Now That You Are Saved
If you have just got saved, congratulations!
You are now a Christian.
You have become 'born again'. See John 3:1-7.
You have just made the greatest and most important decision of your entire life.
Your decision to get saved is so important that it made news today in Heaven. The angels rejoiced when they heard about it. In fact, it brought joy to the heart of God. See Luke 15:10 and Ezekiel 33:11.
Please find below a list of simple, basic pointers that will be of help to you in your new life as a Christian.
Eleven Simple, Basic Pointers for New Christians
[1] Get yourself a copy of the King James Bible (click here for more information). Click here to read the King James Bible online free of charge. The Bible Spreading Union is an organisation that provides free copies of the King James Bible to those who request one (please click here to email the Bible Spreading Union). By the way, just be careful who you ask for a free Bible - cults like the Mormons offer free Bibles too.
If you can afford it, please try to purchase a copy of the King James Bible that incorporates the 'Life Application Study Notes' (please click here and here for more information) - it is by far the best Study Bible on the market and will be of immense help to you. You will find that it explains the Bible very well and really simply.
Sometimes, when we read the Bible, we come across words that we may not understand. That's no problem whatsoever, it's perfectly normal and it happens to everyone - so don't worry about it, and don't feel bad about it either. Just pray and ask God to help you understand - then leave the matter in His hands and just continue on with your reading of the Bible. At the earliest possible opportunity, see to it that you purchase a very cheap little booklet entitled 'The King James Bible Companion' by David Daniels (click here in order to obtain this item). It is a short, simple, practical little booklet that explains all of the difficult words found in the Bible. It is worth its weight in gold.
Read your Bible every day. It will help you get to know Jesus better. Before you read it, take a few moments and pray, asking God to help you understand what you are reading. Take your time as you read the Bible, don't rush - that way you'll get more benefit out of it. It is better to read a little and take it in, than read a lot and not understand it. See 1st Peter 2:2 and 2nd Timothy 3:16. J.C. Ryle once said: "We must read our Bibles like men digging for hidden treasure". Digging for hidden treasure is never rushed and always takes time. Therefore, please take your time and don't rush - enjoy the Word of God in the same way that you would enjoy a good meal.
The Bible is divided into two main sections - the Old Testament (which covers things that happened before the birth of Christ) and the New Testament (which covers things that happened after the birth of Christ). It is probably best if you start off by reading the Book of Matthew first (this is the first book of the New Testament), and then continue on until you finish the New Testament. You should then read the Book of Pslams (this is the large book located right in the centre of your Bible). After that, you should read the Book of Genesis (this is the first book of the Old Testament), and then continue on until you finish the Old Testament.
If you cannot read English, please click here to contact the Trinitarian Bible Society and here to contact the Dean Burgon Society. These organisations will help you to receive a copy of the Bible in your own language.
Never underestimate the immense value and great privilege of being able to read the word of God. Robert L. Sumner, in his book 'The Wonder of The Word of God', tells of a man in Kansas City who was severely injured in an explosion. His face was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. He had just become a Christian when the accident happened, and one of his greatest disappointments was that he could no longer read the Bible. Then he heard about a lady in England who read braille with her lips. Hoping to do the same, he sent for some books of the Bible in braille. But he discovered that the nerve endings in his lips had been too badly damaged to distinguish the characters. One day, as he brought one of the braille pages to his lips, his tongue happened to touch a few of the raised characters and he could feel them. Like a flash he thought, 'I can read the Bible using my tongue.' By the time that Robert Sumner published this story, the man in question had read through the entire Bible four times! Now, if he could do that, then you and I ought to be able to discipline ourselves enough to read the Bible each day.
[2] Talk to God every day. This is what the Bible calls 'prayer'. See 1st Peter 4:7, James 5:16, Colossians 4:2 and Romans 12:12.
[3] Now that you have become a Christian, be baptised by full immersion in obedience to the commands of Scripture. See Acts 8:26-38 and Acts 16:30-33.
[4] Live a life that is pleasing to the Lord and represents Him well to others. James 1:22 commands us to obey the Bible, telling us to be "doers" of the Word, and not just hearers only. Be a good person. Determine to be gracious to others and be a blessing to them. In the words of John Wesley: "Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can." There's nothing more discouraging that a Christian who gets on everybody's nerves.
