Hello, and welcome to God's family!  By accepting Jesus into your life, you have already become a new creation.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).  You are no longer a slave to your old self, or your old sin, because Christ has given you a new beginning.  The slate has been wiped clean!

You may be thinking, I look the same…and you may even feel the same, but God has made you new.  Don't get me wrong.  You will still have trials and temptations.  In fact, your walk will not only seem impossible, it really is impossible...without the power of God in your life.  But with Jesus, the “…author and finisher of our faith,” guiding you, and the Holy Spirit helping you, you can press on towards the goal and have victory in your life (Hebrews 12:2). 

The following four steps will enable you to grow in Christ:

            1.  Read the Bible – The Bible is God’s written Word to man.  Through reading the Bible, we are able to nourish ourselves, grow spiritually and also know who God is, what He has done and what His plans are for us.  “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You ” (Psalm 119:11).

2.   Talk to God – God created you, a spiritual being, able to communicate and fellowship with Him.  When we pray, we are not only verbalizing our needs and desires, but God also speaks to our heart to bring us comfort, assurance and direction.  “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God…The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God “ (Romans 8:14-16).

3.  Go to Church – By attending church you are able to encourage other Christians as well as be encouraged by them.  It makes us accountable to God and others.  “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Proverb 27:17).  Also, God has raised up and gifted some to be pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12).  So by attending church on a regular basis, we are being trained up so that we can become more mature in our faith.

            4.  Share your faith - It is God's desire to reach all people through willing believers.  God will never force Himself on anyone, but desires to demonstrate His love to the world through His saints.  Jesus instructed His disciples to share the Word of God with anyone, anywhere at anytime.  Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” It is our responsibility to take this to heart and to begin to share with others the same love and hope that God has shown us.

Lastly, I just want to encourage and exhort you to continue on your spiritual journey as God leads you and keeps you in His love!  As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 13:14, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  Amen.”

May God bless you and keep you!

Pastor Raul