This is a statement I have heard several times from seeking, new and sometimes even Christians who have been "checking the boxes" for a while, but want to go deeper in their faith. My kids will inevidably encounter trials in life which feel like the bottom is falling out and give them a feeling of defeat. When this happens, it won't matter if my faith is strong. It will matter more if they have a faith of their own to lean on. When life comes crashing down on you, you better know, Jesus. Otherwise, it will be near impossible to have hope. Too often we look to those around us who have great faith, instead of leaning into our own relationship with Jesus, which has been built for a day, such as this.
I've been blessed with the opportunity to start several people down this path, which made me think about documenting it. While the following creates a helpful outline, everyone's journey looks a little bit different so this may not be an exact recipe. There's only one man who can provide hope to the hopeless, and it is not me, but the following recommendations helped me in my journey to discover Him. I pray they will help even one more person take a step closer to Jesus.
Getting Started - Christianity
Make your faith your own
Having a foundation in this world is critical. Without this, you are at the mercy of this broken world and limiting yourself to only what you’ve learned or experienced to this point in life.
Don’t let your circumstances dictate your theology or life.
God has a plan and purpose for you, and it’s not a mediocre life. It’s up to you to chase Him down and figure out what it is.
Understand that your story is part of God’s greater narrative. Watch Brad Gray “Restoration of All Things” video, which is an overview of the Bible story start to finish in one video.
Don’t get overwhelmed with the details or trying to retain the whole thing. Here are the important elements of the Christian faith.
God’s Story Simplified
1. God created you.
a. “So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).
b. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my
mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13).
2. God loves and wants a personal relationship with you.
a. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John
3:16).
b. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should
be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the
world does not know us is that it did not know him” (1 John 3:1).CHAPTER
2. God has a divine plan for your life.
a. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
b. “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John
10:10).
Our Problem
1. You have a natural desire to self serve and ignore
God's principles for living.
a. “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality,
impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord,
jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before,
that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God”
(Galatians 5:19–21).
2. The Bible calls this attitude sin.
a. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his
own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah
53:6).
b. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is
not in us” (1 John 1:8).
3. Sin separates you from God.
a. “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins
have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).
b. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).26 ª
4. Sin traps and hurts you.
a. “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want
to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19).
b. “I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war
against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of
sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who
will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through
Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:23–25)
c. When our relationship with God is not right, it eventually causes
problems in every area of our lives—marriage, career, relationships,
finances, personal satisfaction, etc.
God’s Solution
God loves you so much that even while you are a sinner, He still wanted to extend to you a relationship with Him and offered the ultimate solution.
5. Jesus is the only solution to your sin problem!
a. Jesus Christ said of himself, “I AM THE WAY, the Truth, and the Life.
No one comes to the Father, except THROUGH ME!” (John 14:6)
b. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the
man Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 2:5).
c. God Himself came to earth as a human being to bring us back to
Himself. If any other way had worked, Jesus Christ would not have
had to come.
6. Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave for you!
a. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).CHAPTER 2: Beyond the Surface of God’s Story ª 27
b. “... that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he
was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the
Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve”
(1 Corinthians 15:3–5).
7. Jesus paid the penalty for your sin and bridged the gap between God and you.
a. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
b. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous,
to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18).
7. The only way for you to receive salvation is by grace through faith.
a. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one
can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
b. GRACE is God’s part. FAITH is man’s part. (But what is true faith?)
c. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we
do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
d. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone
who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards
those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
e. “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and
his faith was made complete by what he did” (James 2:22).28 ª
Our Response
The New Testament both commands and shows how we should respond to God’s offer of forgiveness. This faith response includes these aspects:
Faith in Jesus. It is recognizing that he is God’s Son; he
came as a man, died for us, and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)
It is having faith, which is placing our total trust in him (John 3:16). It is NOT simply intellectual assent; Biblical faith includes obedience to Him (James 2:14–24). that Jesus is Lord. It is publicly declaring that you
are now living your life for Jesus (Romans 10:9–10). It is NOT simply saying that you believe in Jesus, but that He is in charge of your life (2 Corinthians 9:13). It is never denying him, even when people and situations pressure you (Mathew 10:32–33). of sin. It is asking for forgiveness while we walk toward Jesus and away from sin (Acts 2:38). It is NOT achieving perfection before you follow Jesus, but it is changing your heart and mind, turning from your old way of life (Acts 26:20). It is NOT merely being sorry for what you have done but getting right with God (2 Corinthians 7:10–11). Being into Christ. It is for believers only and it is properly done by immersion in water (Acts 8:36–38). It is NOT magic water, but it is commanded as part of the faith response to the gift of God’s grace (Acts 2:38, Galatians 3:26–27). It is our pledge to God that pictures Jesus’ resurrection in our life (1 Peter 3:21, Romans 6:4).
Remaining . It is following Jesus for the rest of your life (Revelation 2:10). It is growing in our relationship with Him (Philippians 1:6, 2:12). It is staying connected to Jesus and bearing fruit for Him (John 15:5–8).
It does NOT mean you will never sin again but that you will not deliberately continue in sin (Hebrews 10:26). It is NOT earning grace, but it is a response to grace (Romans 6:1-2).
Personal Response Inventory
Figure out where you are in the following response inventory so you know where to begin. Identify a mentor to disciple you from where you are right now to taking a next step in your faith.
