As we begin Easter week, I want you to take time to reflect on what God did for you. God’s love is so indescribable that it’s hard for me to put into words how great He is. His love is gracious and merciful. His love is holy and unconditional. His love is sacrificial. And His love is eternal.

Jesus came to this earth as God in human form. God could have stopped at the creation of the world and never looked back. He could have never created mankind or animals or even the world that would one day turn against Him, but God had a plan. God knew and still knows what we can’t see. It’s hard for me to imagine why God would send His Son to this world to die such a horrific death on the cross; however, God knew that this was the way of atonement for the sins of mankind. His sacrificial love is His ultimate gift to you. God’s love is indescribable because it’s hard for us to fathom a love so strong. Our minds are not meant to be able to understand the depths of God’s reasoning, but we can put our trust in Him and know that His love is never-ending.

As you celebrate Easter, celebrate the things that you know about God.

We know that…

1. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for the sins of this world. (John 3:16)
2. The same Jesus that performed miracles and healed the blind, was sent to die on a cross because the people chose for Him to die over a known criminal. (John 9, Matthew 27:16-26)
3. Jesus was brutally beaten and died on the cross a horrific death. (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19)
4. When Jesus died, He cried out, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they’ve done.” (Luke 23:34)
5. Jesus’ body was placed in a borrowed tomb and guarded by soldiers. (Luke 23:50-56)
6. Three days after Jesus’ death, He rose again! (Luke 24)
7. There were multiple witnesses that saw Jesus after He rose again. (Luke 24)
8. Jesus is alive and He’s coming back again. (Matthew 24:36, Rev. 1:7, 1 Thess. 4:16-17, Rev. 22:12-13, John 14:3, Matthew 24:31-33, Rev.1:8, 1 Corinth. 15:52, etc.)
9. God has a plan for each of our lives. (Jeremiah 29:11, Phil. 1:6, Romans 15:13, Proverbs 19:20-21, Proverbs 3:5-6, etc.)
10. Where you spend eternity is a choice that you have to make. 1) You can choose to reject Jesus Christ, live for yourself, and die in a sinner’s Hell. 2) You can choose to accept Christ, lay down your life for Him every day, follow His will over your own, and spend your eternity in Heaven. (Romans 3:23, Romans 10:9-10, Rev. 22:17)

To me, the choice is simple. Eternity is a long time to live with the fact that you made the wrong decision. Deciding to follow Christ is the best decision you will ever make. I can’t promise that your life will be easier, you’ll get everything you’ve ever dreamed of, or you’ll miraculous be healed from whatever your ailment may be. God is not a magic genie that grants your wishes or simply hands out “get out of Hell free” cards. Instead, God is a God of salvation. He gives you the choice to choose Him or choose this world. He won’t make you follow Him, but you can choose to, no matter the cost. What I can promise you is that if you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, your life will be changed, and you can rest assured knowing that your sins are forgiven, and you’ll be with the Lord in Heaven one day. Salvation is the beginning of a life spent with Christ. When your salvation is secure your sanctification, service, and love for the Lord will grow as your grow closer to Him. Your life will no longer be meaningless and just a short time of worthless gain. Your life on earth, after salvation, becomes a mission field for you to serve Christ, share His love with others, and enjoy the peaceful assurance that you are a child of God.

Easter is a time to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a time to put everything else aside and reflect on the One who matters most. Above, I listed 10 things that we know about Jesus Christ; however, that short list is only the beginning. God’s given us His word so that we can learn more about Him and grow closer to Him every day.

Easter is 1 day out of 365 days in a year that people slow down to celebrate that Jesus is alive.

I challenge you to remind yourself daily of what Jesus has done for you and others in this world. Take time to spend with God reading scripture, praying, and growing in your walk with Him. Never stop celebrating His greatness! Share Who you know with those around you and be a positive influence in this world.

I hope you all have a blessed Resurrection Week and most importantly, I pray that each of you know where you will be spending eternity.

