Growing Spiritually
As you begin your spiritual journey, there are four essentials which will get you started and help you grow.
1. Begin to read the Bible, God’s Word, each day.
"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Ps. 119:11 NIV)
All of the Bible is beneficial, but you will likely find it best to read through the New Testament first. If you need assistance finding the books of the Bible, check for an index in the front of the Bible. From the “Read the New Testament in One Year” chart, begin reading at today’s date. In one year, you will have read through the entire New Testament, and this will give you a good overview of being a follower of Jesus Christ. Also to assist you with an overview of the Bible, I have included a one page “New Testament Time Line” and a one page “Old Testament Time Line.” These charts will help you follow the historical sequence of the events in the Bible.
2. Pray and ask God for guidance in your life every day and throughout the day.
Prayer is not fancy language. The best prayers are simple expressions from your heart. You now have the wonderful privilege to, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV) The Bible also says, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 TLB). Through the years, I have found it is helpful to vary the focus of my prayers using the days of the week as a general guide. My prayer life is not restricted by this, but it does help me to add variety and to pray in areas that I may otherwise overlook. See the “Daily Prayer Focus” for a guide to assist you in this regard. Praying with another person can help you stay focused and committed in your prayer life. See the guide on “How to Develop a Prayer Partnership.” As you grow in prayer, you will discover new and different dimensions of prayer. Prayer is multi-faceted, and there is no time that we can’t be instantly in touch with God through prayer. Yes, God answers prayer, and in amazing ways. God always answers prayer though sometimes He does so in unexpected ways.
3. Attend church regularly and seek to be part of a small group for fellowship and spiritual growth.
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another . . . " (Heb. 10:24-25 NIV).
4. Tell others about your new faith in Christ.
"Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way." (1 Peter 3:15 TLB). One of Jesus’ disciples was Peter’s brother, Andrew. Andrew is not as well known as Peter, but Andrew was very effective bringing others to Jesus. You can do the same, and “Operation Andrew" is a tool to help you get started. God has a plan in placing you in the neighborhood where you live. “How to Impact Your Neighborhood with God’s Love” includes ideas to help you share God’s love in your neighborhood.
1. Begin to read the Bible, God’s Word, each day.
"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Ps. 119:11 NIV)
All of the Bible is beneficial, but you will likely find it best to read through the New Testament first. If you need assistance finding the books of the Bible, check for an index in the front of the Bible. From the “Read the New Testament in One Year” chart, begin reading at today’s date. In one year, you will have read through the entire New Testament, and this will give you a good overview of being a follower of Jesus Christ. Also to assist you with an overview of the Bible, I have included a one page “New Testament Time Line” and a one page “Old Testament Time Line.” These charts will help you follow the historical sequence of the events in the Bible.
2. Pray and ask God for guidance in your life every day and throughout the day.
Prayer is not fancy language. The best prayers are simple expressions from your heart. You now have the wonderful privilege to, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV) The Bible also says, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 TLB). Through the years, I have found it is helpful to vary the focus of my prayers using the days of the week as a general guide. My prayer life is not restricted by this, but it does help me to add variety and to pray in areas that I may otherwise overlook. See the “Daily Prayer Focus” for a guide to assist you in this regard. Praying with another person can help you stay focused and committed in your prayer life. See the guide on “How to Develop a Prayer Partnership.” As you grow in prayer, you will discover new and different dimensions of prayer. Prayer is multi-faceted, and there is no time that we can’t be instantly in touch with God through prayer. Yes, God answers prayer, and in amazing ways. God always answers prayer though sometimes He does so in unexpected ways.
3. Attend church regularly and seek to be part of a small group for fellowship and spiritual growth.
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another . . . " (Heb. 10:24-25 NIV).
4. Tell others about your new faith in Christ.
"Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way." (1 Peter 3:15 TLB). One of Jesus’ disciples was Peter’s brother, Andrew. Andrew is not as well known as Peter, but Andrew was very effective bringing others to Jesus. You can do the same, and “Operation Andrew" is a tool to help you get started. God has a plan in placing you in the neighborhood where you live. “How to Impact Your Neighborhood with God’s Love” includes ideas to help you share God’s love in your neighborhood.