The story is told of an elderly Christian was at a prayer meeting one evening. He prayed, "O Lord, we will praise Thee with an instrument of ten strings!" People wondered what he meant, but understood when he continued, "We will praise Thee with our two eyes by looking only unto Thee. We will exalt Thee with our two ears by listening only to Thy voice. We will extol Thee with our two hands by working in Thy service. We will honour Thee with our own two feet by walking in the way of Thy statutes. We will magnify Thee with our tongue by bearing testimony to Thy lovingkindness. We will worship Thee with our heart by loving only Thee. We thank Thee for this instrument, Lord; keep it in tune!" This story helps to illustrate how we, as Christians, ought to live - i.e. our lives should be centred upon God and following His will for our lives.
[5] Find a friendly, caring, evangelical church (click here for more information) where Christ is preached and the Bible is believed and obeyed. When you locate such a church, tell them that you have got saved and are looking for a church to be part of. In order to be spiritually healthy as a Christian, it is important that you regularly go to church in order to worship with, befriend and serve alongside other Christians. Determine to be a supportive, solid and dependable blessing to that church, its people and its pastor. See Acts 2:47, 2nd Timothy 3:16, Acts 5:42, Acts 9:20, 1st Corinthians 1:23 and Ephesians 3:8.
[6] One of the terms that the Bible uses in order to describe what happens to us when we get saved (i.e. become a Christian) is the word 'salvation'. The word 'salvation' is taken from the word 'salvage', because it refers to what happens when God 'salvages' (or 'rescues') you. 'Salvation' is what happens when God 'rescues' someone from going to Hell. All around us are millions of people who need 'salvation' - i.e. they need God to 'rescue' them. Therefore please tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ (this is called 'witnessing'). Tell them about how He 'rescued' you from Hell and how He wants to 'rescue' them also. Tell them the good news that they too can go to Heaven if they are saved (direct them to this website, especially the front page entitled 'How to Go to Heaven').
Now, if any of you find 'witnessing' to be difficult or intimidating - then go to a cheap printer, run off a batch of basic black and white business cards with the following words on them: "Whoever you are, whatever you've done, whatever you've been through - God still loves you. Visit www.Go2Heaven.cc". Once you've got your batch of business cards, simply begin to quietly distribute them by: leaving them lying around different places (eg. telephone boxes, buses, trains, libraries, toilets, taxis, shops, waiting rooms, lockers, airports etc); leaving them for people when you are giving them a tip; sending them to others in the mail; paying a small fee in order to place them in a shop window or on a notice board; and leaving them in books, magazines, newspapers, brochures, greeting cards, etc. After you've done this for a while, you may notice that your confidence is beginning to rise - when that happens, you may wish to actually start handing out the business cards to people on a face to face basis. Only produce these business cards and distribute them on the condition that you will do so sensitively, tastefully and in accordance with the law. In addition, always remember to pray first (asking God's blessing and guidance on your efforts) before you produce or distribute any of the business cards. Every time that you distribute one of these business cards, you are (directly or indirectly) reaching at least one more person for the Lord Jesus Christ and offering them the chance to know about how they can go to Heaven when they die. This means that, with minimal effort, you could easily reach hundreds of people a year for Jesus Christ.
Another idea that a believer who struggles with witnessing may wish to try is to take out a small, cheap, simple classifieds advert in a magazine, circular or local newspaper. Use the following words: "Whoever you are, whatever you've done, whatever you've been through - God still loves you. Visit www.Go2Heaven.cc" - or use these words: "How can I go to Heaven? To find out, visit www.Go2Heaven.cc". Only place these classifed adverts on the condition that you do so sensitively, tastefully and in accordance with the law. In addition, always remember to pray first (asking God's blessing and guidance on your efforts) before you place these classified adverts. Every time that someone reads your classified advert, you are (directly or indirectly) reaching at least one more person for the Lord Jesus Christ and offering them the chance to know about how they can go to Heaven when they die. This means that, with minimal effort, you could easily reach thousands of people a year for Jesus Christ.
One very easy, yet exceptionally important, way to witness to others is to be welcoming to newcomers when they come to church. If you see someone new at your church, go over to them and shake hands, smile, make eye contact, welcome them to the service, invite them to sit with you, introduce yourself, talk to them about their life, offer them a fresh bottle of water, put them at ease, make them comfortable and let them know that they are in a church that cares about them. Don't be pushy, but be kind to them so that they can be at ease. Tell them that you'll be praying for them.
Click here in order to learn more about how you can help tell others about how they can go to Heaven. See Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8-9.
