The resurrection gives my life meaning

“Grok” is a relatively new artificial intelligence app I’ve been trying out. This “A.I.” technology is pretty impressive and Grok seems simple enough. When you open the app, it simply says, “Ask anything.” The first thing I asked was, “When is my birthday?” Grok didn’t have a clue so it can’t be that smart.

I just asked it, “Do you believe in Jesus?” One of the first things Grok answered was, “I don’t ‘believe’ in the way humans do — I don’t have faith, doubts, or a soul to wrestle with.” How interesting that artificial intelligence knows we humans do, in fact, have faith, doubts, and a soul to wrestle with.

Perhaps like me, you are intrigued (and grateful) by how the disciples are portrayed in the Bible. They spent their days with Jesus but deep in their souls, they wrestled greatly with their faith and doubts.

Peter, the big, tough fisherman with calloused hands and a weather-worn face is so relatable. He was fiercely loyal but also impulsive and rough around the edges. At the Last Supper, he swears he will never abandon Jesus, but a few hours later, he denies ever even knowing him.

He was the only disciple bold enough to get out of the boat and walk on water toward Jesus in the middle of a terrible storm. We know the story: things were going great until fear and doubt hit him, and he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink.

The Grok A.I. app says, “That’s Peter in a nutshell: faith and failure in equal measure.” If Grok knew me, it would include me in that “nutshell,” too.

In previous letters, I’ve mentioned how I witnessed Latin pastors lining up to spend a few minutes in private conversation with my dad. Oftentimes, he would volunteer to stick around after his message to meet with those who had questions. The line to meet my dad was always long as pastors would pour out their struggles with faith, doubts and failures. Like Peter, so many struggle with their faith and failures in equal measures.

Today, Spanish pastors continue to “line up” to spend a few minutes with my dad as well as a host of other pastors, theologians, and Bible teachers. In 2024, over 352,000 Spanish pastors and leaders spent time studying God’s Word at LOGOI.org where my father’s written biblical helps are available. That’s a long “line up.”

One of our “Peters” is in Nariño, Colombia. His name is Mauricio Escobar, and he is a doctor and minister serving in one of the dangerous “red” zones — so named because of drug related violent crimes. “I came here because of God’s leading,” Mauricio says, “and I dedicate myself to healing souls with the Word of God and to healing bodies as I’m able.”

Mauricio told us how Jesus rescued him from a long history of “struggles, sadness, and deception.” He then adds, “But thanks be to God, I have far more happiness, joy, triumphs and great blessings from our loving Father.”

Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ victory over sin and death. For those of us who believe in Jesus, Easter means our sins are forgiven and we have been made right with God. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances.”

What a joy to celebrate Easter with you. We are so grateful you are part of our LOGOI family as we help and encourage thousands of “Peters and Mauricios” serving Christ primarily in places you and I will never see. Your prayers and donations help fuel, encourage, and grow their faith even as they struggle through failures.

Back in 2009, I wrote a song called, “Friday.” Like the disciples who lost all hope as they watched Jesus die on the cross, this song is for all of us who find ourselves in a “Friday” period of life. Everything seems lost, terrible, and hopeless. But like the disciples learned that first Easter, it was only Friday… Sunday was coming.

Sunday is here! Thank you, Jesus, for Easter!

Forever!