Of all the Christian holidays celebrated around the world each and every year, Easter must be considered the pinnacle of them all. Easter declares to the world that Jesus Christ is alive and well. What a message! What a truth! The entire Christian faith hinges on this basic foundation: Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, and rose again on the third day, conquering death, hell, and the grave. If Jesus Christ be not risen, we have no faith and no hope beyond the grave. But the fact is He is alive; and since He is alive, we must "shout it out loud".
In his message this week, Pastor Ron will show us from Luke 22 that Jesus loves us so much that He actually prays for our faith because He knows that Satan desires to "sift us like wheat" (verse 31). Jesus warned Peter  that Satan would attempt to destroy his faith, but He also assured him that He would be praying for him. (verse 32) We all know that Peter failed, but his failure was not an ultimate failure. In Acts, we see him standing like a rock proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thirty years later, he wrote these words about that experience: "Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5)