There are few things in life that can hurt us so deeply and scar us so permanently as to have our faith shattered. But, by God’s grace, shattered and tattered faith can be restored. This morning I raised up to tell you, the apostle Paul had been there. Thanks be to God Almighty, his faith had recovered. In the midst of his predicaments and spiritual depression, the Holy Spirit showed up and strengthened him with the power of hope and suddenly, Paul had rebounded by declaring: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

The question is this morning: Can anything ever separate you from Christ’s love? Beloved, The Bible defines faith this way: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” ( Hebrews 11:1). Now that might sound like double talk to some of you: but it is as plain and straight as it could be. You can not have faith in God if you do not first believe in God. Like us, The Disciples of Jesus felt their faith had been destroyed by the events of Good Friday. Yes, the arrest and the trials of their Master that took place before the Sanhedrin, Pontius Pilot, Herod, and the mob and the order of execution and public humiliation that went with it dragged their faith bloodied and beaten to Golgotha where they saw it extinguished on a Roman cross.

Yes what a shattered and tattered faith these men and women must have experienced; that is until Easter Sunday morning when Jesus revealed he had risen from the dead as he had told them and taught them. That kind of restoration is known to us as the Resurrection and only Jesus of Nazareth can take us from shattered to restored. This morning, a shattered faith needs reassurance, a shattered faith needs to be restored. By the resurrection power in Jesus Christ, by His Mighty blood shaded for us on Calvary, May our shattered and tattered faith be restored! Have faith in Jesus of Nazareth; He is the “free therapist for humanity!

Good morning! Have a blessed and victorious day with Jesus of Nazareth!

– WILLY SEVERE