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Where to from here?

*Ez*

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Hey everyone,

I just wanted to vent/share my excitement :p I just became a Christian today, and it's only very gradually dawning on me how huge a step this is. I don't particularly feel any different though, and there's a nagging in the back of my mind about whether I was really sincere in this. Also, any advice on what to do now? Obviously pray and read the Bible, but any books/verses in particular? Or anything else? :)
 

oi_antz

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Yes, read, read and read! Here's a couple of verses which I feel might assist you in your new found faith:

Revelation 12:10 (New International Version)

10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
The doubts you are having are evidence of God's enemy trying to sway you away from your faith, this is natural and so far as my experience has shown, he doesn't desist. But remember what Jesus said that He will never allow us to be tested beyond our capacity:

Matthew 11
Rest for the Weary

25At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
27"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The Parable of the Sower

1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9He who has ears, let him hear."
10The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

11He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'[a] 16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

When you read this verse, you will know within yourself which type of Christian you are. Whether you are the one with shallow soil which will only last a short time, or whether you are one with such integrity that your good soil will produce a healthy crop. When I first read this verse the Lord told me I was the one with shallow soil, that when temptation arises I would fall away. Well that hasn't happened yet because I was determined to be one with good soil, and Jesus respects that and gives me all that I need to continue my growth in Him.

Finally, now that you know you face temptation and trial, you should know the promise He has made to us who can overcome the enemy:

Revelation 2:7
7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

This is what you must do, concentrate on overcoming the doubt and striving to be the strongest Christian you are capable of being. This means do not give in to doubt, but diligently seek the truth and if you ever struggle with your faith, express your problems to Christians who can help you overcome them.
 
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Criada

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Welcome to the family :) :hug:
It isn't about how you feel - though feelings do matter, I know. But the truth doesn't change, and feelings can depend on so much - how tired you are, when you last ate, etc.
I'd recommend reading this, and maybe printing it out as a reminder of how very much God loves you:)

As for the Bible, the best place to start is with the gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (it doesn't really matter which you read first, Luke is my favorite:)). They are the best place to really get to know Jesus. The the Acts of the Apostles tell you about the early church, and the wonderful things God dis in and through them.
The psalms are good too :)
And try to find a local church that you can be a part of - the fellowship of other Christians is really important.

I'll be praying for you, and if you want to talk, PM me anytime :hug:
 
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heymikey80

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Hey, and welcome!

If you want *practical*, 1 John's a good place to go. If you're trying to figure out how it all works, Romans is good. If you need to know Who you're trusting in, John and Matthew are good.

Feeling different isn't the point -- it's changing who you trust. That can even result in some periods of worry -- you're not trusting Someone who you were previously more comfortable with.

Plus, we aren't going to trust, absolutely. We always have some remaining doubt. The question isn't whether we're sure -- it's that Christ is reliable.
 
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servant of Merciful Love

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SharonL

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Congratulations on the most important decision in your life.

Just remember when the doubts hit that when you ask Jesus into your heart and repented of your sins your name was written in the Lamb's Book of Life and written in the Blood of Jesus - you cannot be snatched away.

You will come under some attack now as the enemy does not like to lose - just hold tight, put your hand in the hand of Jesus and let the Holy Spirit guide you and know that the attacks will come to make you doubt - just say 'get behind me - that is not of God'

Don't try too hard to know the do's and don't of different denominations - they will just confuse you and lots of those do's and don'ts come from man made rules and are not of God - the Holy Spirit will guide you and just be mindful of that still small voice and the check in your spirit when you are doing something that is not pleasing to God.

Just rejoice in the joy of the Lord and let the world see the light of Jesus shining through you - you will touch many lives.
 
