Today's Passage - Acts 18:9-17

Acts 18:9-17   One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."  So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court.  "This man," they charged, "is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law."  Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you.  But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law--settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things."  So he had them ejected from the court...   Paul encountered a crisis in ministry, and God's comfort came upon him and God told him that "don't be afraid...  For I'm with you."  Very often, our circumstance makes us fearful and our faith may be lost; pressure from work, burdens on life, bondage of diseases, and weakness of our body can put tremendous pressure on us, causing us to be afraid of bravely moving forward for the Lord.  Very often we come before God and believe in His mercy and grace, but we undeniably have fear deep inside us, because we don't know what God plans to do on us.   God will eventually lead us to perfection, but we don't seem to have any control over the process.  Therefore, we are fearful and we'd rather stay put and not move forward.  The Lord is more than happy to help us, for He has given us words and promises that are truly precious.  He wants to tell us "don't be afraid, for I am with you."  In other word, God will move forward with us and He will personally battle for us.  Livingston is a missionary who entered Africa; one time he encountered great difficulty and had to decide whether to cross a river to minister to the people on the other side, because they were dangerous cannibals.  That night he knelt down before the Lord, and the Lord's word reminded him: "I am with you always, to the very end of the age."   His heart was immediately comforted, and he responded: "Lord, you are a gentleman, and a gentleman will keep his promise.  I will go in peace because of your word."   God's grace is not only prepared for Paul and Livingston, but also for you and me.  No matter what circumstance you are in, no matter who the giant inside you is, let's look upon him and depend on him, so that you will be set free from any fear.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, we thank you because you are always with us.  No matter how the circumstance and relationships change, in you we still have hope that you will hold us up with your mighty arms.  We don't need to be fearful, and we ask that you once again grant peace and joy to all the brothers and sisters.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!       Participate in Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - by Donating a Seat for a future new believer!