god of second chances

So, how was your Easter weekend? If you are full of faith, spiritually strong, and if everything is going well, then I'm sure it was a happy and joyous weekend for you.

But perhaps that description doesn't fit you at all. 

Perhaps this Easter found you far away from God - and wondering how you ever arrived at such a place. To people looking in from the outside, everything might look pretty good. But deep down inside you know the truth about yourself. Your spiritual life is in ruins. Your heart is full of regret. You've said and done some things that you're ashamed of. You have turned away from what you knew about God and the Bible at some point, and wandered far away from Him. You didn't plan on ending up where you are, but that's the reality of the situation. And you're wondering if there can be a second chance for you.

If that's your situation, then this Easter season can be very good for you, indeed. By the way, Easter isn't just a day, it's a season that lasts six weeks long. All over the world – in every nation, on every continent, and in every time zone – millions of people are basking in the glow of Easter weekend, still celebrating the fact that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and rose again from the dead three days later. This is the foundation of the Christian faith for over 2 billion people worldwide.

Today many people feel ashamed to show up at church after they've been away for awhile. And it doesn't exactly help when the preacher puts on the pressure. One guy who hadn't been to church in a long time finally made it out one Easter Sunday, and as he was leaving after the service was over, the pastor grabbed him by the hand, pulled him aside and said to him, "Son, you need to join the Lord’s army!" The man replied, "I'm already in the Lord’s army, Pastor." The pastor was puzzled, "How come I never see you except at Christmas and Easter?" He whispered back, "I'm in the Secret Service."  ;-)

The good news is that the resurrection of Jesus Christ can change all that. It turns fear into faith, despair into hope, sadness into joy, failure into forgiveness, and death into life. It changed Peter and the other disillusioned and discouraged disciples into bold and courageous witnesses for their Lord and Savior.

Imagine Peter's surprise when he was told that Jesus had not only risen from the dead, but that He had sent him a personal message: "Go, tell the disciples, and Peter!" Peter really needed to hear that word of comfort and encouragement after betraying his Lord just 3 days earlier.

Maybe you need to hear a word like that today as well. One of the great truths that Easter reminds us of is that the God of the Bible is the God of second chances. If you need a second chance from God today, ask Him to forgive your sin, your failures, your indifference, and your hard heart. Turn to God, ask Jesus to change your heart, and experience His love, mercy, forgiveness, and peace.

And let me know if you need help finding a good Christ-centered and cross-focused church.   

Easter Blessings -

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