[7] As a new believer in Jesus Christ, you may find it helpful to make a few small purchases that will be of immense value to you in your Christian life. As you read your Bible, begin to underline it and make notes in its margins when you come across something that especially speaks to you or makes an especially strong impression upon you. In order to do this, you will need a good pen. It is very difficult to do this if you are using a normal pen (you will normally find that either the tip isn't fine enough or the ink eventually runs right through the page). By far the best and easiest pen to use when making notes in your Bible is the 'Black 0.005cm Point Sakura Pigma Micron Pen'. It is very cheap and lasts a long time. Click here to purchase the Sakura Pigma Micron 005 Pen in the UK & Europe. Click here to purchase the Sakura Micron 005 Pen in the USA.
When you go to church and listen to the pastor preaching his sermon, you will find that you get far more benefit out of the experience if you take notes. Therefore buy yourself a cheap notepad and take notes when listening to the sermon (click here to purchase cheap notepads). This is definitely the best way to get maximum benefit out of listening to a sermon.
Sometimes, when we read the Bible, we come across words that we may not understand. That's no problem whatsoever, it's perfectly normal and it happens to everyone - so don't worry about it, and don't feel bad about it either. Just pray and ask God to help you understand - then leave the matter in His hands and just continue on with your reading of the Bible. At the earliest possible opportunity, see to it that you purchase a very cheap little booklet entitled 'The King James Bible Companion' by David Daniels (click here in order to obtain this item). It is a short, simple, practical little booklet that explains all of the difficult words found in the Bible. It is worth its weight in gold.
As you live your Christian life, you will find that a really good daily devotional book will be of immense use and blessing to you. A daily devotional book is a (usually short) book that is broken down into 365 sections - one for you to read on every day of the year. There are literally thousands of daily devotional books for you to choose from - so be careful because not all of them are good. By far the best 2 devotional books in the world today are the following: 'The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith' by Charles H. Spurgeon (you can purchase it here or read it online for free here); and 'Daily Light' by Robert Bagster (you can purchase it here or read it online for free here).
Finally, try to pick up a good modern language version of 'Pilgrim's Progress'. This is an absolutely amazing book written by John Bunyan describing, in dream-story format, the Christian's journey from conversion to Heaven. You can purchase it by clicking here.
[8] If you are married to someone who isn't a Christian or going out with someone who isn't a Christian, then please be sensitive and patient with them. Pray to God for help before you say anything. Tell them lovingly and respectfully that you have just become a Christian and direct them to this website. However, after you've done that, give them time and space to decide whether or not they want to become a Christian also. Don't preach on at them continually, don't try to 'shove it down their throats', and don't pressurise them into making a decision. You cannot decide for them. Don't flood them with invitations to Christian events (by all means, invite them to a few things but don't go over the top). If you think that it would be helpful, then feel free to introduce your partner to some of your Christian friends - but don't swamp them, you don't want them to feel that they are surrounded or under siege. Tell them about what has happened in your life, but after that - just pray for them every day, be a good partner to them and leave it between them and God. Treat your partner, their opinions and their wishes with respect at all times - even if you don't agree with them.
If you are single, the Word of God teaches that you can only enter into romantic relationships with fellow Evangelical Christians. Furthermore, you are only allowed to engage in sexual activity within the bounds of marriage. God defines marriage as being a faithful, life-long relationship between one man and one woman. See 2nd Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Genesis 2:22-24, Proverbs 5:18-19, Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 19:14, Proverbs 31:10, Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:22-23, Colossians 3:18-19, Hebrews 13:4-7 and Mark 10:6-9.
[9] Be very careful if you have access to 'Christian TV Channels' or 'Christian Radio Programmes'. When you view these TV channels or listen to these radio programmes for any amount of time, you will find that they are a bit of a mixed bunch - some of the ministries are very good, others are very bad. The very best ministries to listen to are Love Worth Finding (the ministry of Adrian Rogers), Insight for Living (the ministry of Chuck Swindoll), Turning Point (the ministry of David Jeremiah), Grace to You (the ministry of John MacArthur) and Thru the Bible (the ministry of J. Vernon Magee). Some good material is produced by Tabernacle Television Ministry (the ministry of Peter Masters), Coral Ridge Gospel Hour (the ministry of D. James Kennedy), Preaching of the Cross (the ministry of James Knox), Focus on the Family (the ministry of James Dobson), Sonlife Broadcasting Network (the ministry of Jimmy Swaggart) and Drawing Men to Christ (the ministry of Peter Ruckman).