If you’re reading my blog and you don’t know if Christ is in your heart, I encourage you to reach out to me or someone you know and ask for prayer, for help, and for assurance that your eternity is sealed. Asking for help is better than living a life not knowing where you’ll end up.

Years ago, a person I knew passed away. The hardest thing for me was not that they had died and left this earth, but that I didn’t know if they were saved or not. In my heart, I would guess that they were not saved by the life that they lived; however, I am not the Judge. My heart was broken as I looked back on all the times, I could have shared Christ with them. I could have showed them Christ’s love by not worrying about what others thought and standing up when someone else said the Lord’s name in vain. I could have turned “How are you?” into a chance to tell my testimony and how blessed the Lord had been to me. The “I could have” statements could go on forever, but they won’t do me any good since that person is gone. I pray that at some point in time that person received Christ as their Lord and Savior, but this is something I will never know. I will always live with the regret that I never took the time to share Christ with them. Don’t live the same regrets just because you’re worried about what someone might think of you.

My biggest fear is losing someone I love and not knowing if they are spending eternity in heaven or hell. An even greater fear is losing someone and knowing that they’ve rejected God.

No matter how many church services you attend, how much money you give to missions, or how many worship songs you know word for word, none of that will get you into Heaven. Being a “good” person won’t save you either. The only way to insure your salvation is to 1) accept Him into your heart 2) admit that you are a sinner 3) ask for forgiveness 4) believe that that God sent His Son to die for your sins 5) and know that 3 days later Jesus rose again.

To believe in His Name is to receive Him as your Savior.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Celebrate the resurrection by knowing that He’s in your heart!

May God bless you and show you His Grace every day!

When you consider your last days on Earth, what comes to mind? What would you do during your last days? Would you travel? Visit with friends? Most people have a bucket list filled with places they want to go, people they want to see, and adventures they want to experience before they die; however, Paul had one thing in mind, Jesus Christ. Paul knew that his days were coming to an end. Instead of dwelling on the end, writing his greatest adventures, or reminiscing on the past, he decided to write a letter to a young pastor encouraging him to continue in his faith. He wanted to make sure the gospel would continue to spread even after he was gone.

“To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 2 Timothy 1:2

Paul considered Timothy as a son to him. Timothy was a young pastor that Paul wanted to encourage and pass on his knowledge that the Lord had given him. As Christians, we should desire to disciple others. To disciple someone else simply means to teach them. Discipleship includes leading someone spiritually, setting a Christian example, and guiding them with God’s word in the path that the Lord directs.

As Paul continues his letter, he starts by thanking God for what he has done. Even his letter is a reminder that our prayers should always begin with thankfulness to the Lord. He continues to tell Timothy that he has always been in his prayers and remembers all that they had been through together. He then reminds Timothy of where his faith came from, his grandmother Eunice that set the example for her family. From then on, Paul challenges Timothy to stay strong in the faith, bold and without fear.

³ I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, ⁴ longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. ⁶ For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:3-7

Calling yourself a Christian and going to church is only the beginning in your walk with Christ. Paul challenges Timothy be bold. In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul states, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” The spirit of timidity, fear, and shyness doesn’t come from the Lord. A lot of times, Christians fear sharing what God has done in their lives because they don’t know how people will react. Before I speak at events or share anything about God with a friend or stranger, I often wonder, “What will they say? Will they laugh at me? Will they judge me?” It’s then that I have to remind myself that those fears are not from God. The fear that you experience is an internal battle that your flesh is causing in your mind. The devil doesn’t want you to disciple others or share God’s word, he knows that fear can hold you back from doing what God has called you to do. Are you going to let your faith be lessened by your fears? Or will you let your faith overcome the fears inside your head?

In the next week, I want you to read the rest of 2 Timothy as though it was a letter written to you. Read it aloud as a source of encouragement and a reminder that your faith in the Lord can fight any battle that you are facing. Consider what you would write to a friend to guide them in their walk with Christ. How can you change your actions to set a Christ-like example for others?

You are more than the fears that your mind creates, you are a faithful, fearless, child of God.

^” For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

May God Bless you and show you His grace every day!