Choosing joy isn't about the things you desire.
It's about Christ who saves!
I may not have met you in person but I always design and sew bags, wallets, and pouches with you in mind. They are carefully designed and handcrafted to be carried and enjoyed for many years to come. I can safely say that my limited 
collections are functional and fashionable, will make you smile, and even make you outwardly happy. However, my lovely bags, wallets, and pouches will never bring you true eternal joy. That joy comes only through choosing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Still interested? . . . continue reading below.
What must I do to have Jesus as my Lord and Savior?
- Admit to God you have disobeyed His rules.
- Receive and believe by grace through faith that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead.
- Turn from your disobedience and submit every area of your life under Christ’s authority.
God established rules based on what is right, holy, just, and good according to His standards. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s rules. Because of their disobedience, everyone has inherited the sin nature and chooses to disobey God. When sin is committed, punishment always follows.
The punishment for sin is death — separation from God now and in eternity. This punishment cannot be cancelled. It must be paid for by the bloodshed and death of Someone who is without sin.
But all have sinned, therefore, we cannot pay the penalty for our own sins. But, God is gracious. He has provided the only way for you to be pardoned from the punishment for sin.
Grace is undeserved favor and kindness from God. Grace is God giving us something we do not deserve. Because of our sins, we do not deserve to be in the presence of God. However, by God’s grace, He has established the way to redeem us back into His presence through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
God sent His Son to die for the punishment of your sins so that you would not receive His wrath. Jesus died on the cross to redeem you from the power of sin. He took the punishment for your sin upon Himself. In exchange for your sin, Jesus gave you His righteousness. Now when God looks at you, He sees the righteousness of Jesus because on the cross Jesus was punished for all of your sins.
Jesus is calling you to turn from your sins and completely trust Him with every area of your life. He is asking you to obey His words in Scripture and learn from Him so He can guide you through all of your trials, tribulations, and blessings, and make a place for you in eternity with Him.
So ask yourself . . .
- Are you willing to commit your life to following Jesus?
- Are you willing to repent of your sin and bow your knee in submission to the Lordship of Christ?
- Are you willing to allow Jesus Christ to take over as King and Ruler of your life?
If you are, then . . .
- Admit to God you have disobeyed His rules.
- Receive and believe by grace through faith that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead.
- Turn from your disobedience and submit every area of your life under Christ’s authority.
Ask Jesus into your life by saying something like the pray below or use your own words to talk to Him.
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and submit every area of my life to You. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. Amen.
Once you have sincerely accepted Christ as your Savior and Lord you are instantly reconciled to God and the Holy Spirit lives in you to guide you in living out your salvation in Christ.
Welcome to the family of Christ! You won’t be perfect and you will still struggle with sin, but as you abide in Christ and follow His direction you will not be sinless but as time goes on you will sin less.
You’ll get joy from knowing that while living on earth, Jesus will never leave you nor give up on you and that when you die you will live eternally with Him completely surrounded by only what is good, acceptable, and perfect to God. A joy, peace, and comfort that no one or nothing can take from you.
What now?
- Read, study, meditate on, and be obedient to God’s Word. A good place to start is the book of John in the New Testament. It explains Christ’s ministry while on earth.
- Worship with others who believe in Jesus Christ and interpret the Bible correctly.
- Please feel free to contact me at KnowMore@bagsYOUtote.com if you have questions, comments, or you want to share your decision.