Avoid anything produced by the ministries of Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Rodney Howard Browne, Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin.
Finally, be careful to ensure that listening to Christian Radio or Christian Television doesn't end up usurping the central place that Bible reading and prayer ought to have in your spiritual life.
[10] Be very careful when you go into a 'Christian Bookshop'. Just like Christian TV Channels and Christian Radio Programmes, 'Christian Bookshops' are a bit of a mixed bunch - some of the resources that they sell are very good, others are very bad. Whilst we cannot vouch for everything that they sell or produce, you will find that the following publishers (generally speaking) produce material that is both good and trustworthy - Harvest, Ritchie, Kregal, Loizeaux Brothers, Baker, Sword of the Lord, Banner of Truth, Evangelical Press and Moriel. Some good material is produced by Chick Publications, Ambassador, Crossway, IVP, Whitaker, Moody, Tyndale, Hendrickson and Zondervan.
Finally, be careful to ensure that your enjoyment of Christian books and other resources doesn't end up usurping the central place that Bible reading and prayer ought to have in your spiritual life.
[11] Don't get obsessed over 'old chestnuts'.
What are 'old chestnuts'?
'Old chestnuts' are a series of long-running minor disagreements that Christians have had down through the centuries over a variety of secondary issues. Some of them are as follows...................
Calvinism or Arminianism?
Premillennialism, Amillennialism or Postmillennialism?
Pentecostalism or Cessationism?
As time goes by and you make progress in the Christian life, you will find yourself beginning to understand and form opinions on these subjects - and that's good, but always remember that these subjects are secondary issues and therefore should never be allowed to distract us from the central focus of our lives - namely: Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and telling others how they can go to Heaven.
If you spend your entire Christian life fixating on these 'old chestnuts' (as some Christians unfortunately do), then you will be of little use to God, your church, your pastor, fellow believers, or the task of telling others about how they can go to Heaven when they die.
And finally, on the subject of 'old chestnuts', just remember this - when we get to Heaven, all of these secondary issues will be sorted out by Jesus Himself. So please realise that there is no need to waste precious time and energy by getting obsessed about secondary issues.
You are now a Christian.
You have become 'born again'. See John 3:1-7.
You have just made the greatest and most important decision of your entire life.
Your decision to get saved is so important that it made news today in Heaven. The angels rejoiced when they heard about it. In fact, it brought joy to the heart of God. See Luke 15:10 and Ezekiel 33:11.
Please find below a list of simple, basic pointers that will be of help to you in your new life as a Christian.
Eleven Simple, Basic Pointers for New Christians
[1] Get yourself a copy of the King James Bible (click here for more information). Click here to read the King James Bible online free of charge. The Bible Spreading Union is an organisation that provides free copies of the King James Bible to those who request one (please click here to email the Bible Spreading Union). By the way, just be careful who you ask for a free Bible - cults like the Mormons offer free Bibles too.
If you can afford it, please try to purchase a copy of the King James Bible that incorporates the 'Life Application Study Notes' (please click here and here for more information) - it is by far the best Study Bible on the market and will be of immense help to you. You will find that it explains the Bible very well and really simply.
Sometimes, when we read the Bible, we come across words that we may not understand. That's no problem whatsoever, it's perfectly normal and it happens to everyone - so don't worry about it, and don't feel bad about it either. Just pray and ask God to help you understand - then leave the matter in His hands and just continue on with your reading of the Bible. At the earliest possible opportunity, see to it that you purchase a very cheap little booklet entitled 'The King James Bible Companion' by David Daniels (click here in order to obtain this item). It is a short, simple, practical little booklet that explains all of the difficult words found in the Bible. It is worth its weight in gold.
Read your Bible every day. It will help you get to know Jesus better. Before you read it, take a few moments and pray, asking God to help you understand what you are reading. Take your time as you read the Bible, don't rush - that way you'll get more benefit out of it. It is better to read a little and take it in, than read a lot and not understand it. See 1st Peter 2:2 and 2nd Timothy 3:16. J.C. Ryle once said: "We must read our Bibles like men digging for hidden treasure". Digging for hidden treasure is never rushed and always takes time. Therefore, please take your time and don't rush - enjoy the Word of God in the same way that you would enjoy a good meal.
