NOW THAT I'M ON MY WAY TO HEAVEN,
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?
Now that you have made the commitment to follow Jesus, what's your next step?
Tell someone.
Right now. Call anyone: Your mother, a friend, your brother or co-worker. Contact anyone who you think would celebrate your decision to follow Jesus. You are saved by your faith, but telling someone will make it real. You can tell us right now at I-did-it@mail.gabc.org and we will rejoice with you and pray for you.
Find a church.
This is especially important, especially if you don't know someone who would celebrate your decision to follow Christ. Christians in a church will walk with you as you explore this new life. If you would like a list of churches near your home, follow this link: http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/default.asp
Begin reading the Bible.
Try to set aside time for Bible reading each day, preferably before you begin your day. Pray before you start and expect to hear God speak to you from His word.
Why? As a new Christian you may well experience the Bible, God's Word, speaking directly to you. Even if you do not sense this, it is important nevertheless to develop a regular schedule for reading the Bible. Your new life is not about feelings, but trusting in God and learning more about Him. Reading the Bible each day gives food to your spirit, in the same way mealtime satisfies your natural daily hunger for food. A regular intake of spiritual food in this way will strengthen you as a Christian and enable you to understand more of God's kingdom and His ways.
Where to start?Get a modern version of the Bible such as the "New International Version." Don't try to read the Bible from the beginning, otherwise you could easily become disillusioned and give up! Try reading from the New Testament to begin with. You will find the New Testament in the last third of your Bible. Start with the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These books will give you a broad picture of Jesus, His life and death from different viewpoints. If you don't own a Bible you can start reading or purchase one online at www.biblegateway.com and type in "Matthew 1."
Join a group. Find a Bible study class or group at your church. There you can ask questions and meet fellow learners.
Pray.
Prayer is talking to God. He loves you and wants you to know Him better. It may seem awkward at first, but any new relationship takes time to feel natural. It's helpful to have a set daily prayer time. Having a regular prayer time built into your daily routine will help you become established as a new Christian. Most people find it best to start the day with prayer. Leaving your main prayer time until bedtime is not a good idea, as you're likely to fall asleep instead!
Many Christians use four letters of the alphabet; ACTS as a model. These letters stand for:
Adoration
This means to praise God for who He is and what He has done for you. God created you to worship Him. An example of this kind of prayer is found in the Bible in Psalm 8. Either repeat the words directly from the Bible or use it as a guide for your own prayers.
Confession
Confessions means saying you're sorry for what you've done wrong and asking His forgiveness. Learn by heart the words of 1 John 1:1-9. Also, try as much as possible to ask God's forgiveness immediately after you are aware that you have sinned, otherwise you are giving Satan a foothold. Don't wait till later—you may have forgotten by then.
Thanksgiving
This means giving thanks for the ways God has blessed you and provided for you. Don't forget the "small stuff." There is so much to thank Him for. Reading your Bible will help you to understand the many things He has done for you.
Supplication
This simply means asking for yourself and others. It means asking for whatever you need from day to day and praying for the needs of others, including those who do not know Jesus.
Get baptized.
Baptism is the public act of identifying yourself as a Christian. Jesus commanded all His followers to be baptized.
The Bible promises that no one who believes in Christ will be turned away: "Him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37) In the closing words of the Bible, Christ invites all to come to Him and receive the promise of heaven: "...Let him that hears...come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17b)
WHAT HAS GOD DONE FOR ME TO TAKE
AWAY MY SIN SO I CAN GO TO HEAVEN?
When God forgives, He cannot merely overlook sin. Full payment (atonement) must be made for our sin. Christ's death made full atonement for those who trust Him. If we believe in Him, His dying counts in our stead, paying for our sins in full. The Bible says, "The blood of Jesus...cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7) It is only through the blood of Christ that we can ever be cleansed from the terrible guilt of sin.
But that only erases the guilt of our sin; we still need perfect righteousness in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)
Jesus' disciples asked Him this same question. (Matthew 19:25) His answer? "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (v. 26) In other words, being saved so that we can go to heaven is not something we can accomplish. It is something God must do for us.
Most people understand that doing evil can keep us out of heaven. But few realize the Bible also teaches doing good cannot get us in.
None of us could ever gain enough merit to deserve heaven. We are sinful, and God's standard is utter perfection. Jesus said, "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20 The Message ) As if that weren't enough, He added, "You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (v. 48) God's standard is unwavering.
God loves you and He created you to know Him personally. The way we come to know God is through a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. Knowing God intimately is so much more than just knowing about Him. It is responding by faith to his invitation to a new life.
Jesus says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…" (Revelation 3:20) Jesus waits with open arms for those that want eternal life. Eternal life means enjoying a life of peace and purpose now and the promise of experiencing heaven when you die. If you want to receive Christ as your Savior and Lord, all you have to do is ask Him. You can pray right now wherever you are using this simple prayer:
"Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life and make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen."
There is a common stereotype about heaven that we'll all just sit around on a cloud, strumming a harp, seemingly bored out of our mind. Is that what heaven will be like? No way! In heaven, we'll be in the presence of the One who made all of the incredible stuff we experience on earth. And heaven is better than the best that you've experienced on earth—infinitely more beautiful than any sunset you've seen and more satisfying than any earthly experience you've had.
Heaven is a place more wonderful than we can ever begin to imagine. Why? Because Jesus is going to be there. And wherever He is, everything is okay. What makes heaven, heaven? It's not gates of pearl; it's not streets of gold. What makes heaven, heaven is JESUS! Heaven is not heaven because of what is there–heaven is heaven because of who is there.
Heaven is a wonderful place because of all the things that aren't going to be in heaven as much as the things that will be there. There will be no more death. The first death in the Bible was when Cain slew his brother Abel and since that time, there has been a long funeral procession of person after person dying. In heaven, there will be no cemeteries and no funeral processions. We won't need any!
Everybody who has ever lived has cried for one reason or another: disappointment, heartache, pain, or grief. Can you imagine a time when God will wipe away all the tears of every person there in heaven? Some people reading these words now live with pain almost constantly. There is physical pain, but there is also a kind of emotional pain you have to deal with—the pain of rejection, the pain of failure and the pain of disappointment. Pain is a part of this existence, but God says there will be no more pain in heaven.
