– How do I know that Jesus is the Son of God?
– How can I know that Jesus was raised from the dead?
– What is the nature of God?
– Why do I need to believe in Jesus?
– What does it mean to be “born again”?
– Is Jesus the only way to God?
– How do I get to heaven?
– What is prayer?
– Does God have a plan for my life?
– What is baptism of water?
– Who is the Holy Spirit?
– How can I have the Holy Spirit in my life?
– What is the Bible?
– What makes the Bible so special?
– Why is reading the Bible important?
How do I know that Jesus is the Son of God?
The Old Testament of the Bible is filled with prophesies about a Messiah that would come one day. While He would come from the Jewish people, He would be a light for the people of all races, so He could “bring salvation to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).
Jesus was born to a mother who was a virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit. He lived a sinless life but was nailed to a cross until He died. While Jesus was on the cross, the sins of the whole world were on Him. But then wonderfully, miraculously, God raised Jesus from the dead after He had been buried for three days!
During His time on earth, Jesus was rejected by some people was because they were expecting an earthly king with political or military power. But Jesus tried to make it clear that He came to bring about a spiritual change and bring people into the kingdom of God. When Jesus was on trial, He told the Roman governor, Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36).
Yet even in His death and rejection, He was fulfilling prophecy. About Jesus, Isaiah prophesied, “He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him” (Isaiah 53:3). In fact, Jesus fulfilled every prophecy.
Apostle Paul was one of those who, at one time, doubted that Jesus was the Son of God, but He changed His mind after encountering Jesus through a bright light on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3). Paul dedicated his life to tell others that Jesus was the Son of God. In one of his letters, Paul wrote that God highly exalted Jesus, “and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:8-11).
How can I know that Jesus was raised from the dead?
The Bible is filled with the testimony of people who saw Jesus after He rose from the dead. The Apostle Paul refers to more than 500 people who saw Him after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:6). Many of these same apostles watched as Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9).
Yet, there were many people in Jesus’ time that doubted His resurrection, including Thomas, who was one of His disciples. But, when Jesus personally appeared to him, Thomas believed. Jesus told him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:24-29).
Many of the Jewish leaders refused to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. But the Apostle Peter told them, “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:30-32).
Paul was like many Christians who did not see Jesus while He was alive, but knew He had arisen because He came to know the risen Jesus. Paul also knew the importance of faith to having a relationship with Him. The Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Paul knew that “by his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:14).
The Bible speaks about God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. Christians refer to them as the “Trinity.” There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), but He is embodied in three Persons.
Jesus called God “the Father” and taught us to call Him our “Father in Heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Jesus lived in communion with his heavenly Father, always doing his will and recognizing him as truly and eternally God. Before his ascension, Jesus said he was going to his Father. Jesus was God in the flesh. He came to reveal God’s nature by showing us how to live. He was loving, kind, and filled with God’s wisdom. He revealed how the power of God was available to answer prayer and solve problems.
Jesus died as a man, but God raised Him from the dead, to prove that He was the Son of God. When Jesus was baptized, “the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased’” (Luke 3:22).
After Jesus died and was raise from the dead, He sent the Holy Spirit to be present in the lives of people who believed in Him. The Holy Spirit guides us, leads us, empowers us, and is God’s presence with us in our daily lives.
Why do I need to believe in Jesus?
God loves you so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to Earth in the form of a man to pay the penalty for the sins and disobedience of the entire world. When God created mankind in His own image, He made us perfect. He created us to have a relationship and perfect fellowship with Him. But something happened that changed all that. He had created the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, and gave them free will. Sadly, they made a choice to disobey God. Because Adam and Eve decided to disobey God, all of us are separated from Him. And their decision condemned us all to spiritual and eternal death.
Yet, God loves us so much that He made a plan to bring us back into fellowship and restore our relationship with Him. The plan is simple: God sent His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, to earth as a man to be punished for our sins in our place.
When you believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that He was punished for your sins in your place; when you believe that God raised Him from the dead; when you accept Jesus as your Savior and make Him the Lord of your life; and when you choose to walk in obedience to God and His Word, then you receive the right to spend a glorious eternity in heaven with Him!