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seashale76

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Hey everyone,

I just wanted to vent/share my excitement :p I just became a Christian today, and it's only very gradually dawning on me how huge a step this is. I don't particularly feel any different though, and there's a nagging in the back of my mind about whether I was really sincere in this. Also, any advice on what to do now? Obviously pray and read the Bible, but any books/verses in particular? Or anything else? :)

You need to find a church, talk to a priest, become a catechumen, and get baptized. Only then will you be able to partake of the body and blood of Christ.

Find an orthodox church in your area:
Orthodoxy in America - Home
 
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salida

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Welcome!!

Take one day at a time and get some inspirational friends that love God by their actions. Read the bible and pray daily. Get involved in a serious church. Its a life long lifestyle and you will know God more and more. True faith is demonstrated by actions than then the feelings will come. Feelings alone are like a roller coaster. Feel free to email me if have questions.
 
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Peripatetic

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Welcome to the family! My recommendation is to get a good study bible that has commentary for every chapter (and most verses). That way, as you read, you'll be able to better understand the context and background. My favorite is the English Standard Version (ESV) Study Bible, and I also own the New International Version (NIV) Study Bible. The Bible can be daunting at first... I can't tell you how much some commentary helps - even for lifetime Christians.
 
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The longer time you spend next to the fire, the wormer you become. In order to get you whole body warmed up, you need longer time next to the fire. Otherwise, if you spend short time warming, only your skin will get warm.

The longer time you spend with a shepherd, the more you will smell like a sheep.


How much are we addicted to the Word of God? How much is an drug addict, addicted to his drug?



1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Romans 8:5-8, 12:1, 2, Psalm 1:2, 3, Joshua 1:8, 1 Corinthians 14:4, 26-33, 1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:11-14, 11:6, Matthew 4:4, 5:6, 7:24-27, 10:38,39, 13:11, Colossians 1:9-12, 3:16, James 1:7-8, 4:8, John 7:37, Matthew 4:4, 22:29, Psalm 86:11, Psalm 63:1, Psalm 119:12,18, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, Psalm 119:97,98,99, Psalm 25:4,5, Psalm 63:1, 1 Peter 2:2, 5:10, Luke 9:62, 2 Peter 1:5-9, 3:18, Colossians 3:1-3, Proverbs 3:5,6, Psalm 1:2,3, Revelation 21:6, 22:17
 
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pilgrimgal

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:thumbsup:Great news..I am rejoicing with you and for you. :clap:Adding to what others have said I repeat that getting into bible study is a must. Also finding a place to worship (unless you already have) and fellowship with other Christians. Pray every day and that means just praising and thanking God for what He has done, is doing, and will do in your life. And talk to Him the way you would a friend. He listens. :cool:

I became a Christian over 50 years ago. I didn't feel anything then..but it gradually sunk in and as my life began to change. It keeps getting better and better as the Lord has shown His faithfulness, guidance, and love consistantly all of these years. :crossrc:

Welcome to kingdom living in the family of God! :groupray:
 
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Welcome, Welcome and Welcome!!!:hi:

Everything said here is wonderful advice. I would only add that in your day to day dealings be aware first and formost that you are a new creation in Christ. Friends, co-workers etc. may not know readily how to deal with your new faith if they are not also believers. It also may be easy to slip into old habits that don't mesh with your new life. This is an issue that most new Christians I have spoken with run into and one I myself fell into when I first was saved. Forgiveness, Compassion to everyone, Understanding, and Kindness are the corner stones (in my opinion) of Christian life.

If you ever need anything please don't hesitate to contact me.

Your brother in Christ:clap::amen:
 
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*Ez*

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Thanks for the replies, everyone! At the moment I'm scoping out a few churches, and hopefully I'll find a good local one that's easy to get to. Also, everyone I've told so far has been quite supportive. My parents, particularly my dad, weren't too thrilled, and my dad banned me from discussing my religion in the house or with my little brother, but he's calmed down a bit and is at least willing to talk to me about it now, so yay! I've also felt myself become more patient, and less hot-tempered, just this past week. God works in great ways :)
 
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