Gulf Coast Baptist Institutemedia1.razorplanet.com/.../880025_FollowingJesusBooklet.docx · Web viewWe are not to _____ to God's Word, and we are not to _____from God's Word. PRAYER

FOREWORD

This little Book, FOLLOWING JESUS, “What Jesus Wants You To Know And Through Obedience DO” was designed to be used in counseling those who have received Jesus Christ as their Personal Savior.

It can be used in the following ways:

1. Counseling those who have been Saved Through

Faith in Christ.

2. Made a Decision to Follow Jesus after Salvation.

3. Use as Informational Tool in Vacation Bible

School.

4. As a Witnessing Tool to the Unsaved.

5. As Curriculum for Retreats and Camps.

6. As Material for Bible Studies.

7. As a New Member Class Guide.

8. As a Training Tool for Disciples.

It is our prayer that you will use this material for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ our Savior in the building of His dear kingdom while upon this earth to prepare souls for eternity.

SOME MIRACULOUS THINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN YOUR LIFE

Your decision to invite Jesus Christ into your life is the greatest decision you will ever make. Some MIRACULOUS things have taken place since you made your decision to trust Jesus Christ as your Personal Savior.

1. Your sins have been forgiven. 2. You are now one of God’s children. 3. Heaven is your eternal home. 4. Jesus Christ is now your personal Savior.

The space below is provided for you to write out your experience of receiving Christ. If you do not remember the exact date or time give the approximate date and time.

MY DECISION

This is my testimony of receiving Christ as my Savior.

I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and come into my life.

Place __________________________ City ________________

State __________________________ Day of Week _________

Month __________________Day of Month________________

Year ________Hour______My age when I received Christ____

Jesus Christ is now my personal Savior. He died on the

cross for me and I want to love Him and live for Him the rest of

my life.

Signed __________________________________________

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HOW YOU CAN BECOME A CHRISTIANGod loves you and wants you to have a full and

meaningful life. He wants to give you eternal life. Because of His great love for you He has provided a simple and wonderful plan for you to become a Christian. This plan is clearly set forth in the Bible. The first Scripture deals with the problem of your sin.

1. ALL HAVE SINNED"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Sin means breaking God's law. We can sin by thought, word or deed. The Bible says,

"All have sinned."

2. SIN BRINGS SPIRITUAL DEATH"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). The word "death" refers to spiritual death. Your

sins have caused you to be separated from God, but God loves you and offers eternal life through Jesus Christ.

3. CHRIST DIED FOR YOUR SINS"But God commendeth (proved) His love toward us, in

that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus' death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins. When you ask Christ to take away your sins

and come into your life you will receive complete forgiveness and eternal life.

All human efforts to gain salvation through good works, sincerity, baptism, church membership and other ways have failed. Christ alone can save you. The chart

on the next page illustrates this.

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4. CALL UPON CHRIST AND YOU WILL BE SAVED

The Bible says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). You can call upon Christ now through prayer. The exact wording of your prayer is not important. Just express your willingness to turn from your sin to Him, and ask Him to forgive your sins and come into your life and save you. The following prayer may help you to express your own prayer to God.

Dear Lord, I know I have sinned. Thank You for dying for my sins. I ask You to please forgive me of all my sins. I invite You to come into my life and save me. I now receive You as my Lord and Savior. Take control of my life and help me live for You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

This is God's promise to you: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

• Did you call upon Him and ask Him to forgive your sins and come into your life?

• Did you mean it? • What happened? • If you died right now what would happen? • Why would you go to heaven?

The following pages explain what Christ wants you to do now

“WHAT JESUS WANTS YOU TO DO”

“Christ . . . suffered for sins . . . that He might

bring us to God”(I Peter 3:18)

Jesus said, "I am the way . .. no man cometh unto the

Father but by Me"(John 14:6).

HUMAN EFFORT

GOOD WORKS------

SINCERITY-----------

BAPTISM-------------------

CHURCH-----------

MAN GOD

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Receiving Jesus Christ into your life is only the beginning of a wonderful experience. You have begun your new life in Christ. Now you will need to grow as a Christian.

Jesus loves you and wants you to grow in your Christian life. He wants you to experience the very best. Jesus said, ". . . I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

In order for you to fully experience this abundant life you must be obedient to Christ's commands. Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Here are eight things Jesus wants you to do.

1. JESUS WANTS YOU TO KNOW YOU ARE SAVED.

The Bible presents three ways you can know you are saved.

First, you can know you are saved because of Christ's promise. This is His promise to you, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlastng life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

Second, you can know you are saved because you have called upon Him to save you. The Bible says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

Third, you can know you are saved because of the "witness" of the Holy Spirit. When you were saved, the Holy Spirit came into your life. The Bible says, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:16). 2. JESUS WANTS YOU TO BE BAPTIZED.

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Baptism is Christ's first command to you. It is the first step of obedience for a new Christian. Baptism is your public profession of your faith in Christ. Baptism is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

It also pictures the death of your old sinful life and your new life in Christ. It is a public testimony of what has already taken place in your life.

Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. His followers were baptized. In the book of Acts every person who received Christ was baptized immediately. He commands you to be baptized as a public confession of your faith in Him. Are you willing to be Scripturally baptized?

3. JESUS WANTS YOU TO READ YOUR BIBLE DAILY.

God's Word is your spiritual food. To grow as a Christian you must have a time of personal Bible study each day. The Bible says, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (I Peter 2:2). Just as food is necessary for you to grow physically, so is the Word of God necessary for you to grow spiritually.

It is best to start with the New Testament. Begin with the Gospel of John. A Sunday school class provides an excellent program of study. You should set aside a time each day for Bible study.

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4. JESUS WANTS YOU TO PRAY EVERY DAY.

As a Christian you have the wonderful privilege of prayer. Jesus said, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24).

Prayer is a very important part of your Christian life. God loves you and wants you to come to Him daily for all your needs.

Jesus spent much time in prayer. On many occasions He spent the entire night in prayer. Prayer was vital in the life of Jesus. It should be just as important in your life. Set aside a time each day to get alone with Christ in prayer.

5. JESUS WANTS YOU TO BE A FAITHFUL WITNESS.

He said, "Ye shall be witnesses unto me . . . " (Acts 1:8). It is a wonderful privilege to share your faith in Christ with another person.

You witness by your life and your example, and you should witness by sharing your experience of receiving Christ. In a natural, cheerful way tell someone about Christ each day. You have met Christ. He has come into your life. He has saved you.

Tell others about your experience of receiving Christ as your personal Savior. God will use your testimony to help them see their need to receive Christ.

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6. JESUS WANTS YOU TO GIVE. The Bible instructs every Christian

to share in the support of God's work, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him . . . " (I Corinthians 16:2).

The tithe (a tenth) of your income is the Bible plan for the support of God's work,

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse . . . and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10).

7. JESUS WANTS YOU TO LET THE HOLY SPIRIT CONTROL YOUR LIFE.

The moment you were saved the Holy Spirit came into your life. Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter (The Holy Spirit), that He may abide with you for ever . . . He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16-17).

The Holy Spirit dwells in every Christian. When you were saved you received the Holy Spirit. Now you must let the Holy Spirit lead and control your life. The Bible commands us to "be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). The command to be "filled" with the Spirit means to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.

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8. JESUS WANTS YOU TO ATTEND CHURCH REGULARLY.

Every Christian should unite with a Bible-teaching church. Jesus established the church. He loved the church and died for it. God commands us to attend church regularly. The Bible says we should not neglect the "assembling of ourselves together... " (Hebrews 10:25).

A Bible-believing church will help you in three ways.

First, you will hear God's word preached from the pulpit and you will hear God's Word taught in the Sunday School.

Second, you will be strengthened and encouraged through fellowship with other Christians. Every Christian needs the strength and encouragement that comes from being a part of the fellowship of a church.

Third, you will find a place to serve Christ. The Bible says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works . . ." (Ephesians 2:10). The Bible teaches us that we have been saved to serve. Christ has given us the New Testament church so that we may cooperate with others in serving Him. Your greatest blessing as a Christian will come when you serve Christ through one of His New Testament Churches

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HOW TO KNOW YOU ARE SAVEDWhat must I do to be saved?

Acts16:31__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What will happen to the person who calls upon the name of Christ? Romans10:13________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What kind of life is promised to those who receive Christ as Savior? John 3:16__________________________________________

4. Take a dictionary and look up the word "eternal." Now write a brief definition of the word.

5. What does Christ promise about your safety in His care? John 10:27-29______________________________________ __________________________________________________

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6. No Christian lives a sinless life. When you sin, what must you do to receive God's forgiveness? I John 1:9__________________________________________

7. Who bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God? Romans 8:16

_______________________________________

8. What promise does God give you? Hebrews 13:5_______________________________________

SCRIPTURAL BAPTISM 1. Who baptized Jesus? Matthew 3:13-17 ______ ____________________

2. Where was Jesus baptized? __________________________________________

3. How did God show His approval of Jesus' baptism? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What qualifies one to be baptized? Acts 2:41___________________________________________

5. When were the people in Acts 2:41 baptized? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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6. Read the account of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, Acts 8:29-40. What did the eunuch want to do immediately after receiving Christ? ________________________________ _________________________________________________

7. The Philippian jailer and his family were saved one night. When were they baptized? Acts 16:25-40

_____________________________________ _________________________________________________

8. In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus commands us to "teach all nations." This means to win others to Christ. We are also commanded to ______________________________ and __________________________________ those who are saved.

THE BIBLE 1. In what way is the Bible different from any other book? II Peter 1:20-21__________________________________________________________________________________________

2. How can God's Word help us in our daily life? Psalms 119:105 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. How can we know God's word is true and dependable? II Timothy 3:16 _____________________________________ ___________________________________________________

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4. How often should I study my Bible? Acts 17:11__________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

5.Why do I need to study the Bible? I Peter

2:2__________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

6. What instructions has God given me? II Timothy2:15______________________________________ ___________________________________________________

7. How long will the Word of God endure? I Peter1:25_________________________________________

8. In Revelation 22:18 & 19 we have two warnings. We are not to ____________________________ to God's Word, and we are not to ____________________from God's Word.

