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Dear New Believer,

I am so thrilled with the decision you have made. Your decision to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior is the greatest decision you will ever make. When you sincerely asked the Lord to come into your heart, you can be assured He did. What joy to know that He saved your soul and that one day you will go to Heaven and live with Him forever!

The Word of God calls this being “born again.”

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (I Peter 1:23)

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ... Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John 3:3,7)

This means you have been born into the family of God and are now a child of His. This is wonderful news that should fill you with joy! Welcome to the family of God!

Now that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and have been born into the family of God, it is the Lord’s desire for you to become all that He has saved you to be. With this in mind, I invite you to read the following material slowly and carefully.

This booklet is given to you as an introduction to your new life in Christ. I trust it will help you grow to become all the Lord has saved you to become.

Jody Jenkins

Certificate of New Birth

This is a testimony that I,

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was born into the family of God on

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I acknowledge that I have received the Lord Jesus as my Savior. I have received His free pardon and gift of eternal life. I have the new name ...

Child of God

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. John 1:12

KNOW YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (I John 5:13)

God wants you to “know” you have eternal life! You can only know you are a child of God if you have

trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior by asking Him to come into your heart, to for give your sin, and to change your life. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. .. “ (Acts 16:31). Is this the decision you made?

The complete assurance of your salvation is one of the things the devil will attack. Assurance of salvation is the spiritual certainty that one is truly a child of God and a genuine recipient of everlasting life. This assur ance is foundational to your new life in Christ and can only be obtained by simply believing what God has plainly said to those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Here is what Jesus said:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemna tion; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

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“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life...“ (John 3:36)

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

A man once came to D.L. Moody and said he was worried because he did not feel saved. Mr. Moody asked, “Was Noah safe in the ark?”

“Certainly he was,” replied the man.

“Well, what made him safe-his feeling or the ark?” The inquirer got the point. “How foolish I have been!” he said. “It is not my feeling; it is Christ who saves!”

My friend, if you sincerely prayed and asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart, to forgive your sins, and to change your life, you can be assured He did! Rest in this truth! Welcome to the family of God!

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MAKE A PUBLIC PROFESSION OF YOUR FAITH

The decision to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior is the greatest decision you will

ever make! It is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. You should not be ashamed to let others know that you are now a child of God.

“Let the redeemed of the LORD say so...“ (Psalm 107:2)

One way you can let others know that you have ac cepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior is to make what is called a “public profession” of your faith at a Bible-believing church. This is simply coming forward at the end of the sermon when the pastor conducts the invitation (inviting those who have made deci sions for Christ to come forward) saying you have ac cepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and are not ashamed to let others know. God wants you to openly confess Him.

“For with the heart man believeth unto righteous-ness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10)

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“Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32)

The best place to make a public profession is in a church service where other people will understand what you doing.

This is not something you have to do, but it is some-thing that would please the Lord. Again, don’t be ashamed of what God has done for you!

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)

We hope you will decide to make a public profes sion of your new faith in Christ in our church and let others know you have made the greatest decision ever by trusting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior!

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FOLLOW THE LORD IN BELIEVER’S BAPTISM

Baptism is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

DEATH BURIAL RESURRECTION

The Bible does not teach that one must be baptized to go to Heaven, but it does teach that it is God’s will for all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ to be bap tized in obedience to Him. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 28:19:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

“And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is wa ter; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou may est. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he bap tized him.” (Acts 8:36-38)

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The word “baptize” means to dip, immerse, submerge, or plunge. Therefore, we see the correct mode of baptism is to be put completely under the water. Baptism by im-mersion pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The only way to truly picture the burial of Jesus Christ is to be placed completely into the water just as Christ was placed completely into the tomb.

In Acts 2:41, we read, “Then they that gladly received His word [salvation] were baptized: and... were added unto them [the church]...” This shows that scriptural baptism is performed by the local church.

Baptism is like putting on a wedding ring as an indication of marriage. A wedding ring does not unite a husband and wife in marriage, nor does baptism save (Jesus saves). However, just as a wedding ring shows others that a hus band and wife are being identified with one another, bap tism shows others that a new believer is being identified with Christ. Following the Lord in baptism is God’s will for all who have accepted Christ as their personal Savior. We would be honored to have you follow the Lord in believer’s baptism in our church!

