Second Chances: John Mark

We are told about John Mark in the book of Acts.  Actually he is referred to as “John whose other name was Mark”  in three different places of scripture. But who was he? There’s a lot we don’t know! What we do know is: He was raised in a Christian home.  He traveled with Barnabas and Saul to fulfill their […]

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Second Chances: Saul to Paul

Paul wrote over half of the New Testament and traveled much of the then known world sharing the gospel, but he also suffered greatly.  He didn’t start out this way and before his salvation caused much suffering to believers. He was originally known as Saul, a native of Tarsus and was a Pharisee.  We first meet Paul at the stoning […]

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Second Chances: The Thief on the Cross

  While Jesus was hanging on the cross he had a thief on each side of him.   One thief denied him and the other believed.   He said to the disbelieving thief, “Have you no fear of God?” He asked Jesus to “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus promised, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” This […]

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Second Chances: Peter

Peter was a disciple of Jesus, but even then he was often blinded from the truth Jesus taught. Simon was a fisherman when Jesus called him and his brothers to be “fishers of men.”  Jesus changed his name to Peter, to mean the rock. We know Simon Peter was married, because Jesus healed his mother-in-law.  Peter recognized him as the […]

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Second Chances: Prodigal Son

I’ve been sharing my own story as a prodigal, so it seems only fitting to look at the second chance the prodigal son received. The story of the prodigal son is taken from one of the parables of Jesus found in the book of Luke. A father gives his two sons their inheritance before he dies.  The younger son leaves […]

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Second Chances: Woman Caught in Adultery

Jesus has arrived at the temple and is teaching those that have gathered around, when the scribes and Pharisees approach with a woman caught in adultery.  Her name was not recorded for prosperity, but her sin was. The Pharisees says, “this woman was caught in adultery.  The Law of Moses say we should stone her. What do you say?” The […]

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Second Chances: Zacchaeus

    When you hear the name Zacchaeus what is the first thing you think of? It is probably the children’s song we learn, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he.  He climbed up in the sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see.  And as the Savior passed his way, he said […]

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Second Chances: Samson

Samson may seem an illogical choice for a second chance, but we will see that God did indeed permit him to have a second chance. So who was Samson? His story begins with his parents in the book of Judges.  He lived during the time the Israelites were being punished by God and given “into the hand of the Philistines.” […]

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Second Chances: Joseph

Last week we took a look at the second chances God gave Jacob.  Today let’s look at his favorite son, Joseph. Joseph was the first son born of his mother, Rachel.  He had ten half-brothers and at least one half-sister from his father’s other wives.  After years of waiting, one can imagine the joy he brought to Rachel when she […]

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Second Chances: Jacob

The story of Jacob takes up half of the book of Genesis in the Bible.  He is the patriarch of the Israelites. Jacob comes into the world grasping the heel of his brother, Esau.  God revealed to their mother, Rebekah that the two struggled in the womb.   This is a struggle that would continue not only for the rest of […]

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Second Chances: David and Bathsheba

We are continuing our study on second chances. We are told that David was a man “after God’s own heart.”  However, we are also shown David’s failures and mistakes.  Like the rest of us, he was not a perfect man and made plenty of mistakes. 1 Kings 15:5 says,  “David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, […]

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Second Chances: Moses

We’ve been discussing people in the Bible who received a second chance.  We’ve already taken a look at the second chances Jonah, Job and Rahab received.  Today we’re going to take a look at Moses. Moses was actually given three chances.  We first meet Moses as an infant, who should have been killed at birth.  However, his mother saved him […]

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Second Chances: Rahab

Sometimes life and circumstances takes us down roads we would not have chosen.   We do not know the reason Rahab became a prostitute, but we do know that God used her and redeemed her.  She is one of four women listed in the genealogy of Jesus.  She is even listed in the Faith Hall of Fame that can be found […]

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Second Chances: Job

There are times when life is hard and I wonder how much more I can take.  There have been times when I’ve wondered if I’m being tested the way Job was.  Sometimes I’ve wondered how he dealt with so much pain and loss without becoming bitter and resentful.  Job is very different from, Jonah, who defied God in the beginning. […]

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