The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome." Acts 23:11. Paul was falsely accused by the Jews which resulted in his imprisonment. In order to defend himself and plead not guilty to the charges against him before the Sanhedrin, Paul called out and said,"I am a Pharisee... I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead." This statement generated a dispute among the Pharisees and the Sadducees in the Sanhedrin. The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by the Sanhedrin. He ordered the troops to go down and take Paul away from them and bring him to the barracks. The following night, however, the Lord visited Paul in prison and encouraged him. Our God will never leave us nor forsake us, even when everybody has forsaken us. The Lord encouraged him to know that just as he has testified about Him (Jesus Christ) in Jerusalem, so must he also testify in Rome. Our Lord is always available to encourage His disciples. His encouragement comes when we need it. As disciples of Christ, we should not be discouraged because of persecutions. Rather, we must know that our Lord will always lead us through all the challenges we would face because of our testimonies in Christ Jesus. He is ever ready to strengthen us, even in the difficult moments. Shalom.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 13:07:22 +0000
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