirect you when necessary. Ask Him to use His Word to help you know Him and love Him.

Come close to God, and God will come close to you.

See: James 4:8

Before I Close This Out...

There is another great way to get fed spiritually, and that is by going to church. The church is not a replacement for personal Bible reading, but it is a necessary supplement to keep us on track.

See: Hebrews 10:25

Hanging out with people with the same beliefs as you, worshiping God together, and hearing God’s Word preached are huge boosts for every believer. So, make attending Northview Church a priority to keep moving forward in following Christ.

See You This Weekend!

Welcome Back!

Your Faith Is Not About Being Religious But About Being In A Relationship With Your Creator.

The best way to make any relationship healthy and growing is through communication.

The Bible Is God Communicating With Us, And Prayer Is Us Communicating With God.

During day four, we want to help you understand and learn the basics of prayer so you can continue growing in your relationship with Jesus.

What Is Prayer?

Is It Just Talking To God?
Is It Asking For Things From God?

Yes, it is both of these things, but it’s also so much more than that. It is talking to God, but when we pray, we should remember and have a heart of faith and humility, recognizing that we are His children and submitted to our Heavenly Father.

And, while we ask God to help with our needs through prayer, it should be done with an attitude of intimacy. Our prayers should not be a drive-by to-do list for God but time spent loving Him.

The Other Big Question Beyond

“What Is Prayer?”

“How Do I Pray?”

There’s not really a wrong way to pray, but there are some right things that we should include when we pray. Here are four things that you should include in your daily prayers. You can remember these by using the acronym ACTS.

1. Adoration
Everyone loves to be loved and bragged about, including God. And no one deserves it more than He does.

Adoration means to adore, respect or honor. Jesus said when we pray, we should say, “Hallowed be your name.” Therefore, we should spend time worshipping God and loving who He is. As we spend several moments telling God how awesome He is, how mighty he is, how loving he is, how merciful he is, etc., we are honoring Him and building our faith. See: Psalm 100:4; Psalm 29:2

2. Confession
One of the things that started your spiritual journey was recognizing we are sinners in need of a Savior and His forgiveness.

Your relationship with God began when you prayed for His forgiveness the first time. However, you’re probably quickly learning that you're still not perfect, only forgiven. And while we need to strive to live lives that please God, when we have sinned or missed the mark, we should come to God in prayer and confess that thing to Him in order to receive forgiveness.

Confession is being honest and specific to God about your shortcomings. Jesus said when we pray, we should ask God to, “Forgive our trespasses.”See: 1 John 1:9; Psalm 51:2

3. Thanksgiving

It simply means giving thanks.

Before we ask God for anything else, we should take time to thank Him for all He has already blessed us with. Not only does our thankfulness honor God for what He has done, but it builds our faith to know that He will continue to meet our needs.

Don’t take anything for granted. Spend a few minutes thanking Him for everything He has done for you. See: Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 5:20

4. Supplication

It may not be a word you are familiar with, but it is another way of saying "petition."

It is asking God specifically for what we need. When we are praying about needs in our lives or the lives of those around us, we are petitioning Heaven.

Whether our need is physical, financial, material, or spiritual, we can ask God to help us with those things. Jesus said we should pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” So, every day ask God for what you need, not only for yourself but others. See: Philippians 4:6

Jesus Prayed

Mark 1:35

Jesus Commanded Us To Pray

Luke 18:1

Jesus Taught Us How To Pray

Luke 11:2-4

So, we need to make time for prayer every day if we are going to have a strong relationship with God.

Welcome Back!

This Is It! You Are Coming To The End Of Your First Week As A Christ-Follower.

We hope these daily guides have benefited you as you continue to grow in your relationship with Christ. Today, we want to give you three more things to consider as you progress in your spiritual journey.

1. Connecting

It’s been said, “Show me your friends and I will show you your future.” This is just another way of saying we are who we run with.

Ultimately, an important part of your spiritual journey is surrounding yourself with others that will help you be successful in your walk with God. Life is better together. When we interact with other followers of Christ, we find support and encouragement to continue in our faith.

God Created You For Community.
You Were Never Meant To Do Life Alone.

See: Genesis 2:18; I Corinthians 15:33; Hebrews 3:13

We offer Connect Groups to help people find the right relationships.

Join a Group

2. Serving

God can use your life in a big way to help others find Christ, experience life and grow in their relationship with God.

Jesus Gave Us The Example Of Serving.

See: Matthew 20:28

We Are Called To Serve Each Other.

See: Galatians 5:13; Romans 12:1

God Gives Each Of Us Unique Gifts And Abilities To Build The Church.

Serving is one of the best ways to discover and use the gifts God has given you. As you serve, you’ll meet other Christians who can help you see what makes you special. You’ll also experience the joy of God working through you to make a difference in others’ lives. No matter what season of life you’re in, Northview Church has serving opportunities for every personality, skill set, and schedule.

Get Involved

3. Giving

Jesus said that your heart and your treasure are a package deal. There's something powerful that happens when you not only put your hope in Jesus, but you also put your trust in Him.

When you surrender your own desires and give Him permission to use every part of your life as He sees fit.

Where Your Treasure Is, Your Heart Is.

See: Matthew 6:21

Give Now

We Hope This Information Over The Last Five Days Have Been Helpful!

Remember, every day you wake up, you are God’s kid, and what lies ahead is an opportunity to honor your Heavenly Father with the choices you will make and the lifestyle you will live.

We look forward to seeing you at Northview Church this week!