Realizing that God loves me and created me to have a personal relationship with Him and that my sin makes me guilty and separates me from God. I have responded in the following ways:
I BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died for me
upon the cross.
I have CONFESSED Jesus to be the Lord (leader) and Savior (forgiver)
of my life.
I have REPENTED of my sin, turning from my old way of living to God.
I have been BAPTIZED (immersed) in obedience to Christ’s example
and command.
I am remaining FAITHFUL.
Get a Bible, journal, highlighter, pen, etc. and begin your relationship with Jesus by getting to know His heart through His word (the Bible).
Start a weekly Bible exploration plan beginning with the Book of John, one of the 4 Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus. Do this with the video series of Joby Martin of The Church of 11:22 (Jacksonville, FL). This is a 28 week journey which helps break down the book of John and helps set the tone for how to approach reading the Bible moving forward. Here is a link to the first video in the series:
You can also, continue listening to Brad Gray messages on the different books of the Bible, if you prefer his intellectual style of giving context. Joby Martin can be more lighthearted and fun, which makes his messages feel more relatable to some people. It is totally a decision of preference. For that matter, if you are looking for a more traditional approach, I would highly recommend checking out Tim Keller, who is also an excellent communicator of the Bible. The important thing is to begin by going deep on one book at a time rather than trying to cover too much content and getting overwhelmed.
Put some disciplines in place to begin reading, praying, praising on a daily basis. Could be one or two worship songs, 1 part of a daily reading plan on Youversion Bible app, or 1 Chapter of Proverbs (there are 31 chapters so 1 for each day of the month) and a few moments of prayer. 15 minutes per day as a minimum. The goal would be to have that time be purposeful. Go into it sharing your heart with God and listening for Him to respond through His Word, songs, other people, etc.
Another example of a disciplined plan:
Start with a song or two of worship. Then, follow a reading plan from the Bible app or a printed study if you prefer. For instance, “I want to read the entire New Testament this year.” When reading Bible listen to commentary from Through the Word app https://throughtheword.org which provides great context, and take notes & highlight in your Bible. Can also use a reference book like Bible Overview from Rose Publishing to help understand audience, author, dates, intentions, etc. for each book of the Bible. These are good notes to write in your Bible as well for future reminders. Then pray a prayer that reflects what you’ve heard from God through His word today, including something that you could apply with the help of the Holy Spirit. You could spend as little as 15-30 minutes per day and you will grow tremendously.
Next: begin to share with others what you are learning and how it is affecting you. Remember this, people may be able to question your theology or ask tough questions about the Bible, but they can never question the change that is affecting your heart and the story that God is writing through you. “All I know is that I used to be one way, but now I am different and better because of it, and there was only one thing that changed; I started seeking Jesus.”.
If you don’t know Jesus as your personal savior, I pray that you read the Roman Road. The scripture references are below:
Romans 1:20-21
Romans 3:23
Romans 5:8
Romans 6:23
Romans 10:9-10
Romans 10:13
Romans 11:36
The Roman Road shows you the path – are you ready to accept God’s gift of Salvation now? If so, believe in what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross, repent of your sins, and commit the rest of your life to Him. This is not a ritual, just a prayerful guideline for your sincere step of faith. Pray something like this out loud:
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen
If You Are Unsure About Your Salvation At All
The Bible gives us the message, or gospel, of how to be saved. By this, we mean how to be forgiven for our sins and gain eternal life. Summarized below are the steps for salvation as presented in the Bible. I invite you to receive Christ as your Savior.
1. Agree
a. Agree in your heart with God that you are a sinner in need of His
salvation, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
(Romans 3:23).
2. Know
a. Know in your heart that there is a penalty to your sin, “for the wages
of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
3. Believe
a. Believe in your heart that Christ died on the cross and rose from the
dead to pay the penalty for your sins and give you eternal life.
b. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
c. “All are justifi ed freely by his grace through the redemption that
came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).
d. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John
3:16).
e. “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans
6:23).84 ª The storyMission — What’s Your Story? • CHRIS WASMAN
4. Ask
a. By faith, pray to God. Tell Him you believe the above in your heart,
and ask Him to save you through Jesus Christ. Remember that God
is more concerned with the attitude of your heart rather than your
exact words.
b. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one
can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
c. “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For it is
with your heart that you believe and are justifi ed, and it is with your
mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10).
d. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and
they with me” (Revelation 3:20).
e. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of
natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born
of God” (John 1:12-13).
5. Receive
a. The following is a suggested prayer:
b. Heavenly Father, I admit to you that I am a sinner in need of your
salvation. I believe that Christ died on the cross and rose from the
dead to pay for my sins and give me eternal life. I believe that only
through Christ can I be saved. I ask for and accept by faith your free
gift of salvation. Please come into my heart and be my Savior and
Lord. Thank you for doing so. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Pre-decide 7 things:
I will be ready.
I will be devoted.
I will be faithful.
I will be an influencer.
I will be generous.
I will be consistent.
I will be a finisher.
Then, leave plenty of room for God to do what only He can do to fill the void in your heart. Be part of a healthy community that is seeking Jesus.
We would love to be part of that community for you and we would love to help you know and reveal the story that God is writing in your life.
Here is our closing prayer for you:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13 NIV
Your story matters!
Chris W.
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