Why Am I So Happy?, Alternate

BECAUSE I’M GOING TO BE WITH GOD FOREVER!I used to be very religious. I said the prayers they told me to pray and did the church activities they told me to do. As far as doing right, I used to think, “I’m not perfect, but I’m trying my best!” But then someone showed me the Ten Commandments and I found out I failed God’s “good test:” envy, lying, stealing, looking with lust (adultery in the heart), hatred (murder in the heart), dishonoring my parents, using God’s name as a swear word, etc… I knew the Bible said “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a). But I also knew about Jesus Christ. He is God come to earth to pay for all wrong when He died on the cross, which demonstrated His love. He shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins and rose again from the dead three days later to prove it. God promised “... the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ…” (Romans 6:23b). Jesus Himself said, “…whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die....” (John 11:25). I stopped trusting in myself and my religion, and did what the Bible said: “Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).