Grace For The Journey

  The Bible says this about Paul in Acts 23:11, “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

I have a word of tremendous comfort for you today, which is rooted in the passage from which our verse was taken.  We read in the book of Acts that the apostle Paul was in harm’s way after having confronted the hypocrisy and unbelief of the Jewish religious leaders.  The uproar was so furious that the Roman guard took Paul away and put him into their barracks for his own protection.  While some of the religious leaders were plotting to kill Paul, the Lord Himself appeared to Paul and told Paul that he was, in a word, untouchable because God was not finished with him yet.

And the same is true for you and me!

The Bible makes it clear that we are all

“Immortal” until our work is done.

God’s purposes will be accomplished,

And

Nothing and no one can stand in His way.

It mattered not that the corrupt religious leaders had conspired to kill the apostle Paul.  In fact, Scripture tells us that “there were more than forty who formed this conspiracy” (Acts 23:13), but forty men were no match for God because God was not finished with Paul yet. The whole world could have taken its stand against Paul, but it would have been impotent to do anything to him while the Omnipotent Lord of the universe had more work for Paul to do.

Make no mistake, when your work for the Lord is done,

He will usher you into His eternal presence

Along with all the saints of God.

But that will not happen

One moment before you have

Completed your assignment here on earth.

So, as the angel of the Lord said to Paul, “Be of good cheer! . . . we can take comfort and hope in God because He is not finished with you yet.

As an ambassador of the Almighty,

Your safe passage is guaranteed

While you are fulfilling

Your service for your Savior.

As a disciple of Jesus, you have been called to testify to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Every child of God has been given the assignment of participating in the expansion of the kingdom of God.  Is there anything currently in your life that looks like it will keep you from fulfilling your calling?  Remember. . .

The Lord is standing right by your side

Every step of the way into glory.

He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you.

So be at peace as you participate in the greatest work

On this side of the grave: witnessing to Jesus Christ.

Let this truth sink in and ultimately set you free:

He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion,

Regardless of the cost or circumstances you face (Philippians 1:6).

You can count on that truth as absolute certainty, because greater is He who is in you than the one who is in this world. No weapon formed against you will keep you from finishing the work God has set before you; because under the care of the Almighty, you are UNTOUCHABLE!

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”