Make it Public: Now that you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, this means that you are a born-again Christian!  The Lord has paid the penalty for your sin, and given you eternal life for believing in Him.  Thank God for the blessing of being saved!  With this great privilege comes certain responsibilities for all Christians.      
   God wants you to tell others publicly that you have been born-again into His family!  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,  him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven” Matthew 10:32,33). 
  This is both to help you establish your faith and also to challenge others to consider Christ through your testimony.  Your new birth may cause ridicule by some old friends, but salvation is something to rejoice and be proud about!  “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed” (Romans 10:11).
   Be Baptized by Immersion: In obedience to the Lord’s command, you should be baptised as soon as possible to identify yourself with Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19).  Baptism does not save anyone, it is simply a symbol of your new birth.  As you go under the water, you are portraying your death and burial of the old life, and as you arise up out of the water it refers to your new resurrected life in Christ.  Believer’s baptism is a witness to others that you have been saved, and identifies you now with the Lord Jesus! 
   Attend a Bible Preaching Church: (Hebrews 10:24,25)  Pray and seek the Lord’s will in joining a Christ exalting, Bible centered church.  A good church will provide spiritual food for your soul as well as encouragement from the other believers.  You need Bible preaching to help you face the world, your flesh and the Devil.
   Determine to Pray Regularly:  “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).  Have a definite time for prayer.  Prayer is essential for growth in your spiritual relationship.  As you continue to call upon the Lord, you strengthen your relationship with Him.  Although praying is asking and receiving, remember to thank God often, and to praise Him for His goodness and mercy. 
  Just as with any new friend, the more you talk to Him, the better you get to know Him.  The closer you become, the greater your trust in His promises.
   Read God’s Word:  “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).  The new birth requires spiritual  nourishment.  You need to read your Bible every day!  “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1Peter2:2).  It will teach you the way to live, and help you concerning the many decisions in life.  The Bible will convict you of sin and conform you to the image of Christ.  Remember, you will get out of it as much as you put into it.  “Seek and ye shall find...”  God’s Word is full of wonderful promises for His children to claim.  The Lord will become more real to you as  your faith is strengthened in Him alone! 
   His Word will show you what life is truly all about, how God has dealt with mankind in the past, and it reveals His plans for the future.  Make time every day to read and study your Bible! 
   Obey God’s Word:  “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).  To live for God means you must separate from the world and even some carnal Christians.  You will never be perfect in this life, but we must strive to be obedient to God.  Always confess your sins to the Father in prayer and keep a short rein on your sin.  Judge sin in yourself!  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  Disobedience breaks your fellowship with the Lord, and brings a guilty conscience.  It weakens you, and the Devil causes many to stumble in sin and guilt.  The Lord is willing and ready to cleanse us and to restore the joy of our salvation, if we are honest in our confessions to Him.  “...for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
   Give to the Lord:  “But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matt 6:20).  All that we have belongs to God.  This refers to both the giving of your money to the local church and the sacrificial giving of your life in submission to God’s will.  It is our responsibility to give at a minimum the Old Testament tenth of our income back to God; to sacrifice time for reaching out to others with the Gospel, and the love of Christ.  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). 

                                                                                                                                                                   Tom Meador