The Bible is divided into two main sections - the Old Testament (which covers things that happened before the birth of Christ) and the New Testament (which covers things that happened after the birth of Christ). It is probably best if you start off by reading the Book of Matthew first (this is the first book of the New Testament), and then continue on until you finish the New Testament. You should then read the Book of Pslams (this is the large book located right in the centre of your Bible). After that, you should read the Book of Genesis (this is the first book of the Old Testament), and then continue on until you finish the Old Testament.
If you cannot read English, please click here to contact the Trinitarian Bible Society and here to contact the Dean Burgon Society. These organisations will help you to receive a copy of the Bible in your own language.
Never underestimate the immense value and great privilege of being able to read the word of God. Robert L. Sumner, in his book 'The Wonder of The Word of God', tells of a man in Kansas City who was severely injured in an explosion. His face was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. He had just become a Christian when the accident happened, and one of his greatest disappointments was that he could no longer read the Bible. Then he heard about a lady in England who read braille with her lips. Hoping to do the same, he sent for some books of the Bible in braille. But he discovered that the nerve endings in his lips had been too badly damaged to distinguish the characters. One day, as he brought one of the braille pages to his lips, his tongue happened to touch a few of the raised characters and he could feel them. Like a flash he thought, 'I can read the Bible using my tongue.' By the time that Robert Sumner published this story, the man in question had read through the entire Bible four times! Now, if he could do that, then you and I ought to be able to discipline ourselves enough to read the Bible each day.
[2] Talk to God every day. This is what the Bible calls 'prayer'. See 1st Peter 4:7, James 5:16, Colossians 4:2 and Romans 12:12.
[3] Now that you have become a Christian, be baptised by full immersion in obedience to the commands of Scripture. See Acts 8:26-38 and Acts 16:30-33.
[4] Live a life that is pleasing to the Lord and represents Him well to others. James 1:22 commands us to obey the Bible, telling us to be "doers" of the Word, and not just hearers only. Be a good person. Determine to be gracious to others and be a blessing to them. In the words of John Wesley: "Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can." There's nothing more discouraging that a Christian who gets on everybody's nerves.
The story is told of an elderly Christian was at a prayer meeting one evening. He prayed, "O Lord, we will praise Thee with an instrument of ten strings!" People wondered what he meant, but understood when he continued, "We will praise Thee with our two eyes by looking only unto Thee. We will exalt Thee with our two ears by listening only to Thy voice. We will extol Thee with our two hands by working in Thy service. We will honour Thee with our own two feet by walking in the way of Thy statutes. We will magnify Thee with our tongue by bearing testimony to Thy lovingkindness. We will worship Thee with our heart by loving only Thee. We thank Thee for this instrument, Lord; keep it in tune!" This story helps to illustrate how we, as Christians, ought to live - i.e. our lives should be centred upon God and following His will for our lives.
[5] Find a friendly, caring, evangelical church (click here for more information) where Christ is preached and the Bible is believed and obeyed. When you locate such a church, tell them that you have got saved and are looking for a church to be part of. In order to be spiritually healthy as a Christian, it is important that you regularly go to church in order to worship with, befriend and serve alongside other Christians. Determine to be a supportive, solid and dependable blessing to that church, its people and its pastor. See Acts 2:47, 2nd Timothy 3:16, Acts 5:42, Acts 9:20, 1st Corinthians 1:23 and Ephesians 3:8.
[6] One of the terms that the Bible uses in order to describe what happens to us when we get saved (i.e. become a Christian) is the word 'salvation'. The word 'salvation' is taken from the word 'salvage', because it refers to what happens when God 'salvages' (or 'rescues') you. 'Salvation' is what happens when God 'rescues' someone from going to Hell. All around us are millions of people who need 'salvation' - i.e. they need God to 'rescue' them. Therefore please tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ (this is called 'witnessing'). Tell them about how He 'rescued' you from Hell and how He wants to 'rescue' them also. Tell them the good news that they too can go to Heaven if they are saved (direct them to this website, especially the front page entitled 'How to Go to Heaven').