You exchange your will for His. You exchange eternal condemnation without Him for eternity in heaven with Him.
What does it mean to be “born again”?
The Bible says that all of us need to be “born again.” This does not mean that you experience a second physical birth! Being born again is a spiritual birth. When you pray and ask God to forgive your sins and for Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you started that new life!
There was a man in the Bible who had a hard time understanding this truth. His name was Nicodemus, and he was a Jewish leader in Jesus’ day. When Nicodemus comes to Jesus with questions, Jesus told him, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Jesus was explaining that when you are born again, God’s Holy Spirit breathes new life into your spirit. Christ is then born in you spiritually.
When you ask Christ to come into your heart, He gives you a fresh start in life. In fact, the Bible calls you a “new creation” (II Corinthians 5:17). The Spirit of God, Himself, has now come to live inside of your heart. This is the mystery and wonder of the Gospel!
When you pray and make a decision to invite Jesus Christ into your life, you have made the most important decision of your entire life.
The Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). If you want to be “born again,” just ask Jesus to come into your life and forgive you for all of your sins. Ask Him to wipe away your past and be the Lord of your life.
If you want to please God, it is important that you do not think you can go your own way. It must be God’s way. Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me” (John 14:6). In the world, other people may say that they can lead us to God, but the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is the only true way.
God loves you so much! He has so many wonderful blessings, promises, and gifts He wants to share with you. He has chosen you to be a part of His family forever. But you must choose Him. He will not make up your mind for you, nor will He force Himself on you. If there were 100 steps between you and God, He would take 99, but He would leave that last step to you.
He has given you a free will so that you can make your own choices. You must choose whom you will serve: Yourself or God.
All of us are sinners, but God loves us enough to offer us the gift of eternal life by allowing Jesus to die for our sins and offer us the gift of life. All we have to do is confess that we are sinners and believe in Him!
No one will get to heaven because they are a good person. There is no good deed you can do to earn your salvation. Not even following God’s law or believing that there is a God can get us into Heaven.
There is only ONE way to Heaven, and it is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone that we are saved for eternity. The Bible says, “There is salvation in on one else; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Prayer is simply talking to God. You can talk with Him anytime, day or night. You can talk with Him whether you are alone, or with other people. You can talk with Him as you would with a close friend. And you can be honest with Him, and speak to Him about anything.
The Bible has many stories of individuals who prayed for many different reasons and in many different ways. Many people think that you only can prayer on your knees with hands folded, head bowed, and eyes closed.
But the Bible makes it clear that there is no right or wrong way to pray. You can stand or kneel, have your eyes open or shut, and speak audibly to God or talk silently to Him in your heart. Prayer is not bound by tradition or position. It means talking with God from your heart.
Does God have a plan for my life?
God loves you so much! He has designed a special plan for your life…a plan for His special purpose for YOU! The plan God has for your life is to prosper you and not to harm you in any way. His plan is to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). The Bible says, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13-14).
As you walk with Him every day, God will begin to reveal His plans and purposes for your life. Don’t be afraid of what the Lord has in store for you. God’s plan for your life is exciting and good!
Once you have decided to follow Jesus, you now have an exciting opportunity to let others know about your new faith. Water baptism is the Scriptural example that God gave us of how to publicly declare your relationship with Jesus.
There are several reasons why Believers are baptized with water. The first is obedience. Before Jesus began His public ministry, He declared His total allegiance to God by submitting to water baptism at the hands of a John the Baptist (Matthew 3:17). Jesus also commanded His disciples to go and teach the world what He had taught them, and He specifically told them to baptize those who believed (Matthew 28:18-20).
Baptism is also an outward expression of an inward experience. When you are baptized with water you are making the statement to all those around you that you are a new creation, that you love the Lord, and that He is the Lord of your life.
Baptism is a symbol. As you go under the water, it is as though you are laying down your old life. You are, in a sense, dying as Christ died on the cross for your sins. Then you rise up washed and cleansed, resurrected to a new life. You are a new person by the faith you have in God. Colossians 2:12 says that we have “been buried with Him (Jesus) in baptism in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” The act of water baptism is a symbol of your repentant heart and your conversion into Christianity.
