WANT TO FOLLOW JESUS?
 
Following Jesus Christ is a moment's decision and a life time journey.

It begins with your recognition that Jesus is the Son of God and the only means you can peace with God.

You see, God made this possible because He seeks to forgive you. He wants to have fellowship with you and give you His promises, but He cannot because of your sin (Romans 3:23). But, God not only has the desire to forgive you but makes a way for that to happen (Romans 6:23).

Be sorry for your sins and be willing to walk away from them. Tell God this. This is called repentance - ''turning around to go another direction.'' Only you and He know the truth of your heart. Tell Him that you want His forgiveness and that you are sorry for your sins. Name them. Admit to Him your misdirection in life and what caused you to get there.

Now, tell Him that you trust His Word. That is: ''For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life'' (John 3:16). Can you accept this love and this gift?

Ask God to forgive you and confess to Him that you believe that Jesus Christ is His Son and that He died for your sins on the Cross.

If you have been genuine with God in this confession, then He has forgiven you and you are now a child of God - no longer just a part of His creation, but a child.

That's right - a child. You are now young in the faith, so it is important for you to find a community of faith - a church family - to begin your new life with Jesus Christ. You have taken a first step, and there are others to follow.

Here are some initial tips for beginning the journey:

Contact the pastor and he will celebrate your decision and help you get started on your journey with Christ.

Start reading the Bible, but don't start at the beginning. Start reading in the Gospel of John, and read deliberately and carefully. Don't try to read a chapter a night. Don't be in a hurry. Just read slowly.

As you read, ask God, ''What are you saying to me?'' Once you read something that catches your attention; in other words, God has ''spoken'' to you, then ask another question. ''What do I need to say to God?'' and then say it as a prayer. You might consider writing these things down in a journal, and watch what takes place.

You might want to start with some important teachings of Jesus. His Sermon on the Mount is an excellent source for solid living. It is found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 5-7.

Pray every day - more than the blessing for a meal. Really talk with God. Christ's death and resurrection have made it possible for you to talk with God. There is no magic formula, just talk with Him. Tell Him what you thankful for, how you're felling about things, and in what do you need His guidance. It will be a great release for you. It is one of the greatest stress management tools around.

Meet with other Christians. Get involved in Christian worship and the preaching of God's Word and in a small group Bible study.

Get involved. Start doing some good things. Jesus said that what type of person you are will be known by what you say and what you do (Matthew 7:15-20). He also said that doing good things honors God (Matthew 5:16). Notice, our actions are a result of our being forgiven. We are not forgiven because we have done good things. If you are forgiven or saved, you will seek to live like it. Be obedient to Him.

Be kind to people rather than reacting to them. Those you may have hurt, seek forgiveness from them. Tell them that you are seeking to live differently because you have been given the gift of forgiveness.

Start becoming a servant. Beyond helping others, let go of some of your ego. There is nothing wrong with being confident, but being arrogant is quite a different matter. Watch out for those times when you will think more highly of yourself than you ought to.

Trust God always. He is faithful. As a believer in Jesus Christ you will be tested on a lot of levels. Don't be shocked by this. You may be a believer but you are still in a troubled world and you will be tempted to ''go back to your old self.''

When you reach moments of testing, trust God's love for you and trust His Word. Call a minister to seek some guidance. Talk with another believer or two about your testing and how they have handled it. But in all situations, read the Word of God. You will grow stronger and more confident by doing so.