Rev. Ray and Pat Amos

Acts 23-11

“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.”

Pat likes to read the last page of a book before she buys it. If I did that I would never read the book; yet knowing how the story ends is the hope that keeps Christians pressing on.

Paul had gone through serious threats on his life, prison, ship wrecks, discouragement and a long list of negatives; yet he faced them all with courage and kept going because God had made a promise that he would preach in Rome. He knew that none of those things could stop God’s plan.

I sometimes hear people say, “I know everything is going to be all right because I have read the end of the Book and it says so.” It does say so, but that is meaningless if we do not believe it enough to keep our faith while going through whatever life brings our way today.

The words of Romans 8:28 are always comforting. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

It was the time in Paul’s life when he wrote that passage that makes it so powerful. He had already been through much and he wrote these words as an affirmation that God is faithful and can be trusted no matter what we are experiencing.

Jesus kept steady on the road to the cross knowing how the story would end: “And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.” Luke 18:33

The song says, “Hold on my child joy comes in the morning; Weeping only last for the night. Hold on my child Joy comes in the morning; the darkest hour means dawn is just in sight”

Grace and Peace, Rev Ray (3/2/2019)

“Link to YouTube Video – Joy Comes in the Morning”