Encouragement from the Lord

 "The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, 'Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.'" - Acts 23:11

How could Paul be discouraged or afraid if the Lord Himself said to him, "Take courage"? It doesn't matter how many people stood against Paul; the Lord stood near him, and that was enough. The Lord encouraged him by reminding him of Paul's previous works: witnessing about Jesus in Jerusalem, and confirmed that he will do the same thing in the future, testifying about Jesus in Rome.

So Paul was going to live and testify about Jesus, no matter that more than forty people conspired to kill him. The Lord had given him a work to do; how could people interfere with that work?

Those who do the work of the Lord may be forsaken by men, but not by the Lord. Jesus stands beside them and says, "Take courage."

From my diary,

March 20,   2024