Chapter I
I had never really thought too much on why we get baptized or even really knew that there was the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit is a gift from God. And so I never listened to the Holy Spirit because I didn’t read my Bible or seek God to know the Holy Spirit. I never felt God right here in the midst of my life. To me, God seemed like He was far in the distance. It felt like when I prayed that I was never face to face with God, like you would be when you’re sitting with your friend talking. Instead, it felt more like a whisper across the room, I was just hoping God got my message.
I knew God was real, but I had never really experienced Him like I do today. I knew God was real by the few experiences that I personally had growing up.
There were things that had happened in my life growing up that left such an impact on me, I knew God’s existence. I knew God was real that no one could ever deter me otherwise. And though I knew a lot about Jesus, I did not know Jesus.
I had no idea how exciting it was to really live for God and to see the Holy Spirit touch people’s lives. Once I started reading my Bible and learning who God is, I realized that if I just obeyed what Jesus said, casted the fear I had aside, listened to the Holy Spirit, and stepped out in faith I would then begin to see God moving in my life and touch other people's lives. I would begin to see that God is right here and not off in the distance. I would see the sick healed, I would see demons casted out of people, and I would see people saved in the name of Jesus.
It didn't happen over night.
But, I didn’t just wake up one day and realize that I wasn’t really living a Christian life. I didn’t just wake up one day and start reading the Bible and living a life for God.
It was through this journey when my husband and I were RVing across America, did I then begin to realize the importance of living for God and why we needed Jesus.
I had no idea prior to RVing that God was actually the one directing all our plans.
The things that took place in our lives, prior to RVing, were all leading up to this moment that we couldn't have planned for ourselves, yet we thought we were the ones driving the ship.
After just a couple months from hitting the road, we had made our way to Moab, Utah. To my surprise there was a dinosaur museum there. We began to learn and see that there was dinosaur imprints all over the ground in Utah.
My husband knew I believed in the Bible and so he had asked me, where do dinosaurs fit in the Bible?
I didn’t know, nor did I ever really think too much about dinosaurs existing. Besides, I had not really taken the time to actually read the Bible. And as for my thoughts on dinosaurs, I didn’t really care if they ever existed or not, it wasn’t something I was into, nor was it something that would waver where I stood with my belief in God.
We both became very curious on this subject. The question of “where do dinosaurs fit in the Bible?” led us on a quest for truth, where we began to learn about world history, science, and biblical artifacts over the next several months. Through this research, everything was pointing back towards God. The truth was undeniable and the proof of Jesus and all the stories we read about it in Bible we found true to exist.
(If you're not sure about what the Bible says, I recommend you to start to do your research. And be sure to check out the Creation Museum in Kentucky.)
We began learning why we needed Jesus, and the reason we needed to be baptized. And in the year of 2018 our lives had changed for the good.
We begun seeing God move in our life and in other people’s lives. Seeing God move has been far more exciting than anything else I have ever experienced. Not to brag, but I have experienced a lot of different things, like skydiving, scuba diving, RVing across America, hiking, riding dirt bikes, and riding horses to name a few. I don’t tell you these things to boast, but to tell you that while all these things are great and they are very exciting, the greatest thing we can experience is seeing God move.
After I was baptized, in August 2018, I was asking God what was next for me. What did He have planned for me? I was like “Ok, I’m ready, let’s go!” But I felt like He was telling me no, you're not ready. And I was like “Yeah, I am, where do you want me to go?” But I felt like he was saying “Go to your Bible because you have more to learn.” I felt like He was telling me to be still, and meditate on the word. I didn’t feel like I was getting any other answer, so I did just that. I opened up my Bible, but this time I read it more carefully and a little slower. I felt God trying to show me that I needed His word to be deeper rooted in me.
This is when I began to see the need for church, how to abide in Christ, and the order for things. It was through this process that my eyes were opened to see that the truth is simple.
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:20 NLT)
The life Jesus has for you!
So now that you know a little about bit about me, hopefully you were able to relate in someways, and are ready for more than the mundane world —the life Jesus has for you.
I have put together seven steps to help you begin to walk in a new life with Jesus. Through these steps we will unfold why each of them are important and you will begin to see how they all circle back to one another. But before we dive into these seven steps we will go over why we need Jesus in this next chapter (Chapter II) as I feel that having a good understanding will help set the foundation we need to build on.
Then, in Chapter III we will go through the first three steps.
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Repent: Change & Believe.
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Baptize: Baptism in water.
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Holy Spirit: Receive God’s Holy Spirit.
Chapter IV we will go through the last four steps.
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Live: Abide in Christ.
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Church: Fellowship.
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Love: The greatest commandment.
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Discipleship: Make disciples and be fruitful.
Chapter V we will go over how we cannot be saved by our works, but that we are saved by grace.
Chapter VI we will briefly go over our inheritance and the great race.
Chapter VII we will go over how living for God is not complicated.
Now before you read on, go grab your Bible really quick.
Welcome back!
I encourage you to read the scriptures, we are going to discuss through out this book, also in your Bible (that you should now have in your hand). As we begin to go through some of these scriptures, I encourage you to open them up in your Bible also and read through the scripture within the content that the scripture was written. This can help you grasp a fuller understanding.
Also, if you are having a hard time understanding, you can look up the scripture(s) in other versions by searching for them online. Such as the NIV, NLT, NKJV, and so forth. You can use sites like BibleGateway.com to quickly move through different bible versions. By doing this, it can help you to read the scriptures more clearly and make it easier for you to understand.
One more thing, before we start to dive in here, let’s pray!
Jesus, I ask you to bring us understanding. Give us wisdom, knowledge, and discernment to know the truth. Break every chain that is latched onto us that is withholding the truth from us. Break away every false doctrine from us that we may have ever learned. Open our eye, ears, and heart to know the truth!
In Jesus, Amen!
Click here to continue to Chapter II