PRAYER1. What is the new privilege you now have? John 16:24 _____________ ______________________ ____________________________________________ ______________________

2. What instruction does Christ give concerning your private prayer life? Matthew 6:6 _______________________________________

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3. What does God promise to do for us if we pray? Jeremiah 33:3 ______________________________________ __________________________________________________

4. When should we pray? Luke

18:1__________________________________________ __________________________________________________

5. To Whom am I to pray? Luke 11:2_________________________________________ _________________________________________________

6. What needs can I bring to God in prayer? Philippians4:6______________________________________ __________________________________________________

7. What time of day is a good time to pray? Psalms 5:1-38 ______________________________________

8. Why should I pray to God in Jesus' name? John 14:6; Timothy 2:5________________________________________

WITNESSING1. What has Jesus commissioned every Christian to be? Acts 1:8_____________________________________________________________

2. What must we be ready to do?

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I Peter 3:15_____________________________________________________________________________________

3. What was the first thing Andrew did after he met Jesus? John 1:40-42_______________________________________ __________________________________________________

4. What does Jesus promise He will do for those who follow Him? Matthew 4:19_______________________________________

5. Who does God want to be saved? II Peter 3:9________________________________________

6. What warning is given to those who are unfaithful in witnessing? Ezekiel 33:7-9_______________________________________

7. What does the Bible say about the one who wins souls? Proverbs 11:30______________________________________

8. What promise does Christ give to those who are faithful in witnessing? Matthew 28:19-20 _____________________________________________________________________________________

GIVING

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1. How is the work of my church to be supported? I Corinthians 16:2 __________ _________________________ _________________________

2. What should be my attitude in giving? II Corinthians

9:7____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

3. What claim does God make concerning the world and all that is in it? Psalms 24:1______________________________ __________________________________________________

4. Who owns the tithe? Leviticus 27:30-32__________________________________

__________________________________________________

What fraction of my income is the tithe? _________________

5. Where should the tithe be brought? Malachi 3:10_______________________________________

6. What blessing does God promise to the faithful tither? Malachi 3:10_______________________________________

7. What should be first in the life of every believer? Matthew 6:33______________________________________

8. Where did Jesus say we would store up treasures? Matthew 6:19-20___________________________________

9. What does God say concerning our needs? Philippians 4:19____________________________________

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THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. After I am saved Who dwells in me? Romans 8:9_______________ ________________________

2. Who did Jesus promise would be given to the Christian? John 14:16-17______________________________________

3. How long will He abide in us? John 14:6_____________________________________________

4. Who gives assurance that we are saved? Romans 8:16__________________________________________

5. What is God’s command to every Christian? Ephesians 5:18________________________________________

6. What are some of the ways I can grieve the Holy Spirit? Ephesians 4:30-32______________________________________

7. If the Holy Spirit fills and controls my life what qualities will He produce? Galatians 5:22-23______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Who gives us power to witness? Acts 1:8 ______________________________________________

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THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

1. Who established the New Testament Church? Matthew 16:18________________________________________

2. Who is the head of the New Testament Church? Ephesians 5:23________________________________________

3. What is Christ’s attitude toward the New Testament Church? Ephesians 5:25___

________________________________________________________________

4. What price did Jesus pay for the New Testament Church? Acts 20:28_______

_________________________________________________________________________________

5. In Ephesians 5:23-27 the relationship between Christ and the New Testament Church is compared to the relationship between _____________________ and _____________________

6. What is my responsibility in regard to regular church attendance? Hebrews 10:25________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

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7. In I Corinthians 12:27 the Apostle Paul calls the New Testament Church the _________________________ of Christ.

8. What major responsibility has Christ given to the New Testament Church? Matthew 28:19-20______________________________________ _____________________________________________________

WRITE OUT YOUR TESTIMONY

Your written testimony will reinforce your experience of receiving Christ. Use simple words and short sentences. Write as you would share it with someone who is not a Christian. Everyone that has been saved has a testimony.

I. WHAT MY LIFE WAS LIKE BEFORE I BECAME A CHRISTIAN _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

II. HOW I REALIZED MY NEED TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

III. HOW I BECAME A CHRISTIAN __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IV. WHAT CHRIST MEANS TO ME NOW _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Dear Reader,

I cannot claim originality to any of the material in this little booklet. This is a combination of writings, thoughts, pictures and ideas of others that I have taken and put together in the hopes of helping those that are in need of easily understanding what Jesus wants them to do.

I hope those who may read this little booklet and see some of their thoughts, ideas, pictures or writings will forgive me for borrowing them. Hopefully we may rejoice on the other side of glory together and share in any fruit this little booklet may bring forth because of the truths of God that it contains. May the Lord bless!

Laboring Together For The Master

Dr. Bruce A. Morris, Sr.24