“But you, [woman] of God,… pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called… so that [you] may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:11-12, 19

This year of living has been hard for many. It has seemed like a year of stalling or treading water, waiting for life to begin again after COVID. But Ladies, this Is our life. We only get one shot at it. Psalm 139:16 reminds us, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

If we feel life is lacking something, if we are depressed and despondent, let’s rethink what life is all about. Life is not about work, ballgames, decorating the house, being known, or a thousand other insignificant things we focus on each day. This is life – that we may know Jesus. And to know Him we each must take that first step.

That first step is to allow Him to be Lord of your life. Has there been a moment in your life when you made that choice to ask for forgiveness of your sin and allow Jesus to take control?

Many moral people claim to be Christians when they have not surrendered their whole life and future to God. They believe that because they are a good person, or because they go to church, or because their family was Christian, that they are too. But that is not so. It takes an intentional, personal decision to accept the gift of salvation and let loose of the control we have over our lives.

A sweet friend recently passed away. She was in her 50s and had associated herself with the title of “Christian” her whole life. I had prayed for her diligently since shortly after getting to know her. She brandished the label Christian boldly, but something in my spirit told me to pray that she would be sure she had a relationship with Christ not just a religion. A couple of months before she passed she found herself in the emergency room – alone. Sitting there in the bed in fear, she began to evaluate her life. She recalled a recent sermon her pastor had preached about good helpful people who had never given their heart to Jesus. He had told his congregation that if you couldn’t remember a time in your life, a moment, when you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sin and confessed that you believed in Him as your Lord and Savior, then you were not a child of God. At that moment she realized she had never done that. She cried out to God right there in the ER and confessed Christ as her Lord and was saved.

So I’m asking you now, has there ever been a moment in your life when you confessed and asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior? If your answer is “No” or “I’m not sure” I want to offer you the opportunity today to commit your whole life to God and trust Jesus as your savior.

Here’s all you need to know.

Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

• We are all sinners. Sin is anything that misses the mark God set for us in His word.

Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

• The payment for sin – all sin, no matter how small or large – is death. As a sinner you deserve death – the eternal separation from God.

Ephesians 2:1-9 – “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

• We were all dead in our sins. We are made alive through Christ by the grace of God not by keeping rules or anything else.

John 3:16-20 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”

• God did not come to condemn you. He came to save you. God loves you and made a way for your sins to be atoned for through Jesus’ sacrificial death. By the grace of God through your faith in Him you can be brought from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

Romans 10:9-10 –  “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

• Salvation comes through 2 things: 1) belief that Jesus is the only true God who died for your sins, and 2) confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Believe and confess.

If you would like to know Jesus pray now based on these verses, pray from your heart something like this…

Dear Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner – I miss the mark so many times. Please forgive my sin Lord. I need a savior. I know that sin leads to eternal separation from you, and I deserve that punishment for my sin. But I believe that you sent your son Jesus to take my place, my punishment for sin, all because you love me so much. I want to turn from my sin and doubt, and give my whole life to you and allow you to rule in my heart and mind and body. I give up my rights to you. Jesus you are the one true God and I choose you as my Lord. Thank you for your free grace and forgiveness. Amen.

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I’m praying for you today! Life won’t suddenly be perfect because of your decision. You may not always feel strong. Answers to prayers may come more slowly than you would like. But, if Jesus is your Lord, you can depend on Him and lay down your will and your worries and trust that He will take care of you. AND… that He has a good plan for your life. Stay in the Word and in prayer daily and your faith will grow stronger each year, and God will reveal Himself to you more with each passing year. Take hold of life that is truly life!