Now, if any of you find 'witnessing' to be difficult or intimidating - then go to a cheap printer, run off a batch of basic black and white business cards with the following words on them: "Whoever you are, whatever you've done, whatever you've been through - God still loves you. Visit www.Go2Heaven.cc". Once you've got your batch of business cards, simply begin to quietly distribute them by: leaving them lying around different places (eg. telephone boxes, buses, trains, libraries, toilets, taxis, shops, waiting rooms, lockers, airports etc); leaving them for people when you are giving them a tip; sending them to others in the mail; paying a small fee in order to place them in a shop window or on a notice board; and leaving them in books, magazines, newspapers, brochures, greeting cards, etc. After you've done this for a while, you may notice that your confidence is beginning to rise - when that happens, you may wish to actually start handing out the business cards to people on a face to face basis. Only produce these business cards and distribute them on the condition that you will do so sensitively, tastefully and in accordance with the law. In addition, always remember to pray first (asking God's blessing and guidance on your efforts) before you produce or distribute any of the business cards. Every time that you distribute one of these business cards, you are (directly or indirectly) reaching at least one more person for the Lord Jesus Christ and offering them the chance to know about how they can go to Heaven when they die. This means that, with minimal effort, you could easily reach hundreds of people a year for Jesus Christ.
Another idea that a believer who struggles with witnessing may wish to try is to take out a small, cheap, simple classifieds advert in a magazine, circular or local newspaper. Use the following words: "Whoever you are, whatever you've done, whatever you've been through - God still loves you. Visit www.Go2Heaven.cc" - or use these words: "How can I go to Heaven? To find out, visit www.Go2Heaven.cc". Only place these classifed adverts on the condition that you do so sensitively, tastefully and in accordance with the law. In addition, always remember to pray first (asking God's blessing and guidance on your efforts) before you place these classified adverts. Every time that someone reads your classified advert, you are (directly or indirectly) reaching at least one more person for the Lord Jesus Christ and offering them the chance to know about how they can go to Heaven when they die. This means that, with minimal effort, you could easily reach thousands of people a year for Jesus Christ.
One very easy, yet exceptionally important, way to witness to others is to be welcoming to newcomers when they come to church. If you see someone new at your church, go over to them and shake hands, smile, make eye contact, welcome them to the service, invite them to sit with you, introduce yourself, talk to them about their life, offer them a fresh bottle of water, put them at ease, make them comfortable and let them know that they are in a church that cares about them. Don't be pushy, but be kind to them so that they can be at ease. Tell them that you'll be praying for them.
Click here in order to learn more about how you can help tell others about how they can go to Heaven. See Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8-9.
[7] As a new believer in Jesus Christ, you may find it helpful to make a few small purchases that will be of immense value to you in your Christian life. As you read your Bible, begin to underline it and make notes in its margins when you come across something that especially speaks to you or makes an especially strong impression upon you. In order to do this, you will need a good pen. It is very difficult to do this if you are using a normal pen (you will normally find that either the tip isn't fine enough or the ink eventually runs right through the page). By far the best and easiest pen to use when making notes in your Bible is the 'Black 0.005cm Point Sakura Pigma Micron Pen'. It is very cheap and lasts a long time. Click here to purchase the Sakura Pigma Micron 005 Pen in the UK & Europe. Click here to purchase the Sakura Micron 005 Pen in the USA.
When you go to church and listen to the pastor preaching his sermon, you will find that you get far more benefit out of the experience if you take notes. Therefore buy yourself a cheap notepad and take notes when listening to the sermon (click here to purchase cheap notepads). This is definitely the best way to get maximum benefit out of listening to a sermon.
Sometimes, when we read the Bible, we come across words that we may not understand. That's no problem whatsoever, it's perfectly normal and it happens to everyone - so don't worry about it, and don't feel bad about it either. Just pray and ask God to help you understand - then leave the matter in His hands and just continue on with your reading of the Bible. At the earliest possible opportunity, see to it that you purchase a very cheap little booklet entitled 'The King James Bible Companion' by David Daniels (click here in order to obtain this item). It is a short, simple, practical little booklet that explains all of the difficult words found in the Bible. It is worth its weight in gold.
As you live your Christian life, you will find that a really good daily devotional book will be of immense use and blessing to you. A daily devotional book is a (usually short) book that is broken down into 365 sections - one for you to read on every day of the year. There are literally thousands of daily devotional books for you to choose from - so be careful because not all of them are good. By far the best 2 devotional books in the world today are the following: 'The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith' by Charles H. Spurgeon (you can purchase it here or read it online for free here); and 'Daily Light' by Robert Bagster (you can purchase it here or read it online for free here).
Finally, try to pick up a good modern language version of 'Pilgrim's Progress'. This is an absolutely amazing book written by John Bunyan describing, in dream-story format, the Christian's journey from conversion to Heaven. You can purchase it by clicking here.
