I'VE BEEN BAPTIZED, NOW WHAT?
It is all too common to see people get baptized, stay strong for a few weeks, and then slowly start to fall away from the church. This isn’t what we see in scripture when we read about people being baptized and it definitely isn’t what the person being baptized expects to happen.
So, why is it so common? One of the main reasons is that we don’t know how to answer the question, “where do I go from here?” We know that
baptism isn’t the final step; it’s the first step, but we often don’t know how to move forward. At SCC, we want to make sure you have the tools you need to continue moving forward growing your faith, and living out God’s will for your life. Here are some critical habits to adopt as a believer, that will help you grow your faith and relationship with God.
READ THE BIBLE DAILY
While this is the most neglected, it’s the most important thing to do. The Bible will teach you everything about Jesus! In Acts 2:42 it says that those who had been baptized “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings and the church, to the breaking of bread, and prayer.” In other words, they were all in! They
couldn’t get enough and wanted to know everything they could about Jesus. We want this for you! In 2 Peter 1:16-21, Peter talks about the importance of scripture.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”, 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Peter is telling the people about one of his personal experiences with Jesus (you can read about this experience in Matthew 17:1-13) and saying even though he saw the things Jesus did with his own eyes, we have something “more sure” to cling to – God’s word.
So, how do you develop a healthy habit of reading scripture? Here’s how to get started:
• Make a habit of reading the Bible first thing in the morning. You will be amazed at how it impacts the rest of your day.
- If you don’t enjoy reading, try listening to the Bible in your car on your morning commute. In the SCC App, there’s a Bible section that will even read the Bible to you. So, crank up the volume, focus, and take it all in.
- Before getting started, say a quick prayer to God that He will give you understanding and thank Him for giving us His word.
Where should I start? Begin by reading the book of John. This will give you a deeper knowledge of who Jesus is before you read any of the other books, including books from the Old Testament.
• After you read the book of John, go to Genesis 1 and start from the beginning.
- A lot of people don’t like reading the Old Testament, but it is important and will help you understand some of the things in the New Testament. There are many references within the New Testament to things written in the Old Testament.
- If you don’t understand everything the first time you read it, it’s ok!
- The Bible can be overwhelming, so take it one or two chapters at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself.
• Once you’ve read through the entire Bible, start from the beginning again. As you become more familiar with the Bible, you’ll start to understand it more and as your stage of life changes different scriptures will stick out to you.
Here are a couple of things to avoid:
• Reading devotionals or books that talk about the Bible in place of reading the Bible.
- These things have their place and can be great, but if you don’t read the Bible as a whole for yourself, you will miss important details.
- When you read excerpts out of devotionals or books, you don’t always know the context and the intended audience of certain scriptures.
• Thinking scripture is old and can’t be applied to your life.
- Know that God gave us His word and it’s just as applicable today as it was when it was first written. If it wasn’t applicable, then He would have given us something else.
- Times have changed, society has changed, and technology has changed. Human nature is still the same and Scripture addresses human nature.
PRAY DAILY
Prayer is the way we communicate with God and communication is a key element of any relationship. You can’t say you love your spouse, but never communicate with them. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it says “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Prayer allows us the opportunity to pour our hearts out to the one who created us, loves us, and adopted us as His children. He wants to hear from you and He wants you to go to Him for everything – in good times and bad times.
Just think –the creator of the universe wants to communicate with you!
There are countless verses in scripture that talk about prayer. Here are some examples: 1 John 5:14, Philippians 4:6, Colossians 4:2.
When you start talking to God through prayer, here are some things to keep in mind:
• Be thankful – this is a common thing you see in scripture.
- By being thankful it helps to keep perspective and remember everything God has already done for you.
• Don’t forget who you are talking to.
- You are talking to the One who created you and the entire universe and it is important to give God the highest level of respect. Proverbs 9:10 says “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
• Examine your motives. James 4:3 says “you ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
- It is okay to ask for things we want, but it doesn’t mean God will always say yes. He knows what we need and what is best for us in every circumstance.
- God is our heavenly father, so think of your relationship with God as a father-child relationship. A child will always ask for candy, but it doesn’t mean the father will say yes every time.
- God enjoys blessing us and giving us the desires of our hearts, but He won’t do it if He knows it will compromise our relationship with Him or our desire to do His will.
• Be honest – God already knows what is in your heart.
• Pray in the name of Jesus
- Verses like John 14:6, John 14:13-14, John 15:15, and John 16:23-24 show us the proper way to approach God in prayer is through Jesus, or in Jesus name.
- Jesus gives us access to the Father and scripture is clear that nobody can come to the Father except through Him (Colossians 3:17).
• Listen to God.
- An important aspect of prayer is to take time to listen to God. Don’t just say what you have to say, then go on with your day. Good communication is two-way communication.
- Matthew 6:7 says, “when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.”
- It is important to take time to listen, so you can learn to recognize God’s voice (See John 10:27).
GIVE
Tithing is difficult for a lot of people to do and comprehend, but it’s something that God commands, so we should do it. It's introduced as law in Leviticus and carries through all the way into the New Testament. In Luke 20:25 Jesus says to give to God what is God’s. In Malachi 3:8-9 it says “you ask ‘How are we robbing you (God)?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse because you are robbing Me.”
•Have you ever thought you are actually robbing God if you don’t tithe?
For those who choose to be obedient and trust that God’s promises are true, we find something really exciting in Malachi 3:10 where it says:
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
This is the only place in scripture where God says to test Him. And then again in Proverbs 3:9-10 it says “honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”
• Do you want this promise from God to be a reality in your life?
If yes, here are some key things to know:
- Tithing means the first 10% of what you make goes back to God – not what’s left at the end of the month. Scripture is clear on this. It is not an amount, it is a percentage.
- Tithing helps you take your trust and sense of security out of your financial situation and put it in God.
-- As much as we try to control our life, things can happen and our money and belongings can easily be gone tomorrow.
- Tithing helps us acknowledge that we are blessed by God. He has given us everything we have and we need to be thankful to Him for sustaining us.
-- Imagine if someone walked up to you and said, “I’m going to give you $100 every week and all I ask is that you give $10 back to me. Deal?” That’s a no-brainer, right? This is a basic illustration of what Malachi 3:10 is saying.
-- We work hard to earn what we get, but it’s important to understand that God’s protection over us and guidance plays a major role. Tithing allows the church to be impactful in the community. God has provided us with a place to worship and grow closer to Him. Our tithe helps to keep the doors open, so people in need have a place to seek refuge.
If you are interested in learning more about serving opportunities or joining a community group, contact a member of our staff. We will be happy to help you get connected to SCC.
. Don't wait for the mission trip to make a difference, when the person sitting next to you at work might need your help in knowing Jesus. God wants to use you where you are right now. So, go out and spread the Word!
