How to grow closer
Here, I will help you to pursue a relationship with Jesus and dig deeper into the Word
Read the Bible daily
When I began, I started with Matthew because Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell the stories of Jesus's life. Since Jesus is our savior, I feel, I need to begin here. After I read those, I was "lit", and wanted more. So, I started by getting a bible that was ESV, and a "study" bible. The study bible explains things. It's fatter, but I am reading to understand, so I can share better, hear His voice better in my life, and teach my children better. Then, I began from the beginning, Genesis, with a notebook. I put the date, and whatever notes popped out to me when I was reading. Oh! One more thing! Before you read the Bible, pray first, and invite the Holy Spirit to be with you and to help you understand, absorb important parts, and point out things that are specific for you.
Attend a church?
Do you attend a church? Is it OK if you do not? Attending is for sharing the good works of God, teaching the Word, and growing your faith in helping others. I know that a lot of people say that you need to attend, but what they forget to tell you is Hebrews 10:24-25 says "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as its the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Choose Jesus. He will guide you and maybe guide you to the place you can worship.
Share your faith
This website is how I will begin to share my testimony. I am not limiting myself in any way. The connections that I make are for Jesus' will, His Father's will, and the Holy Spirit's will. This website is one of my examples of me, sharing my faith in Jesus, the Father, and Holy Spirit. You can share verbally, in a handwritten letter to a friend, or co-worker, unanimously with the sick, at a hospital, or wherever you feel led. I just was thining that there is so much to share that if I create a webpage, maybe someone I don't know will see it and be saved... If you are not sure, pray about it and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to know who to share with. If you are not sure who to share with, Pray on it! Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you, to show you, to help you know who you can share the word with.
P.R.A.Y.
Pray every day! I try to remeber this acronym when I pray. "P" stands for praise. Thank God for what good is in your life even if all you can come up with is, "he woke you up" or "you're alive, breathing". Thank him for food, shelter, home, warm cool, cloths, family...everything!" Thank him for what ever comes to your mind. "R" stands for repent. We are born into this world sinners, we all are. So, look at your life and ask for forgiveness for your sins. "A". This is for your ask. What do you really need? Food, a job? Is your health bad? What about your family's lives? This is where you can make your list of asks and present them. "Y" is for yield. Always end your prayers with something like "I ask these things, but your will and not mine be done. " His will in our lives is most important because we have a purpose. Each one is important and praying on those is yielding to God's will.
Consider giving your life to Jesus? What does that look like?
Pray about these; Matthew 18:20 Jesus says "for where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them". Get a friend to help you on your journey to come closer to Jesus. Someone you can trust to help you. Pray this out loud. Romans 10:8-13 says "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved..." Start to "speak the Word" with "your mouth". Pray out loud and tell Him you want a relationship with Him. Tell Him why, tell Him everything. Don't forget to tell Jesus of your sin and apologize for being weak. Be sincere, and tell the truth, He knows the truth already but you need to do your part in confessing. Let the tears flow if they come. It will help. He can understand your cries, when you have no words, He is most amazing. When you don't have the right words, the Holy Spirit knows what you are trying to say, so keep going. Breath. There's no time limit.
Do you need extra help? Consider getting baptized. Here is why...
Acts 2:38 says, "And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." John 14:26 Jesus says "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." After you get baptized and you receive the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is in you getting to know you and your sin, and will help you to confess the ugly, the icky, and all that you may have forgotten. If you have 50 years of sin, you may not remember all, so this is extra help. Each time you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you your sin, and repent on it. It might not happen in an instant, so be patient, but be aware that you asked, so that when you have a memory about a sin, you can hold it and then pray for forgiveness about it. Holy Spirit is amazing!
Pray about your purpose
God has a plan especially, handcrafted for just you. Nobody else can do what you do, just you. Pray for protection over your "purpose-path", that Jesus guides you, the Holy Spirit keeps you on track hitting all important milestones and protects what Father has made for just you. You can get creative with this, ask to hide your path from the eyes of the evil ones, to keep it hidden from them. Pray this same thing for each of your family members, your spouse, your children, your mother and father, and others you care for. Philippians 4:7 says, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Read that again... Pray for peace often, throughout the day, and pray for peace for your family members, and leaders or decision-makers of your country, village, and the world.
Pray for faith in Jesus and salvation for you and your family members
John 14:6 says, "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Faith in Jesus is important because if lit, He will lead you. Matthew 21:22 says "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." Luke 1:37 says, "For nothing will be impossible with God." 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "for we walk by faith, not by sight." Romans 10:17 says, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." I read out loud in my house sometimes when I read the bible. Hear it, read it, seek to understand it. Romans 6:23 says this about salvation. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." It's free people! Ask! Seek! You will find! Matthew 7:7-8 says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."