[8] If you are married to someone who isn't a Christian or going out with someone who isn't a Christian, then please be sensitive and patient with them. Pray to God for help before you say anything. Tell them lovingly and respectfully that you have just become a Christian and direct them to this website. However, after you've done that, give them time and space to decide whether or not they want to become a Christian also. Don't preach on at them continually, don't try to 'shove it down their throats', and don't pressurise them into making a decision. You cannot decide for them. Don't flood them with invitations to Christian events (by all means, invite them to a few things but don't go over the top). If you think that it would be helpful, then feel free to introduce your partner to some of your Christian friends - but don't swamp them, you don't want them to feel that they are surrounded or under siege. Tell them about what has happened in your life, but after that - just pray for them every day, be a good partner to them and leave it between them and God. Treat your partner, their opinions and their wishes with respect at all times - even if you don't agree with them.
If you are single, the Word of God teaches that you can only enter into romantic relationships with fellow Evangelical Christians. Furthermore, you are only allowed to engage in sexual activity within the bounds of marriage. God defines marriage as being a faithful, life-long relationship between one man and one woman. See 2nd Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Genesis 2:22-24, Proverbs 5:18-19, Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 19:14, Proverbs 31:10, Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:22-23, Colossians 3:18-19, Hebrews 13:4-7 and Mark 10:6-9.
[9] Be very careful if you have access to 'Christian TV Channels' or 'Christian Radio Programmes'. When you view these TV channels or listen to these radio programmes for any amount of time, you will find that they are a bit of a mixed bunch - some of the ministries are very good, others are very bad. The very best ministries to listen to are Love Worth Finding (the ministry of Adrian Rogers), Insight for Living (the ministry of Chuck Swindoll), Turning Point (the ministry of David Jeremiah), Grace to You (the ministry of John MacArthur) and Thru the Bible (the ministry of J. Vernon Magee). Some good material is produced by Tabernacle Television Ministry (the ministry of Peter Masters), Coral Ridge Gospel Hour (the ministry of D. James Kennedy), Preaching of the Cross (the ministry of James Knox), Focus on the Family (the ministry of James Dobson), Sonlife Broadcasting Network (the ministry of Jimmy Swaggart) and Drawing Men to Christ (the ministry of Peter Ruckman).
Avoid anything produced by the ministries of Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Rodney Howard Browne, Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin.
Finally, be careful to ensure that listening to Christian Radio or Christian Television doesn't end up usurping the central place that Bible reading and prayer ought to have in your spiritual life.
[10] Be very careful when you go into a 'Christian Bookshop'. Just like Christian TV Channels and Christian Radio Programmes, 'Christian Bookshops' are a bit of a mixed bunch - some of the resources that they sell are very good, others are very bad. Whilst we cannot vouch for everything that they sell or produce, you will find that the following publishers (generally speaking) produce material that is both good and trustworthy - Harvest, Ritchie, Kregal, Loizeaux Brothers, Baker, Sword of the Lord, Banner of Truth, Evangelical Press and Moriel. Some good material is produced by Chick Publications, Ambassador, Crossway, IVP, Whitaker, Moody, Tyndale, Hendrickson and Zondervan.
Finally, be careful to ensure that your enjoyment of Christian books and other resources doesn't end up usurping the central place that Bible reading and prayer ought to have in your spiritual life.
[11] Don't get obsessed over 'old chestnuts'.
What are 'old chestnuts'?
'Old chestnuts' are a series of long-running minor disagreements that Christians have had down through the centuries over a variety of secondary issues. Some of them are as follows...................
Calvinism or Arminianism?
Premillennialism, Amillennialism or Postmillennialism?
Pentecostalism or Cessationism?
As time goes by and you make progress in the Christian life, you will find yourself beginning to understand and form opinions on these subjects - and that's good, but always remember that these subjects are secondary issues and therefore should never be allowed to distract us from the central focus of our lives - namely: Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and telling others how they can go to Heaven.
If you spend your entire Christian life fixating on these 'old chestnuts' (as some Christians unfortunately do), then you will be of little use to God, your church, your pastor, fellow believers, or the task of telling others about how they can go to Heaven when they die.
And finally, on the subject of 'old chestnuts', just remember this - when we get to Heaven, all of these secondary issues will be sorted out by Jesus Himself. So please realise that there is no need to waste precious time and energy by getting obsessed about secondary issues.