If you read throughout the book of Acts in the Bible, you would see that as people accepted the message of Jesus Christ, they were baptized with water as an outward demonstration of their new faith.
The Holy Spirit is a vital part of the Trinity. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is our teacher who “guides us into all truth” (John 16:13). He is our Comforter and our Teacher (John 14:26.)
To understand the Holy Spirit it is best to study the book of Acts. Throughout this book you will see the roles that the Holy Spirit plays in the lives of Believers. When the Holy Spirit is mentioned, many times He is giving instruction and guidance to the disciples. Some examples are found in Acts 1:2 and Acts 10:9-22.
The Holy Spirit also strengthens and encourages the churches. For example, in Acts 9:31 we read, “So the church throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.” This verse shows how the Holy Spirit helped people after the outpouring of His Presence as recorded in the second chapter of the book of Acts.
How can I have the Holy Spirit in my life?
With the resurrection of Jesus and His return to Heaven, came the “permanent” ministry of the Holy Spirit—literally taking up residence within each Believer. Your body is now the “temple of the Holy Spirit.” He is our Guide and our Counselor. He leads us into all Truth. He interprets Scripture for us, and He empowers us, just as He empowered Jesus for His earthly ministry.
God wants us to reach out and take hold of His promise: the blessed Holy Spirit to equip and empower us to do His will! God said that in the last days He would pour out His Spirit on all people (Acts 2:17-18). God is looking for those who are hungry for Him. He is seeking those who are willing to obey Him with boldness.
With the power of the Holy Spirit you CAN make a difference! If you have not already been filled with the Holy Spirit, you can invite Jesus to fill you with His Holy Spirit and power. Pray right now and ask to be filled with His Holy Spirit and receive all the fullness of His power.
The Bible is a collection of books recognized and used by the Christian church as the inspired by God. This is divided into the “Old Testament” and the “New Testament.”
The Old Testament is composed of books that tell about creation, God’s call on Abraham, and the experiences of his ancestors. Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, but some of this is in Aramaic.
The New Testament focuses on the life and teachings of Jesus, and contains writings of men who followed Him. This tells the story about how these men (His “disciples”) spread the word about His life and ministry. Except for a few words and sentences, the New Testament was written in Greek, the language that most people spoke at that time in that part of the world.
The Bible we read today is based on writings that go back 2,000 years. Until the invention of printing in the middle of the 15th century, all copies of the Scriptures were made by hand. Today, there are more than 4,500 manuscripts available, some dating from A.D. 125.
The Bible, in whole or in part, is now available in more than 1,100 different languages and dialects.
What makes the Bible so special?
You have a physical body that you feed every day. In the same way, you have a spirit that needs to be fed healthy spiritual food on a daily basis. Think about it this way. How long could you go without eating? A day? No problem. But how would you feel at the end of that day? How about a week? How long would it be before your body gave out completely and you died?
God established this “Principle of Self-Preservation” to keep us alive and healthy: we must eat to live. Now, you don’t need to believe in this principle if you don’t want to; just violate it see what happens. After a length of time, you will die.
The same holds true spiritually. What is our spiritual nourishment? The Bible (which also is called “The Word of God”). The longer we go without the life it contains, the weaker our spirits become. The life of Christ within your spirit must be fed in order to grow strong and stay healthy. Reading the Bible is nourishment to your spirit.
Why is reading the Bible important?
Spending time talking with God is an essential ingredient in developing a strong and meaningful Christian life. This means spending time praying as well as reading the Bible. As you read the Bible, you will find that, although written thousands of years ago, its words are still so very relevant to your life today. Within its pages you will find stories of people with whom you can identify, lessons to learn, refreshment for your soul, and comfort in your times of need.
Jesus prayed, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). It’s so important for you to find time when you can read the Word of God and eat “spiritual bread” every day. Christians often refer to this time as “having devotions.”
Devotions are simply a quiet time of the day devoted to talking with God, worshipping Him, and learning what His Holy Spirit has to teach you. God will speak to you through His Word, and you will find that it gives you strength for your day. This quiet time can be in the morning or in the evening. The time that works best for you is not important; what is important is the quality of time you spend.
