Today's Passage - Acts 23:12-22

Acts 23:12-22   The next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.  More than forty men were involved in this plot.  They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.  Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here..."   It was a real crisis - Forty men vowed together to kill Paul!  They would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.  If it happened to us, we'd be startled and afraid.  This type of situation, however, was part of Paul's daily life.  Ever since he accepted the Lord on the way to Damascus, he kept on receiving threats to his life and there was no sign of slowing down.  How did Paul confront all these persecutions and hardships?  I believe it's because he had faith in God.   First of all, Paul had faith in God's promises.  In verse 11 God had promised that he would testify for God in Rome the way he testified in Jerusalem.  Paul trusted that God will make whatever he had promised happen.  Brothers and sisters, did you know that you have a faithful God?  The meaning of faithful is that God will do what he says.  2 Corinthians 1:21 says that "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ."  God's promises will never change and every word from God carries power; therefore, we must believe in the word of God.   Paul also had faith in God's work.  When Paul was in peril, God prepared someone - his nephew - to help him.  This is the only relative of Paul that was mentioned in the Bible.  We thank God because salvation not only came onto Paul, but also his whole family.  The testimony of the life of Paul truly brought tremendous impact.  After Paul led his nephew to accept the Lord, it must have totally surprised him that God would use this nephew to save him later.  Psalm 68:20 says that "Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death."  Even when you are facing a ton of difficulties, you must believe that God has prepared helpers who can rescue you.  He has all kinds of blessings on you, and he wants to help you and strengthen you in your daily life so that you may experience his salvation.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, I thank you and praise you because you are a faithful God.  Your promises are true and your almighty arm is carrying all of us today.  Give us sufficient faith so that we may believe in your word and your work, and let us experience your faithfulness and abundance in our daily life.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!    Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow the project on Facebook ! Help us to reach our Phase I Target, and witness how God expands His Kingdom on earth!  Click here to donate online.