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SPEND TIME IN GOD’S WORD DAILY

The Bible says in II Timothy 3:16,17:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The word “inspiration” means breath. Therefore, the Bible is not man’s words but, rather, the very Words of God. It contains all the instructions we need for life.

The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to us. Through the Word of God we learn who God is, how we can have a personal relationship with Him, and much more.

God, through the ages, has divinely preserved His Word for every generation.

“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” (Psalm 12:6,7)

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Therefore, based on the promise of God, we have the Words of God preserved for us today.

Just as we need food and water for physical strength, health, and growth; a child of God needs God’s Word for spiritual strength, health, and growth.

“But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

With all this in mind, every child of God should:• Read the Scriptures (Revelation 1:3)• Memorize the Scriptures (Psalm 119:11)• Study the Scriptures (II Timothy 2:15)• Meditate on the Scriptures (Psalm 1:2)• Obey the Scriptures (James 1:22)

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TALK TO GOD IN PRAYER

“I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplica tion.” (Psalm 142:1)

One of the greatest privileges a child of God has is talking directly with Almighty God. Throughout

Scripture, the Lord invites His children to come into His presence through prayer. Some of these verses are:

“The LORD is far from the wicked: but He heareth the prayer of the righteous.” (Proverbs 15:29)

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by pray er and supplication with thanksgiving let your re quests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6)

“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers ...” (I Pe ter 3:12)

“Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

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It is the will of God for His children to spend time every day, and all throughout the day, talking with Him. What a privilege! What an honor!

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)

God commands His children to pray. If we do not pray, we are living in disobedience to a clear com mand of Scripture. Charles Spurgeon said, “If prayer pleaseth God, it should always please us.”

Let me encourage you to build a prayer list contain ing people and things to pray for. Your time spent in prayer is very important and should be a priority in your life.

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ATTEND CHURCH FAITHFULLY

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

Jesus Christ is the One and Only Head of the church.

“And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preemi nence.” (Colossians 1:18)

Jesus Christ established the church. The word “church” means “a called-out assembly.” The church is not a

building but a gathering of born-again children of God who voluntarily come together to car ry out the will and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Since the Lord established the church, it is important to Him, and it should be to us as well. The Word of God plainly teaches that it is God’s will for God’s children to faithfully attend church together.

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“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves to- gether, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)

The church is the place to find fellowship with other believers and to receive the help, guidance, and in-struction in the Word of God that we all need. Let me encourage you to become a part of a Bible-believing and Bible-preaching church. We would be honored to have you attend church with us. There is a place for you here! Please accept our invitation to join us. We hope to see you in the next service!

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TELL OTHERS ABOUT CHRIST

Jesus said in Acts 1:8:

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

There are multitudes of people who have not been saved. They are still on their way to the

Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15). What they need is to hear how Jesus Christ died for them and will save them if they will receive Him as their personal Savior. You, as a witness (one who has experienced what God can do), can be the one who tells them.

Here are some reasons you should tell others about Jesus Christ:

• Christ’s command (Mark 16:15)• Christ’s compassion for the lost (Matthew 9:36)• The condition of the lost (Revelation 20:15)• The cries coming from Hell (Luke 16:19-31)• The certainty of judgment (Hebrews 9:27)

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It is God’s will for all to hear about Jesus and be saved.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Here are some of the ways you can tell others about Christ:

• Share your own testimony of how you received Christ.

• Invite others to come to church with you.• Pass out gospel literature.

Please get involved telling others about Jesus Christ! God can use your witness to tell others how they can be saved and live with God forever in Heaven!

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Dear Friend,

As you come to the end of this welcome booklet, it is important to realize that the discipleship process is not over. It has only just begun. Discipleship is learn ing how to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and is a life long process. The Apostle Paul said, “... let us go on unto perfection ...“ (Hebrews 6:1). This means it is never time to stop progressing in our walk with God. We must constantly strive and desire to become more and more like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

When you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you made the greatest decision you will ever make! CONGRATULATIONS! Now it is the will of God for you to progress in your walk with Him.

Jody Jenkins, Author

Please ask the pastor of this local church about fur ther discipleship opportunities available for new be lievers.

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NOTES

NOTES

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the

power of the Holy Ghost. ~Romans 15:13www.realhope.today